The cast also includes Barry Humphries, Stephanie de Sykes, Frank Thornton and many contemporary pop artists such as The Rubettes, Mud and Kenny.
[4] The decrepit Golden Nugget, which features strip shows and music hall variety turns, is run by Max Nugget (Terry-Thomas), assisted by his hypochondriac nephew Rodney (Barry Humphries), while Sound City is a pop music club, run by Gary (Billy Boyle).
[7] A tie-in soundtrack album was released in 1977 under the title Original Rocking Hits From The Film "Side By Side" on the Pickwick Records label (SHM 902), and featured Stephanie de Sykes performing her highest UK charting song, "Born With a Smile on My Face".
Graham McCann's 2009 biography of Terry-Thomas, Bounder!, describes the film as "a low-budget piece of nonsense" which was savaged by critics "both for its 'marshmallow plot' and the 'evident lack of enthusiasm' shown by most of its cast.
"[11] Musical film author Stephen Glynn wrote that Side by Side used the two clubs' rivalry "as an excuse to feature of a roster of Glam acts ... filmed in performance mode with no discernible difference to a Thursday night episode of Top of the Pops".