‘MABOTENG Usapan” is a play on words, meaning a story-sharing between friends sitting around a bottle of alcohol.
Whatever the occasion or none at all, one such session will commonly be present around those we wish to share our hearts with. For Gin Rum, and Truth (GRT), music is the “alcohol” that brings us together, as camaraderie sounds better blasted through speakers.
The ensemble started in 2009, but the friendship of Yok Tano (vocals), Snide (guitars), Mey Reyes (bass), Alquin Eledana (guitar), Iñigo Mortel (drums), and Ron Murillo (guitars) goes way back prior, before they were legally allowed to drink gin or rum.
When asked how they got together to make music, Tano said that it was the other way around: it was the music that brought them together.
“We were from the same batch, but we weren’t all in the same circle,” the vocalist shared in Filipino. “But because of the music, we got along because of our jamming sessions,” he added. “We sort of are different from one another, but it is [music] that unites us.”
A lot of their work sprung from their adventures as a group and experiences as a collective. True to this, their music hopes to reach out to those who share their belief on the concept of “walang iwanan.”
Though commonly branded simply as rock and roll by the their public, each band member is influenced by a variety of genres. From classic rock, modern, metal, and grunge, the band fuses a sound that pays homage to the old school, and at the same time, welcomes the modern era as heard in their 2014 self-titled album, and in their EP “Wag Tularan” issued in 2016.
Making music
OTHER than the music it plays, the life and heart of a band are in the songs it creates. For GRT, the art of creating a song starts from individual contributions.
Tano, with his deeply personal lyrics, looks back to bad experiences for inspiration. For him, music starts with negativity.
“When I’m happy, I express it—but not through music” Tano narrated. “I can’t write when I’m happy. When I’m happy, I prefer being with friends and family. When I’m down, when I’m angry—that’s when music comes out.”
Snide draws his music from the style of Slash of Guns n’ Roses, and his work is heavily dependent on his mood: often bouncing from fast and heavy, to slow and groovy.
For the band, a song in general often starts with a beat or a riff from one of the band members before heading to Tano, who finds the words and melody that would complete its birth.
New music video
NOW under the label of Warner Music Philippines, GRT is ready to push the music-making envelope further as they unveil the video for their 2017 hit Goddamn Man. The song takes focus on the individual and the difficulties of fighting one’s own thoughts.
Tano explained, “It’s a struggle inside. Someone’s telling you, ‘You’re this, you’re that,’ like he thinks there’s a demon whispering those thoughts. But at the end of the song, or while I was writing it, or while I was experiencing it, it’s not actually a demon, but it’s me.”
In the video’s release on November 17, the band hopes that it would emphasize the song’s message of one’s ability to overcome personal burdens.
Unique identity
MADE by friends for the sake of friends, the group shared Murillo’s sentiments when asked why he joined the band.
“The learning experience, the adventures on- and off-stage, and the camaraderie, especially,” he said, “It’s like we’re one family.”
Truth in the name refers to the honesty that comes out between friends after a pint of booze takes effect.
Reyes described, “Before we became a band, we were drinking,” he chuckled. “We were always happy, music just came in second. When we finally got together, our friendship became more tight.”
Tano added, “To me, it means that, as long as you’ve got beer in there and real friends, your life’s complete.”
In their interview with SoundStrip, their fondness of each other could easily be felt, including their guffaws with each other’s answers as they goofed around so casually.
Mortel, silent for a while, whispered his answers at the recorder when we asked what GRT means to him. He jokingly said that he didn’t believe in the “Truth” part, and that “T” in the band’s name should have referred to an explicit word. (He actually whispered to this writer another vulgar joke when asked why he joined the band.)
The group represents those pot-bellied, longhaired friends singing cover songs at the yard in slippers and sandos. Far from the glitz and glam of pop music, GRT symbolizes what made music awesome in the first place: sharing it with those that make life easy.
To support and stay updated on true Pinoy rock, follow the band’s Facebook page: GRT-Gin Rum and Truth.
Image credits: John Aaron Mark Macaraeg