Rainy days are here again and as we “listen to the rhythm of the falling rain,” a hit-making quartet born at the height of the rainy season in the ‘70s comes to mind.
The Rainmakers today is being repackaged by its new manager, lawyer Joji Alonso, the force behind Quantum Films and Quantum Music.
The foursome is credited for the immortal classic Binibini that stormed the airwaves in the mid-‘70s and has inspired a flood of versions through the years, including those by Noel Cabangon and Janno Gibbs. Binibini is a cut from the group’s first full-length album produced by Blackgold Records. That decade saw the Rainmakers writing their own materials, making regular TV appearances and recording theme songs for movies like FPJ’s Totoy Bato and Vilma Santos’ Burlesk Queen. In the ’80s, The Rainmakers twice bagged the Aliw Award for Best Group Performer and reaped local and international accolades. The group recorded more songs and performed in a myriad of music bars and concerts. In the ’90s, the quartet crafted yet another hit, You And Me. The timeless appeal of The Rainmakers crossed local borders. Audiences in Japan, Hong Kong, Italy and Canada applauded and demanded return engagements. In the last decade, The Rainmakers wowed music lovers around the country. This year, in a conquering post-Valentine concert, the group collaborated with the four-in-one music sensation Voizboys and proved anew that its charisma transcends all ages.
Extraordinary harmony, solid camaraderie and inextinguishable passion for music have kept Joel Macanaya, Joseph Lansang, Jojo Grospe and Mon Villanueva together as The Rainmakers for decades.
Off the limelight, the group members are involved in diverse interests.
Jojo enjoys golf and five-kilometer runs. Joel also plays golf when he is not preoccupied with planning events, mostly festivals, for local government units. Joel and Jojo studied at UST where they became part of the original 10-member Rainmakers in their high school years. Joel finished Economics but Jojo quit in his fifth year in Engineering. The latter describes himself now as “a reformed human being, hoping to be able to become the person that God wants me to be — holy and merciful and loving.” Joseph, who took up Fine Arts in UP and is currently learning to strum, says, “I want to be a good, diligent student in guitar” and has just finished the scoring of Bisperas (Intruders), a Cinemalaya entry under the Director’s Showcase. Mon, a Cebuano, earned a degree in Commerce from the University of San Carlos. When not singing, he is tending his farm in Bohol and “trying my best to win back the woman I truly love, Lady D.”
Diversity transforms into harmony when The Rainmakers performs. As Joel puts it, “We have different personalities pero pagdating sa music at pagkanta, we harmonize and create beautiful music.”
And music buffs have not seen the last of The Rainmakers.
With the resurgence of the rainy season comes the foreseeable reappearance of The Rainmakers in the entertainment arena. Infusion of more songs in the repertoire is part of the repackaging of the group, according to Alonso. “They will sport a new look, which is actually the main focus of the repackaging. We hope to make them more appealing to the corporate world and to Filipinos in other countries where their music is well-received,” she explains.
The Rainmakers welcomes the repackaging. Jojo is hopeful “that we’d be able to deliver the best of what we still have, with God’s help and mercy.” Mon quips, “At our age, we might be able to make it to the top.”
“We have a stylist that gives us tips on how we should look,” Joel enthuses.
Joseph finds the new look “surprising;” Jojo, “invigorating;” and Mon, “the best ever since Joji came in to manage the group.”
Alonso took over the management of these impressive talents during a lazy huddle. Mon is her cousin and she wanted to be of help to his group. “I believe in their talent. Walang kupas. I hope to make them more visible with a new look, broader repertoire and bolder choreography.”
Indefatigable and with a remarkable zest for life having survived cancer, Alonso produced the 2006 highly-acclaimed indie film Kubrador, which harvested local and international awards, including Best Actress awards for Gina Pareño. Alonso continues to produce quality films, two of which are vying at the Cinemalaya: Bisperas by Jeffrey Jeturian and Ang Babae sa Septic Tank by Marlon Rivera. Her first co-production with Star Cinema resulted in the 2010 box-office hit Here Comes The Bride. Her entry into the music industry was intended to be a breather. “Music is a soothing escape from all the stress I have to go through. The Rainmakers offers a great blend of voices, singing songs that tug the hearts of people!”
Go and watch The Rainmakers tonight at 7 at the Bahia Lounge in the Hotel Intercontinental for a dinner-concert aptly titled Reminiscing with The Rainmakers.
Enjoy the rain!