The Crow on Devil's Night

 

The DVDs, the vinyl, the compact disc, the cassette, and the trade paperback.

A Baker, Nurse & Busker Reach for the Stars in PhilPop 2020

 

A Baker, Nurse & Busker Reach for the Stars in PhilPop 2020

By Rick Olivares

 

The ongoing 2020 PhilPop Songwriting Contest is for the first time showcasing the diversity of the competition.

 

The dialects with their gentle inflections and phrasing from the different regions take center stage. You’ll prominently hear Ilokano, Illongo, Bisaya to go with the usual Tagalog and English. The diversity has given music fans a smorgasbord of ear candy. 

 

However, it isn’t only the dialects that are a refreshing change. It’s also the backgrounds of the songwriters behind the entries that have made the PhilPop finals.

 

Kulas Basilonia hails from Dasmariñas, Cavite. His day job is working as a Karaoke Music Producer for a Japanese company. Kulas divides his free time by teaching financial literacy and busking around Makati and Intramuros. “It’s both fun and challenging,” he said of the latter.

 

Angelic Mateo is a registered nurse in her hometown of Laoag, Ilocos Norte. When she is done. When she doffs her PPEs, she writes music any time of the day or sings with her band at bars and cafes. 

 

By day, Puerto Princesa, Palawan native Kenn Germina is a pastry chef in her family run business. By night, she trades her apron for notes and musical instruments.

 

Aby Esteban, who also counts Laoag as her hometown, went to college at Ateneo de Manila University. Pre-pandemic, she worked as a human resources officer for a broadcasting network before deciding to pursue music full time.  

 

She isn’t the only fulltime musician. Olongapo City resident Lolito Go is a full time musician who also happens to handle the social media account of his city.

 

Their influences are as variegated as well. 

 

Kenn cites Yeng Constantino, Kitchie Nadal, Up Dharma Down, and Gloc 9 as her early influences, although she currently follows Moira dela Torre and Billie Eilish.

 

Kulas reaches way back to early OPM with Basil Valdez and Rey Valera but also likes Salbakuta, the Sex Bomb Dancers, and Britney Spears.

 

Mateo grew up in a home where Fran Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Marco Sison were on heavy rotation on her father’s turntable. But she discovered Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach that honed her piano skills. As for singing, she turned to Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Charice Pempengco. Nowadays, she is heavily into the music of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, dodie, Lizzy McAlpine, Billie Eilish, Regina Spektor, and local heroes Ben&Ben, Keiko Necesario, UDD, and Moira dela Torre. 

 

Aby points to Paramore, Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Imago, Sponge Cola, and Cueshe as her inspirations while Go loves the Eraserheads, Gary Granada, Noel Cabangon, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and the Carpenters.

 

For all their varied tastes and backgrounds, their music is distilled into something uniquely their own.

 

“I was going for a pop/folk sound with my song, ‘Para Kay Catriona,’” bared Basilonia who wrote it in Tagalog.

 

“’Paos’ is about feeling tired and yet, being such and helpless doesn’t make us weak,” underscored Angelic. “The song is about the need to rest and breathe. It also serves as a reminder that we must always try to understand what a person is going through because we don’t know what is happening.”

 

Germina’s entry, “Bitaw” is a soul and hiphop song written in Tagalog. “It’s about the art of letting go, accepting things, and making sacrifices,” she simply explained.

 

“Balikan” that was written by Go is a post-break-up song. “It hints about rekindled love but it is immediately negated in the succeeding lines of the song,” he laughed. “It is also about the pointlessness of closure that potentially offers more questions than answers.”

 

Esteban who co-wrote “Agsardeng” with her tag team partner (the Quezon City-based) TJ Paeldon, is an Ilokano-Tagalong song that tells about the story of a person stuck in a cycle of domestic abuse.” And yet one might not notice the darkness of the song as it is written to an electronic pop melody.

 

All five songwriters are enthusiastic about the new direction of PhilPop that has showcased regional talent along with their respective dialects. 

 

“Me being Bikolano,” said Kulas, “Sobrang happy ako for Pinoy songwriters whose main speech isn’t Tagalog.”

 

Esteban concurred, “PhilPop is a well-known entity that would surely be a great stepping stone for most of these young artists to not only showcase their craft but also the culture of their regions. I am actually super excited and feel privileged because it is not every day that I get a chance to know talented Filipino artists from Luzon to Visayas to Mindanao.”

