Eraserheads’ Ultraelectromagneticpop vinyl release slated for October, November release

Eraserheads’ Ultraelectromagneticpop vinyl release slated for October, November release

by rick olivares

“They’re home.”

Musician Ely Buendia tweeted those two words last September 26 after the much anticipated vinyl repressing of the Eraserheads’ debut Ultraelectromagneticpop finally arrived after a delay of nearly a year.

Last 2018 was the 25^thanniversary of the Eraserheads’ debut album. In order to celebrate the seminal release that opened the door for a multitude of Filipino alternative bands to be heard by the general public, the vinyl version was planned. However, according to the vinyl album producers, the record had to undergo two test presses before being approved.

Ultraelectromagneticpop was recorded on a shoestring budget and the production didn’t seem very good. Fans have wondered how famed American audio engineer Bernie Grundman would cure some of the sound. The final test press was played during this year’s Record Store Day celebration at the Newport Mall in Manila.

“It feels kind of like the first time that the album came out on compact disc and cassette,” reflected Buendia to this writer. “I’m excited for the band’s debut to have a new life on vinyl, and I’m positive that young and old fans alike will find something new to love about this release.”

Insiders say that the original plan was for the band to re-record Ultraelectromagneticpop in its entirety. “That would have changed the way the songs were played because everyone is 10 times a better musician now, and they would record it the way it was meant to be,” divulged the person familiar to this project. “They couldn’t agree on the format of its release so they decided to keep it to the original recording.”

Sony Music Philippines officials are currently finalizing plans for the release and launch of the album which is said to have a limited run of 2,5000 copies. Word has it the record will finally go on sale this October or early November.

The first release of Ultraelectromagneticpop is said to have sold over 100,000 units. However, it isn’t the Eraserheads’ biggest selling albums. Cutterpillow, their third offering is the fifth best-selling album in Original Pilipino Music history with numbers ranging over 400,000. Circus, the second album, sold over 200,000 copies while Eraserheads Anthology also sold almost the same number. 

The best-selling OPM albums ever are owned by pop singer Jose Marin Chan whose Christmas in Our Hearts and Constant Change records have each moved nearly a million units.

A Countdown til Singapore: My U2 retrospective - War (1983)

War

Released February 1983

In 64 days, I will be watching U2 in Singapore. While counting down the days until that show, I will go through each and every U2 album and share my thoughts and reflections of how I felt at that exact time the album was released. 

Of course.. you know this means... War.

I first saw the video of “New Year’s Day” on a Betamax tape of videos taped from MTV. Back in 1983 that was how we got to watch MTV back in the Philippines (since it wasn’t available locally). The family of a classmate of mine, Dodie Aguila, was the biggest dealer of Betamax tapes in Manila and my classmates and I regularly rented the MTV tapes.

At that time, no U2 albums were released locally. And after seeing the music video of “New Year’s Day” on one of those Betamax tapes, I yearned to get a copy of War.

The video was striking. U2 performed the song in some forest during the dead of winter. Interspersed with World War II battle images (I correctly thought they were Russian soldiers as opposed to German) that made for a powerful video. At least that is what I thought back then. 

Then “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was released and this one I heard over DZRJ. The violins added to the frenzied cacophony of this song that featured a military drum beat and tortured guitar playing from the Edge. And how haunting was that line “how long must we sing this song?” This song grafted itself into my mind.

I thought both songs were powerful, raw, and telling. I remember thinking, “these are political statements.” True enough, at the time of War’s recording, the Falklands War just ended. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon was over. The Unabomber struck. And the IRA bombed London. That was all in the news and everyone wondered where the world was heading.

When “New Year’s Day” was released, I read in Rolling Stone magazine how the song was written for Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa who was released from prison in November of 1982. At first, it seemed like a love song. Only later did I find out that Bono wrote the song for his wife, Ali, but re-worked the lyrics to include Walesa.

Walesa’s Solidarity movement would eventually be the catalyst for communism’s collapse in Eastern Europe and that forever changed the world as we know it. You have to understand this time. The Cold War was entering a dangerous phase as American president Ronald Reagan was more combative against the Warsaw Pact than his predecessor, Jimmy Carter.

Back here in the Philippines, the political situation was unraveling. Spiraling prices, a communist and Muslim rebellion in the south was getting more dangerous. And the country was shocked when Minister of State Emmanuel Pelaez survived an assassination attempt. Was that ever resolved? 

