BACK in college, I was lucky enough to have had close friends who were really into music. They were people who would introduce me to new music and take me to the thriving local live scene, both underground and the mainstream.
I grew up with music. I am a collector, even to this date. But the friends that I found then would have me listen to local bands, which I honestly gave little attention at all or just shrugged off as mere imitations of whatever popular international bands were out there.
Just to put this in perspective, this was the mid- to late-1990s and, for several years then, the local band scene was thriving. I had very little idea then that on the ground, there was this huge community who were listening and watching bands that are offering a wide range of music.
Some of them were profane enough to have absolutely no chance at radio airplay. Some of them will make your ears bleed. Some probably did not even know how to play their music instruments. Some were really fun to watch. And there were some which you knew right from the start was, at some point, will be making it big in the country.
At that time, there were probably two places you would go to listen to bands with fresh ideas. You either go to Club Dredd, which first appeared in Timog Avenue and later in Cubao, or in Mayrics, right across University of Santo Tomas in España.
But the one place that we really went to, whenever we can, at that time was Kalye Bar and Restaurant in Makati City every Friday. It pays to have a close friend whose father played in one freaking legendary band.
You see, the headline band there every Friday was Coco Jam, which was then composed of Rolly Maligad on vocals and rhythm guitars; Jun Lopito, lead guitars; Rico Velez, bass; and Edmund Fortuno, drums.
They were some of the best local musicians and their works, both individually and collectively, are very much highly regarded even today. It was a fact that I would have probably not known had my close friend not taken us to Kalye back then.
The band pretty much opened my eyes to the talent local bands possess. Coco Jam was largely doing covers during their sets but no one can hold a candle to what they do live. They made the songs all their own, even the music of The Beatles. They can stretch a three-minute song to 10 minutes without the crowd getting bored. Those were awesome evenings.
And guess who the opening act for Coco Jam for most of those nights? It was Razorback. Yeah, that band which went on to have tons of album sales, get lots of airplay, won awards or something like that, and probably walked away with the girls after every gig.
But you know what? They were like mere floor cleaners as compared to how Coco Jam played, and I guess the members of Razorback knew that fact also during those days.
From that time on, I got myself thinking if there were Filipino bands or artists out there who could have made it big in the international music scene not just in Southeast Asia or Asia, for that matter, but in big markets, like the United States, the United Kingdom, or even Australia.
It would be totally cool if one day we get to see a Filipino band selling out Wembley Arena or the Madison Square Garden. And not that I really care at this time, because I think top 40 does not really, by and large, represent the good music that is out there. But how proud would you be if you see a Filipino band in the charts? I know I will be.
Well, for one, I still think to this day, that for them to crack the international scene, Filipino bands have to come out an album that is at least 80 percent in English. I know there have been a few instances where non-English songs have made it big, but for the most part, they were just one-hit wonders.
And forget about making a push using the Internet. Yes, the Internet helps, but it still comes down to the tracks a band has in an album and then playing them live for people to hear. I believe that good music will always get its dues. It might not be immediate but it will come.
So who could have made it in the international scene? The Eraserheads’s “Aloha Milkyway” was a good attempt. Released in 1998, the album did well in some parts of Asia. It had some good tracks, including “Julie Tearjerky,” “Trip to Jerusalem,” “Fruitcake,” and of course, “With A Smile.” But it essentially lacked the charm and wit of the bands’ Tagalog songs.
I recently saw Ely Buendia with his band Pupil during Fete de la Musique in Makati City. They did like an eight-song set list, which were all in English. They got the mostly foreign crowd clapping and, at times, singing along. But at some point, I was hoping Ely would throw a curveball and play one of the classic Eraserheads songs. As good as the Pupil songs were, there was definitely something lacking.
A lot of people will probably lambast me for saying this, but I think Rivermaya was technically much ahead of Eraserheads and would have had a much bigger chance of succeeding internationally.
“Aloha Milkyway” was part compilation and part new songs. So what if Rivermaya, say, come out with an all-together compilation of English songs they have done in the past that is targeted solely for the international market?
How would a Rivermaya album with a track listing of “Sunday Driving,” “Bring Me Down,” “Rodeo,” “You’ll Be Safe Here,” “If,” “[A Little] Sorry [Should Make Everything Right],” “Faithless,” “Is It Sunny Where You Are,” “Flowers,” “Shattered Like,” “Ballroom Dancing,” “Monopoly,” “214” and “She’s So Uncool” sound like to you? I hope you are nodding your head in approval.
From what I have read, it seems that the original line up of Rivermaya might just reform. In January this year—minus Bamboo—Perf de Castro, Nathan Azarcon, Mark Escueta and Rico Blanco performed in what they dubbed as the “secret semireunion” gig.
I remember a couple of years ago Bamboo telling me after he performed for an Israel Embassy event that he has no issues for the original lineup reforming for as long as they will do new music and not just tour.
Anyway, to me, there are a couple of local albums out there in the past, which could have really made it big internationally, if it had the backing of a major label and distributed worldwide. There is the Jun Lopito 1995 solo album “Bodhisattvas” and The Dawn’s 2000 comeback album “Prodigul Sun.”
“Bodhisattvas” is an 11-track album that is absolute rock-and-roll bliss. There are no fillers at all. It carries the Jack Johnson vibe and the energy of a young Rolling Stones band.
There are some tracks on the Lopito album that are available on YouTube, including “Pure Souls,” “Regular Guy,” “Ysabella” and “Blues On The Loose.” Check them out. They will not disappoint.
As for The Dawn, their past works are enormous already, but the 18-track “Prodigal Sun” has legs to stand on its own. It was the first time the band had two guitarists in Francis Brew and Japanese Atsushi Matsuura.
It is a bit U2-esque and has a lot of grunge and alternative sound inserted into them, but the album works. It grabs listeners attention and never lets go until the last track is played and done with which is basically Atsushi snoring.
I do not know if there were legal issues with the album, but there is practically nothing on the Internet about it, except for lyrics of some of the tracks. Even some YouTube clips have been deleted and only their Myx performance of “I Saw You Coming In” is available.
Not to be discouraged, I still found the whole album here—philippinebandspodcast.blogspot.com/2012/01/dawn.html. Give it a listen guys. Like the Lopito album, this one will also not disappoint.
For comments, suggestions and reactions, e-mail raalzona@yahoo.com.