From The Gathering Of Friends

June 27. Saturday. Leprechaun Bar. A Gathering Of Friends. Below is a gathering of (my) thoughts. Want Guinness? Heard one say. Yes, get me one, says another. Oh, hi! Hey! Haven't seen you in ages! Uy, pare. Coffee Break Island came first. Good set as usual. Gotta rush to Xavierville. Francis in Samar. Pink Cow just as jolly and quirky. A lot of personality. Loads of nice T-shirts. I like Spyk's. "The Loudest and Fastest Hour On Radio." Blast from the past, nearly made me cry...(old school, new school, out-of-school punk, and everything in between...aawww!) Bad Omen next. Veteran punks. Very much deserving of a place in the Pinoy Punk firmament. Segued into two Music Front songs, then segued further into Tsunami Tsunami set. Was distracted, a very very good friend was downstairs. (He said Dave Dictor is a good man, and I believed him, because I know that for a fact, and I am not effing kidding. My friend's stories very much worth my attention.) AMPON next. Almost missed them and almost bashed my head for this. Pity that someone had to say "We've been invaded by hiphop"... as far as I know, AMPON is fantastic! [Sorry dude-who-said-we've-been-invaded, we're into this for the music above everything else, so eff it.] Shuffle Union. Buy their cool CD. Seriously, and objectively. You know how, yes? The Mighty Contras. Adorable Ahmad. Want to see more of them. Drove home and nearly ran over a cat. Driving = steep learning curve. Sunday, past 3 o'clock in the morning. Good morning world ... tell it to me once again what Antoine de St Exupery said.

"On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."

Mr. Antoine, you are very dear to me ... situated beside this beautiful quote of yours, all other words are empty bullet shells .... Thank you friends for your presence, and for remembering a very good man.

Thank you Jan for the Tsunami photo.

Music Speaks

I thought about writing this post in time for the upcoming gathering of friends gig on Saturday, June 27, at the Leprechaun Bar in Quezon City. If you've already seen that poster with the boombox, then you would know what I am talking about.

*****

Before Trash Radio Manila, there was Music Speaks.


Music Speaks is Je's personal Multiply account. We both decided to open our own accounts two years ago, when I had to stay in Hong Kong for training. It was one of our many ways of keeping in touch. But unlike my account, which served as a depository of photographs, Je's account was a mini-collection of mixed playlists. Music Speaks would turn out to be a testing ground for Je's mixes, fresh out of Long Island Dub Studio, his other baby.

We eventually started Trash Radio Manila on January of 2008. I had gone back home to Manila, and Je was already open to the idea of keeping a music blog. Music Speaks became dormant (and so did my account), but it remains to be the prototype of Trash Radio Manila. You might want to check out Music Speaks and find out how TRM has evolved into what it is at present.

Of course, this evolution would not be possible without you guys. Thank you, as always, for allowing music to speak to you through Trash Radio Manila.

*****

And yes, see you this Saturday, people.

Invincible...

... is the title of Shuffle Union's latest album consisting of live acoustic tracks off the Louie Louie gig held last January of this year. The lads are in the middle of their Invincible-Live Album Tour, and last night, they played at what seems to be their favorite haunt of late, 1962 Tambayanan at Sct. Madriñan at South Triangle in Quezon City.

I was late (so what's new?) so I did not get to see the jolly boys of Pink Cow play. Steady Movin' Beat performed after Pink Cow. All those nights of gigging are paying off: SMB is simply getting better and better, with demeanour to match. They obviously recognise that a band worth its salt does not rely on talent alone but also on diligence and the drive to outdo themselves. I am honestly happy to see SMB become into what they are right now.

Then came Shuffle Union, which I believe is one of the most senior, if not the most, active ska bands around. Like most observers and regulars of the ska scene, I have somehow followed this band's development, its ups and downs, not as keenly as Je did but I was witness just the same to SU's metamorphosis. Invincible the album is long overdue. You might as well buy their CD, and if you have their EP (the one that contains "Lovestruck" and "Freedom"), you'd find out that Shuffle has indeed trekked a long and bumpy road and picked up valuable lessons along the way. And if you have been following the ska gig circuit since the Clubska years, you too, would probably feel that you are part of their journey as well.

What can I say? At last, guys, at long last.

*****
There are a couple or so ways to get a hold of Shuffle Union's Invincible album, which by the way are in limited quantities only.

1. The best way is to be at their gigs (next stop will be at Java Ave, UP Los Baños, Laguna on July 2, Thursday, 7pm): you can check out their gig schedules at their blog site or at their MySpace site.

2. If you cannot be physically at the gigs, you can order their CD through their blog site, or here, YES HERE, at the Trash Radio Manila blog site. I have made it possible for both Paypal and non-Paypal users to place their order by clicking certain buttons at a specified area by the siderail. JUST LOOK FOR THE SHUFFLE UNION INVINCIBLE gifs AT THE SIDERAIL, and you'll know what to do next. You can actually own this great CD even if you are not in the Philippines. Coolness, oui? Oui! So what are you waiting for, hunnies?

*****
Again we start another week, but before we do, please, please, remember to greet your Dads a Happy Father's Day. And, be safe, y'all.

Photo shoots: 1962 Tambayanan, Steady Movin' Beat, Shuffle Union. I < 3 my cheap camera. No kidding.

For JP Rizal, J. Rizal, And All The Fathers Of The World

I could not decide on what sort of playlist to make: a Jose Rizal or a Father's Day special. Finally I decided to incorporate both - in a ONE-SONG playlist.

