The Flip Side: Classic and original contemporary folk rock band based in Cleveland

B. Ryan B.

B. Ryan B. plays the electric bass guitar, sings some backup vocals, and does some image work for the band. When not collecting folk recordings from his contemporaries, he listens to 80s rock "extended mixes," house and avant garde electronic music, new age, and a cappella stuff. He also plays keyboards, clarinet, and hand drums, and composes computer-based music (MIDI), mostly in his own home, far away from rotten tomatoes.

This is the youngster's first commercial band. Before, he played with some fun jazz groups in Beachwood and Silver Lake, plus church and school music groups. He's also had the pleasure of playing bass for Tom Gorman, Will Cheshier, 2 Much Fun, and Anne E. DeChant, but keeps coming home to the Flip Side.

When he's not sitting in with inspiring Cleveland talent, the life-long Clevelander spends daylight hours programming web applications for a west-side medical software company.

Bob Gibbons ("Gib")

Gib plays acoustic guitar and sings. He's been strumming the guitar since middle school, but really started playing music with meaning in college. He met "Flip" there, and they've strummed together ever since. Gib met Mark at work and they played together in OCR (Out of Contact with Reality), a classic rock garage band. Gib & Flip played together in a folk/acoustic group called Suitewood. Later he started an alternative Christian band, the Nottingham Spirit Revival Band. Now, with The Flip Side , Gib gets to "to play music my own music with lifelong friends, it doesn't get any better than this!"

Gib moved to Cleveland from Erie, PA in 1978. His daytime gig is at Adoption Network Cleveland, providing educational supports to families touched by adoption. Gib's wife is a pastor in the United Methodist Church, currently serving two churches in Akron. Gib has two wonderful "grown" children and one lovely granddaughter. Besides music, history is a passion: he has formed Nottingham Historical Society, and co-authored a local history book called Euclid Creek.

Beth Hyland ("Flip")

Beth Hyland loves to sing, and she's been singing all of her life. She comes by it naturally, as her father was a drummer and a singer, in the era where Big Band was king. Beth recalls singing on stage at age four, at her aunt's wedding, with a full band backing her up. She knew, even then, that she loved the stage. Beth says that singing and performing bring her full being into focus, with a wondrous spirituality. Beth's earliest influence was her dad, and the music of Count Bassie, Les Brown, and Frank Sinatra. She and her dad sang together often, and she remembers learning timing, and phrasing of songs, from him. Her dad always had a band, which sometimes included her uncles, one playing the piano, and the other sax and clarinet. Family gatherings were highlighted by jam sessions.

Beth grew up in a wonderful little town, called North East (Goings-on, Wikipedia, bird's eye view), just outside of Erie, Pa. In high school and college Beth became involved in choral groups, performing arts, and musical theater. She began playing the guitar to accompany her singing, and truly enjoyed it. Beth was inspired by the music of The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, and CSN&Y, along with many others. She met Bob Gibbons "Gib" in college, when he was dating her roommate, and they found they both loved to play music. Music was a way to connect with others, express yourself, and to relax and have a good time. All of the parties and gatherings were made even better with resounding and harmonious voices, and foot stompin' guitar!

Beth moved to Cleveland, Ohio in pursuit of a teaching job, and has lived in the area most of her adult life. Gib also moved to Cleveland to teach. Beth and Gib have been friends, and involved in music during this time,and in the mid '90's formed a 'classic rock' band called Suitewood. In 1996, Beth began writing music. Her first song, entitled "Elizabeth," was a tribute to her beloved grandmother's life. This seemed to open the gates for Beth to continue to combine words from the heart with music of the soul. She feels it is a gift from her grandmother. Then, in 2002, Beth joined forces with a friend to form "The Harmony Girls," where she gave voice and performance to original music.

Jack Mizenko

Born and raised on the west side of Cleveland, Jack still has the first 45 that he begged his parents for at the age of 3 ("Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis). Since then, he has continued to collect and listen to a wide range of music. Jack's musical heroes are too numerous to mention, but his "desert island favorite" is Thelonious Monk.

Jack went to John Carroll University, where Mark Ronan encouraged him to stop listening so much, and to start making music by singing and playing guitar. That began a strong friendship that has only grown over the years. For the last five years, Jack and Mark have been playing Monday nights at Phoenix Coffeehouse in Lakewood. B. Ryan B. joins them quite often, and Flip and Gib have made appearances as well for informal Flip Side sessions.

In June, 2006, Jack retired from teaching special education in the Cleveland Municipal Schools. After "subbing" for the Flip Side for a few gigs, Jack was invited to join the group as a full-time member. With support and encouragement from his wife Donna and his three daughters, he did. Jack loves playing with the Flip Side because of "the high level of original songwriting, cover performances, harmony singing, and musicianship, but mostly because we have fun!"

Mark Ronan

Mark was born in a log cabin in New Castle, PA (map, official site, news, Wikipedia) around the turn of the century. He's an only son and bears the scars of that situation. He was introduced to music by his father, who taught him to sing and hold a melody while Dad sang harmony. He's been influenced by the Beatles among many bands of other styles. He's written songs for as long as he could remember, though that only goes back two weeks. He played in several bands including "OCR" (Out of Contact with Reality), and Knickers in a Twist.

Playing with the Flip Side is a unique opportunity. "I consider it an honor to be playing the songs of Beth Hyland and Bob Gibbons whom I consider to be truly talented and gifted songwriters." Bass player B. Ryan B., who recently joined us, has made a substantial contribution to our current sound. For all of you checking out our web site, come to the gigs. We are an entertaining package, and I think we might just pass the audition.