Neocolours, Rivermaya and MYMP join forces in concert

MANILA, Philippines — Collaborations are seen as a big boost for the OPM industry to compete better with foreign acts like K-pop.

Neocolours, Rivermaya, and MYMP — representing top music acts from the '80s, '90s, and 2000s — are coming together for the Ticket1 concert “All Hits” on Thursday night (July 11) at Solaire’s The Theatre, and joining forces like this is believed to be another way forward.

“It’s nice to actually to come together at the moment you’re trying to be competitive in the international scene, especially in Asia,” said Jimmy Antiporda of Neocolours, the band behind the OPM classics Tuloy Pa Rin, Hold On, Say You’ll Never Go, among others.

“I see the other countries are uniting. Talagang ang strong ng music scene nila and it's time for us Filipinos to really unite and have a stronger (scene) ‘di ba? Everyone is collaborating and having more shows, talagang buhay na buhay ang music scene because we have to do this. Because before we are the premiere and the other countries are really… bumubulusok na, especially in South Korea, we all know that.”

“So, one of my dreams sana is to bring OPM much higher and be more competitive, not only musicians, but also technically. As producers, we have to come up with great shows, impressive concerts (that are) immersive,” added Antiporda, who’s also a musical concert director.

“We have all the technology, we have all the means, we especially have the artists, we have great musicians, great singers but then what's happening is… kapag kanya-kanya hindi solid ‘di ba pero ‘pag ganito, when you’re all together, and then more collaborations, more shows na mga ganito, even camps, music festivals, it's good for the industry.

“And then probably what’s good is also to collaborate kami with the young musicians and singers. It has to be that way or else kanya-kanya tayo, ganun pa rin.”

Constant innovation, as well consistent music-making is also seen to improve competitiveness in the global stage. Citing, for one, South Korea’s industry as “consistent” — the behemoth K-pop business as we know it today reportedly began to take shape in the early ‘90s — Antiporda continued, “Something that we really have to be consistent about is music kasi ang hilig natin kumanta. We have good songwriters, good producers.

“I think ngayon the Koreans are even (infiltrating) the production eh. We have to write kasi sometimes nagiging… kantahin lang natin mga originals natin before. Pero sa akin, I don't believe in that. I mean I want to sit down and write some more songs and kahit na, for example, ‘di masyadong mataas sa Spotify but you're creating and you’re inspiring others di ba?”

Neocolours vocalist and music producer Ito Rapadas agreed that to keep on doing music is the name of the game since “the market is open for anything talaga ngayon. Lahat ng genre.”

He further said, “Bawat act or artists or bands regardless of age, regardless of generation, kung gusto nila gumawa ng music, just go ahead, madali na ngayon, you can go directly to the audience. Yun lang yun. Dun lang muna ako. Start making music first.”

Being able to make music, according to Rivermaya’s Mark Escueta, is actually a privilege. That’s one of their realizations especially after the original Rivermaya lineup staged a successful reunion show early this year.

The band’s drummer said, “Na-realize ko lang that whatever stage mo sa pagiging musician, just give it your best. Basta kami nung nag-start kami — me I was 17, 18 — bata pa kami, makukulit kami pero pagdating sa ginagawa namin, seryoso.

“Natuwa ako na 30 years later — 1994 nung lumabas first album namin — naging relevant pa rin siya (the music) with the new generation. Natuwa kami na yung fans namin before, yung iba kasama na nila yung mga anak nila, so nag-expand na ng ilang generations. Kung yun ay ma-realize din nung ibang mga bagong (simula na artists), malaki yung privilege maging creator or musician and songwriter, ‘wag nila sayangin.”

As artists who hit the OPM scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they also have a lot of respect for the new generation of groups and musicians.

Asked what they thought of the likes of current favorites like Bini and SB19, Rapadas said, “Regardless of genre, I really admire these young groups and musicians,” adding that “all the tools and platforms are already available for them, na democratize na yung mga sistema.”

“Unlike during our time when we had to go through labels. They are lucky to fortunately have all of these tools,” he said.

Rapadas likewise strongly believes that the golden era of OPM is now.

“Palagi binabanggit, sabi nila ang golden era daw is nung ‘90s. Well, sa akin lang the golden era is now. Kasi nga mga young ones now, wala naman siyang bias. Noong panahon makikinig ka lang ng Top 40. In the ‘80s if you remember ‘di ba, kailangan Top 40 lang tayo, yun lang ang pakikinggan. Ngayon, wala na yung mga ganung biases, very open na yung ka-generation nila. Iba na rin naman daw yung mga pananaw nila. So, just really make music and somehow, out of the large pool of artists, we will see emerge marami din mga (new) ones.”

Rapadas stressed that he doesn’t believe in making comparisons like “ang panahon ko mas OK.” “Hindi ako naniniwala dun, I always take the long view and the long view is that bawat generation may sariling tunog, may sariling aesthetics, may sariling way (of making music) so I respect that, we should respect that. And from that point of view, I really admire everything that is happening now. I’m appreciative of all the efforts. So mabuhay and more power to the young generation of musicians.”