But this is no ordinary song. This song is entitled "Daddy", performed by Juan Isip, Bobby Balingit's project which involved Italian musician Ugo Guido and English musician Chris Callas.

This is essentially a song written from a child's point of view; he is relying on his father's support and guidance. This song is just as apt in remembering Jose Rizal. While proof of Rizal's fatherhood remains under dispute to this day (as far as I know), he is in essence a father to our nation.

So. Happy Birthday, JP. Happy Father's Day too, to all the fathers whom we love. Have a relevant weekend, people. (Gigs? Check out the siderail as always.)

DADDY
Maliit ang aking kamay
Maliit ang aking paa
Kaunti ang aking hawak
Kapiraso marka ng aking yapak

Sana'y tulungan mo ako
Ang pagtayo ay mabuway
Huwag kang magalit
Huwag kang mainis
Talagang ganito lang ako

Maliit ang aking mata
Maliit ang aking tainga
Kung anu-ano ang nakikita
Iba-iba ang naririnig

Sana'y turuan mo ako
Ako'y hirap na umintindi
Huwag kang magalit
Huwag kang mainis
Talagang ganito lang ako

Sa munting tinig sana'y marinig
Ang isipan kong hubad
Sa munting luha, sana'y maantig
Damdaming hindi huwad

Mga Awit Para Sa Araw ng Kalayaan

Makalipas ang higit sa isandaang taon ng pagdiriwang ng araw na ito, kailangan pa kayang itanong sa ating mga sarili kung malaya nga ba talaga tayo? Ano sa tingin nyo?

Para sa araw na ito ay naghanda ako ng anim na awitin para sa inyo.

1. "Itakas Ninyo Ako" - AXEL PINPIN at BOBBY BALINGIT

Ito ay mula sa Huling Lagapak ng Kandado, isang koleksiyon ng mga panulat ni Axel Pinpin, isang makata at isa sa bumubuo ng "Tagaytay 5" na dinukot at ipiniit sa Camp Vicente Lim mga tatlong taon na ang nakakaraan. Ang kanyang mga tula ay nilapatan ng musika ni Bobby Balingit ng WUDS.

2. "Bloody Nutter" - SEX MILITANTS

Isang kanta mula sa isa sa mga inilabas na kompilasyon ng Twisted Red Cross. Ang Sex Militants ay kilala ngayon bilang Nu Militants.

3. "Vampire Sam (The Global Order)" - THE BEAUTY OF DOUBT

Ibang bersiyon ng kilalang awitin ng grupo nina Ron Schlander. Ang bersiyon na ito ay lumabas sa album na Rock Against The Round: Musicians Against The WTO.


4. "Inutil" - HARD K

Walang halong biro, magaling na frontman si Jun Idiot at masarap panoorin. Subalit alam niyo naman lahat iyan. Ang "Inutil" ay mula sa kanilang bagong album, Life Is Pain.

5. "Life" - Delmonstros

Impresibo ang grupong ito mula sa Iligan. Silipin niyo sila sa kanilang MySpace. Ang gara rin ng mga litrato.

6. "President" - Betrayed

Lumabas ito noong 2002, at si Je Bautista ang tumugtog ng baho rito. (Ito ay isa sa mangilan-ngilan na kantang tinugtugan ni Je na naka-record.) Si Buddy Trinidad ang sumulat ng "President": pakinggan ninyong mabuti nang malaman niyo kung kanino patungkol ang awit na ito.

Maraming salamat kay Kachuki at kay Carl para sa mga voice-over.

...And Then There Was Heartcore

It was a thought borne out of nights of discussion, mostly about how people in the scene are getting older, about those who have passed on and about experiences that people never seem to learn from. Health issues - probably one of the most uncool concerns ever - plague even those who sing about enjoying because "...it's later than you think" (ugh, apologies to The Specials).

Recently these very concerns hit two people - Dennis Maniego and Je Bautista - both bassists to some of the most respected punk bands around. While we rejoice as Dennis recovered from his multiple bypass surgery, Je had not been as fortunate, succumbing to myocardial infarction in spite of vigilant treatment. Sickness, hospitalisation, surgery, death: these are not the problems that any musician would want to have. It is common knowledge that most musicians are exposed to one of the unhealthiest lifestyles on the planet and are one of the most financially under-appreciated persons in the work force. I seriously doubt if most of them have an SSS, GSIS, Philhealth, or an HMO card even.

And so there is Heartcore, a concept backed by these real problems, and more. Last Saturday, May 30, 2009, Heartcore was the name of the gig which was meant to celebrate the recovery of Dennis and the life and times of Je. The bands who played were as follows: S.D.K., The GoSignals, Half The Battle, The Beauty Of Doubt, Throw, Goo, Staid, Tame The Tikbalang, End of Man, Rust Phantom, and Einstein Chakras.

What a night it was, in more ways than one. And the bands. Half The Battle was impressive, and S.D.K. is promising. I found myself singing when Al Dimalanta of Throw started chanting Dead Kennedys' "Kill The Poor" - it is not too often that Al does covers. Was waiting for Mel Maniego of The GoSignals to do the Pete Townshend leap at the end of their set. Check out the photos below.

In the days to come I will expound on the concept of Heartcore more extensively. But suffice to say that the gig has been great, and it was specially great to see Dennis Maniego play the bass like he has done pre-surgery. As for Je, he must have been there too, in spirit, hanging around that particular table where people were eating Baliwag chicharon....

S.D.K.

The GoSignals

Half The Battle

The Beauty Of Doubt

Throw

Goo

Staid

Tame The Tikbalang

End Of Man

Rust Phantom

Einstein Chakras