Got my Itchyworms stuff

 

Visayan, Mindanao songwriters showcasing their craft in PhilPop 2020

Visayan, Mindanao songwriters showcasing their craft in PhilPop 2020

By Rick Olivares

 

The song entries to the 2020 PhilPop Songwriting Contest from the Visayas and Mindanao region are either ballads, jazz, rhythm and blues, or even alternative.

 

However, that doesn’t begin to speak of its diversity. 

 

The songwriters hail from places like Leyte, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur, Cebu, and Koronodal. 

 

The songs are written in Bisaya, Illongo, and Tagalog. 

 

Even the words have nuances.

 

In the case of Christian Chiu who goes by the name “XT on the Sax” professionally, his song entry, “Kasadya” has multiple meanings. 

 

“The word ‘kasadya’ in Illongo has different usage,” explained Chiu. “It can be used as a pun, or a point of humor or even provocation. But real meaning is in a joyful context. In my song, I used it differently. I was developing it until bridge where it takes on a nostalgic feeling. Like reminiscing of what happened in the past. Mga nakakanis or ‘ugtas’ na yung almusal ng lola mo,' for example. But in the end, the character (in the song) missed all those moments.”

 

Agusan del Sur native, Sherwin Fugoso’s spiritual ballad, “Pahuway” was written intermittently in the past few years but was only finished in January of this year. “’Pahuway’ was inspired by a passage from Saint Augustine’s Confession where he writes, ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you,’” Fugoso explains. “It isn’t easy to write songs. Sometimes, you go for days, weeks with nothing. And as a result, I am restless. ‘Pahuway’ is about my longing for a cure for my daily dose of restlessness.”

 

If Fugoso is searching for meaning and a cure to his restlessness, for Cebuana songwriter/singer Jerika Teodorico, her song entry, “Ayaw Na Lang” is balm that heals a wound of rejection. “I had my eyes on somebody for a long time and we share the same feelings,” expounded the curly-haired Cebuana. “But for some reason ayaw niya. My song is about that frustration and dealing with it.”

 

Not every courtship though bears negative results. Sometimes, it’s a “yes” but it needs a lot of fine-tuning, polishing patience, and working to make it better.

 

That is the song written by the duo of Noah Alejandre and Reanne Borela who both are from Leyte. “'Suyo' is a song about two people in the midst of an argument and speaking in two dialects (Bisaya and Tagalog),” related Borela. “But even if they are arguing, you can still see the sweetness and love in the middle of the fight.”

 

From internal turmoil comes peace. Or contentment. 

 

Agusan del Sur native John Cadeliña’s entry, “Akong Bilhon” is a song about contentment. Said the one time Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2 finalist, “No matter how big or small the blessings you have or received, if you really appreciate its true value, then it’s more than enough for you to be happy. “This was something I reflected on during this pandemic. Simply, it is saying that despite the negativity and pessimism around that can be a little too much to take, we should still count our blessings.”

 

The song has an alternative feel as Cadeliña makes no bones of his 1990s rock influences. The song soars and has an infectious melody. 

 

For his part, Alejandre says his song with Borela was inspired by American indie pop artist Jeremy Zucker whose lush-soundtrack style soundscapes have garnered over 300 million streams on Spotify. “'Suyo,'” pointed out Alejandre, “has this pop beat then shifts to reggae for the chorus then goes back to a pop sound.”

 

“Zucker,” gushed Teodorico who also admitted to being a fan (as well as the Beatles, the Carpenters, ABBA, and Jim Croce to name a few. “But for my song, it has a more R&B sound.”

 

Fugoso admits to a wider and disparate range of influences from The Beatles and Elton John to One Republic and Rico Blanco. 

 

Chiu’s song though is more 1980s Manila pop and soul. “While I love jazz and modern artists like Norah Jones and Raechel Yamagata, I felt that going back to roots music in terms of OPM was the way to go for me.”

 

All these songwriter’s entries are now available on streaming and digital platforms worldwide via PhilPop and Warner Music Philippines.

 

 

Fil-Brit beabadoobee’s debut album is a love letter to 90s alt rock

 

Fil-Brit beabadoobee’s debut album is a love letter to 90s alt rock

By Rick Olivares

 

“Care, care, care (yeah)”, sings Filipina-British indie rock artist Beabadoobee. And she channels the teen spirit of late American grunge band, Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins in her brand of lo-fi bedroom pop rock in the opening song, “Care” and much of her debut album, Fake It Flowers.

