This charming man is called Pogz

I am often too quick to judge a book by its cover. And this goes for style as well. If upon our first encounter, I am not immediately taken with what you’re wearing I tend to write you off as plain (fashion-speaking, of course). However, I had to eat my words when I met a fellow by the name of Pogz. When a band was recommended for my weekly Panic night, I never would have assumed the talent and style that lay beneath these plainly-dressed group of musicians called The Dead Pop Stars and their lead singer.

I named my night after a song by ‘80s rock band The Smiths, who are remembered for their beautiful music and for their iconic loner of a lead singer, Morrissey. The band left a lasting impression on the generation that loved them and are on par with God to many followers of the new musical movement called indie. I felt that a Smith’s cover band needed to play Panic in order for me to pay tribute to the night at all.

When I asked a friend for a good Smith-like band, he insisted that I book The Dead Pop Stars right away. I trusted his opinion and booked them, arranging a meeting right away. In my head I had conjured up someone stylish, groomed and full of that j’ne se quais quality you expect most rock stars to possess. I was a bit disappointed to meet a scruffy-looking gentleman named Pogz in a plain T-shirt. I waited to hear how authentic he would sound, but on looks alone I was slightly nervous. Had I booked a band that might not perform and look uncool too?

The night finally came and when the band arrived, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Pogz. The scruffy man had a clean close shave, and he was sporting a quiff! They played to perfection and if you closed your eyes, it sounded like you were listening to the Smiths in their best years, when Hateful of Hollow and The Queen is Dead were released. The crowd went wild and Pogz moved and sang like the man himself. He unzipped his outer shirt to reveal a self-designed T-shirt with The Smiths written on it, and a photo of Elvis underneath it. This man was truly the Filipino Morrissey and underneath the scruff, there was a definite style that caught me off guard. The moves made the clothes look better and the quiff was done to perfection. I didn’t have just a Smiths cover band; I had the Smiths cover band.

I later found out that of all the bands in this country, this was the one that was acclaimed the world over. They are the only band ever to have graced the pages of foreign publications like Spin magazine where they were rated one of the top five Smiths cover bands in the world. Never judge a book by its cover. It’s definitely a saying to go by. After all, it only enforces the idea that style is definitely clothing plus a heck of a lot of attitude.