Bikini Bottom

Between 1946 and 1958, the Bikini Atoll, one of the 29 atolls and five islands that make up the Marshall Islands, was the site of 23 atmospheric atomic bomb tests. In 1954, the so-called Bravo test — the most destructive bomb (around 15 megatons) ever detonated by the United States — obliterated three of the islands and spewed radioactive rubble over nearly 50,000 square miles, displacing all of the civilian population.

Today, the islands remain uninhabitable. Legend has it that the bottom of the sea surrounding these atolls harbor mutated sea creatures with voracious appetites. Allegedly lurking underneath are insatiable orcas, sharks, tunas and the mild-mannered butandings (whale sharks) — all becoming feared predators. Of course, SpongeBob and his friends, and King Neptune too, do battle with these unusual sea creatures for that precious kill: the Black Pizza.

Confused?  So are the residents of Calatagan corner Filmore St. in Makati who, on Saturday afternoons, are amused at the often rambunctious crowd gathered at the two adjacent audio stores where audiophiles congregate to buy their respective vinyl records and analog gears. The two stores (the Vinyl Dump, a record shop run by Joel Devacais, and the Hypertriode, an audio equipment store run by Rene Rivo) have become the unofficial headquarters of Wiredstate (WS), where members can get to know each other better.

Getting more confused? Each member is named after a sea creature of his choice or, if he wants, is christened by other members. A member gets a ferocious namesake according to how ravenous he is in buying Black Pizza (vinyl records). So, what better name to call their headquarters than “Bikini Bottom”?

The phenomenon is a reflection of how Filipino audiophiles have welcomed back the technologies of yesteryear to achieve nirvana in music. From a few lonely souls too sentimental to throw away their analog gears for digital technologies, the community has grown tremendously and is still growing. At Bikini Bottom, you’d meet newly employed 23-year-olds who are spending their first salaries on basic analog equipment and frantically rummaging through Joel’s and Rene’s vinyl collections. 

The hunt actually begins online where sellers post what’s on sale. Feeding frenzy starts, and the one with the fastest fingers to type “please reserve” and push the enter button gets the finest catch. The rest are left with crumbs. On Saturdays, they get to “eat” their prey and have their fill at Bikini Bottom. These prized vinyls can be bought for as low as P150 to as high as P3,000 depending on their rarity or exceptional quality.

One reason the analog renaissance blossoms is the strong camaraderie among audiophiles. Music unites these people who are otherwise divided by political and religious persuasions. At Bikini Bottom, the love for vinyl overcomes boundaries and limitations.

Investment banker Fritz Maramba, a WS veteran, explains why he loves vinyl. “Is it the software? Well, I don’t want to call it software because it sounds too digital to me. Maybe record or vinyl or LP is more like it. Unlike CDs, collecting LPs is more exciting. The thrill of the hunt begins at thrift shops and trading with fellow analog addicts. This ends with the actual ‘kill’ or when you finally find that elusive LP  you’ve been after, and locating some that are still in mint condition. For me, those would be all the remix 12-inch versions of ‘80s new wave songs, particularly in 45 rpm!  I’m not really an ‘oldies’ or a ‘classical’ buff. But I still love to buy those genres recorded on LPs. Some of them have very creative and beautiful pictures or paintings as covers. I rarely play them, but when I do, I assure you that it will be from start to finish. Maybe this is why I don’t care much about going digital. I’m not the one-song-then-change type of guy.”

Too stressed thinking about the state of the nation? Try dropping by Bikini Bottom, where you can forget all your troubles, as many a WS member will say. If you’re lucky, you may even rub elbows with SpongeBob, Butanding, Tuna Man, and even shake hands with King Neptune himself.

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For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit www.wiredstate.com  for quick answers to your audio concerns.