 

You can say that the young and talented lady who had an epiphany with the music of Kimya Dawson in the soundtrack to the 2007 coming of age film, Juno, has grown up. Even the video for “Worth It” finds beabadoobee in her underwear at the end.

 

If the first four extended play singles of Beatrice Laus (aka known as beabadoobee) were characterized by lo-fi bedroom pop laced shoegaze musings, her debut album, cranks up the crunch that now separates her from fellow Londoner Kero Kero Bonito, Texas’ mysteriously named fuvk, and other similar artists. 

 

Beabadoobee was selected by British music critics as one of the breakout stars this 2020 along with fellow United Kingdom artists Arlo Parks, Celeste, Easy Life, Georgia, Inhaler, Josef, Joy Crookes, Squid, and Yungblud. 

 

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic struck. While it has shut down live performances and tours, it hasn’t stopped beabadoobee from releasing Fake It Flowers this past October 16. 

 

Laus teased of this upbeat sound, with “If You Want It To” on her debut extended play single, Patched Up, as well as “You Lie All the Time” from her last EP, Loveworm.

 

Whether a love letter to Nirvana and 1990s aggro or just a young woman spreading her wings, Fake It Flowers finds beabadoobee with her best outing yet (via England-based indie label Dirty Hit Records that was founded among others by former professional football player Ugo Ehiogu). It’s great that she has taken the next step instead of rehashing the music on her EPs. 

 

Make no mistake, we love her lo-fi work. It even makes a brief cameo in “How Was Your Day?” But we love her 1990s indie rock sound right down to the loud-soft dynamics even more.

 

In “Charlie Brown,” the hardest rocking track on the album, beabadoobee rages, “Throw it away! Throw it away!” Kurt Cobain would.

 

If Side A had Seattle rock all over its riffs and vibe, Side B goes mid-western to the art rock musings of the Smashing Pumpkins complete with pensive rockers and strings.  

 

Laus sings about everyday things such as coffee, love, and the complexities of relationships. Adding a full band instead of acoustic strumming has given her music a different dimension. And I love it. 

 

When I first saw beabadoobee, she was rocking her red-dyed hair and I thought back to Miki Berenyi, the similar red head of shoegaze pioneers Lush in the 1990s. Berenyi’s choice of hair color along with her striking Asian features (she’s half-Japanese, half-Hungarian but from England) was so attractive. 

 

Laus is the same but with a saccharine and black coffee side. 

 

Fake It Flowers features a young and bright talent that has started to tap into her potential. And now the world is for beabadoobee to take.

 

 

A poster of the Beatles that I saved all these years.

 

A Taste of Japan & lo-fi hip-hop from Naga

 

A Taste of Japan & lo-fi hip-hop from Naga

By Rick Olivares

 

The music of Naga City-based electronic artist ビクタ MKII are like tasty morsels of lo-fi hip-hop. They are snippets of conversations and electronica to go with soul nuggets for beats. They are then wrapped around Japanese manga art that complete this delectable pop confectionary.

 

Welcome to MKII’s world where Japanese themes and album art have everything to do with the music.

 

MKII also known as Viktor says that his brand of lo-fi hip-hop has always been tied to that Japanese aesthetic and anime culture. “That and my long time fascination for Japanese culture drives me to put a bit of it into my music,” explained the prolific electronic musician who has put out five albums in the past three years. 

 

Under the foreign Insert Tapes, ビクタ MKII put out three albums – Ame, Omoide, and Kimi to Boku on Swedish cassette label, Insert Tapes. With Naga City-based Demohauz, he added another two – Itterasshai and Kimi no Machi.

 

You might want to add a sense of mystery to the music. 

 

“When I started making beats, for some reason, I wanted a name that’s not easy to find or search on social media that’s why I translated my actual name Victor into katakana, “ビクタ” and put the MKII (or mark two) which means a second version of something and now second version of myself.”

 

The second version of Victor is because he previously played on various bands with an altogether different sound. “This is like the alter ego of those previous journeys,” he clarified. 

 

“I have quite a few music influences in general but on the beat making side I’ve always admired the likes of J Dilla, Madlib, Nujabes, and Pete Rock as well as new OG’s like Flying Lotus, Mndsgn, Knxwledge. I’ve always listened to these artists and try to take in their energy and vibe. Listening to these musicians made me realize there are no rules when it comes to beat making. If it’s vibin’ and it makes you feel good; that’s good enough.”

 

Part of the enticing package is the artwork by Marikina-based Zom Kashwak that features the female of the species although you never see her face. 

