3Chordschoir: The sound of neo grunge punk

Members of 3Chordschoir have this big respect for the proponents of grunge music because of the emergence of the marriage of heavy metal and punk that used to be unthinkable. Twins Jovan and Jopert Lauron, both on guitars and vocals, along with Jerome Pastrana on bass and Marvin Ocaba on drums are one in saying that such revolution in sounds empowered them to come up with original compositions fit to neo grunge punk style matched with "the attitude".

Despite being tagged muddy and murky, as that of the tradition espoused in the proto-punk era, the four bank on the ability of this sub-genre to also be able to represent that "attitude and cool-ture" here as how it had hit Seattle and Olympia, Portland" at its surge in the 90s.

"We look up to the works of The Ambassadors, Nirvana, Rancid, Weezer, Greenday, Rage Against the Machine, Sepultura, Dashboard Confessionals and Offspring and a lot more," says Jovan, band vocalist and guitarist. "We pondered on the idea that if these influences would only have their counterparts here in the local scene, these local artists would be able to expound so much of our communal issues in such a form that punk enthusiasts would be able to understand upon a realm they would be able to connect with."

"Much easier man gud i-channel ang tanang matang sa isyu through songs, and it helps a lot if these issues would be presented in a manner nga mas dali masakyan sa maminaw," explains Jopert. "Achieving a deeper understanding of issues become much of the intrapersonal level, kay inig sugod nimo'g paminaw mora'g wala lang and later on mo-seep in ang thought sa song and the next thing you'll realize is makaingon ka nga mao man ron ang akong hunahuna sa usa ka nagbagang isyu nga gusto nakong ipasupot," he added.

Jovan and Jerome have already been dreaming of this mission back in fourth-year high school when they were still part of punk band Skittish until they graduated in college. Sadly, they had to fold up when drummer Rosendo "Bata" Aspera succumbed to heart ailment in 2002.

Through music, they said they would be able to present not only a sound, but an art as well. So that despite their hectic work schedules, the two formed in July 3Chordschoir with Jovan's twin Jopert and Marvin completing the elements. Though the boys have all had their share of being in a church choir, they said they employed the term to go with 3Chords to complete the meaning of staying solemn amid the muddy and murky definition of grunge punk. "But this doesn't mean that we thrive on the sluggish and or lethargic orientation that is oftentimes associated with the word choir. We assure the audience they will get the bug-at sound they would want from us because we are headed into that direction," vows Jovan.

"Obviously, three chords ra man gyud na mostly ang punk songs so we would want that underscored and plus its being upbeat speaks so much of our bonding, our friendship, our camaderie, our great love for Cebuano culture and music which we share with our manager Rommel Ensalada whose love of music is very contagious" he added.

With this, the four came up with a self-titled Extended Play album of which friends availed of at P30. The EP carried tracks Munit Lata (of the of value of the academe, of graft and corruption, of the unity of purpose), Your Man (wedding song), and love songs All I Want to Do is Love You and If Only plus two live video performances of songs If Only and Your Man. Other materials that they are busy with right now as materials for their major album project are Resulta (of the bitter consequences of human vices), and Tulisan.

Most notable is Tulisan as it tackles the rampant snatching of mobile phones. This was the last song they delivered with so much gusto in the recently concluded Rockerzdak (Rockerz nga Bisdak) Nite event at La Mer Café in Mango Square Mall. They jammed with other Bisdak bands Birth Control which on that night of November 8 had a new vocalist, Fungus of which is another band to watch for playing definitely the much-sought-after bug-at sound; KDB which that evening took on a new meaning - Kada Duol Busted; Republika which had three guitarists that night with the "riffing in" of Regene Vilvestre of KDB, and an explosive performance again of vox Choy Navasquez who is the typical emotional punk artist ecstatic of the enlivened beat in him; and Wet Slipperz for their indubitable charisma and prowess.

3Chordschoir is very thankful of that blessed chance to play with the rest of the Bisdak pack who like them dream of elevating their type of music to a dimension higher so as to mark not only maturity in the union of instruments but also of the thought that they would want to leave behind when other aspiring bands would start where they would be leaving off. Instrumental to the honing of their skills is their co-producer Ms. Marjorie Dialimas aside from Ensalada.

For contacts, add [email protected] or text/call 09224786347/09194369867; 2648634 landline. Call only from 7 pm up. CDs, with signatures of the members of the band, are also sold at Mercy's Carenderia across Bombo Radyo station along Borromeo street, and at M. Lhuillier in P. del Rosario street.