Avlish promotes 'clean, healthy music'

This weekend will be International Youth Day.

What is asked of today's youth is not only to be cool, but to be very, very cool! And being cool is not only to take to heart intergenerational issues such as the youth's participation in an aging society, which is the call of the times. Youth development is a necessity to meet the growing needs of the older, fading population and to take a role in nurturing the new generation through "music that promotes clean and healthy lifestyle."

As youths of today are called to combat transmission of poverty from one generation to the next, it is important to note that with the absence of interventions related to education, health and employment, poverty as a menace tends to create a deepening havoc on lives of people.

Inspired by the works and examples of their father, Genes, the Silva brothers of Pondol, Balamban town (Avlis when read backwards, plus an "h" to sound funky) collaborated to finish the song "Hagit (Bangon Sugbo)" which is their so-called contribution in the much-sought-after paradigm shift needed among the youth in this Age of Information.

Avlish, through Hagit, poses a challenge to how should the youth of today intervene in cutting off the chains of abject poverty through wise choices that would create a domino effect on other sectors of society we all must learn to live interdependently with.

Twenty-four-year-old Quiel on vocals, guitars and keyboards recounted that their father Genes was once a bassist in a band he created in his heydays. As the brood would put it, Genes is a certified "karaang rockista" as he is of the old rock schoolhouse; very influential in terms of his musical genius and emotional intelligence which he has now rubbed off on the shoulders of the boys that comprise Avlish.

Ken, 16 (drums), and Jordan, 19 (bass, vocals) with Dennis Bacaron, 18, on guitars and vocals complete Avlish which is what they called a CIT-based band, them being students of the Cebu Institute of Technology. Quiel or Kel is into Computer Engineering studies while Ken and Jordan are both into the Information Technology discipline. Dennis is taking up Electrical Engineering.

As the old band "Sliktrik", the brothers moved on to invite Dennis to play with them. Dennis is from hardcore band "Blitz Wicked" as guitarist. The quartet, as Avlish, first played at the Harrison Park along Osmeña boulevard and Aznar road for the Sinulog celebration this year and had out-of-town performances - like in Camotes island for the opening of Lake Danao Park in San Francisco town. There, they had memorably jammed with seven other bands; and for the fiesta celebration in Carmen, Bohol with a couple of show bands.

According to Kel, who is main songwriter for Avlish, Hagit is a song "that talks of the youth of Cebu. And so are most of our songs. Seryoso among type sa songs then mostly inspirational, bringing hope to the youth."

Straight from Pondol, Balamban town in the northwest coast of Cebu province touched by Tañon strait, the Silva siblings and their seemingly "adopted" brother, Dennis, appeared for this interview and talked of their would-be contribution to social transformation through the exemplification of "clean, healthy music".

"Bangon Sugbo, singgit kabataan/ikaw ang nagdala sa atong kauswagan/Bangon Sugbo, singgit kabatan-onan/hagiton ta ang ugma, sa atong panaghiusa," so the challenge was wisely put.

"May Luha ang Langit" banks on hope. "Sa bawat pagkabigo ng mga pangako/ang buhay ng kabigua'y di katapusan/at di ito hadlang, may umagang nakalaan/at sa kaiisip di mo man maisip/nang dahil sa pag-ibig, ikay naririto/may luha ang langit sa yo, huwag ka nang malilito..."

Meanwhile, "Balamban" is about everything that makes Pondol their hometown worthy to be missed of. Balamban is 63 kilometers away from the city of Cebu; is a 2nd-class municipality, and is home to the country's biggest shipbuilding industry with Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc., the country's largest shipbuilding and ship repair facility located in a sprawling industrial complex called West Cebu Industrial Park in barangay Buanoy.

The facility manufactures bulk carriers and other types of vessels. Meanwhile FBMA Marine, Inc. is a fastcraft manufacturing facility which builds high-speed ferries, medium-speed ferries, patrol vessels and specialist work boats.

The boys are just so proud of the cohesive shipbuilding industry in their place that has created jobs for fellow Balambanons, and is a source of revenue for the activated economy of Balamban in the countryside.

Other than their love for Pondol exalted in the songs Balamban and Back Home, their would-be album dubbed "Call of Silence" will also be wrapped up with love songs like Enuff, What We Are, and She Waits, and an acoustic rendition of May Luha ang Langit, plus a cover of Britney Spears' Hit Me. They described this labor of love as a compilation of old school music influences aside from rock 'n roll, and artists Creed, Alter Bridge, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Nickelback.

Above the calling to play good music, Avlish looks back at all those who believe in the Cebuano talent and supported Hagit on its first few weeks on air over at Smash FM. He is thankful there were those who requested airplays and listened to the message they would want to put across society.

"Hagit poses a challenge for the youth to be more of a purpose, and less of a nuisance," Avlish said in closing the interview.

Shoutouts: Thanks to Hon. Alan Adlawan of Balamban town council for supporting the band and for nurturing local youth talents, to Genes Silva for the advices, to Capt. Ramoncito Enguio who is a buddy of their father and who lends them instruments for many of their performances. They would also like to thank their families, relatives and friends for the unwavering support; DJ Ram, Bré Ambungan and Ms. Marit at Smash FM. For inquiries, email: [email protected]