I was entering third year high school when War was released. Teen angst was growing. And I turned to music. I was heavily writing poetry and organized my first high school class band (I had one when I was in seventh grade). 

As I stated earlier, I yearned to get myself a copy of War.

There was a copy on display at – of all places – the Christhareth comic book shop at the old PCI Bank Arcade in Greenhills. 

That black and white cover of a young boy (the now famous Peter Rowan who I had the good fortune of chatting with about two years ago) with the album title in red made for a striking photograph. The interior black and white photo of the band (taken from their video shoot of “New Year’s Day” in Sweden was just as powerful. Unlike Boy that didn’t feature all the lyrics of the album, this one did. For a kid trying to get to know the band better and learning to play the songs, this was massive.

The PCI Bank Arcade was where two other comic book shops were located. Filbar’s was next to Christhareth (Comic Quest would open a few years later in the exact spot where the later was located) and one other small independent one that sold second hand comics bought from the markets of Dau and Subic from American servicemen.

Christhareth’s owner, the long-haired rocker, Jun Miguel, who I jammed with one time somewhere in Kamuning, loved rock music. Most of what he displayed were prog and heavy metal. The one difference was U2’s War. 

That copy of War had a price tag of P130 bucks. That was a lot of money back then. The local pressing of a record was at P24 while a double LP was either at P45 or P48. Comic books were selling anywhere from P13-17 pesos. It was summertime then and I had no school allowance.

So I had to improvise. I sold TV Times magazine (that my Tita Mely published) in my neighborhood. I think I made about 25 centavos for each copy I sold but that was about only P5 pesos total a week. I sold some homemade ice candy (that netted me about 10 cents (and I netted about P1.50 a day). Short of 20 bucks, my grandfather supplied the missing amount. 

Luckily, no one bought it yet as it was pricey. My biggest worry was the rich kids who frequented Greenhills would buy it. Only they didn’t know because it was located at the totally unappealing place of the PCI Bank Arcade unlike the swankier Shoppesville and popular Virra Mall that were adjacent in location.

I remember walking from our house in Cubao all the way to Greenhills and back just to save on jeepney fare. When I got home, I quickly tore off the plastic and played the record. 

When the second song from the album played, “Seconds” which is about mankind being seconds away from extinction following a nuclear attack, I quickly picked up my copy of the British comic book, When the Wind Blows, that an uncle of mine got for me at Dau.

When the Wind Blows was written and drawn by British creator Raymond Briggs. The story was about the lives of an elderly British couple living during the early days of World War III when the Russians and NATO unleashed their nuclear arsenal. It was a powerful comic book sprinkled with wry Brit humor. On young teenager, that made a huge impression on me. 

How big was this book? It influenced Tears for Fear’s song, “Mother’s Talk” and Iron Maiden’s song “When the Wind Blows.” English alt rock band, Mansun, also recorded a song using the same title. The UK Parliament cited the book during discussions for nuclear disarmament. 

And that comic book was eventually adapted into a film by Jimmy Murakami (I saw in on Betamax tape when I was in second year college) and it featured music by Roger Waters 

When the Wind Blows was eventually adapted into film featured music by Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Genesis, and David Bowie.

I thought that “Seconds” channeled all of that adding to the urgent tone of this political commentary that is War.

“Drowning Man” is another favorite of mine from the album. It is another track that featured the telling violins of Steve Wickham (he would later join the Waterboys). A haunting song. 

Side Two changed in style as it was punchier, lively as opposed to the darker tones and harsher performances of Side One.

“Two Hearts Beat As One” was a refreshing change of pace from the seriously dark tone of War. This is the album’s second single (“Sunday Bloody Sunday” was the third).

“Red Light” featured the back-up singer of Kid Creole and the Coconuts who were recording in the same studious as U2 at this time. I love how the band used a trumpet for this song.

And the album ended with “40” that I thought was the perfect way to end this dark album. How good was this? In addition to the ethereal feel of the song (the lyrics are taken from Psalm 40), it has been mostly used as the last song for any U2 show. When I saw this during the Live at Red Rocks video (that is also their live album, Under A Blood Red Sky), it was nothing short of magnificent.