 

Explained ビクタ MKII “The faceless girl is not really based on someone but instead it loosely represents the whole feel of the album, or maybe an ideal or a minor suggestion on how these short beats will make you feel. I’ve always described my music as instrumental short stories. The great thing about this type of music is the instrumental nature of it. There’s no fixed idea attached or message and listeners can interpret it however they like. Small nuances like background noise, the melody itself or the little bits of barely audible conversation samples are just suggestion.”

 

The response and demand to ビクタ MKII’s music has been strong that Demohauz has had to go through another batch of releases. 

 

“I think the response has been amazing, enthused, ビクタ MKII who is now making music full time. “Until now I still can’t really describe it. I’m always thankful to the fans who always support my music be it buying the tapes and vinyl or just playing my music. This year in particular is amazing with vinyl and tapes selling out so fast.  As an indie musician who doesn’t have any connections, to make it on my own is a revelation. So I am always grateful to the listeners and supporters.”

Sumaya, Sumigaw, Huminga sa One Click Straight.

 

Sumaya, Sumigaw, Huminga sa One Click Straight.

By Rick Olivares

 

One Click Straight’s debut EP under Island Records Philippines, “Sumaya. Sumigaw. Huminga.” Is a nod to the synth pop of OPM music of the late 1980s with the band’s modern sensibilities thrown in.

 

There’s tunefulness to the songs, soaring and emotive vocals that take you back to Dingdong Avanzado, Rannie Raymundo, and the like, and yet, there’s traces of rumbling New Order basslines and heavy synths with the funk of Jamiroquai thrown in. 

 

And that’s no surprise to the four-piece band of Toffer Marquez (vocalist, bassist), Sam Marquez (guitarist, songwriter), Tim Marquez (drummer, songwriter), and Joel Cartera (guitarist, percussionist). “We like the music of our parents which is the 1980s’ New Wave and 1990s alt-rock,” offer Toffer. “But we too have our own tastes.”

 

“The beauty of OCS’ music is we don’t have a specific influence we want to squeeze out as inspiration,” chimed in Sam. “It changes where we are at. Today, it’s Jamiroquai and the Prodigy. Before it was New Order and Oasis. Who knows what it is tomorrow?”

 

“We only got into OPM when we were older,” clarified Tim of the band’s conscious decision to go back to Filipino music roots. “I think it is only natural to back track.”

 

“We felt the messier the music the more it resonated with us,” Sam summed up. 

 

And that fine mess is the EP that features three tracks – the bouncy title track that serves as an antidote to hopelessness, “SSH,” the urgent “Wag Natin Sayangin” which is about making the most out of one’s time, and the Oasis-like “Minsan” that reminds one of those who are special in our life.

 

Conceived during the ongoing lockdown, the band, like everyone else on the planet, had to look deep inside themselves for reflection and inspiration.

 

“We just released an EP in February and we were looking forward to the things we do when we have new releases – tour, gig here and there,” bared Sam. But instead, we found ourselves in a different situation and we were at a loss of what to do. But as we wondered about what was going to happen next, we went back to basics and began making music, which is what we do best.”

 

As a result, “SSH” is – to crib Macca’s song title – hope of deliverance from this frightful and challenging time. 

 

“Think of it as our way of cheering not only ourselves up but others as well,” gleefully offered Toffer.

 

The striking cover to “SSH” shows torn pictures of the band members held together by scotch tape; a metaphor for holding on and how the album was recorded (without the benefit of a proper studio and the lack of gear. 

 

And yet, One Click Straight passes with flying colors.

 

“We give a lot of importance to visuals. It’s like a complete package,” pointed out Cartera. “We want to convey what we sound like.”  

 

And that is a big and refreshing sound with a cinematic feel which is what One Click Straight strives for. 

 

“We think that is the way music should be... the words and music paint pictures in your mind,” summed up Sam Marquez. 

 

And when it does, then it’s time… para sumaya, sumigaw, at huminga. One Click Straight-style.

 

Tweet chat with the BMX Bandtis' Duglas Stewart! So cool!

The BMX Bandits' Duglas Stewart engaged me in convo this morning (after he liked me post; no I didn't tag him like some click baiters). And cool beans... he's following me now.

Listening to the Machines compilation from those New Wave days

One if the first new wave compilations released locally was this one... Machines. It was hauntingly cold and oddly beautiful. I was drawn to it.... but only for a while. Within a few years, I disliked anything with synths.

That was then.

Am actually enjoying this again.

