Just Shake Yer Head

Guest Post by Emjay Polina (you may contact the writer at akdpolina@gmail.com)

(Raves and Lamentations on The Eraserheads Reunion Concert)

“Ok pa ba kayo dyan?” This was one of the very rare moments Ely Buendia spoke onstage (and this was mid-way through the first set). It would have been the perfect question to ask himself. Was he still fine? His calm demeanor onstage all throughout the first 15 songs belied the unstable mental and physical state he was in. We didn’t know his mother just died 2 days ago and we did not know how extremely pressured they were to push through with the concert with just less than a week’s preparations.

Ten minutes before Lally Buendia (Ely’s sister) went onstage to announce that the show has to be cut short, our friend Di said she was feeling weird about something. “Kinakabahan ako. Ewan ko basta kinakabahan ako.”, she said over and over again I almost strangled her. I jokingly told her she’s not going to get raped on our way back to QC and just please cut the crap. But to our great shock, the unthinkable happened – there are no more 2^nd and 3^rd sets. Ely had to be rushed to the hospital due to severe “emotional and physical stress”. Raimund took the stage first, his voice a bit shaky it sounded like he’s going to break down any minute. He handed the mic over to Buddy and Ely’s sister for the formal announcement that would break all of our hearts. It took a while for the disbelief to subside. We left the field after an hour of debate and “pagmumura”.

Me, my three friends and the rest of the 20,000 ‘Heads fans and curious folks who flocked The Fort last night eagerly waited for this event for almost two months. This would have been the biggest and most successful concert this year and not to forget – the most remarkable. There were no major promotional events, no tv and radio commercials, no posters - just plain word-of-mouth and incessant blogging. They started selling tickets Wednesday and, well they just easily sold out. This just goes to show how much the people missed this foursome. The ‘Heads faithful are very much alive. Well just imagine how many more people would have flocked if the concert was really free (as was originally planned before the “Dastardly Dementors” ruined the tobacco company’s plans).

There was really no sign of impending doom at the start of the show. The whole thing was unbelievably organized. Entrance and exit points were well marked and people promptly fell in line. There were no pushing or shouting . And to me and my friends’ great relief – there were no JJ’s ( Jumping Jologs aka Killer Orcs aka Goth wannabes) in the area. Actually the crowd were mostly students and yuppies (mostly people from Peyups). “Parang isang malaking malaking UP fair lang ‘to”, a former dormmate said. And to think hours before I was fretting about getting mercilessly pushed about and having my belongings robbed off me.

So much for the drama….

How did the whole thing start off?

The crowd started going wild during the ten-minute countdown. That was one of the longest ten minutes ever. The excitement can hardly be contained anymore. And then the lights were on, the magnificent sparks flew, and then - Raim’s drumbeats. I always knew they’d kick off with Alapaap. That unforgettable bass line that followed immediately was more than enough to get each and every one screaming and jumping. Each ‘Head got their spotlight –the hyperkinetic Raymund Marasigan (donning a lady’s wig) on drums, the super-cool surferdude Marcus Adoro (my favorite) on lead guitars, the calm and steady-looking Buddy Zabala on bass and of course, the enigmatic and deeply-troubled Ely Buendia on vocals and rhythm guitar. Together at last after six friggin’ years. I was very lucky to have caught them perform twice during my freshman year at UP Diliman. I was always at the front row before, this time I was at the Gen Ad section where I could hardly see their faces. I didn’t really care much just as long as the wide screens were there and the audio system was just directly in front of us.

They sounded really really good. Hands down. It’s as if they never disbanded and just grew even more musically sophisticated. “Alapaap” did not disappoint. If you are a fan of the ‘Heads, you really know that they have the tendency na “magkalat” during live shows. They’re just performing in the spirit of fun and you could feel it. Those were the heady days.

