Making friends, making music all these years

In today’s music scene, the catchphrase seems to be: the younger and more rebellious, the better.

But amid the noise, there must be a place for the baby boomers to be heard. This is the belief of musicologist, deejay and avid Beatles memorabilia collector Steve O’Neal, who has found a niche in marketing music to baby boomers.

"I have been observing the industry for a long time and I realized that the market of the more adult audience is not being served. We get the likes of contemporary one-hit-wonders and the young ones flock to their shows. But people our age do not understand and identify with that," rationalizes O’Neal.

Baby boomers, according to O’Neal, comprise a sizeable chunk of the Filipino concert-going public. "These are the people who are already decision makers in their lives and in their careers at this point, professionals who do not want to forget their youth and would just want to have a good time listening to the songs that they grew up with," O’Neal explains.

These same people grooved to the music of the ’60s and ’70s, enjoyed the lyrical songs of the Beatles, the soul of The Fifth Dimension or Stylistics, or the likes of groups like Spiral Starecase, Blue Magic, Chad and Jeremy, Gary Lewis, etc. O’Neal wants to bring in the artists of this generation while they are still touring or are still together as a group.

As his initial venture, O’Neal brought in Spiral Starecase to the country last February with Pat Upton, the group’s frontman, performing to a sold-out house at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio and at the Hard Rock Café. Inspired by the warm reception to retro artists, O’Neal then brought in The Searchers, the UK’s most popular group next to the Beatles, whose show at the Araneta Coliseum turned out to be a virtual dance party where expats, politicians, diplomats and businessmen loosened up and danced to their heart’s delight.

On July 30 and 31, O’Neal will be presenting The Friends of Distinction, the group behind such hits as Great Day, Grazin’ In the Grass, Why Did I Lose You Baby, That’s Not The Way We Planned It, Love Can Make It Easier, I Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind and many more, live in concert at the PICC and at Waterfront Cebu.

In choosing a foreign artist, O’Neal has three criteria: "First, is the Filipino audience familiar with them? Second and the basic formula, do they have at least six hit songs to make merit? And third, are they available and willing?"

He then goes out of his way to invite the artists to the Philippines instead of waiting for them to go on Asian tours. In fact, his executive, Ron San Agustin, is now in Las Vegas rehearsing with the Friends of Distinction the hits they have never performed in any of their concerts but have made it big in the Philippines.

There is, however, the matter of the artists’ talent fees, which of course, are pegged in dollars. Artists’ rates range from $10,000 to $1,000,000 per show, depending on their stature and availability. And these are just the talent fees for one show. Expenses for airfare, accommodations and others are not factored in yet. "It is a risk worth taking but as in any business, the show must go on. I am in close contact with agents abroad who scout for artists who are open to performing for the Filipino audience and so far, the feedback has been very good."

O’Neal then has the job of selling the Philippines to the foreign artists. The first question they ask is: Is it safe? He convinced Pat Upton that the country is safe and that the likes of Mariah Carey, Mandy Moore, Andrea Bocelli, and most recently Linkin Park, have performed here. In fact, Upton enjoyed himself so much he even extended his stay, specially when Ayala Center asked him to do shows in their malls because his song More Today Than Yesterday is being used as the mall’s battle cry for 2004. The Searchers, says O’Neal, were easier to deal with because they had performed here two decades ago and hold fond memories of the Philippines. Plans are also being finalized for groups like Chad & Jeremy (who are scheduled to perform here in October), the Stylistics, Blue Magic and Main Ingredient.

O’Neal’s fascination for the music of the ’60s and ’70s dates back to his youth when he fell in love with everything Beatles. He claims to have the biggest collection of Beatles memorabilia in the country, some of which he acquired by participating in auctions in Sotheby’s and Christie’s, and in places like London and New York.

In 1969, then a student at Letran College, O’Neal went into disc jockeying and was a top deejay at DXBM, then the number one pop station. He also sang and wrote the hit 20 Minutes Before Take-Off with partner Henry, which still enjoys radio airplay to this day.

Throughout the ’80s and the ’90s, O’Neal dabbled into TV production and is mainly responsible for popularizing MTV shows and Eurorock in the Philippines, and producing shows for bosom buddy Joey de Leon. Last year, he went back to his first love, disc jockeying for RJ100, and jumped into concert production at the same time.

"There is a certain fulfillment in what I am doing. It’s like these are the idols I used to worship, these are the songs I loved in my teens. Bringing them here and sharing their music with people – young and old – is the least I can do," O’Neal quips.

Filipinescas Relaunched At The CCP

After 30 years of hibernation, the internationally-acclaimed Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance was re-launched recently in a grand invitational affair at the CCP, which also served as a tribute to its founder, national artist for creative dance Leonor Orosa Goquingco on her 65th anniversary as a pioneer Filipino choreographer.

Founded in 1958, the Filipinescas merges traditional folk dance with classical ballet, creating a distinct dance-drama that is truly Filipino. Now a partnership between the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (CSB) and the Danza Orosa Foundation Inc., the CSB-Filipinescas Dance Company was reborn to revive the glory of the art of Philippine dance. The College of St. Benilde will provide scholarships, stipends and accommodations to members of the CSB-Filipinescas Dance Company, adjudged the most talented among the young, vibrant dancers who auditioned for the group.