Sorry, Edgar, sorry (bumigay ka agad!)

Parokya Ni Edgar fans and music aficionados were up in arms over the more or less derogatory review (according to them) which came out July 21 in Playback. They sent in several e-mails issuing scathing comments and generally unprintable remarks over the alleged irresponsibility of this writer for reviewing a pirated CD. If they are upset, then I guess they have just cause.

The following rabid Parokya fans may also be overreacting: Queenie Tamondong, Tala de Vera, Ade de Guzman, Renato Enano, Rochelle Alvarez. Throw in too Punky Brewster, melomyne and Rachel Roseline Ngo. Lighten up, kids. Haven’t you even once succumbed to the temptation to buy a pirated CD? Of course I did the unforgivable by reviewing it without the proper literature (but didn’t you read the sort of parenthetical disclaimer in the last graf?)

The floor recognizes Edgar’s fanatics:

"I was alarmed with the contents of the article because it seems that he wasn’t able to make a thorough research on the topic he was writing about," wrote Ade de Guzman, who goes on to point out that Beh Buti Nga was indeed included in a tribute to a Hotdog CD where various artists do Hotdog songs.

Ade also says that the vocalist of y is not Chito Miranda, as mentioned in the review, but guitarist Gabriel Cheekee.

Continues Ade, easily the most sober of the bunch of e-mail writers: "At the end of the article, the author wrote that the titles mentioned in the review might not be accurate because there is a tendency that pirates change the titles. Then that affirms his assumption that Musikahan (Buhay na naman si Edgar, Patay Tayo Dyan) was the band’s latest album. I was surprised that he doesn’t know that their new album is Edgar Edgar Musikahan wherein there was even an article about its launching in your newspaper. It means that he based his article on a pirated disc...

"Does this indicate that (he) supports the theft on intellectual property? I am sure that this is the major cause of the deterioration of our entertainment industry.

"Hopefully, (the author) will conduct research or use the right materials to have a clear background on the next article he plans to write. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t feeding readers with false ideas a sign of irresponsible journalism?"

Tala de Vera, on the other hand, wrote: "I am appalled that you had the balls to write an album review based on a pirated version of Edgar Edgar Musikahan. And do not even try to disguise the review as an attempt to blast pirated CDs in general. Any person with half a brain would see right through you. The whole music industry has been denouncing piracy left and right, even going through drastic measures such as lowering CD costs and using their influence in high places to raid malls that sell pirated CDs. And what do you do? You review a pirated CD. And you had the gall to announce it to the whole Philippines. You are a useless Filipino. You are one of the proponents of piracy, one of the reasons why this problem has been difficult to solve and beat...

"I hope you have other career options because I don’t think this will work out. Weren’t you listening to your professor in college when he was lecturing about proper journalism? Get your facts straight."

Rochelle Alvarez says: "At saka sabi mo hindi nag-evolve ang songs ng Paroks sana mula Khangkhung hanggang Edgar Edgar pinakinggan mo para mo-compare mo talaga. Mukhang di original albums ang basis mo sa paggawa ng article, siguro pirated CD na compilations ng pne songs ang pinakinggan mo. Kung orig na EEM ang pinakinggan mo baka narinig mo yung changes chaka yung pagkaka-iba ng styles ng pne. Sana lang bago ka nagsulat e nag-research ka muna...

"At saka di ba, don’t support pirated CDs? Marami nang ginagawang action dyan ang mga nasa industriya para mai-stop ang pirated CD... tapos yun pa ang ginawa mong basis ... baka ma-curious ang tao sa article mo at bumili ng pirated CD."

Punky Brewster for his part pointed out that Parokya’s version of Pumapatak ang Ulan was sort of an ex-deal with Apo, who did Harana. He or she adds: "I am so disappointed. Akala ko responsible at credible ka, hindi pala... Mabuhay ang musikang Pilipino!"

Wow, bugbog sarado, Philippines. I guess an apology is in order for passing judgment on a local band based on a pirated CD. Maybe I’m just getting old at medyo nako-cornihan na kasi ako sa kanila. But would you have bashed me just the same if I wrote a rave review even if it was based on a pirate?

But my thanks to Edgar’s fans anyway, for helping fill up this space, the honorarium for which I could buy a real, original Edgar Edgar Musikahan CD plus a few more pirates on which I promise never to do a review again. Then again maybe not.