A quick succession of melt-in-your-ear old pop hits followed (mostly from their Ultra, Circus and Cutterpillow albums). There was the very popular college favorite “Ligaya”, then came “Sembreak” (during which UP students and alumni screamed Go UP! as familiar campus sights were flashed on the big screen). “Hey Jay” was just as engaging as well. “They tried…They really tried… to tell us we’re too OLD. Too old to really be … BOLD.” Ely spoke these first few lines from “Toyang” – a song reportedly about a former flame with whom he had a love child. This song was one of the major highlights of the first set.

Everything would have been really OK except that they just don’t talk to the crowd. There is total dead air in between songs. We were half-expecting Raims to jump up and just grab the mic from Ely. All they do instead is tune up their instruments a bit before hitting off with another pop ditty. People chanted “GROUP HUG!!” and “Magsalita naman kayo!!!” to the band to ward off the increasing tension among the four of them. Apart from the really great 1^st set of playlist, the silence in between is really creepy. They went on with “Fruitcake”, “Kama Supra”, and for the rock ballad “Kailan” Ely invited Jazz Nicolas of Itchyworms to play the keyboards and he just let the crowd sing the last part: “Kailan ako lalaya sa anino ng pag-iisa, Mga rehas lang ang tanaw. Nanginginig sa seldang maginaaaaaw”. “With A Smile” became quite an emotional piece that my friend Di almost burst into tears. For “Shake Yer Head” Ely was so hyper he was literally shaking his head a lot and even let his oversized aviator shades fly off his face. If Ely was hyper at one point, Buddy was frowning over a slight malfunction of his bass effects.

Three more pop favorites were sung: “Kaliwete” (with lots of Macoy’s guitars), “Huwag kang Matakot” and the walang-kamatayang “Huwag Mo Nang Itanong”. The first set ended with an obscure “Lightyears” (from Fruitcake). Most people were asking: “What song is that?” It certainly wasn’t the type of ending song they’d want to hear but it was great nonetheless. Ely afterwards just held his guitar in one hand and kept looking sideways (as if looking for someone to take it off his hand). Then the lights started to go out one by one, and the only thing shown on the screen is the big timer once again counting to 20 minutes before the 2^nd set – that would never be.

Raymund, on his Subsandwich mailing list said that they prepared three sets for what he previously called the “Magical Mystery Show”. “The first was just a warm up. The remaining two was going to be the fun part. There were more videos and light shows and pyro in store for everyone.” True enough, their more popular songs were not yet played : the riff-driven favorite of mine – “Superproxy”, the cult-favorite anthem “Pare Ko”, the wild “Pop Machine, the likewise controversial “Tikman”, the upbeat “Magasin”, the beautiful “Torpedo”, the weird “Spoliarium”, the sappy “Hard to Believe” and another controversial, “Alkohol”. I was expecting they would end with the bittersweet “Ang Huling El Bimbo” or the more emotional “Para sa Masa”.

After all the disappointment, the question now remains: “Will there be a Part 2?” There better be. Raims said it himself during one of the numerous news interviews that followed afterwards. “Babawi kami.” No word yet on the date or place. They just wanted to assure that Ely gets the rest he deserved. In the end the people wouldn’t really care if they reunite for real (a highly unlikely possibility) or not. They just want to see the foursome perform as a whole again even for just one marvelous night.

To cap a truly disappointing night, we headed to our favorite ktv tambayan Uncle Tat’s at Matalino St. We sang every Eraserhead song we can find in the catalog and screamed our hearts out until 4:00 in the morning. We did not want to feel really defeated after all.

Applause for true session musicians

THE scene is all too familiar for me: take any known club in the mainstream nowadays that features a show band. The band is composed of veterans who don’t look overly familiar, yet they play a blitzing repertoire of 70s, 80s and 90s pop standards, get a rousing ovation for the night, and disappear.

If the club owners happen to like them because they bring in the customers, I’ll likely be able to catch them again next week. If not, and I happen to like them, you’ll have to search high and low for their next gig, and at the next club.

