The continued beating of Scrambled Eggs

How would you like your eggs? Sunny-side-up? Soft-boiled, done omelet-style, or poached? Neil "Bomberman" Lumeran (bass), Nelson "Chang" Martizano (drums), Louie "Lewy" Espinosa (guitars) and group newbie Jay-r "Ichoy" Siaboc (vocals), who hail from Toledo City, of Cebu's northwestern coast, want theirs scrambled.

Nah! You may attempt at a giggle or a hearty laugh at the thought of men's eggs preferred as scrambled, but the eggheads, indeed, named their band after how they would want eggs served at "Payag ni Badong," their "tambayan" near the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus.

Unknowingly, the regular chow of scrambled eggs became a prelude to "Itlog sa Tiki," their debut album released in 1996, and to what would be its follow-up, the "Tumbi Yataki," a 13-track album. These two are products of their determination to carve a mark in local music-making with rock, pop and alternative genres as influences.

Back to the Payag, this became an inspiration in coming up with "Humba," a track in their first album, which goes a little something like, "humba lami nga sud-an labina'g na'kay sili sa imong sawsawan, paborito nga paniudto sa Payag ni Badongpower kaayo."

Scrambled Eggs already has a feather on its cap as it romped away with Artist of the Year plum in 1996 awarded by dyRT's "Brown Underground Sounds" program that pioneered the spirit of Bisdak band-ing, band-ship, band-ism, whatchamacallit. And even with the exit of Surigao-born vocalist Clenn Sunico who penned most of the tracks, the group is determined to make their presence known again after a three-year hiatus.

Apart from Johnny-come-lately Jay-r who is not at all a green horn in standing as frontman having had stints as vocalist, hopping from band to band, the three are the voices behind "Kada Uli Hilot," inspired by a cowboy song by Fred Panopio done in a style dubbed yodel.

The song may leave behind an afterthought as to how shallow such topic could be, as in "kung ako'y mulakaw, unya inig uli hilot; kung di ko kalakaw, dili sad ko makahilot; kada uli hilot, kada uli hilot," but mind you, Scrambled Eggs took on efforts to explore the mix of novelty and the sounds of activism to raise social issues.

"Kutsara Tinidor," for example, is a look at the shackles of abject poverty that has long tied marginal children of this nation to a hand-to-mouth existence. "Si Butsoy wala pay gikaon, si Amboy kanal ang giinum, si Inday ukay sa basurahan karon. Patilawa di kamaong mag tinidor, pakan-a di kamaong magkutsara."

To explain how the album got its title, Neil who also acts as manager of the group, said that it still is Payag-inspired, as the group collaborated with the words and chords of "Sabaw."

"Tumbi, yataki unya pikpika kaduha, tan-aw udto na karon ug kinahanglan momata, panlupig sa imong isig katawo gipasagdan mo sila, labi na kung imong mata gabuka ug gitan-aw mo silang natunaw sa kainit sa sabaw; kulang pa ang imong disiplina, tanang kurso gihagbong wa magtarong ug iskuyla"

For the record, Scrambled Eggs has long been here, performing with those who pioneered Bisrock-iness like Antonio's Madness, Damian Paniki, The Roots and Ambassadors of "Naulipon sa Gugmang Giatay" fame. When asked on how they have survived almost 10 years of rigors moving about in a local music scene that used to have only a handful, who showed appreciation, the group singles out passion as the main reason. Now that encompasses what being a "fayter" is, pun intended.

In a late afternoon interview with the group at the Ayala Botanical Gardens, they mentioned that it is their great love of music that has allowed longevity to tail like a shadow. The Bisrock crowd looks forward to an eggnog prosit with Scrambled Eggs' long-time sizzling in the pan of local entertainment.

Fresh from an April 8 gig at Handuraw Events Café, haven of Bisrock music enthusiasts, and another one on April 22 during Earth Day, Scrambled Eggs will be performing with other Bisrock bands on May 13 in Minglanilla, May 19 at the Mactan Marina Mall parking lot, and on the 29th in Pinamungajan in time for the town fiesta.

"We extend our thanks to 93.1 Smash FM and its two disc jockeys Bré Ambungan and Ram for beating up the airwaves with cuts from our second album, making it possible to continuously pummel the air with the music of the eggmen," says Neil.

Aside from Smash, the group looks back with gratitude at Backyard Studio, and all the Bisrocker bands they had worked with for making possible the continued beating of Scrambled Eggs.

Egg the band on to work with the reprisal of their songs at the "Itlog sa Tiki" album, a most wanted project for this year, by supporting the Tumbi Yataki album which is available at Salonga Music Store - SM City Cebu, Backyard Studio in Lahug, Kahayag Café and Manu Ent at Elizabeth Mall. Costs P175. Call Neil at 09172476138 for bookings or email [email protected]. Visit www.myspace.com/scrambledeggs, www.scrambledeggs.tk and friendster site: [email protected]