On an At the Drive-In soundtrip

Never got to see them live but I did see their splinter bands -- the Mars Volta and Sparta years later. 

When I first heard Relationship of Command, I was completely blown away. Of the splinter bands, I thought Sparta sounded closer, but the Mars Volta took ATDI's sound to the next level.

Indie band Washington Drama Club releases debut EP

Indie band Washington Drama Club releases debut EP

by rick olivares picture by janlor encarnacion

The Washington Drama Club. You might think that is this American band out of the Pacific Northwest that records either on Barsuk, Slumberland, Kill Rock Stars, or Sub Pop Records to name a few is now in Manila to perform a show or two.

But no. Washington Drama Club is actually a local indie noise pop band consisting of Mary Whitney (guitars and vocals), Ahmad Tanji (guitars and vocals), Evee Simon (keyboards and vocals), Bijan Gorospe (bass), and John Jason Rodriguez (drums).

The band makes no bones about their American influences. Their extended play cassette album, Yada Yada Yada (on Body Clock Records via the amazing United Cassettes Philippines) with the lovely artwork by the talented Felix Taaka channels Death Cab for Cutie’s We’ve Got the Facts and We’ve Voting Yes and Margot and the Nuclear So So’s Animal. The “Yada Yada Yada” title (and some of the song inspirations) are right of Seinfeld. They like Rocketship, Stars, Broken Social Scene, Sunflower Bean, and similar bands.

Yet everything else is about the band. Boy-girl harmonies. Songs about relationships. “Don’t forget that the cat on the cover is a caricature of our Persian cat, Vishnu,” pointed out Tanji.

Of course. How can we forget the cat?

At Mow’s last Saturday, November 24, for the launch of Yada Yada Yada, we caught up with Whitney and Tanji not only about Vishnu, but about the EP and where this club is going.

At first, the band’s name was simply, “Drama Club.” However, it begged for an adjective or a qualifier. “Now the street where I used to live in Legazpi City (in Bicol) was named ‘Washington Drive’ so I presented to the band the name ‘Washington’ and it clicked.”

Vishnu on the other hand is well loved not only by the member of Washington Drama Club, but also by Tanji’s other outfit, We Are Imaginary. “We even have a video from We Are Imaginary that features Vishnu,” bared Tanji. “A cat has a curious way of communicating unlike dogs who are more affectionate. And it worked with the album title.”

Speaking of the album, “We were supposed release the EP online with no intention to sell,” revealed Tanji.

“But,” interjected Whitney who admitted to being stoked to have a physical format for the band’s music. “I wanted to release the music either on compact disc or cassette. It is something I wanted to be a part of our history; to archive what we created.”

“It isn’t a hipster thing,” chimed in Tanji. “I do think that the band’s music is ‘collectible’ in a sense. Someone recommended that we work with United Cassettes Philippines and now, the cassette is here.”

Yada Yada Yada features four songs that are both sides of the cassette (“so there is no need to rewind the tape,” said Whitney) – “False Alarm,” their first single and video “Lucid Dreamer,” “Spongeworthy,” and “A Shudder to A Sigh.”

“With Ahmad’s other band (We Are Imaginary), he is a perfectionist,” shared Whitney. “With Washington Drama Club,” I want that what we can record or perform in one take, yun na. Very raw. If ever, we record a song twice. But that is the exception.”

“We are a band without any real pressure,” added Tanji. “We’ve had these songs sitting on a shelf or a file for some time now. We also have songs in the vault that we hope to release some time in the future.”

Previously, the band performed like once a year. However, this year, they broke the mold with three performances including this cassette launch.”

Does that mean that the Washington Drama Club will be more active?

“I think we’re going to have to call a meeting among the members; you know, like a real club,” laughed Whitney.

And rightfully so, because Washington Drama Club is pretty cool band that plays cool music. Even if it’s only once a year.

Got the Strange Creatures' Phantasms on vinyl

About a month or so ago, I raved about The Strange Creatures' Phantasms album on compact disc. Now, it is also available on vinyl via Boring Productions from China. One of the 15 people who were able to get the first batch of records. 

It's got a different cover (Boring Productions felt that the cd cover wasn't fir for the music or the title) and I like this better to be honest. Another first... liner notes! Many local releases on vinyl eschew liner notes. 

Now since only eight songs fit on the vinyl, it comes with an extra 7-inch single that features the two others songs that didn't fit.

Not bad.

An Irie time with Steve Vibronics in Manila

An Irie time with Steve Vibronics in Manila

by rick olivares

I was supposed to watch Vibronics, the British reggae/dub collective at Irie Sunday last November 18, but I was bone tired to take another step after a heavy weekend of sports coverage and attending the November Komikon.

Luckily for me, I still got to sit down with Steve Gibbs (aka Steve Vibronics) at Seattle’s Coffee at BGC this past Tuesday, November 20, to talk about his Manila gig, reggae and dub, our mutual love for punk rock, and his records.

