Filipino drummer makes name for himself in Singapore & Asia

Pinoy drummer makes name for himself in Singapore & Asia

by rick olivares

Meet Gilbert Nogales who has made a name for himself as not only perhaps an outstanding expatriate drummer in Singapore, but perhaps in Asia. He won the drum contest besting 500 other stickmen from the region with his coup de grace performing blindfolded, and he has played with the Juan dela Cruz Band, Mike Hanopol, Jason Mraz, Michael Bolton, Vice Ganda, Vennie Saturno, Christian Bautista, and many others including Indonesian and Singaporean acts. He’s even played in clubs along Los Angeles’ famed Sunset Boulevard and in our very own, Eat Bulaga. When foreign acts in need of a drummer arrive in this island state, it is Gilbert who is on everyone’s lips.

However, if Nogales, who hails from Cubao, Quezon City, had his way, he would have wanted to make a name for himself on the hardcourt. He played for the Trinity College colts in high school, and for the University of Santo Tomas Glowing Goldies in college. “I had dreams of playing professional basketball,” Gilbert said in the vernacular.

That came all crashing down while playing the Far Eastern University Tamaraws where he went up against Johnny Abarrientos. The quicksilver-quick point guard picked Nogales’ pockets clean at midcourt and before Gilbert knew what was going on, Abarrientos was scooting home for a lay-up. 

Nogales can laugh at it now, but back then, he realized from watching the likes of Abarrientos, Ateneo’s Jun Reyes, and San Sebastian’s Eugene Quilban, that speed was key and if one wasn’t as good if not better, then it was going to be tough.

“Fortunately, I loved music,” said Nogales, and Plan B for his future kicked in. “I grew up a fan of the Juan dela Cruz Band and Pinoy Rock. I other favorites include Rush, Toto, Lee Ritenour, and the GRP Band.”

With his band, Powerhaus, they became the first Filipino band to tour and perform in all Hard Rock Cafes (when it still catered to hard rock) in Asia from Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Shanghai, Beijing, and Bangkok. The band took up residence for three months at every stop before moving to the next.

Eventually, Gilbert settled in Singapore, and it took a chance encounter at a music store where he was buying some drum sticks where Tan Boon, the creative director of the Singapore Drumfest Drum Challenge saw him purchase these particular sticks. The Singaporean opined that only good drummers purchased these kind of sticks. Nogales didn’t think so; he just wanted them even if they cost Singapore $300. Boon invited him to participate in the 2007 Drum Challenge in the open category where he was named the Grand Champion after performing his final set blindfolded and with the likes of his idol, Toto’s Jeff Porcaro, serving as a judge. 

When both Michael Bolton’s and Jason Mraz’s regular drummers were unavailable due to various circumstances, Gilbert was highly recommended to fill in and he did an admirably job. “The only Jason Mraz song I knew was ‘I’m Yours’,” he chuckled. He had to learn some 30 songs in a very short span of time.

And that eventually led to the Michael Bolton show and more. 

“That drum challenge win opened doors for me,” conceded Nogales. It led to more shows and well, endorsements. 

He has his own signature drum sticks, first at Vic Firth, and now with new brand, Heartbeat. Gilbert is also an endorser for new cymbal brand, Arborea, that is comparable in quality to the top line cymbals. 

In spite of the success, Nogales remains firmly rooted to the ground.  He also opines that it takes more than reputation for a musician to get gigs. It also takes skill, reliability, and flexibility. He can deftly switch from rock to rhythm and blues to the classics or even Chinese music. 

Many a people who witnessed the drum fest triumph offered him a slot such as his current role as in-house drum teacher at the School of Music Clef at Sun Tec City. He has worked with Regi Leo, one of Singapore’s most known musical directors on a variety of projects. Along with fellow Filipinos Alfred Rivera (bass and vocals) and Jenny Vie (lead vocals), Leo (guitars and vocals) and Nogales also have their band, Uberjam. And Gilbert also performs with a folk rock trio also composed of expatriate Filipinos.

“It is tough making a living as a professional musician, but I have been lucky,” said Nogales. “I am lucky to make a good living about music which is my passion. Lucky to have very good and nice bandmates. I am just grateful for everything.”

Over a plate of chicken rice at a restaurant in Sun Tec City, Gilbert Nogales paused and thought for a moment. It is one of those life-changing moments and he summed it up…

“And I am grateful to Johnny Abarrientos as well.”