6 Memorable Eddie Van Halen guitar solos

                        6 Memorable Eddie Van Halen guitar solos

By Rick Olivares

 

Rock and roll music has its share of guitar gods whose riffs and solos are the stuff of legend and male fantasy. Jimi Hendrix showed everyone the potential of the guitar while Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page to name a few added a bluesy if not epic edge to the instrument.

 

When Van Halen’s self-titled debut was released right before Valentine’s Day in 1980, the album grabbed the rock music world that was blues-laden or had classic and progressive trappings. Yes, punk and new wave were making serious noises then, but Van Halen brought a crunch and melodic sheen to heavy metal. Theirs was a polished but heavy sound that was swiped by Mutt Lange who later gave Australian band AC/DC the same vibe.

 

Just when rock was becoming overly rebellious with the punk movement or too serious as with the case of the Brit Rock of that era, Van Halen brought the F-U-N back into rock ‘n’ roll. 

 

And Eddie Van Halen – including vocalist David Lee Roth – was a star. 

 

Eddie and his band inspired many an axeman from Joe Satriani to Steve Vai to Nuno Bettencourt to Kiss’ Bruce Kulick Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland to the hair metal bands of the late 1980s to Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. Slayer’s Kerry King even said that he didn’t know what heavy was until he heard Eddie. Bands such as Lamb of God, Megadeath, Triuvm, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine, and Pearl Jam opened credited Eddie and his band as influences. 

 

While Eddie did not invent finger-tapping, he popularized it, tweaked it big time, and gave the method its name. His dizzying guitar solos were always a highlight and a treat. He did things to an electric guitar that no one else ever did or even after. His understanding of high and low dynamics that was massive for the grunge era that would hit a generation later was incredible. Their last massive hit of the 1980s – “Humans Being” from the Twister soundtrack was a cinematic piece of work that melody to the frightening beauty of Mother Nature.

 

Unfortunately, Eddie Van Halen passed away on Tuesday, October 6 after a long battle with lung cancer.

 

With the music, entertainment world – including the sports world (check out French football team Olympique Marseille’s tribute to the American musician in their social media) – offering tributes, we would be remiss, if we did not give him props. 

 

Here in our opinion are five Eddie Van Halen guitar solos that changed the world.

 

“Eruption” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” from “Van Halen”

The first and second tracks of Van Halen’s sterling debut. “Eruption” is right – a phantasmagorical delight of finger-tapping that announced Van Halen was here to kick serious butt.

 

Then the buzz saw licks of “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” meandered in a heavy rock music would not be the same again.

 

“Jump” from the album “1984”

As Eddie once told it, he wrote “Jump” that featured some serious synthesizer melodies outside New Wave. The rest of Van Halen was not interested. “You’re a guitar god,” protested Roth. 

 

In trademark stubbornness, Eddie wrote one of the coolest synthesizer melodies ever but also played one of his best and tightest guitar solos. 

 

And Van Halen had its only number one song in music chart history. The song is a staple in every sports arena including Olympique Marseille’s that plays the song when introducing their starting eleven.

 

“Humans Being” from Twister

The hint of the danger to come before the madness rolls in. Just like its natural brethren, the tornado. 

 

Then vocalist Sammy Hagar does a semi-rap as Eddie tears into a Twister of a solo that is both beautiful and frightening at the same time. 

 

“Beat It” on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” 

This crossover pre-dated Run DMC’s collaboration with Aerosmith in 1986’s “Walk This Way” that laid the groundwork for rap metal.

 

When Eddie wrote the riff that made Jackson’s “Beat It.”

 

1in 1982, heavy metal and pop music were genres that did not go together. But Jackson penned “Beat It” with a rock bent in mind. He asked Toto’s Steve Lukather to lay it down but Jackson was looking for something else.

 

Eddie re-wrote everything in an hour and Jackson was so ecstatic. The Prince of Pop said, “Thank you so much for not only coming in to do this but also to actually care about the song and make it better.”

 

“The Darth Vader Song” from the film “Back to the Future”

Eddie did not only change music history with his guitar playing, he also preventing history from changing.

 

Confusing? 

 

Let’s go Back to the Future.

 

Remember the scene in the Robert Zemeckis film where Marty McFly puts on a hazmat suit and pretends to be an alien from the planet Vulcan who commanded his father, George McFly, to take Lorraine Baines out.

 

Marty slipped in a cassette tape clearly marked “Edward Van Halen” to batter a 1950s George McFly into submission. The riffs were discordant and were like a sledgehammer to the brain. After being subjected to Van Halen’s riffs several times, George consented to take Lorraine Baines out. 

