Jingle Jangle Pop!

The Other Side - “Walking Down the Road” (1966)

Inextricably linked with The Chocolate Watchband — by virtue of a dizzying personnel swap in November 1965 — The Other Side are today far less known than their sister group, but were no less talented. the Other Side evolved from The Topsiders, a surf combo formed at Fremont, CA’s Washington High School in 1964. The quartet included Jim Sawyers (lead guitar), Ken “Toad” Matthew (drums, vocals), Tom Antone (bass), and David Tolby (born David Phelps; second lead guitar). This lineup’s high-water mark was a mid-1965 appearance at a KLIV Battle of the Bands at San Jose’s Civic Auditorium. Joined briefly by rhythm guitarist Skip Spence, the Topsiders — upon Spence’s departure — adopted a new name. Spence, drafted to drum for The Jefferson Airplane, gave Sawyers and company the alternate moniker that the Airplane had rejected. [AllMusic via Away from the Numbers]