Thirty-six years after its release, War remains one of my all-time favorite albums. Whenever I play the album, the songs still resonate well with me as they first did during that summer of my youth. In my opinion, this album solidified U2 as a major music and creative force. With my interest in the band waning after October (that I initially did not like), War restored my faith in U2 and cemented the band’s place in my personal all-time fave list. They are one of the few bands whose every album I have in my personal collection.

As for that record that I got from Christhareth that cost me P130 bucks back when I was in high school – I still have it. Yes, I do. It is a bit browned after having survived a fire that gutted my home some years ago. But it is fine. The vinyl is fine and still plays like a charm though I did get a second copy sometime last year. Just in case you know.

Playing At the Drive-In

The first ever At the Drive-In album that I got.

Ciudad Forever album & show marks indie pop band’s 25th Anniversary

Ciudad Forever album & show marks indie pop band’s 25th Anniversary

by rick olivares

It is hard to believe that indie pop rock band Ciudad is 25 years old. Could it be that long already? 

Between their debut, Hello! How Are You, Mico the Happy Bear in 2000 and 2012’s Follow the Leader, they released an album every two-plus years. They were prolific, nay, prolific. And they wrote the best pop gems by any local band. 

They never fell off the map. Ciudad has released five albums and now a sixth – a double compact disc album titled Ciudad Forever – that shows how they have remained not only prolific but also relevant to this day and age.

They have shown an ability to adapt as they continued to release singles one after the other online as they adapted to the changing times. More than that, they improved their crafty as a very good live act and released some very good tunes since. 

It is even more gratifying to see a whole new generation of fans groove to their music. That quantifies their staying power.

And now we’re lucky that Ciudad have collected all the online singles to go with their hits from their sophomore effort, Is That Ciudad? Yes, Son, It’s Me. to their Bring Your Friends (the rights to their debut are held by their old label). 

Featured are the Beach Boy-esque harmonies on “Oh, Christian!” to the extremely hummable “Get You Closer” to the bouncy Bacharach pop of “SIFIL (Such Is Falling In Love)” and to the 70’s groove of “Tiny Apartments”. 

Ciudad Forever is also nostalgic trip; a timely retrospective to allow the fan to marvel at their body of work. The groovy “Call It A Flick” is included as is Fountains of Wayne-ish “Until It’s Cool”. The catchy “My Emptiness” is there. As are two of my favorites “Dance Lessons” and the pensive “Friday Noon”.

Thus, Ciudad is like one of life’s tiny delights. They remind us of why we love comic books, rom-coms, the gift of friends, why falling in love remains a powerful emotion and force, and why we constantly reminisce about the good old days.

Ciudad Forever comes in a cool DIY package complete with lyrics, liner notes, and reflections and anecdotes from the band itself to friends such as classmate and former manager Quark Henares, wrier Erwin Romulo, director and musician Marie Jamora, their number one fan Kathy Gener who formed Ang Bandang Shirley and is co-owner of indie label Wide –Eyed Records and others who they have formed strong bonds to this day. 

And that is exactly the magic about this band – relationships. 

The band – Mikey Amistoso, Jeff Cabal, Mitch Singson, and Justin Sunico – were friends and classmates at the Ateneo even before they formed Ciudad. Amistoso explained the dynamic between all the members with this allegory, “Before we became a band, we were friends for a long time. We are generally nice people and empathize with each other. That is the strength of the band. However, that could also be a weakness because none of us will do ‘career moves’ at the expense of our friendship. Remember how the Beatles got rid of Pete Best and they were unstoppable after that? We would never do that. We stick to each other.” 

During their 25^thanniversary show at the 123 Block last Friday, September 20, Ciudad -- which for some time now has been performing with Singson’s son, Wocky on bass that has freed up Amistoso to play guitar and keyboards – brought all those elements into play. The old hits and the newer ones. Old friends and familiar faces mingling in a sea of new ones. Hearts fluttered and smiles were aplenty.

And that is the magic behind 25 years of great music. 

Looking forward to next.

Ciudad Forever.

A countdown til Singapore: My U2 retrospective - October (1981)

October

Released in October 1981

In 67 days, I am going to watch U2 in Singapore. And as I wrote earlier, I will be sharing my thoughts about each and every album of U2 that I have. They are one of my favorite bands and have all their albums on vinyl and compact disc. I purchased their debut, Boy, when it first came out in 1980, and I remained a fan ever since. My interest in them has waxed and waned through the years, but they have never fallen off that top 10 list of my all-time favorite bands. That’s incredible staying power. 