 

And the rest… is history.

 

Thanks, Eddie. You were marvelous.

 

Now, to crib the lyrics from “Humans Being”…. “shine on.”

 

On my love for British Sea Power

I was browsing through the new releases on the indie racks when I spotted this album with its golden cover with the name British Sea Power. It was kind of a pretentious name but intriguing at the same time. 

 

Consider the title of their debut… The Decline of British Sea Power.

 

Well, they do know how to poke fun at themselves, I thought. 

 

The hype sticker got me… “Like a shipwrecked Echo and the Bunnymen.” 

That was all I needed to know.

 

I purchased the cd right away. When I played it at home, I was blown away by the power and majesty of British Sea Power’s music. The Bunnymen parallelisms were the buzzsaw guitars but other than that, the band was chartering new waters. They had a cinematic feel to their music Like a grand plan.

 

And it turned out the band was going to tour American soon and I caught their first performance in New York at the Irving Theater. It was a good-sized crowd and though we didn’t fully know the songs, I guess, everyone in attendance knew we were seeing a great talent in the making.

 

And what a sight they were… dressed up in British Army World War I uniforms and some battlefield props. I thought of Scottish band Big Country with their militant and patriotic theme and feel of their songs. 

 

Two years later, they released their second album, Open Season. I was a fan from their debut but this is where I swore that this was the best band in the world… at least for me in 2005. 

 

Open Season was more melodic and highly textured. The music was majestic, nostalgic, and expansive at once. It evoked a band in tune with their roots as well as home and heart. The last band I felt that was about was Iceland’s Sigur Ros. Except British Sea Power touched an Anglophile part of me that I never knew existed. 

 

With every album, Do You Like Rock Music and the surprisingly lovely Man of Aran, my belief that BSP was the best and underrated grew.

 

Do You Like Rock Music was like the past of BSP with a nod towards a more symphonic future. 

 

Only a band like BSP can do a detour and switch it up from straight forward rock to orchestral music. Sure, U2 did that as The Passengers, but they changed their name so as not to dilute their brand. No such qualms about BSP. Queen did it for Flash Gordon while Well Mogwai did the same for Les Revenants. 

 

Man of Aran was a stirring and inspiring soundtrack laid to the 1934 film of the same name.

 

I have no doubt that led to them scoring the film From the Sea to the Land Beyond that featured symphonic versions of some old songs of their as well as new instrumentals. I love how they also integrated brass and strings that gave their already powerful songs a wholly different dimension. 

 

Man of Aran and From the Sea to The Land Beyond is the band’s communion with nature, history, and wildlife. And I guess, since BSP hails from rural Cumbria in Northern England with the Irish sea to the west, this explains the band’s predilection for nature and the sea. 

 

This is, of course not to say, that I don’t enjoy their new release Let the Dancers Inherit the Party. I do. After all, I have been a fan of this band since 2003. And whatever style they are comfortable with, I just enjoy it.

 

Berwick Street, SoHo, London. A trip of my mind wandering, record digging. And my paean to Oasis.

 

Berwick Street, SoHo, London.

A trip of my mind wandering, record digging. And my paean to Oasis.

 

Certain places have an appeal. Time was, when I thought of New York, I thought of the Marvel Universe because many of their early comics were set in the Empire State. 

 

As for the splendor that is London, the Clash’s “London Calling” would play first in my mind. I’d think of punk rock shops, sex shops, curio shops, Lambrettas and Vespas. London, of course, is much more than that, but tell that to a kid who grew up discovering British punk and new wave. 

 

My friend Craig and I alighted from the Oxford Piccadilly Station then hoofed it all the way to SoHo which really isn’t far. On our way, we passed by Wardour Street where many theaters once were located. It is also where music Svengali Malcom McLaren’s infamous Sex shop was located. I once more thought of a song; this time from the Jam’ --  “A Bomb in Wardour Street” and envisioned bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and Adam and the Ants at this club called Crackers that no longer exists.

 

What I would give to have seen all that.

 

On this particularly cold day in October, we were lucky the rains didn’t come falling down. So there was this excitement that Craig and I felt. 

 

Whatever hedonistic lifestyle in the 1980s that changed the face of London forever was now totally different. Whether because of gentrification and people growing up, the place was quiet. Business-like even. Honestly, I am not sure if that is good or bad.  

 

The number of record shops that also defined this street from the 1970s to the 1980s had greatly gone down. Reckless Records was still there as was Sister Ray.

