BEFORE a musician could ever win the praise of an audience, work starts outside the stage behind the mic as well as cameras, and before any gigs have been settled. Band members first “wake-up,” not to put up with paparazzi, but to see the rest of the band.
Like many musicians, the work of indie-band Save the Prophet (STP) starts within themselves. Started by singer Brian Salvador, (former member of 90’s band Anointed Cherubs,) the quintet has been playing together since 2015. They are made up of Ivan Gutierrez (guitars), Ryan Protacio (drums), Sherwin Gonzales (guitars), Sam Maribbay (bass) and Australian-musician Andrew Jarick (guitars and vocals).
Jarick shares their experience as a band, and what it takes to stay together in an unpredictable industry…
Showing up
THE band lead started to relate their journey thus far. Jarick said that before being lost in stardom, musicians should recognize where they currently are. “Support the community that supports you,” he encouraged.
“It saddens us to see bands show up, play and leave,” Jarick continued. “[There are those who] complain about a timeslot, or members who lack commitment to even arrive at their show within the time they agreed to show up.”
The value of humility also serves true for the band in finding support for their music. Hailing south of Manila in Las Piñas, STP testifies that stardom only comes to those who first have their feet on the ground. “Support the venue that is gracious enough to let you play,” Jarick said. “How could you expect to survive if you actively take part in the destruction of the very industry that supports you? Sure, being in a band has its moments of ecstasy, but there are aspects that aren’t so glamorous.”
Much like their 2016 EP “Live and Drunk,” the creation of their music has been because of, and is dedicated to, those that have been there throughout their short history. A lot of it will be evident on their upcoming album.
Diwata
SET to launch on December 28 at the Handlebar Bar and Grill in Makati City, the album is a compilation of the band’s experiences and shared thoughts they have formed from music making.
Being from the era of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the band takes inspiration from rock and grunge bands such as Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and also the psychedelic stylings of Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa.
Mixed with Salvador’s lyricism, it is a fusion of veteran OPM and classical-nostalgic sound that serve best the fans that have been with them for so long.
“The album is a comprehensive archive of our history. There are songs that our fans will know, and there are some new ones we’ve been working on,” Jarick gleamed.
“The album opens with Invocation, an opening to our Mass, a celebration to our beliefs, and commemoration to the beloved prophetic artists that have inspired us. Throughout the album, there are many different musical styles: rock, grunge, blues, samba, hymns, [and] even metal to a degree. We have hidden a few ‘Easter eggs’ in our album for our fans to find.”
Being resourceful
BEING indie, many bands have only the members to rely on in the process of finalizing their work. For STP, the tedious task goes to Jarick who acts as the producer and recording engineer for all the tracks in their album. As opposed to what they say that old dogs can’t be taught new tricks, Jarick, despite the difficulty of the task, has advanced technology on his side—enough to benefit the band’s music. “In terms of recording a demo, EP or album, we always thought that recording would be an extremely expensive and difficult process. With the emergence of musical technology getting cheaper, this is not really the case anymore,” he assured.
“You can get great results at home with a basic setup. We recorded this album at our [own] Mudhoney Studios in Las Piñas. We used an eight-track USB audio interface and one of our laptops to record. Mixing is a very subjective process; however, this can also be done yourself with a little know-how.”
The Aussie shared how YouTube helped them in learning new ways of mixing, and that anything can be learned with the proper dedication, as knowledge is simply “a click away.”
Brotherly camaraderie
LOOKING up at legends and the stories of iconic musicians, there have been countless times where members come-and-go, and replacements put-in repeatedly. To any group, time seems to be a constant obstacle. “The hardest thing for a band to overcome is actually staying together,” Jarick pointed out. “What appears to set us apart, at least so far, is a brotherly camaraderie between members. We all have input. No one is cut out of a musical decision.”
To the band, the music doesn’t stop on stage, but continues as they leave the spotlight in the form of genuine friendship.
(To be one of the “prophets,” watch out for their album launch at the Handlebar Bar and Grill, or stay tuned via their Facebook page: @savetheprophet.)