Music knows no boundaries. Thanks to modern technology and the unifying power of the internet and social media, even long-lost bandmates can reconnect and find new ways to create and record from their respective locations.
That’s exactly how the members of the band called 3Y3 (pronounced as Trentay Tres) found their groove again more than three decades after they first made waves in the local rock scene. Composed of vocalist Pronnie Abante, bassist Cesar Trinidad, guitarist Jojo Canonoy, keyboardist Allan Encarnacion and drummer Rex Inonong, the band originally known as Anak Bonifacio is best known for their anthemic hit song, “Estudiante.”
Pronnie first heard the song performed by his college pal and folk musician Ricky Nicolas. Putting his very own rock twist to the song, Pronnie eventually approached the Cesar who actually wrote the song. Having realized they were on the same page, Pronnie and Cesar decided to form the band that would become Anak Bonifacio.
The band then recorded “Estudiante” as a rocker under the Pyramid record label of fellow musician Rey Manansala. By the time the song was picked up for airplay at rock station DZRJ, Anak Bonifacio was already a busy touring band that performed in many parts of the Philippines. The radio exposure of “Estudiante,” however, opened more doors for the band as Pronnie and company found themselves opening for the likes of Pinoy Rock icons like Joey “Pepe” Smith, Banyuhay ni Heber, Asin and Paul Toledo, to name a few.
But three years after they were formed in 1984, Anak Bonifacio decided to call it a career. The years that followed saw several band members migrating to other countries and not much was heard from them until recently.
Reconnecting through Facebook, the band that now answers to the moniker 3Y3 has recorded a new single called “Hanggang Kalangitan.” A soaring piano-driven rock ballad that recalls the style of both Meat Loaf and Arnel Pineda, what makes “Hanggang Kalangitan” even more remarkable was how it was put together.
Each member of the band recorded their respective parts separately in their respective location—Pronnie laid down his vocals from Las Vegas, Cesar added his bass lines from Singapore, Rex did his drum parts in Dubai while Jojo and Allan recorded their contributions right here in the Philippines.
Now that the members of 3Y3 have rediscovered the same musical passion that they once had as Anak Bonifacio, they believe that things can only get better from hereon. Expect more original music from 3Y3 in the days to come. Who knows? They might even find a way to perform their music “live.”
