Fitter, Happier (by Radiohead)

Fitter, happier, more productive,
comfortable,
not drinking too much,
regular exercise at the gym
(3 days a week),
getting on better with your associate employee contemporaries,
at ease,
eating well
(no more microwave dinners and saturated fats),
a patient better driver,
a safer car
(baby smiling in back seat),
sleeping well
(no bad dreams),
no paranoia,
careful to all animals
(never washing spiders down the plughole),
keep in contact with old friends
(enjoy a drink now and then),
will frequently check credit at (moral) bank (hole in the wall),
favors for favors,
fond but not in love,
charity standing orders,
on Sundays ring road supermarket
(no killing moths or putting boiling water on the ants),
car wash
(also on Sundays),
no longer afraid of the dark or midday shadows
nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate,
nothing so childish - at a better pace,
slower and more calculated,
no chance of escape,
now self-employed,
concerned (but powerless),
an empowered and informed member of society
(pragmatism not idealism),
will not cry in public,
less chance of illness,
tires that grip in the wet
(shot of baby strapped in back seat),
a good memory,
still cries at a good film,
still kisses with saliva,
no longer empty and frantic like a cat tied to a stick,
that's driven into frozen winter shit
(the ability to laugh at weakness),
calm,
fitter,
healthier and more productive
a pig in a cage on antibiotics.

Of music and our young local songwriters

As of late, I have come across youngsters who, as youngsters would, are in a perpetual effort to assert themselves. Zoom into the songwriters' category of this population: I have noticed a proliferation of those we shall refer to in this blog entry as: takagyawyaw. Pardon me, this is by no means an attempt to diss. I may very well be among them too, for all I know.

What's a takagyawyaw?

To be harshly blunt:
these are people who exert too much effort raising their banners; and then when asked of their beliefs, they don't really comprehend the whole thing, and in your eyes, they are some ape of a TV rockstar or rapper or artist you see on TV. Narrow-minded and prone to making unjustified critique of others. Those who do not have a good command of their art tools but are arrogantly overconfident.

And it is for these encounters with these certain people that within the span of a day I have developed a paranoia over all of my written output. Am I a TakagYawyaw myself? Of course I don't know squat about anything, but here I am rambling as if I know the world. I can't wait to be 45 and wiser and be justified.

Then again, before that time comes, there's the time before that. And the time before that is one's passage through these portions in life where one spits out measly truths that overwhelms one because this is all one knows and what one knows is little; and one is passing through the time before he knows more than what he does now.

And so what one can really do is just look at the insecurities that are by nature packaged with the time before that; wrap them in colored paper, forget them and leave them piled up until the end of the year when, under the Christmas tree, you let out a hearty guffaw upon opening them.

And like I always say: Char but true.

Balde ni Allan for Fete 2008

Balde ni Allan. Since 2005.


Perhaps Friday the 13th ought to be a lucky day on feng shui guides, or in local myth.

Throughout the past two weeks, breakfast would be composed of confused or angry text messages from home, and nicotine. Yesterday, the zenith of pain (wow, that's so gothic) at the back of my eyeballs for all the physical (brought about by a two-week nomadic living) and emotional (care of troubles with antecedents and their spawn) stress and lack of sleep.

Not today though. I was alive at 5am, and no eyeball pain or domestic fracas could kill the day.

Friday the 13th ought to be labeled 'lucky'.


Dax Inocencio


Berto Bagares and Dax Inocencio


Intoy Corpin


Dave Sabang (in red)







Chai, Ruther Villalba, Dax, Dave


photos by: Apiong Bagares

Taken at the guesting for ABS-CBN's local morning show, Maayong Buntag Kapamilya.
Not present in band pictures: Allan Niñal (who is focusing on his personal career) and Roniel Compra (who might have overslept).

Tanduay Decree: I Demand That You Be Jolly

Like almost every other commuter on his way to work, I stick myself inside the none-of-your-friggin-business-balloon and turn the world into a music video, Dolby Digital Surround Sound. In between FM songs, PLDT MyDSL is convincing me I need it and that I will be happy with Tanduay. True, these fat liars supply the blood in a media outfit like NU107, but for the love of God, if they're gonna lie, pesky is the last thing I want it to become...don't force “happy” where there's none.

And that band.

Sure, we're familiar with the time when the city was just filled with the incessant clanging of a remake of “Upside Down” like it was the national anthem of the Histrionics/Broken Hearted Inc, along with another band's remake of "Crazy for You". Worse, both voices from two different bands sound the same. In another attempt to win the hearts – and pockets – of the gullible, emotional lot of angst-driven teens, they break Teeth by disgracing "Prinsesa" and turning it bossa. As for the rest of their songs, it's a wonder how they swim in the mainstream when I can barely even remember them. But this is the limit: that Magsasaya song that sports a wide range of five notes.

Played almost every hour on NU107, it never fails to make me as jolly as Cruella de Vil. Why, I'd be so happy I'd make Throat Shake out of their larynxes. Now try and sing to the world Magsasaya, tingnan ko kung ngingiti ka pa.

The lyrics too are so profound it leaves everyone with a dumb smile on their faces and half-witted.

Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat
Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat
Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat
Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat
Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat

The lyrics: the primordial soup mix of all clichés.

Kalimutan muna ang problema, lunurin natin sa tawanan
Magsasaya ang lahat

Dahil ang oras ay di naghihintay
Mabuti pang mag-enjoy ka na muna
Sumama na at magsaya

And my irked state no longer allows for analysis, so I say it simply: I do NOT like his voice.

Magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya ang lahat / magsasaya aaaang laahaaaat
Ikaw ba ay napikon...

You bet I am.

Soundbite: December Issue, Bite Magazine

"Totally out of the loop now," says a musician friend when asked if he knew any major happening in the now quite quiet Cebu music scene. Ok, that's sad, considering that Cebu prides itself as being a music hub.

So now what have we for Soundbite this month?
Let's try taking a quick look at the indie film scene, where we chanced upon the story of a Manila filmmaker who journeys to Cebu to document -- yes, you guessed it -- the Sinulog. He ends up, however, with a former politician who begins to confess his crimes to the filmmaker's camera, and this is where the fun begins; and to accompany this protagonist through his journey in this 90-minute long digital film, our local musikeros are up to the task.

Entitled "Confessional", this mockumentary is directed by Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto, and shot mostly in Cebu but with some scenes taken in Manila and Dipolog. With the film done primarily in Cebuano, the filmmakers' decision to use music of different genres from our local bands is indeed befitting.

In one of the blogs in the movie's online cave, Jerrold Tarog shares his thoughts about our musicians; that they're "lucky to get music from some of the coolest Cebuano bands around," being that these musicians are able to create originals that sound like no other by way of exploring beyond their musical inspirations.

This exceptional roster includes Smooth Friction, Zarah Smith, Missing Filemon, Happy Days, Shadowbox Serenade, Skunky Muggles, Coolie Dread and the Microphone Commanders, Missing Filemon, plus music all the way from Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete -- Gasulina and Enchi. You can check out the movie's multiply site, www.confessionalmovie.multiply.com for other cool stuff about the movie, such as the promotional music video of Missing Filemon's Sinesine, for which the movie directors are also responsible.

The way indie films are, budget is tight of course, but this did not pose as a hindrance for the bands. There was no, or very little profit, except their music finding its way into the boombox and to a wider audience. Aaah...the things we do for love...of the things we do.

Plans of showing Confessional here in Cebu early next year are in the works, so no worries to music enthusiasts and film buffs in the island who missed the screening in Manila (as the only Cebuano entry in Cinema One Originals, mind you). As for plans of producing an album for the soundtrack, co-producer Victor Villanueva is hopeful. And you may agree with the prospect of pumping the volume back up a notch in our local music scene, even through this other underground industry; with both scenes intertwined, we may hear more than music from scattered pocket concerts.

more BITE stuff here

Playlist Shuffled!

Juress


Muddy Frogs


No Parking Anytime



Paulo walker

Playlist Shuffled

Playlist Shuffled!

BaldeniAllan shouts out Thanks!

We'd like to shout out thanks to the following people for sticking it out with us and making the band re-launch successful:

Monster Radio BT 105.9 and Norkis Yamaha. Sykes Asia Inc. and The Outpost (Bev Tañedo). The Red Brain Group (aside from all the love – Russ – for unlimited computer use and random house crashing. Ver—sponsorship letters, contacts, planning. Yen – yes Yen, I understand you’re in Dumaguete, don’t worry. TJ – contacts! haha), FASO-UP, Andres, Belboys. The Bands: The Mourning After, Muddy Frogs, Yesterday’s View, Juress, No Parking Anytime, Attack of the Giant Fetus (we hope to hear from you soon again AotgF!), Skunky Muggles. Thank you for sharing your music. In no particular order: Harvey Cenit (for camera and SM-ing and crew assembly), Grace Compuesto (for running around backstage). Paulo Varela (for biased introductions and surprise testimonials and sa tanan). Tope (for the shirts) Keith Bacalso, Owen Migraso, Glory (glorybox!), Joan(-daw) Dulhao (sa tanan pud). Badidi Labra, Chassy (for hosting). Abdul (for sticking with the band since before. get well soon). Ralph Bagares and Ching Villalon (sponsorships and rockin’ photos). Kenneth Garcia (tarps!). Ian Manticajon (publicity). UP Community (for sticking it out with us, hopefully until the future). Non-UP Community (for taking time to listen, hope you stick it out with us). [your-name-here].

will update this post when we remember more names.

We're Officially Back!

new lyrics

[we're all trying to be ok]

so you're trying to be ok
come smile for me anyway

you're not alone
'cause we're all the same
each man to his own

we're all trying to be ok
and we're still smiling anyway

we're a pending case
of everything
but smile while you wait

rock yourself to sleep now
and trust in impermanence now
rock yourself to sleep now
it's all gonna be fine
it's all gonna be fine

i'm ok
i'm ok
i'm trying to be ok

we're really just trying to be ok
we're really just trying to be ok
every day
we're really just trying to be ok
ok?
ok?
OK?

"Plush" by Stone Temple Pilots

And I feel that time's a wasted go
So where ya going to tommorrow?
And I see that these are lies to come
Would you even care?
And I feel it
And I feel it

Where ya going for tommorrow?
Where ya going with that mask I found?
And I feel, and I feel
When the dogs begin to smell her
Will she smell alone?

And I feel, so much depends on the weather
So is it raining in your bedroom?
And I see, that these are the eyes of disarray
Would you even care?

And I feel it And she feels it
Where ya going to tommorrow?
Where ya going with that mask I found?
And I feel, and I feel
When the dogs begin to smell her
Will she smell alone?

When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it

When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it

Where ya going for tommorrow?
Where ya going with that mask I found?
And I feel, and I feel
When the dogs begin to smell her
Will she smell alone?
When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it
When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it
To find it
To find it
To find it