 

We had gone here for music and to take a picture of where Oasis’ shot its iconic cover for their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? that was released on October 2, 1995. That album was my introduction to the band and I have remained a fan since then even if they are no longer active. 

 

It was just across Reckless Records where English disc jockey Sean Rowley and album sleeve designer Brian Cannon walked across each other with album producer Owen Morris on the left holding the master tape of the album.

 

The photo was snapped and ever since, Oasis fans would flock to that spot to have their photos taken. 

 

Ironically, that album that I must stress is celebrating its 25^th anniversary cover shoot coast 25,000 British pounds. It is an obscene amount. 

 

Speaking of obscene amounts, the original press under Alan McGee’s Creation Records now fetches for about US $250. 

 

 

As a fan of the band, I wanted to take my photo at the spot and Craig obliged me. I was so excited I immediately Tweeted and shared it on my Facebook. 

 

At this time, I had not fully returned to vinyl (and was still purchasing compact discs). But Craig and I did go inside Sister Ray and we both knew we were in music heaven. 

 

There is this painting of a cassette with Bowie stenciled neatly on it. On the wall just across is a framed single of the Clash’s fifth single -- the 7-inch version of “White Man in Hammersmith Palais.” 

 

The ground floor was where all the cds were located. The basement is where all the vinyl was located. 

 

We must have spent two hours inside that at one point, one of the clerks asked, “Is there something in particular you are looking for?”

 

I shook my head. “It’s my first time in here,” I said – and I tried to hide by excitement but I think I failed. “I’ve always wanted to go here. And well, I’m on a budget as I still have to take some tours.”

 

“A tourist, are ya?”

 

“Yes,” I mumbled.

 

“Have a look around and enjoy yourself. If you need help, holler.”

 

There was a lot that I wanted to buy but since I was watching my expenses as I was only in the middle of my stay in England (with trips to Scotland and Northern Ireland still coming up), I only got a cd single of “Please Stand Up” by my fave British band, British Sea Power. 

 

Next time, I promised myself.

 

If you go down the northern side of Berwick Street, there is a street market were vegetables, produce, milk and others are sold. At the corner is the now famous comic book store, Gosh Comics.

 

It was past 1:30pm, Craig and I were starting to feel hungry and our first choice was The Breakfast Club except the line snaked around to the adjoining street. So we settled for a late lunch at Tasty Lebanon where I had chicken kebabs. I just love Middle Eastern food. 

 

We headed over to Knotting Hill with this silly hope of coming across Julia Roberts after which we went to Kensington where we ate at former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman’s Sticky Fingers restaurant.

 

After dinner, we split up and planned for our next meet up in four days as the next day, I was off to Scotland then Northern Ireland.

 

When I returned it was in February of 2016. Craig was unable to go with me this time, but it didn’t matter. I have an excellent sense of direction. I spent three whole days going around London by my lonesome. 

 

Of course, on my itinerary was a return to Berwick Street.

 

When I did, it was the day after David Bowie passed away and the shops along Berwick paid tribute to the Starman.

 

The display in front of Sister Ray were all Bowie albums. This time, I had money to spend. I came away with Oasis’ What’s The Story Morning Glory, Ska Madness 20 Reggae Classics Which Inspired the Two Tone Revolution, a David Bowie record, and this British shoegaze band, The Cheatahs. 

 

I had another picture taken – with the help of a passerby – for that Oasis cover shoot once more. Like I did two years ago, I immediately Tweeted and posted the picture on my Facebook. 

 

Of course, I went to Reckless Records and to Gosh Comics. Just like last time, the lines around The Breakfast Club were still long and I could only throw up my hands in dismay. However, this time, I ate at the rudest restaurant in London in Wong Kei with a friend of my aunt.

 

While we were eating, my aunt’s friend asked what I did that afternoon and I pulled out my iPad to show the pictures of Berwick.

 

Just as I was showing her, the waiter came over with our food. “Oh, Oasis,” said the Chinese waiter. He fished out his cellphone and showed us a picture of nearly the same shot at the same exact spot. He also showed pictures of him at Abbey Road for the Beatles album of the same name, and Heddon Street (for the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album. 

 

“When I came to London four years ago, I brought my cd of Oasis and had my photo taken. Outside Reckless Records.”

 

“Where are you from,” I asked in amazement.

 

“Taiwan,” he offered.

 

We gave each other a high five and smiled the smile of music fans on a magical mystery tour.