I had heard of Vibronics from Eric Hinton of Thievery Corporation during one chit chat years ago. How that came about was my following Hinton’s previous band, the Exodus Quartet during the acid jazz years until the formation of Thievery Corporation. I love Thievery for their unique meld of reggae, dub, bossa nova, jazz, and world music into an incredible synthesis. I have all their records and list them as one of my all-time favorite recording acts. So, if they recommend anyone, who am I not to check them out? They obviously know their stuff.

Steve’s set during Irie Sunday wasn’t his first gig in Manila. He did one in 2011, and now he’s on another Asian tour having just finished a show and a dub workshop in China. In Manila for a few days, he’s off to Japan this Wednesday, November 21.

This Tuesday afternoon, he has a recording session with Filipino reggae/dub artist Red I, and the Briton is excited and optimistic that the collaboration might result in something fruitful.

“Collaborations are at the heart of what I do,” explained Steve. “After all, I cannot do everything. I collaborate with a lot of musicians and singers.”

Even if this is his second time in this part of the world, Steve is still amazed that people know of him and the music he makes. “Until I started traveling, I only thought that my music was heard in the UK and Europe,” admitted Steve after a sip from his coffee. “I guess it is because of the internet that people get to hear all these underground acts.”

“There is this vibrant network of underground bands and artists. Everyone knows everyone and everyone supports one another. I just put the word out and the guys in China, Manila and Japan said, ‘let’s make this happen.’”

Irie Sunday saw a couple of hundred people pack the venue for a night of reggae music and Jamaican food. “My idea of fun until some of the neighboring establishments started to complain about the loudness of the music. We had to reach a compromise about what was acceptable and listenable.”

Growing up in Leicester City in England, Steve knew right away that he wanted to make music for a living. “Some people want to be professional football players, civil servants, doctors, or even astronauts. Me? I wanted to make music.”

During his formative years, he was weaned on punk and New Wave. And then came reggae and dub. “Since Jamaica was a British colony, we have always had Jamaican expatriates in the UK. And they brought their music along so we were exposed to a wide variety of their music – reggae, dub, ska, rock steady. And I fell in love with it. And when I got to make my music, I always wanted to take it as far as I could.”

In his 20 years as an artist, Vibronics has released 14 albums and 73 singles and extended play albums. Talk about being prolific.

“It helps that I have my own studio,” explained Gibbs. “Some people get up in the morning and pick up the paper to read or surf the net. Me? I make music.”

And Vibronics’ music has seen Steve travel all over the world. “I used to think that we had a great dub scene in England and in France, but there are great scenes as well in Peru and Mexico. I think it is pretty cool as well here in Manila. Color me amazed,” he enthused.

With his collective experiences and travels, Gibbs stated that one of the biggest thrills of his life was having the famous (and late) British DJ, John Peel, play one of his records on his show. “It did tell me that I have arrived,” gushed Steve. “That’s John Peel!”

Sipping the last of his coffee, Gibbs pronounced, “I have released records and that’s a great thing for someone weaned on records. I have collaborated with a lot of artists and performed in many places. And now to be sipping in a coffee house in Manila with you and to be recording later with Red I… have the best job in the world.”

Playing the very first Versus album I ever got... Secret Swingers.

I remember when I first got this album... it was on a whim. Never even heard of them before. A few songs into Secret Swingers, I was a fan of Versus for life and I have gotten most of their stuff since. I have even been fortunate to watch them a few times. This album also opened more doors to indie music in my life. And I am richer for that. Plus, I've had this longtime crush on Fontaine.

Playing some records from Vibronics

Talking to Fil-Am hardcore legend Joe Songco Part 1

Talking to Fil-Am hardcore legend Joe Songco Part 1

by rick olivares pic by gretchen baria

When American filmmaker Drew Stone released his independent film, The New York Hardcore Chronicles, one of the musicians he featured was Joseph “Joe” Songco.

Songco is the Filipino-American drummer for legendary New York hardcore punk band, Outburst, that first came up in the late 1980s and is still performing today.

Although Outburst never released a full-length album of their own, they did come out with an extended play album, Miles to Go, and was featured in seven classic hardcore compilation records including the wildly popular, Where the Wild Things Are. Their peers – Cro-Mags and Warzone to name a few – were more edgy and gritty in their view of life as translated through their songs. Others like Gorilla Biscuits and Judge exhorted a more straight edge lifestyle. As for Outburst? Theirs was more about maintaining one’s individuality, a mutual respect for people, and doing things yourself.

The original members of Outburst – vocalist Brian Donohue, guitarists George D’Errico and Fil-Am Jay Rufino, bassist Mike Welles (including original bassist Chris Bruno), and drummer Songco – all met at St. John’s Preparatory School in Astoria, Queens, New York. They also had among their classmates AJ Novello who later formed Leeway and joined Cro-Mags, and Anthony Communale from Killing Time.

It was Novello who turned them into punk and hardcore as he let everyone listen to records of the Dead Kennedys, the Circle Jerks, and Black Flag to name a few. The effect was instantaneous. They all started listening to hardcore and going down to CBGB’s to watch shows. When they decided to form a band, they covered songs from Murphy’s Law, Ludichrist, Attitude Adjustment, and Nuclear Assault.

