Mga Awit Para Sa Buwan Ng Wika: Ikalawang Bahagi (Ano Ba Ang Makabuluhang Pagmamahal?)

Katulad ng aking pangako ay inihahandog ko ang pangalawang bahagi ng ating tugtugan.

Kasama sa aking handog ang isang tanong na magpasahanggang ngayon ay walang tiyak na kasagutan para sa akin.

Ano ba ang makabuluhang pagmamahal? (To rephrase in a more universally spoken language, what is a purposeful kind of love?)

Itinatanong ko ito sapagkat maraming uri ng pagmamahal, maraming nag-aakala na makabuluhan ang kanilang pagmamahal, at maraming nagiging biktima ng inaakala nilang pagmamahal.

Tunay nga bang pagmamahal ang maging mapagpatawad sa ama, ina, o asawang nambubugbog?

Pagmamahal nga ba ang tawag kung gusto lang wakasan ng isang kaibigan ang inyong pagtatalo na walang naging tiyak na kalutasan, dahil ayaw lang niya ng diskusyon?

Paano ba ang magmahal sa bayan kung ito ay salamin ng kalabisan at kawalang-bahala ng kanyang mga supling?

Lubos ka bang nagmamahal kung handa kang mamatay para sa iyong paniniwala, o isa ba itong kahibangan o dili kaya ay kakulangan sa pagmamahal sa sarili?

Paano ba ang magmahal sa mga bagay na hindi nakikita ng iyong mga mata o nararamdaman ng iyong puso?

Katulad ng aking tinuran, mahirap sagutin ng tumpak ang mga tanong na ito. Isa ito sa mga "doble-karang" katotohanan ng buhay: totoong mahirap sagutin ang anumang katanungan tungkol sa pagmamahal, subalit kailangan pa ring magkaroon ng katanggap-tanggap na kasagutan. Dahil kung wala .... marahil ay lagi na lamang luhaan ang buong sanlibutan, at malamang, kahit saan ka bumaling ay bumabagyo, o umuulan ng niyebe, at wala kang masilungan.

At ano naman ang kinalaman nito sa Buwan ng Wika?

Ang isa pa kasi sa mga katanungan ko ay: paano ba ang magmahal sa sariling wika, kung sa totoo lamang ay hindi pa rin tunay na matukoy kung ano ba talaga ang ibig sabihin ng wikang Pilipino?

Lahat tayo ay may kanya-kanyang sagot diyan, subalit huwag nating kalimutan na isa itong paulit-ulit na isyu lalo pa kung tuwing sumasapit ang Buwan Ng Wika.

Eto ang mga awit para sa mga nagmamahal, para sa Buwan ng Wika. At para sa mga tagahanga ni G. Mel Maniego, ikinatutuwa kong sabihin sa inyo na kasama sa listahang ito ang isa sa mga orihinal na awit ng kanyang bandang The GoSignals, ang "Elisa". Makinig kayo!

1. POPONG LANDERO - "Buhay-Robot"
2. t.R.A. - "Kamalayan"
3. SIGNAL 3 - "Buhay Ko"
4. DONG ABAY - "Akrostik"
5. EINSTEIN CHAKRAS - "Hanggang Saan, Hanggang Kailan"
6. THE GOSIGNALS - "Elisa"

(nasa larawan: monumento ni Ninoy Aquino sa rally para kay Jun Lozada, The GoSignals)

...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

Trash Radio Manila Episode 3 Part 2: All-Pinoy. O, Di Ba?

Today's segment is testament to the often-neglected fact that the Filipino artist is as creative as he is socially and politically aware, and all he needs is the proper venue, sufficient logistics, and your support.

Coming from the self-released album Sampol, which is the acoustic precursor to the studio release Flipino, is "Tuyo," Dong Abay's ode to things we take for granted and more. The track is followed by "Satanas" by Plazma-Marlowe-Choc, from the indie-released Dekoding Rhythm compilation by the Ampon hip-hop collective.

The Mindrape track comes from several years back courtesy of Cebu's S.R.A. (Struggle for Radical Action) punk collective that has remained steadfast through the years. Fresh for 2008 is the Dirty Shoes Collective release called Know Your Enemy, from which comes "Oras Sa Kamay" by Suspeks. If you want a copy of this album, you can write Dirty Shoes Collective at dirty_shoes_records(at)yahoo(dot)com. Or, as the collective says, "Punta na lang silang tandem, marami doon."

Signal 3 is a defunct Fil-Am street-punk band, with the album Kingsley United featuring the anthemic "Kapit-Kamay." The segment ends with the band called Einstein Chakras and their contribution to the Rock Against The Round Compilation CD. "Hangga't Maaari (Ayokong Pumatay)" is a fitting finale to this inspiring set of songs.

Sana'y maibigan niyo at tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Mabuhay ang musikong Pinoy!

1. DONG ABAY - "Tuyo" (from Sampol CD)
2. PLAZMA-MARLOWE-CHOC - "Satanas" (from Dekoding Rhythm Compilation CD)
3. MINDRAPE -"Standards" (from Eight And Counting S.R.A. Compilation CD)
4. SUSPEKS - "Oras Sa Kamay" (from Know Your Enemy Compilation CD)
5. SIGNAL 3 - "Kapit-Kamay" (from the Kingsley United CD)
6. EINSTEIN CHAKRAS - "Hangga't Maaari (Ayokong Pumatay)" (from Rock Against The Round Compilation CD)

Playing at the defunct Kolumn bar last February 2006: Einstein Chakras