 

Free: Looking Back at the 20th Anniversary of Rivermaya’s landmark album

 

Free: Looking Back at the 20^th Anniversary of Rivermaya’s landmark album

By Rick Olivares

 

The year 2000 started out with the fear of the Y2K bug where there was a fear that computer software would misread the transition from 1999 to 2000 and instead reset to 1900. 

 

Then there was another software controversy when heavy metal band Metallica sued file sharing device Napster for illegal downloads. The legal battle ended nine months later in March of 2001 with Metallica receiving tens of millions of dollars in damages. 

 

Then in August 30^th of that year, Rivermaya released their fifth album, ‘Free.’ It was their first outside their label, BMG, an independent release with the compact disc given away…. literally for free during gigs with downloads available as well on the internet.

 

It stirred controversy at that time and was a defiant step for a band that was on a continuous ascent despite the departure of key members. 

 

“I don’t recall that the album had anything to do with the Napster issue,” clarified Mark Escueta who is the longest serving member of the band and who played drums, guitar, before returning to the kit once more. “Maybe there is that impression because Free was available in MP3 format and we encouraged people to share it with their friends.”

 

In true DIY ethic, the first few hundred copies of ‘Free’ were assembled by the band themselves with the help of their crew. Recalled Escueta, “We attached the labels on the compact discs and put them in packaging that we folded ourselves and placed in plastic sleeves.” 

 

These copies were mailed individually and sent out to all parts of the country.

 

Later on, the album was pressed in proper form. 

 

As for the music… it was markedly different. The trio – vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist Rico Blanco, bassist Nathan Azarcon, and drummer Mark Escueta – were in a Brit Rock phase although the latter contends that it was the former’s idea. “Rico has always and will always be part-British,” he laughed. 

 

“I love ‘Trip’ (Rivermaya’s second album), but ‘Free’ is my favorite album,” stressed Azarcon. “We left the break-up songs of our first few albums and had more mature songs like ‘Ambulansya’ and ‘Imbecillisque” and of course, ‘Faithless’ that I feel is the Rivermaya song for me.”

 

The new sound – with traces of Radiohead, Coldplay, and Mogwai to name a few -- continued all the way to the next albums Tuloy ang Ligaya and Between the Stars and Waves. 

 

The lead single off ‘Free,’ “Faithless,” was a scorching rocker that saw Blanco wailing away and channeling U2’s Bono in the live version of “Bullet the Blue Sky’ on Rattle & Hum. 

 

Whether it was an introspective song that saw them question “so-called friends” and a “so-called career” that during that time was formulaic given industry standards, the song encapsulated Rivermaya’s being at the crossroads. 

 

The title. “Free” was also a reference to their new found independence from their former label. They were free to chart their own path – at least for the album as they signed with Viva afterwards -- Rivermaya marched to the beat of their own drum. 

 

“Nathan does an incredible job singing ‘Faithless,’” said Escueta of his bandmate as the song remains a staple of the band’s live shows.

 

“As I said, it is my song although it was written by Rico,” added Azarcon.

 

‘Serious Offender’ was a Pixies-like rocker while “Imbecillesque” showed the band’s love for the oddity of Radiohead.

 

“Ambulansya” is the band’s answer to the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” – a painful dirge of a song. 

 

“The album is nothing like the band recorded before or since,” noted Azarcon like a proud daddy. “We knew we had good songs on the album and we really couldn’t wait to record them. It was also different because we were in our mid-20s at the time of its recording. So there’s a level of maturity to us and we weren’t wide-eyed kids no more.”

 

And ‘Free’ was recognized by its peers. 

 

The album beat out Parokya ni Edgar’s ‘Gulong Itlog Gulong,’ ‘I Was A Teenage Tree’ by Teeth, ‘4^th Degree Burn’ by Slapshock, and Battery’s self-titled debut for the NU Rock Awards’ Album of the Year. Guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist Rico Blanco was also named Producer of the Year for his work on ‘Free.’

 

Today, 25 years after Free’s release, the band is once more a trio. Escueta is once more behind the drum kit following Ryan Peralta’s departure after the band’s last album, Sa Kabila Ng Lahat in 2017. Azarcon has returned to bass duties while sharing vocals with Escueta and guitarist Mike Elgar who has been with Rivermaya since 2001 and the Tuloy ang Ligaya album. 

 

“Today, if you have ‘Free’ parang astig ka kasi konti lang yan,” summed up Azarcon. “IT’s hard to believe that the album is 20 years old. To know that is resonates well with fans today means that we did something right. And that’s cool.”