The Long and Winding Road

(Second of Two Parts)

Late last year, we featured an article that gave a few suggestions on how motorists could beat the traffic heat through their trusted car audio systems (The STAR, December 3, 2003). We promised then that we would publish more suggestions on how to beat the traffic heat with music as soon as we could. That is, until we took a road trip to Batangas aboard the fantastic new BMW 530d, a diesel-powered monster which attacked the Star Toll Way with such abandon that the only other automobiles that were able to overtake us were the other 530d’s in our entourage (Our average speed of 180kph, we found out after the shotgun run, was the lowest amongst the six participating 530d’s).

That particular high-adrenalin experience left us thinking about the best music to accompany one on a road trip, especially since this writer’s navigator/deejay at the time was the very able Vernon Sarne, motoring editor of The Manila Times and certified music freak. Señor Sarne, never one to take the road trip without a planned soundtrack, gamely sat through the entire experience as he had already previously given the 530d a good road spanking. His attention, therefore, was focused solely on getting this writer in the groove through the music he played, fanning the flames of that need for speed in the process. Without further ado, here are some of this writer’s (and your) suggestions (and once again we stick to artists instead of albums, as we figure a really good selection is one already pre-selected to bring out the speed demon in a driver):

The Beatles — This writer almost got his butt kicked by compatriots, friends and fanatics alike (among them The Inquirer’s Al Mendoza, Toyota Motor Philippines’ Danny Isla, Señor Sarne himself, and a number of readers) who all argued that the most influential band of all time has to be on any list — traffic-beating or otherwise. Well, we tend to agree. That was an oversight that won’t happen this time around. The Fab Four have rightfully earned their reputation as the most influential band of all time by coming up with songs that transcend borders, generation gaps and whatever else it is that cause people to disagree. On a recent road trip to Tagaytay, we slipped the band’s #1 CD on the player of a Ford Chateau Wagon. This made the entire Magsajo clan do like the Brady Bunch. We sang along to each and every song (all eight of us) and probably looked like complete idiots to the people watching from outside, but heck, we had a grand time. That’s the kind of road music that we’re talkin’ about — totally irresistible, utterly enjoyable and downright stress-relieving.

Dr. Dre — Before pretenders like P Diddy and his ilk ever even thought of making it big, there was NWA (Niggas Wit’ Attitude), a bad-@$$ rap outfit which included the likes of Eazy E, Ice Cube and yes, Dr. Dre (DJ Yella and MC Ren were the other two not-so-successful folks, post NWA). Dre broke off from NWA in 1991 after a spat with Eazy E over the almighty dollar (so what else is new?). The result of their bitter separation is the classic The Chronic, Dre’s first solo effort that launched the career of one Snoop Doggy Dogg and established Dr. Dre not just as a respectable rapper, but moreso as a producer extraordinaire. The sampling of grooves from funk greats like George Clinton was never done in such convincing fashion. The Chronic marries old-school funk and heavy street beats with such panache that Dre has been considered by many a genius who waited to unleash his best only when he got out on his own. His subsequent works have been pretty impressive as well. And after Snoop, we all know he made a bumbling white boy the biggest thing to happen to rap since Public Enemy. Now that’s talent as a producer. Listen to Dre with big, fat audio systems and prepare yourself for a whole slew of expletive-laden beats that’ll help you dig deeper into your car’s throttle.

The New Radicals — The most refreshing thing to happen to "alternative music" (whatever that phrase actually connotes) came our way only once — but it was one heckuva a great ride. There have actually been many arguments made against The New Radicals (they stray too far from acceptable the "rock" norm, they’re too "pop", they’re poseurs who diss other poseurs, and all that crap) but more often than not, people tend to agree that their one and only album, Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too, is a craftily made project. Rightfully so. Gregg Alexander’s heartfelt singing results in an honest (probably the most honest — ever) and emotional mural of an album. The lyrics are far from accepted norm, the musicality broad and the Radicals unabashedly salute their influences while clinging to a soulfullness all their own. There’s an arresting aura that the album conveys, especially with upbeat tracks like Mother We Just Can’t Get Enough and You Get What You Give interspersed with lonely and painful yet easily palatable tracks like I Hope I Didn’t Just Give Away the Ending and Someday We’ll Know (and we’re not talking Mandy Moore here). We played this CD on the way to the paradise called The Farm in San Benito and set the mood for a totally laid back ride.

