Remembering Howlin' Dave On His First Death Anniversary

It was a Monday, May 26, 2008. SMS messages poured in, most of them stating the sad news. Dante David, aka Howlin' Dave, had passed on. He'd left for rock heaven, and we were left gawking here on our puny earthly abode.

Dante's photo from this site.

Then came the downpour of tributes, accolades, what-nots, just like the way things happen when someone passes away. Would Dante have known how he has touched so many lives, if he were alive to this very day?

Two months before he died, we were at his mother's house located at the fringes of Quezon City (or is it already part of Kalookan?) where he spent his last days on earth. Dante spoke ever so fondly of Pinoy Punk, of his excitingly turbulent life as a DJ ("...that was pure violence...", in reference to the military-civilian collision that he witnessed, while he was on board, in front of the building where DZRJ used to be), of Brave New World, and how little did he and his cohorts know that their own musical revolution will eventually inspire many kids to this very day. Dante is quite aware that he did touch lives (he even recalled one time when he was approached by some high school students who recognised him), but I doubt if he ever understood how great his influence has been.

And so a year has passed. Funny that when we do things "...in memory of (insert name of deceased here)...", we seem to make a mental count of people who have left us, and we find out that we, yes all of us, are actually undergoing a continuous process.

We can always remember these departed people whom we respect, idolise, and love, but it does not just end there. As in all other aspects of our lives, passing the torch to the younger set is an inevitable process. The older generation, the guys who have paved the way for all of us, or have provided inspiration for us to create new paths, will sooner or later be destined for greater things.

We can choose to latch on to a memory forever and ever, spewing phrases like "This is how it used to be" or "During those days". But you see, and like I always say, the world turns, and all of us are accorded the opportunity to start our own revolution. There is no better time than now.

To Dante, Howlin' Dave, the voice behind Pinoy Rock'n'Rhythm that I know, thank you once again. This playlist is my humble tribute to you, though I know that I will never measure up, not in this lifetime, not in another lifetime even. Enjoy people, and have a good week ahead.

1. ZOOT SUIT - Take A Look At That Boy
2. CAMOTE CHUNKS - Mini Skirt
3. THE MARCOS CRONIES - Simple Song
4. PINK COW - Johnny Boy
5. BAD OMEN - Future Generation

(Paumanhin sa Pink Cow! Nakausap ko noong gig ang isa sa mga baka, pero mukhang hindi ko ata naintindihan ang instructions...medyo nabasag ang "Johnny Boy" sa mix. Haaay. Learning curve. :) )

Howlin' Dave And His (Arguably) Last Interview

Howlin' Dave should have seen this out. The product of many weeks spent tracking down people, transcribing, and essentially reconstructing the history of a brave musical era.

In his passing, Howlin' Dave has, in all manners cliche-ish, left an enduring legacy which all started with his radio show "Pinoy Rock'n'Rhythm". And Dante, til his last days, never fully understood its impact.

Upon the encouragement of an editor for Rogue Magazine, we are posting excerpts from a feature about the Brave New World Pinoy punk movement era. This article, which will appear in the June issue, incorporates interviews of people who played major roles during this particular era in Pinoy punk. One of these people was Howlin' Dave, probably the most influential of them all.

Excerpts:

... those times pag wala akong ginagawa, I would be reading books. Ganun. Then, yung sister-in-law ko, meron siyang pinahiram na Aldous Huxley book. One of the first editions pa yun ng book e ... ‘yung cover ‘yung abstract ... ang galing. Ewan ko kung sino nag-paint nun. Brave New World ang title ng libro. Parang A Clockwork Orange, parang Stranger in a Strange Land. So ...BRAVE NEW WORLD. Sabi ko, “My God. This is the future!”

... sila Arnold (Morales, of College, Urban bandits, Put3ska, and Music Front) kasi, ‘yung mga taga-Sta Mesa, may mga Slabs na. Sila ‘yung Salabusabs. Eh malapit lang ‘yung RJ, bumisita yung mga Slabs. Parang mga laking mental talaga eh. They’d say, “Mga pware, tangina ... " Ganun, may mga dalang Tanduay. Niloko ko nga ng “Pare, kumakain ba kayo ng pusa?” They said, “Oo!” Tapos kinabukasan, ‘tangina, nagdala nga ng pusa! Adobo! Pucha, eh, puta, palaka??! Hindi ko na pinilit, baka magdala nga eh. Magdadala talaga yun; palakang Araneta inaadobo talaga. ‘Yung pusa nga eh nakalagay sa lata ng gatas, lata ng Nido yata ‘yun. The cat was chopped nicely, pero nakita ko ‘yung laman mga may balahibo eh. Puta buhok pusa to ah! But I appreciated their primal attitude huh!

Obviously, the full story will see print in Rogue's June issue.

(Photo lifted from an old Jingle Chordbook magazine.)