The Otherside

Inextricably associated with the Chocolate Watchband — simply by virtue of a dizzying personnel swap in November 1965 — the Otherside are today much less known than their sister group, yet were believe it or not talented. the Otherside progressed from the Topsiders, a browse combo shaped at Fremont, CA’s Washington SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL in 1964. The quartet included Jim Sawyers (lead acoustic guitar), Ken “Toad” Matthew (drums, vocals), Tom Antone (bass), and David Tolby (created David Phelps; second lead guitar). This lineup’s high-water tag was a middle-1965 appearance in a KLIV Fight from the Rings at San Jose’s Civic Auditorium. Joined up with briefly by tempo guitarist Miss Spence, the Topsiders — upon Spence’s departure — used a new deal with. Spence, drafted to drum for the Jefferson Aircraft, offered Sawyers and business the alternative moniker the Airplane had declined. Therefore was the Otherside created, as well as the music group started a whirlwind group of employees shifts. Citing personal variations with Tolby, Sawyers — following a last show in the Oakland Civic Auditorium — approved the Vejtables’ present to displace Reese Bedding. Enter Edward Johnston “Ned” Torney III, business lead axe from the Chocolates Watchband. Torney, whose key pad and string-bending abilities have been honed via an amazing succession of apprenticeships — including stints with upcoming Remains to be member Barry Tashian and East Coastline browse instrumentalists the Roadrunners — acquired recently been asked to become listed on the Otherside at a youthful November gig where both rings had performed. Torney made a decision to leap ship and consider Sawyers’ place. His defection briefly slew the Watchband, whose phoenix shortly rose again in the ashes with Tolby (today contacting himself Sean) in tow. On the other hand, primary Watchbanders Jo Kemling (keyboards) and Danny Phay (vocals) implemented Torney and became a member of the rest of the two Othersiders: Matthew and Antone. The brand new Otherside, runners-up in a KEWB-sponsored Fight from the Rings on the Oakland Civic Auditorium in past due November 1965, obtained the endorsement of radio DJ Johnny G, as well as the music group began drawing large crowds. Stylistically, they emulated the United kingdom Invasion groupings the Rolling Rocks, Beatles, Pets, Yardbirds, as well as perhaps especially, the Who. From January to Might 1966, nevertheless, Torney — drafted and stationed at Letterman Military Hospital in SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA — was only a weekend participant. To help to fill his sneakers, Martin Truck Slyke Battey (harmonica, electric guitar, vocals) emerged aboard. As of this juncture, the Otherside distributed billing using the pre-Creedence Golliwogs on the Brass Rail. Torney’s come back in-may 1966 produced the quintet top-heavy and rendered Kemling superfluous. His departure was shortly accompanied by that of Phay. Guitarist Alan Graham — pilfered from god, the father Jim Quintet — was recruited to aid on vocals. It had been this lineup from the Otherside that slice the group’s lone recording, the one “Walking Later on” b/w “Streetcar” (Brent 7061, Dec 1966). “Street,” a turbo-charged remake of a vintage Kingston Trio tune, includes a jangly, dissonant bridge — conjuring pictures of the Keystone Kops paddywagon on acidity. “Streetcar,” a Who-inspired Battey/Graham primary, got an intriguingly psilocybic middle eight aswell, and likened favorably with Townshend’s greatest efforts for the My Era LP. The program was manufactured by Bone fragments Howe at Hollywood’s Sunset Recorders. Another Otherside original, thought dropped, was also cut. “Street” and “Streetcar” consequently appeared on the many performers’ compilation A Container of Blossoms (Mainstream S-6100; 1967 — reissued within the 1980s within Mindrocker, Vol. 10) and Sound from the Sixties: SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, Pt. 2. Individually, “Streetca” arrived on Boulders, Vol. 2 and “Street” for the ’60s Choice, Vol. 2. Using the entrance of Antone’s draft notice — and Battey’s departure — the Otherside had taken in bassist Wayne Paulsen and rechristened themselves Bogus Thunder. The tumultuous saga from the Otherside is normally chronicled in Alec Palao and Judd Cost’s Cream Puff Battle magazine (number 2, Feb 1993; Santa Clara, CA).