Beastie Boys — This writer has never been a big fan of The Beastie Boys (never mind if they gave Chuck D and the rest of Public Enemy their biggest break). With their simplistic lyrics (especially in their earlier works — "You’ve got to fight...for your right...to party!!!") and their often incoherent microphone screaming, they just didn’t do it for me. But that doesn’t mean they don’t do it for everyone else. Reader Ricci Santiago made such a passionate argument for the band that we thought we’d stick ’em in our list if only to show that we’re not that narrow minded. Yes, in the spirit of fair play, we have to agree that the Beastie Boys do make for an engaging listen on the highways. They have a certain edginess that makes them a pretty good entry point for those who want to be initiated into the rock/rap collaborative effort genre.

Rage Against the Machine — Now if this writer doesn’t really sound convinced with the Beastie Boys, then here’s why — the existence of the music of RATM. Rap and rock never sounded this good together. Zach dela Rocha’s incendiary political rapping/singing packaged with Tom Morello’s one-man-guitar-army axe-work paved the way for a revolution in rock music. Though everyone else that drew (and continue to draw) inspiration from RATM have fallen short when compared to the band, the mere fact that they are looked up to long after they had called it quits is a testament to the talent that this four-piece musical onslaught-of-a-band once had. RATM kicks @$$ like no other band before or after them has. As a result, the moment you flip an RATM CD into your car stereo, it’s almost automatic that the music travels from your car’s speakers into the gas pedal, with your ears and your right foot serving as willing accomplices. While listening to RATM on the road, you can almost picture yourself on a racetrack, and everyone else who doesn’t have RATM playing on their stereos as easy prey.

Led Zeppelin — Where would rock music be without the foursome who defined its direction early on? Despite selling the rights to the haunting Kashmir to a loser like P Diddy and a terrible movie like Godzilla, when Jimmy Page was at the top of his game, you could tell he was "the man". As were Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and the late great John Bonham, his accomplices in Led Zep. The band is known for bringing us songs with killer riffs like those heard in Black Dog, Immigrant Song and Whole Lotta Love as well as musical opuses like Stairway to Heaven. Blues-inspired lesser-known tracks like Bron-Y-Aur Stomp can help round out a great Led Zep experience in a fast-moving vehicle. Behind the wheel, with Led Zep playing on your car stereo, you can almost feel the possession of a speed demon creeping in. No wonder rock was once (and occasionally still is) referred to as the music of the devil. Rock music’s champions have that hypnotic effect that makes you just want to break out and break free — convention be damned! Be careful when you listen to Led Zep in your car, you just might find yourself doing like a crazed junkie on the highway (I can almost see Honda Cars Philippines’ Arnel Doria nodding in agreement).

The Dawn — Finally, what kind of list would be complete without some local flavor? The distinction this time around goes to the band that paved the way for everyone else who’s making waves in the Pinoy music scene today — none else but The Dawn. Originally composed of vocalist Jett Pangan, guitarist Teddy Diaz, bassist Carlos Barcells and drummer Junboy Leonor, The Dawn has gone through a particularly painful growing up process — the most tragic occurence being the murder of Diaz in the mid-80s. Fortunately for the band, and for their many listeners, with the tragedy came a maturity that has since made them fly musically. Today, with Diaz’s replacements Francis Reyes and Sushi Matsuura playing beautiful music together, The Dawn’s sound has matured tremendously (listen to the rehashed version of the classic The Dawn tribute to Teddy, Salamat, to understand what we mean), making their already distinct sound even more engrossing. Barcells also recently moved on to doing other things but The Dawn has found a more than able replacement in the person of former Wolfgang bassist Mon Legaspi. While we’re all waiting for their latest project (which according to Sushi is coming pretty soon) try slipping in their 2000 release Prodigal Sun into your car stereo and go straight to track number five. That’s the invigorating piece called I Saw You Coming In, which serves much like an escalating adrenalin boost that slowly but surely ripens into a crescendo. It’s the kind of song that will make you speed up without you even knowing it.