I am going to be very honest about this album. I didn’t like October when it first came out. In fact, I only began to like it in 2018. How did that happen?

Maybe because I thought that it sounded slow and lacked the pulsating energy of Boy. I wondered if it was too soon to hit the studio for their sophomore effort. After all, the time between the two albums was exactly a year. Were they tired from touring?

I later learned that the briefcase containing the lyrics for many of the songs was stolen prompting Bono to hastily improvise. Maybe it had an effect. I am not sure.

Nevertheless, my first copy of October was a cassette that my dad got for me in the US. I liked “Gloria” and the explosive “Tomorrow” and that was it. I was disappointed in the album and that kind of dampened my enthusiasm for the band.

When I heard “I Threw A Brick Through A Window”, I wondered about the title. Once more, I thought – wasn’t that a bit pretentious? 

But I did know that the album was recorded during the time that Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands went on a hunger strike while in prison. The news of Sands’ hunger strike was in newspapers all over the world; Manila included. When he died 66 days after he began his strike, there was rioting all over Belfast. I followed all the news on television and in the newspapers. It was something I discussed lengthily with my parents over the dinner table because I didn’t understand the conflict in Northern Ireland. I was upset by it though.

Imagine that… a kid thousands of miles away affected by the sectarian strife in Northern Ireland.

Several years ago, I went to Northern Ireland. I felt the chill in my bones at signs of the strife. I even got to experience it first hand when on my very first day in Belfast when I stepped out of my hotel to buy some food and four guys in a car pulled up and began screaming, “You fucking Asian!” I ran back inside and refused to go out. 

The hotel staff for so embarrassed and upset. They offered me a free meal and called the police who accompanied me to a nearby pizza parlor.

So in some way, I liked but also disliked the song. It was a protest song after all that alluded to the Troubles.

That dichotomy didn’t change for a long time. I lumped October with sophomore slumps such as the Clash’s Give ‘Em Enough Rope, and the Darkness’ One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back. So, I never got the vinyl record of October… until 2018.

I have no idea why I decided to pick it up. It wasn’t out of a sense of being a completist; that’s for sure. 

I was surprised when the needle dropped, I intently listened to the album. And I found myself genuinely liking it for the first time. And I played the record not once, not twice, but about five times that day and two more the next. That’s how I knew that I had finally liked it. 

If Boy was all about growing up, this album in a weird way touches about the band’s faith. I kinda inferred that from listening to it intently. In fact, it has been a recurring theme throughout U2’s history.

There’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I Am Looking For”, “Yahweh”, “Moment of Surrender”, “Magnificent” and “40”.

On October, there’s “Gloria”, “With A Shout”, and “Tomorrow”. 

I am usually iffy about religious themes in rock songs, but with U2 or Bono I should say… it works. It is just who they are. 

In my mind, “Yahweh”, “40”, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I Am Looking For” are some of the best songs in U2’s repertoire.

October, even after all these years, will still not rank in my top five U2 albums (I’ll rank them at the end of all my essays about their discography), but I do like listening to it now. And I guess, that is good enough.

The Late Isabel’s Doll’s Head Turns 15

The Late Isabel’s Doll’s Head Turns 15

by rick olivares

In 2004, The Late Isabel released their debut album, Doll’s Head. 

The album stood out in a sea of nu-metal and retro-sounding bands that were popular at the time. Aside from being a sleeper hit, the album is also notable for being the first ever Filipino gothic rock album released.

Nine songs that ushered in nightfall and the eeriness associated with it. 

Doll’s Head evoked the macabre of Siouxsie and the Banshees with Allan Hernandez’ tortured guitar musings, JP Agcaoili’s gloomy drumming, and the thumping fear of Roval Bacale’s bass. What set them apart was the operatic range of vocalist Wawi Navarroza. And she had flair. Did she ever. In the music video for Doll’s Head, she was this alluring vamp whose piercing eyes zapped you into a trance-like state.

If Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded a twisted version of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”, The Late Isabel’s response was a haunting version of The Sound of Music’s “My Favorite Things.” After that, did anyone remember the way Julie Andrews sang that musicale classic?

