Side A's Rodel Gonzalez's Side B

11-30-2011 00:00:00

by Ed Fernandez

Those familiar with the Philippine live music scenes of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s must also be familiar with Side A. The group is perhaps the most successful live music band in the Philippines. In 1985 Rodel, at the age of 20, and brother Naldy Gonzalez formed Side A with Joey Benin, Kelly Baldon, Mar Dizon and former Artstart member Pido Lalimano (Take One and South Border). Everyone knows their hit song "Forevermore." But to the 80s generation, the songs that stick to memory are the "old school Side A" songs like Rodel's "Di Pa Huli."

But perhaps what many don't know is that there is a "Side B" to Side A's Rodel Gonzalez: he is a world class fine artist. His talent is a product of both nature and nurture. He obviously was born to a family of artists as both his father, Rick Gonzalez, and grandfather, Felix Gonzalez, introduced Rodel to the world of fine arts and started mentoring him at a young age of nine. Says Rodel, "Growing up my father would always tell me not to be intimated by the paint and be 100% sure about my intentions on my first stroke at the canvas." His talent was further developed at the University of Santo Tomas where Rodel majored in painting. As if that was not enough, Rodel also took Interior Design at the Philippine School of Interior Design for which he earned a degree.

So, obviously Rodel was first a painter before he became a musician whose talents ranges from playing musical intstruments, like guitar and saxophone, to writing and singing songs. Rodel's work has clearly gained outstanding recognition being a Disney Fine Artist. Below is a gallery of his paintings for the Disney Fine Art by Collectors Edition.