Such is the plight of session musicians — virtually virtuosos (pardon the pun) at their instruments, oftentimes with years of experience under their belts, yet unable to find a steady gig, a record deal, a good name for themselves or a steady flow of income from playing their instruments.

Please read the rest of the article at the Philippine Daily Inquirer's On-Line Blog Soundtrip, here.

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Reconsider the Rolling Stones, Please!

(Note: this article is also printed on the Philippine Daily Inquirer's on-line blog, Soundtrip.)

The Rolling Stones simply defy categorization. They have played and recorded songs in every imaginable genre, be it jazz, blues, reggae, disco, rock and roll, hard rock, and pop.

This is probably why there is such a short supply of Stones fans in Manila, and why they never pervaded our culture, even after existing as a fully functioning band for the last 46 years.

While the rest of the world has celebrated its’ “Greatest Rock N’ Roll Band” throughout the years, the Philippines has yet to follow suit.. How many Filipinos can name at least three songs of the Stones? The normal answer I get is “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” their 1965 worldwide hit. Outside my musical circle of friends, no one can give me any other two songs. And in my opinion, it is a crying shame.

The Rolling Stones were cool before cool was cool. They were the Metallica to the Bon Jovi, the Sex Pistols to the Osmond Family, and indeed, the dark, inverted persona contrasted to the mop-topped Beatles.

Perhaps not many people know that the Rolling Stones were actually marketed as the anti-Beatles, and that the Stones and Beatles, throughout the ‘60’s, actually existed together in cooperation: everytime the Stones or the Beatles had a potential new single for release, each would call the other to see how the other band’s current singles were doing. If the Beatles were on top of the charts at the time, they would give sufficient way for the Stones to release theirs, and vice-versa, thus ensuring a virtual lock on the charts for both bands.

Many Filipinos still remember the 1966 concerts that the Beatles performed here, and the subsequent back story of the band being mauled and physically abused by henchmen of the former President Marcos. The Internet is abundant with accounts of these stories. Indeed, even my mother-in-law saw them perform. With enthusiastic glee uncharacteristic of me, I asked her if she remembers anything about the Rolling Stones: I get a glare and a short, “No.”

What is it about the Stones that Manila didn’t like in the ‘60’s? My take is that they didn’t write pop songs that were “poppy” enough for our tastes. We just didn’t get their darkness, their rebelliousness, and most of all, the quality of their music, which is kind of weird because we Filipinos are normally discriminating when it comes to music. The Lennon/McCartney songwriting team was far more popular than the Jagger/Richards partnership, though much higher output can be credited to the latter.

The Rolling Stones started out with a mission to “educate” the masses with the Blues and Rhythm and Blues music. Thus, they started out recording cover songs of black artists, respectfully giving a nod to their forbearers such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and Robert Johnson. The story then goes that their manager at the time, Andrew Loog Oldham, locked Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in a kitchen and told them not to come out without writing an original song, because the belief at the time was that the band could not continue existing playing and recording cover songs. Jagger and Richards emerged with “The Last Time,” a vaguely prophetic song of things to come, considering that throughout the next 40 or so years, the band would be frequently asked if this record or tour would be “the last time.” Output during these years also included the ballad “As Tears Go By,” the controversial “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” and the doom song “Paint It Black,” which my generation was familiarized with via the 1980’s TV series “Tour of Duty.” Everyone thought it was a new song.

Perhaps the Stones didn’t have an “All You Need Is Love” type psychedelia attached to them? Well, those looking for it just have to direct their attention to 1967’s “Their Satanic Majesties’ Request,” the Stones’ only experiment in psychedelia, considered a big blunder by many hard core fans and the band itself, but still, an oddity with a gem of a song in “2000 Light Years From Home.” The Stones toyed with old Beelzebub long before Led Zepellin, Ozzy Osbourne ever did.

With the First Quarter Storm anti-government movement in the late ‘60’s and the onset of Martial Law in 1972, the Stones’ music would have been perfect for the times (“Gimme Shelter” in particular, from the 1968 album “Beggars Banquet,” comes to mind.)

