'Yan Ang Gusto Ko!

Sino nga ba si Skataba?

Hey you! Skataba with Put3ska's Arnold Morales and Bing Austria

Skataba is Mr. Daryl Orchard, an Englishman who has been very fortunate to be in the birthplace of punk rock when it exploded. Daryl is also a survivor of the illustrous era of ska revival that took place some years later. He eventually left the comforts of first world living in London to go to the Southeast Asian islands. Skataba spent a great deal of time here in the Philippines, and was pretty much known in the scene which Put3ska spawned in the 1990s when they bombarded the airwaves with their brand of ska music.

If you had the chance to see Put3ska in the past, or are lucky to have seen the video of their cover of the College's classic "Manila Girl", you may have spotted Skataba doing his wacky dance moves a la Madness. Aside from being a dancefloor delight, he also wrote the liner notes for Put3ska's first album. I have personally heard a lot of good words about this man who has become a dear friend of the local ska scene. Daryl eventually left our shores to live and work in Thailand, and is definitely missed.

So imagine the excitement of his friends when Skataba sneaked in Manila to visit his mates a few days ago. It was my first time to meet Daryl last Friday, March 14, 2008, at Gweilos Bar along Palanca St. in Makati City during the album tour of Coffee Break Island. I am just too glad I did (So glad, I lost count of the bottles of beer I consumed that night. Ugh.). It only confirmed everything good that has been said about him. That he is cute, witty, and that his command of the Tagalog dialect is very very impressive (Examples: "Matagal pa ba ang beer namin?" and "Hindi na ako marunong mag-Tagalog!" He speaks Bisaya too: "Maayong gabi-i." Heheh.). That this man's prowess in the dancefloor has not faded over the years, and that he remains well-loved. He struck me as introspective, a tad sentimental, and very down-to-earth, and most probably, people who know him better will have a lot more to add to the list of his endearing qualities.

To Skataba, it's a great honor to meet you. As promised, here are some photos. Hope to see you and your extremely engaging dance steps soon.

Many thanks to Luv G. Nogoy for lending us some pics. Above pics show Skataba dancing to the music of Coffee Break Island, clowning around with the group, and sharing interesting tales with some good friends.