From music to album packaging, The Late Isabel rose and slithered into everyone’s secret black heart. The textured black and white cover featured a young girl with her eyes cast upward in muted wonder. It was an image that seemed came out of some antique locket. Or heirloom. In fact, one cannot think about Doll’s Head without thinking about that iconic cover.

Fifteen years later, we caught up not only with Hernandez, but also the cover model, Karen Holdnall, who has blossomed into a beautiful woman who now works as a stewardess for AirAsia.

“There is some synchronicity involved in those photos of Wai,” bared Hernandez. “When I wrote ‘Doll’s Head’, I had not yet met Wawi. I met her through Doi Porras of Dominion. All I knew of her was that she played bass (for another goth band) Prominence of Cathedrals.”

It was while talking to Navarroza that Hernandez was shown pictures of her work that was titled, Polysaccharide, where Karen was the model. “Polysaccharide was how I was seeing the doll’s head song in my head. That was when I knew Wawi would be part of The Late Isabel because she saw in visions what we were hearing in sounds.”

“I used to hang out at Wawi’s place all the time,” chipped in Holdnall. “She took a picture of me one time and she asked the band if they could use it for the album cover. They thought the picture was just right and that was how it happened. It was totally unplanned; a spur of the moment idea. I was 11 or 12 years old at that time and little did I know that it open doors for me.”

The video shoot for “Doll’s Head” was also an experience for the young lass. “I was amazed at the experience of watching a band shoot a music video,” she said. “The effects were all pretty cool.”

A friend of Navarroza’s saw a picture that she took of Holdnall and asked if she would like to participate in a contest where the winner would land a cover spot on Candy magazine. Karen won and the floodgates soon opened on offers for modelling gigs. “My dad didn’t want me to do it because he thought I was too young and that I should finish my studies first.”

The Late Isabel and their debut was a hit and garnered rave reviews from critics. Furthermore, it helped bring some awareness to the goth subculture. The album is now considered a collector’s item and is rather hard to find in the back seller’s market. 

“We as a band liked the air of mystery about our music and our image,” added Hernandez. “Even our gig posters reflected that. It would always be about a woman in a stylish and mysterious form.”

Doll’s Head was followed up seven years later in 2011 with the EP Lackadaisical. And nine years later today, a new album is said to have taken form and is set to be released pending a few more details. The band has somewhat strayed from their goth roots and entered art rock territory. 

Hernandez laughed at the how each and every effort takes later and later to produce. “I am sure it will be worth the wait for everyone,” laughed Hernandez. ““Don’t you love a mystery?” 

A countdown til Singapore: My U2 retrospective - Boy (1980)

In 75 days, I will be watching U2 in Singapore. For a band that I swear as among my favorites of all time, it sounds uncanny that I have never seen them before. And I have all their records having bought them from the time that their debut album, Boy, came out in 1980.

Even having lived abroad, if they passed by wherever I was staying at that time, I either wasn’t able to get a ticket or I was out of town. On the eve of their 30^thanniversary as the world’s biggest band, now I am going to see them on their celebration of the anniversary of the Joshua Tree album.

Over the next few weeks and months leading up to the show in Singapore, I will write my thoughts about each and every album.

So let’s lead off with Boy.

This sounds weird but I will always associate Boy with that bench outside my classroom in the first year wing of the Ateneo High School. It was there where some of my best friends and I listened to cassette tapes of Boy during recess and lunch.

Boy sounded like no other band at that time. It took a few years down the road when I realized the influence that Joy Division had on the band. 

U2’s debut album, Boy, was released in October 1980, and I read about the band in a short article in Rolling Stone magazine and the Irish band opened for this other band. The audience was so impressed with U2 that they played several encores. 

That intrigued me and no one was playing them on local radio. Not even DZRJ, Manila’s one and only rock station at that time. I got it while on a trip abroad except it was about six months after the album came out. There were two versions of Boy – the British version that had a young Peter Rowan on the cover, and the distorted image of the band that appeared on the North American release.

Strangely even if I got my record in Hong Kong, it was the American version (strange because Hong Kong was still under the United Kingdom at that time). 

I remember the excitement that I felt coursing through my body. I was in first year high school at that time. There were very few true music fans amongst my friends at that time. I mean there were lots, but those who bought records, listened to the radio, and went to concerts, and bought the merch – nah, there were few. 