Of course, with the Beatles, the rest is history. After breaking up in 1969, the most significant things to happen were Lennon getting shot, and George Harrison passing away. In between, solo records, the Wings, Yoko Ono, rumors of McCartney’s death and guest spots.

The Stones just kept playing, touring, recording, and defining a whole new era of music to the world, while the rest of us sat during the Martial Law years, cursed to listening to apolitical disco music (which the Stones also partially defined, albeit in rock parlance, with the 1978 hit, “Miss You” off the album “Some Girls.”) pop/rock music from the Eagles and Steely Dan, or hard rock like Nazareth and Led Zepellin, for those who could afford the imported albums. We still missed out on the Stones for some reason.

1981, the end of Martial Law, marked a great chance for us to get acquainted with them via the excellent riff- renaissance rocker, “Start Me Up,” off the album Tattoo You, but close, no cigar. MTV came out, and of course, as it really happened, video killed the radio star and paved the way for the invention of the modern rock star---with more than a few cues from the Rolling Stones.

Take any bad, naughty band existing today. Chances are, the charismatic lead singer learned more than a few moves from Sir Mick Jagger or his descendants. The would-be bad boy guitarist with cigarette in mouth and seemingly deliberate nonchalance probably studied Keith Richards’ profile more than once. Movie star Johnny Depp decidedly did so, mirroring Richards’ stance, gait, look and drunken accent in his Captain Jack Sparrow Pirates of the Caribbean movie role. The cool, detached and well dressed drummer will always have Charlie Watts as his model.

What we got from MTV were either the New Wave crew (Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, etc.) or the resulting new bad boys of Heavy metal/Hard rock---Motley Crue, The Black Crowes, Guns N’ Roses, The White Stripes, to name a few. While excellent bands in their own right and more than a few serving as front acts during several Rolling Stones tours, not many saw the parallels in the bad boy images that these bands projected, with the originals (of course, the Rolling Stones), which, in my opinion, is just plain unfair, and again, another crying shame. Most of us never got the point, which was all but stepped upon with the onset of Seattle grunge in the 1990’s. All these “I hate myself and I want to die” themed songs were just overkill.

With more than 150 millions albums sold worldwide, a 46 year career spanning 5 decades with more than 25 studio albums recorded, chart breaking tour grosses (they still hold the world record for the highest grossing tour in history from their 1995 “Voodoo Lounge” tour, bettering themselves subsequently with their 2002 “Licks” Tour and their 2005 “A Bigger Bang” Tour), the Rolling Stones has been vital, relevant, and surviving, serving as the prototypical bad boy band, and writing the blueprints for the modern rock song. Most importantly, they are still as bad as they were, and even more active than ever. Count on them to play the hell out of “Satisfaction” anytime. For those who watch NFL football, they did, during the 2005 halftime show.

For us locals, the Eraserheads were smart enough to capitalize on the poppy songwriting of the Beatles. The 70’s era Juan De La Cruz band took on the mantle of Cream, with Wally Gonzales’ Claptonesque inspired guitar work (though Mr. Jun “Pepe” Smith soon turned himself into a Filipino Keith Richards). The modern day rockers Wolfgang and Razorback took their cues mostly from AC/DC and the 80’s sensation Skid Row, who were all, in the first place, heavily influenced by the Rolling Stones to begin with. I have yet to see a local band who has taken on the Rolling Stones’ music and carried it on.

With the Martin Scorcese (attention: Oscar winning director of “The Departed,” and other classics such as “GoodFellas,” and “The Aviator”) directed “Shine A Light” documentary movie on the band released last year, I have high hopes that many of us will get to see the band as they are now and reach back on the heapings of musical history that the band has created over the years, and finally give the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band the credit they deserve in the Philippine Islands.

If not, I will still be content to attend to my own Rolling Stones collection, cranking up the 1968 single, “Jumping Jack Flash,” every morning on my way to work. They will be my secret pleasure, and mine alone.