Outburst eventually recorded some original songs their for Miles to Go EP.

And despite the lack of a long and comprehensive discography, Outburst, made their presence felt and not just in New York but across America.

In fact, rising Dallas, Texas hardcore crew Power Trip named Outburst along with Sick Of It All, Leeway, Breakdown, Killing Time, Cro Mags and all these other NYHC bands as a major influence.

 We spoke with Songco whose daytime job is working in the legal and compliance field of the securities industry since he graduated from college about life for Outburst today; some 30 years after they debuted. Outburst had just played the Bold Breakdown show at the Brooklyn Bazaar and we spoke last November 7 about the band standing the test of time, of Songco being a Filipino in the legendary and famous New York hardcore scene, and the possibility of a triumphant Manila homecoming for the band. The drummer was game for every question thrown his way.

Soundstrip: Immigrant families usually do not allow their children to get into sports, music, and the arts -- at least not right away as they try to find their footing in another land.  Was it easy growing up and liking punk and hardcore in a Filipino family in the US?

Songco: Yes, it was fairly easy. I grew up on music my parents liked – The Beatles, The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, lots of soft rock radio, stuff like that. When I got my introduction to punk (The Clash, The Police, Ramones, Sex Pistols, etc.), I was already learning about hard rock and heavy metal so it wasn’t that far of a musical stretch for me. It wasn’t until my high school years that I started listening to hardcore.

Soundstrip: Were there any objections to you being in a band?

Songco: No, not really. There may have been some objections to the noise we’d make in our garage at first though. But my parents were cool with it. Growing up, my mom insisted that I take piano lessons. She would always tell me how we came from a musical family where everybody played an instrument and she wanted me to follow tradition. I wasn’t too bad at piano either. I would compete in recitals and win medals but around high school, I asked my parents if I could switch to another instrument. I didn’t enjoy lessons and reading sheet music any longer. So my parents bought me a drum set. Not too long after, me and the guys would jam together in my garage. Eventually, we formed the band and the way my mom saw it, I was still musically involved.

Soundstrip: What is it about punk rock that appealed to you?

Songco: I liked the upbeat rhythm and melody. There was a definite energy to early punk rock music. As for hardcore, one of my friends who grew up on the same block (AJ Novello of Leeway) was always buying hardcore records and playing them for us when we were hanging out. He introduced us to bands like Zero Boys, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, DRI, Dead Kennedys, and Kraut to name just a few.

Soundstrip: What is it about the music that makes you still involved to this day?

Songco: First, we are very fortunate to have the luck of geography on our side. We all grew up in NYC and met each other as high school classmates. We were able to join and be a part of the NYHC scene that exploded in the 80’s and 90’s. I don’t think that would be possible if my parents had chosen Florida or Arizona to start their lives in America. As for to this day, the NYHC scene was and still is probably one of the most influential hardcore scenes and there’s a whole new generation of fans and bands making their presence felt to this day.

Soundstrip: Where were you playing back then?

Songco: Our first official show was at a place out in Long Island called the Right Track Inn. We played all the usual places our band friends on the scene played: CBGB, Lismar Lounge, Pyramid Club, Anthrax (Connecticut), City Gardens (New Jersey), Safari Club, and the BBQ Iguana (Washington DC).

Soundstrip: If I recall correctly, the band released a single and a cassette and appeared on a bunch of compilations?  Why didn't the band record a proper LP? Any plans for that now?

Songco: The “discography”, if you want to call it that, goes like this: The demo, New Breed Tape Compilation, the NYHC: Where The Wild Things Are compilation and then the Miles To Go 7-inch EP. I think we had enough material to do an LP but Bill Wilson from Blackout went with the idea of the 7” because at the time even inches were still kind of an “in” thing. Plus it was the next logical step right after a demo tape. Blackout has special plans for 2019 – that’s all I can really say right now.

Soundstrip: Who is on the current line-up of Outburst? How oft do you perform? Tour -- in the NYC or Tri-State area?

Songco: It’s Brian on vocals, Mike on bass, me on drums and George and Mike Dijan on guitars. After our farewell gig at CBGB in 2006, our bandmate and my fellow Pinoy Jay Rufino called it a day as far as the band. Mike Dijan (Show of Force, Crown of Thornz, Breakdown, Sai Nam, and King’s Bounty) grew up in Astoria with me and George and he actually auditioned to join the band back when we were looking for a new bass player after Chris left. Mike Dijan’s already achieved legend status on the scene, so it’s been a lot of fun playing with him. In the past 12 months, we’ve done a handful of shows with so many great bands like Killing Time, King Nine, Krimewatch, Crown of Thornz, Sheer Mag, Buried Alive, Power Trip, Breakdown and Bold. These shows have all been in the NYC/NJ area but maybe that might change…who knows?

Soundstrip: Any chance we can get Outburst to play in Manila? How can we make that happen?

Songco: As the old saying goes “Que sera sera. Whatever will be, will be.” 

In Part 2 that will be published next week, Joe Songco talks more about his family and the New York Hardcore scene.