Biography
The Otherside maintain an enduring connection to the Chocolate Watchband stemming from an extensive personnel exchange during November 1965. Although far less recognized today than that related ensemble, the group demonstrated comparable skill. They originated as the Topsiders, a surf combo established at Washington High School in Fremont, CA, during 1964. The initial four members comprised Jim Sawyers on lead guitar, Ken "Toad" Matthew handling drums and vocals, Tom Antone on bass, and David Tolby—born David Phelps—on second lead guitar. Their strongest moment arrived with a mid-1965 slot at the KLIV Battle of the Bands held in San Jose's Civic Auditorium.
After rhythm guitarist Skip Spence joined briefly and then left, the Topsiders selected a fresh name. Spence, recruited to play drums for the Jefferson Airplane, supplied the alternate title previously turned down by that band. This change created the Otherside, which then underwent rapid member turnover. After a last performance at the Oakland Civic Auditorium, Sawyers parted ways with Tolby over personal conflicts and accepted an invitation to replace Reese Sheets in the Vejtables. Edward Johnston "Ned" Torney III, lead guitarist of the Chocolate Watchband, stepped in next. Torney brought keyboard and string-bending abilities sharpened through prior work with future Remains member Barry Tashian and East Coast surf instrumentalists the Roadrunners; he had already received an earlier offer to join the Otherside at a November show featuring both groups. Torney chose to switch bands, which temporarily ended the Watchband until Tolby—now using the name Sean—joined its revived lineup. Original Watchband members Jo Kemling on keyboards and Danny Phay on vocals soon followed Torney, completing the Otherside alongside Matthew and Antone.
The refreshed Otherside placed as runners-up at a KEWB-sponsored Battle of the Bands at the Oakland Civic Auditorium in late November 1965, earned support from radio DJ Johnny G, and began attracting large audiences. Their style drew from British Invasion acts including the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Animals, Yardbirds, and especially the Who. Between January and May 1966, Torney—drafted and assigned to Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco—participated only on weekends, so Martin Van Slyke Battey joined on harmonica, guitar, and vocals. During this period the Otherside shared bills with the pre-Creedence Golliwogs at the Brass Rail. Torney's return in May 1966 created an oversized lineup, prompting Kemling's exit followed soon by Phay's. Guitarist Alan Graham, drawn from the Lord Jim Quintet, was added for vocal support. This configuration recorded the group's only release, the single "Walking Down the Road" b/w "Streetcar" (Brent 7061, December 1966). "Road," a high-powered remake of an earlier Kingston Trio number, includes a jangly, dissonant bridge that evokes a Keystone Kops paddywagon under the influence of acid.
"Streetcar," a Who-inspired original credited to Battey and Graham, featured an equally psychedelic middle eight and stood up well against Townshend's strongest material on the My Generation LP. Bones Howe engineered the session at Hollywood's Sunset Recorders. A third Otherside original, now considered lost, was also taped. Both tracks later surfaced on the various-artists collection A Pot of Flowers (Mainstream S-6100; 1967—reissued in the 1980s within Mindrocker, Vol. 10) and on Sound of the Sixties: San Francisco, Pt. 2; separately, "Streetcar" appeared on Boulders, Vol. 2 while "Road" turned up on The '60s Choice, Vol. 2. Once Antone received his draft notice and Battey departed, the Otherside added bassist Wayne Paulsen and adopted the name Bogus Thunder. Their eventful history receives full coverage in Alec Palao and Judd Cost's Cream Puff War magazine (number two, February 1993; Santa Clara, CA).
After rhythm guitarist Skip Spence joined briefly and then left, the Topsiders selected a fresh name. Spence, recruited to play drums for the Jefferson Airplane, supplied the alternate title previously turned down by that band. This change created the Otherside, which then underwent rapid member turnover. After a last performance at the Oakland Civic Auditorium, Sawyers parted ways with Tolby over personal conflicts and accepted an invitation to replace Reese Sheets in the Vejtables. Edward Johnston "Ned" Torney III, lead guitarist of the Chocolate Watchband, stepped in next. Torney brought keyboard and string-bending abilities sharpened through prior work with future Remains member Barry Tashian and East Coast surf instrumentalists the Roadrunners; he had already received an earlier offer to join the Otherside at a November show featuring both groups. Torney chose to switch bands, which temporarily ended the Watchband until Tolby—now using the name Sean—joined its revived lineup. Original Watchband members Jo Kemling on keyboards and Danny Phay on vocals soon followed Torney, completing the Otherside alongside Matthew and Antone.
The refreshed Otherside placed as runners-up at a KEWB-sponsored Battle of the Bands at the Oakland Civic Auditorium in late November 1965, earned support from radio DJ Johnny G, and began attracting large audiences. Their style drew from British Invasion acts including the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Animals, Yardbirds, and especially the Who. Between January and May 1966, Torney—drafted and assigned to Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco—participated only on weekends, so Martin Van Slyke Battey joined on harmonica, guitar, and vocals. During this period the Otherside shared bills with the pre-Creedence Golliwogs at the Brass Rail. Torney's return in May 1966 created an oversized lineup, prompting Kemling's exit followed soon by Phay's. Guitarist Alan Graham, drawn from the Lord Jim Quintet, was added for vocal support. This configuration recorded the group's only release, the single "Walking Down the Road" b/w "Streetcar" (Brent 7061, December 1966). "Road," a high-powered remake of an earlier Kingston Trio number, includes a jangly, dissonant bridge that evokes a Keystone Kops paddywagon under the influence of acid.
"Streetcar," a Who-inspired original credited to Battey and Graham, featured an equally psychedelic middle eight and stood up well against Townshend's strongest material on the My Generation LP. Bones Howe engineered the session at Hollywood's Sunset Recorders. A third Otherside original, now considered lost, was also taped. Both tracks later surfaced on the various-artists collection A Pot of Flowers (Mainstream S-6100; 1967—reissued in the 1980s within Mindrocker, Vol. 10) and on Sound of the Sixties: San Francisco, Pt. 2; separately, "Streetcar" appeared on Boulders, Vol. 2 while "Road" turned up on The '60s Choice, Vol. 2. Once Antone received his draft notice and Battey departed, the Otherside added bassist Wayne Paulsen and adopted the name Bogus Thunder. Their eventful history receives full coverage in Alec Palao and Judd Cost's Cream Puff War magazine (number two, February 1993; Santa Clara, CA).
Albums
Singles
