Gotta go my own way

You’ve heard of Imago. You’ve heard of Ang Bandang Shirley. You’ve heard of Us-2 Evil-0. These are three of the most acclaimed, beloved and just straight up fun bands on the local scene today — and, apparently, they are so engorged with talent that they boast members with enough musical juice to start up solo careers on the side.

Last year, Zach Lucero, drummer of Imago, released a catchy, commendable full-length solo effort called “Fall Crash Infect.” Wincy Ong, keyboardist/ guitarist/ vocalist for Us-2 Evil-0 (and founding member of the now-defunct Narda) is releasing peerlessly pop-friendly yet subtly subversive songs under the excellent alias Patience Dear Juggernaut. And Owel Alvero of Ang Bandang Shirley crafts mesmerizing little ditties that chug and bob and soar along, under his full name Manuel Nicolas Alvero. We asked the talented trio about their solo exploits.

YOUNG STAR: You all belong to popular and/or acclaimed bands. Why do a solo musical project?

OWEL: It just seems like a fun thing to do. Technically it isn’t a “project” yet — I just realized I’d collected a few songs that I recorded on my own over the years, so I put them out on a low-key web release. I haven’t gigged solo yet but I plan to.

ZACH: On my end, I just wanted to see if I could do it... (Laughs) ... hirap.

WINCY: Because you won’t know what your music really sounds like until you do it solo. It’s like writing a novel as compared to directing a film. More insular, less collaborative. The authorship is definitely yours.

What can you do on your own that you can’t do within your band?

OWEL: It’s difficult to record spontaneously with the band — if I have an idea to make a song with a loop from a software synthesizer and then some guitar then it really is just me doing all that on my own in my room. It’s a very relaxing experience, recording all your stuff at your pace with nobody watching. Also there’s always the sound to consider — people have expectations for how a band they know sounds, but if you do something on your own, okay lang kahit sobrang weird.

Describe the differences in your performing/ songwriting/ recording experience when you are solo, as opposed to within your band.

ZACH: ‘Pag solo I find it harder... yet at the same time it’s also very fulfilling. When you go through with it, you just gotta do it and not trudge along analyzing how this could be with a band too much. In the middle of it I just let go and did what came instinctively.

WINCY: I love recording solo, but when it comes to gigging... not that much. It gets lonely because it’s just me and an acoustic guitar. Well, I’m more of a studio person anyway. Recording is fun because there are no late band members you have to wait for, no creative differences, no tantrums. That is if you don’t have a split personality.

OWEL: More uncertainties? But that’s probably a good thing. When you don’t know what’s gonna happen things usually turn out better than you think they could.

Which solo musical artists do you respect and admire?

WINCY: I’ve always been a solo project kind of guy. My favorite albums are the ones made by solo artists who came from great bands. Sean Lennon. Graham Coxon. Leslie Feist. Erlend Oye. Charlotte Hatherley. They’re all idols of mine. And of course, Ely Buendia’s “Wanted: Bedspacer.”

OWEL: I’ve always always been a fan of polymath artist musicians like David Byrne and Thurston Moore, the whole idea of everything you do being related — Moore edits books, destroys guitars, collects art and is a father — that’s just very exciting for me. A gigantic influence would be Phil Elverum of The Microphones/Mt. Eerie fame. The Olivia Tremor Control guys — Bill Doss (The Sunshine Fix) and Will Cullen Hart (Circulatory System!!!) are a couple of heroes as well. I just saw St. Vincent in Singapore and she just blew me away. Locally, aside from these two other gentlemen being interviewed, I love Prank Sinatra and most of the Monopond stuff — Diego Mapa’s Eggboy, and Ron Francisco’s That Epic Reggae Set. Those guys are awesome.

What is the highlight of the solo aspect of your career, so far?

ZACH: Proposing to (my girlfriend) France in the middle of my set. (Note: If all went well, Zach did this last Thursday, at a March 24 gig in saGuijo. Congratulations!)

WINCY: Having Erwin Romulo text me in the middle of the night that he’d been listening to my song Gunita Ni David Lynch on repeat, and spreading my MP3 to friends.

OWEL: (Laughs) This interview?

What has going solo taught you?

OWEL: Adventure! (Laughs) Cheesy answer.

ZACH: No man is an island. But you can try to be, at least once in your life... and take it from there.

WINCY: It taught me to be brave. That courage is more important than talent. And that sometimes, we, as tepid people, make up with diligence what we lack in courage. Enough diligence. It’s all courage now. We’re not getting any younger, Luis.

* * *

Thanks for that reminder of my impending and inevitable demise, Wincy! Speaking of amazing solo artists, I do hope you are all aware that Jens Lekman — yes, the Sweden-born worldwide indie-pop sensation — is performing atSaGuijo in Makati this coming Tuesday, March 30, at 9 p.m. Opening for him, appropriately enough, will be the equally amazing Outerhope. It is not to be missed.

FURTHER LISTENING: Check out Zach’s stuff at www.myspace.com/zachlucero. Patience Dear Juggernaut material can be found at wincyaquinoong.tumblr,com. And download Manuel Nicolas Alvero’s EP at grouphugrecords.com.