The guitar riff that opened the album and “I Will Follow” was so bad ass. I thought it was one of the best guitar opening riffs along with Derek and the Dominoes’ “Layla”, “Satisfaction” from the Stones, and “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zep at that point in my young life. I felt they were all blown out of the water years later by Guns ‘n Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” but that is altogether another story.

I didn’t know it at that time, but the song was about Bono’s mother. 

When I got to third year high school, some other friends started getting into U2 and were playing “I Will Follow.” I secretly snickered along with my other friends. Ha. Call it snobbish but there it is. We liked getting ahead of the curve in the manner we were listening to the Cocteau Twins, The Railway Children, and Cactus World News.

The album followed a theme about adolescence and it came out at a time when I was discovering all these different things and learning to spread my wings. In fact, by the time U2’s live album, Under A Blood Red Sky that blew me away, I began wearing black that was so different from the pastel colors of New Wave. Bono was wearing black in Under A Blood Red Sky and the photography on both Boy and War had me rethinking my wardrobe.

And speaking of the color of black, the third song on the album, “An Cat Dubh” was a moniker I adopted. In English, it meant, “the black cat.” And since this was a time when I started wearing black, I sort of adopted the song title as an unofficial moniker. I even labeled my floppy disks “The Black Cat.” The song is also one of my favorites on the album. 

I loved how it segued into “Into the Heart” that is of the more pensive songs that prepares you for the controlled chaos that is “Out of Control.”

“Another Time Another Place” and that part where Bono showcases his vocal range and sings in Gaelic. I thought it was awesome. Like Luciano Pavarotti cutting loose. 

And the closing song… “Electric Co.” At that time, I wondered if it was about the television show, The Electric Company. Foolish me. Years later, I only learned that it was short for “electric convulsion therapy” which is the electric shock that is used sometimes as part of psychiatric therapy. The song grew on me when it was used in Under A Blood Red Sky.

There were two signature parts of the band’s music that would be evident in all their work – it was the Edge’s chiming guitars and his high-pitched back-up vocals. 

Even a track like “The Ocean” that did not really appeal to me intrigued me. Who was Dorian Gray? I had to look up Dorian Gray in the encyclopedia (no there was no internet at that time.

I was enthralled by the album at that time. As I got older, I felt that at times, the music – in fact this is an accusation labeled at the band throughout many points in their career -- was pretentious. But when I think about everything... not they aren't. It is the way they are. And I am glad.

However, listening to it all over again and playing it loud while writing this, my mind raced back to those days on the bench outside my classroom and playing an air guitar to the Edge’s riffs. To those days when a boy was growing up and music was shaking me to my very core. Not all the songs date well, but it doesn’t matter. These are the songs I loved only as a kid can. I can see what turned me into a U2 fan back then and why I remain a massive one to this day.

NEXT WEEK: October.

Listening to Killswitch Engage's Atonement

First became a fan of Killswitch Engage when they released The End of Heartache. Picked up all their albums since. I was unhappy to see vocalist Howard Jones leave and wasn't too crazy about the return of the band's original vocalist Jesse Leach. In fact, I thought that Disarm the Descent was weak and didn't even bother to pick up the seventh album, Incarnate.

So what made me pick up Atonement? To be honest, I just did. Not one pushed me and I didn't read any articles or reviews. I just got it. And I am very happy with the album. Atonement is a damn good album and the bonus is the duet between Leach and Jones on the album's second track, "Signal Fire."

Spanish hardcore band Teething: A Manila homecoming and beyond

Spanish hardcore band Teething: A Manila homecoming and beyond

by rick olivares

A 25-hour flight with three stop overs across three time zones can be challenging for any traveling band. More so when they have to play their first show in less than 24-hours.

Yet, as Teething, the Madrid-based hardcore quartet, planed into Manila, the excitement levels significantly ramped up.

If for Teething, the Southeast Asian tour was a massive step forward in the band’s eight-year career as they had gone out of their comfort zone in Europe, imagine what it was like for vocalist Luis Ifer.

Luis was born in Quezon City to a Filipina mother and a Spanish father. He lived in Manila for his early years before moving to Spain. The last time he was in Manila was six years ago to visit an ever-dwindling number of relatives (his mother had also since passed away). “Yes, it is a massive step for the band, but it is extra special because it is like a homecoming,” he noted.

