Randy revives 20 years of hits

Clever is the best way to describe producers and marketing people in the local music industry. They are constantly battling with insurmountable problems like piracy, high taxes and the superior resources of foreign labels. But take note, they still manage to come up with interesting ideas for their releases that keep the music industry afloat.

One of the most often used among these is the repackaged album. Throw in some videos and a new song or two into an old album and you get a repackaged or expanded release. Other marketing ploys are getting an artist to re-record his old hits live or to record songs that go against his usual style but is more in keeping with current trends. In both instances, you get a product that is new but also pander to the huge nostalgia market. Two of the recent ones are Randy Santiago’s Beinte Na, Hihirit Pa! and Renz Verano’s self-titled album.

Randy, a star of recording, films and television, has been in the music business for a good two decades. Admittedly, it is not easy for him to compete on the same level with today’s hot acts like singing champions or the rock bands. But he has sold a lot of hits and there is nobody around who can perform those oldies as well as he does. So he sings them again and weaves in a lot of sweet memories into the package. Nice, although I missed You’ve Got the Power which he once did with Gino Padilla and Juan Miguel Salvador.

The album is aptly titled Beinte Na, Hihirit Pa! And hirit all throughout he does with live versions of his hits plus more. Included among these are some of the most enduring tunes from the past 20 years. Recorded at Ratsky in Morato, Quezon City with his new band Serenity were Vehnee Saturno’s Para Sa ‘yo, Tats Faustino’s Hindi Magbabago, Mon Espia’s Paikot-ikot and Janu Villanueva’s Tuloy Pa Rin Ako.

Buyers will also be glad to find out that a number of their favorites from the past were composed and performed by Randy himself, Babaero, Siguro, Yakap-Yakap, Naglalalambing, Ikaw at Ako, Ikaw Pa Lang, Pagod Na Puso, Dance with Me and Dudera. There are also medleys of Mend Our Ways/ Without You and ‘Di Ako Papayag/Ano Man ang Sabihin. A new composition is Never Will There Be Another One Like You, which Randy wrote for the coming wedding of younger brother Raymart to Claudine Barretto.

Then there is the perky proof that not much has changed about Randy and his music during the past 20 years, ‘Wag Kang Aanga-anga. The song is getting to be a radio favorite and makes me feel like we’re back to the Private Eyes with the Hawi Boys days of long ago. A video of the song is included with an intensive interview about Randy and his music in the bonus VCD that comes with every copy of Beinte Na, Hihirit Pa!

Watch out for Randy as he continues his tour of SM Malls to promote his album these coming weeks. Friday, Feb. 24 will find him in SM Pampanga; Saturday, Feb. 25 at SM Bacoor; Friday, March 3 at SM Marilao; Sunday, March 5 at SM Baguio; Friday, March 10 at SM Cebu and Saturday, March 18 at SM Davao.

The reinvented Renz Verano

Reinvented is the way to describe jukebox favorite Renz Verano in his new self-titled album. I do not know how many jukeboxes still exist in the Philippines but there was really a time when a record was only considered a hit if it was played often enough in jukeboxes. Usually on top of the list were songs that mixed plaintive kundiman vocals with a Western beat like those of Eddie Peregrina’s Memories of our Dream, or Victor Wood’s I’m Sorry My Love, and in more recent times Renz Verano, Together Forever.

Maybe because we do not have jukeboxes anymore and perhaps because he wants to tell his listeners that he can also do other types of songs, Renz presents a mixed bag of tunes in his album. This versatility might seem amazing to some but should not be because it turns out that he used to do these old songs when he was with a band years ago and as a voice for multiplex recordings.

So listen to Renz perform Desperado by The Eagles, Love Will Lead You Back by Taylor Dayne, Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough by Patti Smyth, Someone by the Rembrandts, Without Your Love by Bread and even Rey Valera’s Kung Kailangan Mo Ako in Renz Verano plus new compositions Dahil Minamahal Kita, Naninikip ang Puso Ko, ‘Di Mo Ba Magawang and Mapaglarong Pag-ibig.