The Rolling Stones are:

Mick Jagger – lead singer and knight of the British Empire
Keith Richards – guitar and the human riff
Charlie Watts – jazz drummer in the World’s greatest rock and roll band
Ron Wood – the confederate lead guitarist

Former members:

Brian Jones (deceased, founding member) – guitar and the original Kurt Cobain
Mick Taylor – lead guitar, blues extraordinaire, currently still asking himself why he left
Bill Wyman – bass, and original stone face, now a restaurateur
Ian “Stu” Stewart (deceased, founding member) – boogie woogie pianist who hated minor chords


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Why Thailand Beer Won't Sell in the Philippines

People react to their senses.

When they sense that something, for example, smells bad, they tend to find the nearest exit away from the odor.

When they see something attractive, such as a nice watch, or a nice article of clothing, they tend to reach towards their wallet.

I've been around. I've seen the world. I've had a rough childhood. I've even been known to cry during happy moments, and laugh during sad moments.

But nothing in my life, after summing up the totality of all my life experiences (which accounts to roughly more than nine lives, more than that of a cat), ever, ever prepared me for this:



















This is a bottle label from a beer that I was drinking in a bar while visiting Denmark on business. Now the Danes probably wouldn't know any better, but the word "Singha" in Tagalog (the Filipino language) takes on a whole new meaning.

It means, roughly translated to English, "Snot." As in, "Snot on your nose," or "Snot in your nose," or simply, "You snotty little bastard."

Needless to say, the sensation of drinking Singha gave me the shivers. Thanks for the Thai beer, but no, thank you, I'm fine. Nothing against the Thais. I have some good friends from Thailand. Maybe one day I'll mention this concern of mine with them.

The old cliche still applies after all----" Lost In Translation."







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Guitar Hero: Aerosmith

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith

How Video Games Might Change the Dynamics of the Music Industry

(The virtual Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith)

I have to admit before going on that I am not a gamer. I know absolutely nothing about PlayStations, PSP’s, Xbox’s, and whatever other gaming brands and consoles that are out there.

To read the rest of the article, please click here on the link to the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Music Blog, Soundtrip.

Please check out Mr. Arnel Pineda's Official WebSite

While looking at the official Journey site, I found a post about Mr. Arnel Pineda's plans to put up a foundation here in Manila, dedicated to helping less fortunate kids. This led me to a link to Mr. Pineda's official site. Quite interesting, and there is a section that documents an actual chat between Arnel and some of his fans, where he mentions his plans to put up the foundation.

I personally like the way the site looks and feels. Simple and easy to use interface. I wish this blogsite can look like that....:)

You can check out the site here

Many thanks for reading. Soldier on!

Swing Vote: A New Movie from Kevin Costner, Out Soon

Kevin Costner films have always been a staple in my movie collection. Best known for his Academy Award winning film "Dances With Wolves," Costner once ruled the box-office in the late 80's and 90's, playing the stereotypical strong but silent type in movies like "The Untouchables," and "The BodyGuard."

Unimaginable as it might be today, Mr. Costner was once the biggest box-office draw (compare that to Brad Pitt or Will Smith today) in Hollywood.

But Mr. Costner has always played wacky characters, a side of him that some movie fans probably don't get a chance to see every so often. In fact, his big film debut in "Silverado" was playing the character of Jake, a young gunslinger with a penchant for the ladies. Take a look at "Bull Durham" "3000 Miles To Graceland" and "Tin Cup" where he played off the wall characters.

Though he hasn't had a big hit in years, Costner has managed to keep his career alive by making movies that really tell a story ("Mr. Brooks," "The Guardian," "Wyatt Earp") and I appreciate that effort.

Just in time for the November U.S. Elections is a new Costner release, titled "Swing Vote." The movie is about a man whose single vote will determine the fate of a fictional U.S. Election. Both parties, Republican and Democrats, try to sway him to get his decisive vote.

I am really looking forward to this movie. Here's a short trailer c/o You Tube:



Read more about it here.