One other member of the band on the other hand, was apologetic. “I am sorry,” fessed up bassist David who apologized for 333 years of Spanish rule in the Philippines. No worries, we say, everything has its good and bad, and there too has been lots of good. The country is proud of its Spanish heritage and relationships between the two countries are both warm and friendly. In fact, three days after the show at Mow’s, the frigate, Nunez, became the first Spanish warship to make a port call in Manila in 121 years.

“Then let’s go rock the country,” rallied Luis.

After two shows – in Batangas and in Lucena – Teething was at Mow’s in Quezon City for their September 2 show. “Tonight is going to be extra special,” teased Luis.

The band recorded their entire blistering one-hour set both on audio and on video for a planned vinyl release. The last foreign band to do that domestically was Boston-based band, The Saddest Landscape that released a split 7-inch single with local post-rock band, Legarda. “This is going to be full-length and I am going to make sure that this isn’t too much of a limited edition and a lot of people can get the record,” promised Luis.

Teething has been nothing short of prolific. In their eight-year history and true punk fashion, they have released 10 extended play albums and split records to go with one full-length album. 

In addition to the tons of merchandise that they sell, they are probably the only band to have their own action figure, a nearly four-inch figure of the band’s mascot, Ralph, who appears on their album covers. Their action figure sold out quickly. And according to independent concert promoter Sleeping Boy Collective that was instrumental in making the tour happen, their shirts and records sold rather well. 

“The band sacrificed playing in Manila for the weekend that would have meant more people just to give the provincial shows a boost,” noted Sleeping Boy Collective’s Jonathan Flojo. Yet, the Monday night gig at Mow’s, notoriously poorly attended given it is the first working day of the week, saw a lot of fans come over to the show. 

“I think it is also because of Luis’ Filipino heritage,” added Tan of interest in the Teething shows. “I mean, this is a guy who has played in festivals and gigs all over Europe so local fans are excited to see him and the band.”

“I remember when Luis first told the band about the possibility of a Southeast Asian tour, and I went, ‘You’re kidding,’ related guitarist Antonio. “But he wasn’t joking. It is a tremendous adventure and opportunity. It is a gift.”

“It is an incredible idea and it made sense since Luis was born here,” added David. “We have toured Europe five times and any time we experience new cultures is good for us.”

For Luis, it would be the first time that he would perform in front of relatives who were all coming to watch Teething at Mow’s. He did have one regret, “I wish my mom were alive to see this.”

What followed was a night of mayhem, moshing, and great live music. According to music fan and frequent gig attendee Channa Silva, he thought that the Teething show was one of the best of the year. The band raced through 20 songs and even played an unplanned encore.

Added fellow fan Carlito Buenaventura who was right in the middle of the mosh pit, “And I have the bruises to show for it.”

After the show as fans asked for selfies and autographs, Teething’s drummer, Alvaro, was happy at the response to their music and the show. “Music and being in a band is the best thing to happen to our lives and we are glad because we can do things and go to places we probably never would go to if we just go about our regular jobs.”

Chimed in Luis, “We’re working class people. Our free time is spent focusing on music and Teething. My life revolves around Teething. My best friends, my girlfriend, and my dog are all because of Teething. If I didn’t have the band I would be a totally different person.”

The Southeast Asian Tour also has a bittersweet feel to it for David. By year’s end, he will be relocated to the United States with his girlfriend. “We don’t imagine that people will like our music. When they buy our merch or records, it is a good feeling. When people come to your shows like here in the Philippines, it is a good feeling. All these experiences, even when I leave for the USA, I will never forget.”

“I will make sure to pack a few copies of the live record in Manila when it comes out because these things you will never forget.”

My collection of all things Teething...

An ecstatic night in Manila to end Mike Shinoda’s Post Traumatic World Tour

An ecstatic night in Manila to end Mike Shinoda’s Post Traumatic World Tour

by rick olivares

Friday night, September 6 was equal parts lovefest and songfest as several thousand fans trooped to the New Frontier Theater at the Araneta Center to catch Linkin Park co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda on the penultimate show of the second leg of his Post Traumatic World Tour.

As much as Shinoda’s solo debut album, Post Traumatic, has been well-received, you could not fault the fans for coming out and wearing t-shirts of Linkin Park or for clamoring for the songs. After all, the band has sold more than 70 million records worldwide and performed thousands of sold out shows throughout the globe as one of the new millennium’s biggest bands.

