That incredible and fascinating Philippine underground music scene

That incredible and fascinating Philippine underground music scene

by rick olivares

The other day, someone posted on a music-themed Facebook page, a picture of an AstroPlus store closing down. While to many people, the music scene, especially, the industry where recording artists put out albums, is dead. Many believe too that music, new ones too, can only be found on streaming sites like Spotify, Soundcloud, or even YouTube to name a few.

That isn’t exactly true.

There is a vast underground scene where bands from all over the world thrive and put out their albums on vinyl, compact disc, and cassette. They cross borders regardless of language and they sell. And Filipino bands are right in the thick of this burgeoning trade. Believe it or not, some even outsell local mainstream acts believe it or not despite the lack of attention from mainstream media or even hipsters.

Conversely, bands from music scene hotbeds such as Indonesia and Malaysia not to mention Japan are also able to sell their music locally even if the songs are sung in their native languages! After all, they do say music is a universal language.

Now, how is the underground scene able to turn out their product when there aren’t any local vinyl pressing plants or even cassette manufacturers (there still is for compact disc though)?

As we said earlier, there’s this vast network of underground labels from all over the world who all chip in to have the albums produced in a variety of formats.

Case in point, last Saturday evening, March 3^rd, the self-titled cassette album of Realidad, a Manila-based hardcore punk outfit composed of members of eyesoffire, Killratio, and State of Calamity, was released locally as a joint venture of Indonesia’s Sickos Records and the local Delusion of Terror Records. The album was recorded in Manila, and mastered and manufactured in Indonesia (including the printing) all in a month’s time.

Indonesia is the closest country that manufactures cassettes. As for vinyl, local acts usually have them pressed in Europe or the United States. However, we were informed that a new pressing plant recently opened in China and for sure, the cheaper costs and shipping will allow for more records because of the cost effectivity. Once these records hit our shores, they are priced anywhere from PhP350 to PhP900 and come in a variety of colors or even alternative covers that add to the collectability. The releases of punk outfit Bad Omen and the split seven-incher of hardcore bands Random Violence and Value Lasts have come in different colors or even covers that have been prized by collectors all over.

A number of the records are also made available abroad and if you aren’t able to score one in the Philippines, you have no choice but to buy abroad (online is the quickest and cheapest way).

Do bands make money? Sure they do. Not a lot but they do. Enough to sustain them and put out more product and including merchandise. There is an even bigger market abroad where fans simply by music regardless of nationality or even language. It is quite surprising and at the same time disappointing that foreign markets are willing to purchase product from local bands as opposed to fellow Filipinos who mostly gravitate to the streaming services or even as for free physical copies. If you move laterally to the indie acts such as electronic duo Tarsius, their latest EP titled, Igado, was released by Thailand-based label, More Rice Records. Only 50 12-inch records were made available locally while the rest were sold abroad to penetrate the rich Asian market. Oh, those 50 (sure it is a small number but each one fetched for a thousand bucks each) copies … it’s all sold out.

Small numbers and almost no overhead. And those who runs these labels, they all say they eventually sell everything out.

A week ago, Still Ill Records also released the self-titled cassette debut of Reyerta, a half-Spanish and half-Filipino power violence band based in Singapore. This crew (including two women) will perform several dates in the Philippines this summer. The cassette has sold well and will do better when the band hits town.

Also coming out this March from several of these labels is a seven-inch record titled, Pilipinas Hardcore, that features tracks from four of the best hardcore crews in the Philippines today such as Barred, Badmouth, Veils, and xFortressx.

Last Saturday evening, local metal band Mass Hypnosia’s 2016 album, Toxiferous Cyanide, finally hit our shores in vinyl form courtesy of Sweden’s I Hate Records. And this after it was initially released in CD form by Germany’s Ragnarok Records. The cd release did so well that it caught the attention of the Swedish label. The copies that are available in Asia will be sold equally at home and abroad when the band hits the tour circuit.

Aside from Mass Hypnosia, many of the underground metal bands such as Deiphago, Dreaded Mortuary, Paganfire, and Pathogen to name but a few have had vinyl and cd albums released all over the world. And all of them have gone on tour abroad where they draw even bigger crowds. In fact, the joke is for local gigs, there are more band members in the crowd than non-musician friends. As for buying product, aside from the hardcore fans, most only will if it is a hit abroad.

There too is another option if there are available material concerns. If a band cannot get a solo release, they also opt for split albums. For example, in 2016, Pampanga-based punk band Monthly Red came out with a split seven-inch record with German punk band, Raskolnikoff.

According to Sickos Records owner, Bam Sickos, he’s had 11 original releases from his label and he has sold out everything. Sickos makes his living as a graphic designer and his work for the cover art for an album of an American band helped fund his releases. He now makes use of the profits from that work to produce his releases so there is no more cash out from him.

Where are these records, compact discs, and cassettes sold? In underground shops in Makati, the Recto area of Manila, gigs, meet-ups, online… The good bands and the music spreads via word of mouth. Even across our shores.

During the album re-release show of 1980s punk rockers Intoxication of Violence’s Another Destructive Century a couple of weeks ago at Mow’s in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City, a Japanese fan who only gave his nickname – Masa -- flew all the way for the gig and to buy a bunch of records, cassettes, and compact discs as well as merchandise. And there were about five Caucasians also present during the show. Said Masa, “I don’t understand the Filipino words but I like the music.”

So the next time you see a picture of AstroPlus or any of those old record stores that do not really cater to the music fan, take heart because the scene is thriving. And it crosses borders. Everywhere.