“The records have made me feel nostalgic and sentimental,” reflected Chickoy Pura of the coming vinyl release of their early new wave songs as well as the re-release on vinyl of The Jerks Live.
For a band that was formed 43 years ago and has had only two official releases – The Jerks Live (1995 from Gary Granada’s Backdoor Records) and The Jerks (Star Records, 1997) as the EP containing their first ever recordings like “Romantic Kill”, “Big Deal”, and Something Inside of Me” will be officially released for the first time —
It has been 41 years since the Jerks exploded into Manila’s music scene. Famed disc jockey Howling Dave (nee Dante David) had seen the band play and invited them to perform at the On Disco where he would spin records between live sets.
It was that connection and friendship with Howling Dave that paved the way for what would be a seminal moment in Philippine music history.
The disc jockey offered to play their songs on DZRJ but the band would have to take care of the recording of their songs. Fortunately, Australian Paul Kelly saw the band and offered to pay for studio time at Greenhills Recording Studio provided they back him up for his own set of songs.
The result of those sessions was “Romantic Kill”, “Big Deal,” their punk version of the Beatles’ “Daytripper” and “Something Inside of Me” with Kelly.
The songs were played on DZRJ where they made Philippine music history as the first unsigned band to have their music played on radio.
A few recording companies offered contracts but nothing came of it.
Around the same time, the Jerks relocated to Olongapo as the live music scene in Manila died down. It was in the ACME bar and the 100% Club where the Jerks honed their craft.
“We had to change our repertoire,” said the band’s late guitarist Jun Lopito in an interview while performing with Stephen Lu’s band during a show in 2018.
Lopito finally joined the band around this time after coming off Joey “Pepe” Smith’s band. “We had to ditch the punk and new wave angst in favor of a more muscular rock and roll sound,” he added.
The replaced their old On Disco sets of originals and covers of the Clash, the Sex Pistols, and the Ramones in favor of the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix and other 70s rock acts.
“Yun din ang gusto ng mga Amerikanong sundalo,” chimed in the other fabled guitarist of the band, Nitoy Adriano in that same interview with Lopito. “So give the audience what they want.”
“It was in Olongapo where we learned to be professional musicians,” summed up Pura. “We learned how to play long sets, what it meant to be in a band night in and night out. On my part as a singer, it trained me well to sing for long stretches.”
“Forming a band like the Jerks (with Jun and Nitoy and the others) was challenging because I was a folk singer moving into punk and new wave,” recalled Pura. “Of all of us, it was Jun who was the seasoned pro because he was playing with Pepe’s band. He would also perform with Sampaguita and others. Kami? We were learning as we went on.”
Eventually, their three-year stay in Olongapo ended and the band went their own ways.
They reformed later with only Pura and Adriano as the sole remaining members. This time, the Jerks’ sound was more of a blues-riff rock band; one they brought with them back home to Manila from Olongapo. The style and the music came out in their live and debut albums.
If their punk and new wave years were characterized by more mundane concerns, their new sound has plenty of socio-political commentary and bite.
And the band was recognized. They bagged Album of the Year in the 1998 NU Rock Awards while the song “Rage” was named Rock Song of the Year for 1998 during the Katha Awards.
After touring to promote the album, its various members once more went their own ways to explore different projects.
“We’d come together every now and then for some gigs,” said Pura.
However, in recent years, interest in the Jerks has heightened.
In August of 2020, “Rage” was re-recorded by a who’s who in the local rock music scene to protest the passing of the Anti-Terror Law and the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.
Then this 2022, the release of their early music (Mutilated Noise Records) and their live album (Backspacer Records).
“I am happy that the music we made is being remembered by our old fans but also discovered by a younger generation of fans,” said Pura. “Sadly though, any plans for reunion shows will have to be without Jun who passed away.”
“Jun,” recalled Pura in measured words. “He would bring the house down with his guitar work. Pagkatapos ng gig or jam, we would sit down mas matagal pa yung kwentuhan kesyo sa jam. That is years of camaredie. Mahirap din tanggapin yung passing ni Jun ganun lang as my memories of him are as a person full of energy and an air on invincibility about him.”
“In recent years, he showed up a couple of times at My Brother’s Mustache (where Pura as a soloist or with the Jerks are regulars). We jammed with Nitoy and the late Noli Aurillo and it was an emotional performance. The crowd loved it because bihira na nila kami mapanood.”
And after that show, Jun even texted to ask kung nakauwi na ako and if I was alright. That is the kind of person he is.”
“The records and Jun’s passing have made me nostalgic for a lot of things. And somehow, the records will be a testament to all of that.”