Even if the band performed in Manila twice now – in June of 2004 at the height of the success of their second album, Meteora, and in August of 2013 in support of the band’s  fifth album, Living Things – no one could still get enough.

Friday night, however, was possibly the last time that anyone in the Philippines will get to see and hear live Linkin Park songs performed by one of its remaining members or the band as whole on home soil following their indefinite hiatus after lead singer Chester Bennington’s death in July of 2017.

If our collective image of a young Mike Shinoda was the spike-haired rapper on Linkin Park’s videos for “In the End” and “Somewhere I Belong”, the man who has gone on tour to promote his first solo album, Post Traumatic, sports a light beard, cropped hair and a baseball cap, and looks somewhat thinner. Not in a gaunt manner, but someone perhaps also exhausted after a long tour. 

The enthusiasm and the spark in his eyes remains evident. This is a man getting back on his feet after struggling in the wake of the loss a dear and cherished bandmate.

And the fans were treated to an incandescent performance where he performed songs from Post Traumatic to Linkin Park’s catalogue of hits including his collaboration with DJs X-Ecutioners, “It’s Going Down” that was a huge hit post-Meteora.

Shinoda is wrapping up the second leg of his world tour that has taken him from Germany, France, England, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Israel, Taiwan, Indonesia, and then to the Philippines (he is in Japan right now for the last concert). 

The local show, produced by concert promoter Insignia Presents, represented the best chance for Filipino fans to hear music live from Linkin Park… possibly for the last time as the band is on indefinite hiatus following the death of lead singer Chester Bennington in July of 2017.

True enough, Shinoda performed 13 songs from Linkin Park, seven from his Post Traumatic solo album, three from his hip hop ensemble, Fort Minor, and the X-Ecutioners song.

“Looks like there are some Linkin Park fans in the house,” observed Shinoda right before he launched into “When They Come for Me” from the band’s fourth album, A Thousand Suns that was released nearly nine years ago from the night of the concert. 

The show was also special because it was the day after Shinoda’ anime-inspired video for “The World’s On Fire” dropped and the rapper made sure to mention it to the New Frontier crowd.

Performing with Shinoda was Israeli drummer Dan Mayo who regularly performs with post-rock trio, Tatran (they already have released three albums) and English multi-instrumentalist (and sometime actor) Matthias Harris. 

The trio were amazing and they covered a lot of ground especially on the Linkin Park songs (considering the band used to have six members). In an interview for Music Radar, Harris said that Shinoda needed someone who could play more than one instrument. 

“Being a jack of all trades was a big factor with this gig; Mike needed someone that could play lots of instruments rather than just one. I was in the music world for a long time doing my own bands, then I went into session work playing principally bass. I did different things for different artists including touring, then I moved into musical direction and becoming a musical director.”

Leading up to the encore, the trip was joined on stage by Rob Damiani and Simon Delaney, vocalist and guitarist respectively for opening English alternative rock band, Don Broco, for the Linkin Park song, “A Place for My Head.”

Despite being largely unknown in the Philippines, Don Broco banged out a terrific livewire set that set the stage for Shinoda’s nearly two-hour show. 

The quartet out of Bedford, England, has some history with the Philippines as their first single, “Beautiful Morning” was played by radio stations in Manila in early 2011 when the song was first released.

The performance elicited a lovely response who the crowd who heartily sang along, clapped, and cheered to the songs (even the ones from Fort Minor and Post Traumatic). And Shinoda knew and felt it. Shinoda’s recent solo work both in music and art has been a way to deal with the pain; an act of healing. 

The show was cathartic and the crowd demonstrated to Shinoda, that he has a support group, albeit eight thousand miles away. Such is the power of music. and a fitting way to end a beautiful day.

Got some records signed by Mike Shinoda

Caught the Mike Shonoda show at the New Frontier Theater last Friday, September 6.  It was the last leg of his Post-Traumatic Tour and it was an awesome show.

I wasn't able to get an interview or even a selfie but the signed records made up for it.

Playing Chinese shoegaze band Sound and Fury

From Chengdu, China comes shoegaze band Sound and Fury! From Boring Panda Productions.

It's a double A side 7-inch single of "Coming Down" and "Heaven Song". Released on 9 June 2018.