Back to the '70s & '80s

MANILA, Philippines - In a surprise simple birthday celebration for a top government official I attended three months back wherein President Noynoy Aquino also dropped by, one of the birthday treats by an invited guest was a performance by the group of ’70s and ’80s icons composed of Jacqui Magno and Pat Castillo (both of whom were catapulted to fame as Circus Band members) and Eugene Villaluz and Ding Mercado (who both came from the group distinguished for its musical harmony, the New Minstrels). 

As most of us guests were in the age bracket 40s and above, everyone had a wonderful time listening to songs that we grew up with. The President of the country himself knew almost every song and could not help but sing along with familiar ’70s songs. Everyone had a wonderful time not only because the quartet blended so well in singing easily recognizable songs. We could also see that the singers were enjoying themselves immensely that all of us felt the fun and joined in the laughter (as they forgot lyrics and teased each other).

Jacqui, my jazz idol all these years, could still bowl me over with her renditions of Misty and Bridges. Pat’s Somewhere in Time is, for me, still one of the most beautiful songs of all time, while Eugene’s duet with Louie Reyes in There’s Nothing I Want More, which won the grand prize in an international competition in Korea, should be a Hall of Famer for the Best Duet. Ding, the most traveled and probably the most multi-faceted among the four, is a face I will always remember as a dancer in Penthouse Live, and singer and host in so many big events.

So what has happened to these four great performers from the time they reigned over the Philippine music scene until today?

Jacqui, who lived the most colorful life which can be made into a movie, fell in love, got kicked out of Circus Band for her lack of discipline, was forced into DARE for drug rehabilitation, joined Bong Peñera and his Batucada band, performed at the famous jazz joint then, the Birds of the Same Feather at Timog Ave., and reached a point (as she was deprived of custody of her child) where she contemplated on committing suicide. She found haven in Ananda Marga, which she joined to be a nun. For Jacqui, the ’70s were the most turbulent but musically exciting years of her life. She went back to singing and her child, and now seems to be the happiest person every time she performs on stage, something I personally witnessed at the Merck’s Place along Pasay Road.

Pat, who recorded the popular Aso’t Pusa also joined Bong’s band after Jacqui quit and two all-female bands Queens of the Night and Cover Girls. Like the other three, she participated in contests like the Metro Pop where she was an interpreter for Laging May Bukas. She went into producing award-winning albums and right now is a life coach. But even with her regular job, she continues to push herself to develop her musicality with solo shows once or twice a month, knowing that she will be with three people who are very good at their craft. As a private individual and a good daughter, she spends most of her available time taking care of her aging mother.

Ding, who looks very young, dapper and cool even at 9 o’clock in the evening from his work, is also as a personal growth coach. For this exclusive interview, we learned that he was out of the country for most of the past decades — living in Hong Kong for 15 years, Vancouver for five years, Sydney for three years and New York for a short while. He has been to almost all the beautiful places in the world with Tokyo, New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Rome, topping his list of favorites. His secret in staying young: Enough sleep, no abuse, enjoy life, no stress. He is the concert’s over-all director and his mantra for this show: Have fun and be open to suggestions.

Eugene, after his stint with the New Minstrels, became a recording artist and is remembered with his solo hit Gulong ng Palad. Like Ding, Eugene has traveled to many places as a performer, migrating to the US in 1985, performing on weekends with a band. In 1993, he came back to be an executive at Warner Music Philippines and also did theater, playing the role of Jesus in Repertory Philippines’ Jesus Christ Superstar. He moved to Viva to become an assistant general manager and tried his hand at managing artists and producing albums. He conceptualized several shows for reunions of the New Minstrels, Circus Band and other popular artists of the ’70s and ’80s. Recently, he helped put up a school, where he is currently and quite perfectly the program head of a new course called Music Business Management, a first in the Philippines.

With backgrounds such as they have, I am now much more excited to watch the four icons together with Singing Sweetheart Joey Albert in their concert titled ’70s and ’80s Re-lived. For those of you who are in the age bracket 40 and above, this is one concert that you should not miss to reminisce with your grade school, high school and college friends with the hits of ’70s and ’80s. Produced by Viva Concerts, it’s happening tonight July 6 at the Teatrino in Greenhills. Tickets are available at the Music Museum with tel. nos. 721-6726 and 721-0635; and also at Ticketworld with tel. no. 891-9999.

(E-mail author at [email protected] or text 0927-5000833.)