There's only one Side A

I do not know whose idea it was, but I still recall being amused on getting Side A’s debut cassette, no CDs yet in that long ago time, and finding that there is no Side B. I’m sure, you still know how cassettes work. There is a Side A and a Side B. After playing Side A, you flip the tape over and listen to Side B. The Side A cassette though, had Side A written on both sides.

It was the late label manager Fred Samantela, who told me that because the band was named Side A, it didn’t seem right for it to have a Side B. A Side B in music industry parlance denotes inferior product. This started out with the 78RPM discs from the early, early times. Back then the artists and producers would record two songs, choose which they think would sell and label it Side A. On the reverse would be the other song, a Side B, which rarely got played.

This later changed as a lot of people who dared play Side B, discovered treasures there and with the arrival of the CD, which has no Side B. But the belief persists and it is not uncommon to hear, “pang Side B lang yan,” among people assessing new songs. That means the song is merely a filler for an album and will never be a hit.

To the band’s credit, Side A turned out to be everything a Side A recording is supposed to be. Formed in the late ‘80s, it rose to prominence in the ‘90s to become the country’s leading pop/rock group. Remember those packed nights at Music Hall on Annapolis?

Back then fans danced, fell in love and generally had a good time with Side A music in the background. Joey Generoso, Kelly Badon, Ernie Severino, Naldy Gonzales and Joey Benin popularized Hold On, Tuloy Pa Rin Ako, So Many Questions, Forevermore, By Your Side and many others.

A lot of people today still love Side A music. These guys have been performing together for over 20 years. I credit this mainly to their astute grasp of melody. That is how standard songs are created, with a good melody. There are also their sleek arrangements. Nothing jars while Side A performs.

Of course Joey G’s versatile and wide-ranging vocals count a lot. And most important of all is the fact that Side A sounds like no other group. Admit it, the style and music of today’s bands are almost interchangeable. You can’t tell one from the other. But you always know Side A’s when you hear it.

These elements are all present in Only 1, Side A’s first all original album in a long while. Take note that Side A also fell prey to the revival trend although the repertoire they have in Side A Live is made up of their gigs’ most requested numbers. For Only 1, though, it is all new songs, a few of which sound like they will become future Side A classics.

Only 1 includes Kung Wala Ka Na, That’s Okay, Tila, Fallin’, Something’s Missing, Can’t You See, Where Do I Go, Save Me, Die Just A Little, and the first single release, Just Wanna Be With You. A light sentimental pop tune that sounds like vintage Side A, the song features new vocalist Lee Von Cailao and was composed by the other new member Ned Esguerra.

Naldy, Ernie and Joey G have remained with the group while now retired are Joey B, who wrote a lot of Side A hits and Kelly. Fans miss them but it is good to know the new guys are adept with their vocals and songwriting chores.

For an idea of how the Side A of old easily captivated the youth market, check out Side A 18 Greatest Hits. The compilation celebrates the band’s early days with Vicor and Ivory labels plus recent live recorded covers.

There are the originals Hold On, Love Is Here to Stay, Tuloy Pa Rin Ako, Sana Naman, I’ll Be Seeing You Again, Love Isn’t Hard To Find, Pangako, I Will Always Stay and Only You (There Will Never Be Another) and Side A’s version of Heart Of Mine, Rosanna, I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing, Wild World, Faithfully, Sailing, Later, All I Need and Whenever I Call You Friend.

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In the airlanes, current favorites are also led by One Time by Justin Bieber; Fireflies by Owl City; Live Like We’re Dying by Kris Allen; Nananaginip by Callalily; My Christmas Girl by Sarah Geronimo; Yun Ka by Willie Revillame; Falling For You by Colbie Caillat; Pusong Ligaw by Jericho Rosales, Lost In Space by Roselle Nava; and Bangon by Rico Blanco.