The local bands: Where have they gone?

The following article by Joseph R. Atilano, an authority on popular music, complements my reviews of classic music concerts.

Exactly what I feel like asking, with prominent bands quitting. It has led me to ponder about the direction of local rock and whether it can once again regain its firm grasp on OPM. We all know that successful bands like Hale, Bamboo and Sugarfree are gone. But some aren’t aware that local rock and the rock community as a whole are still alive and kicking, the above-mentioned bands have left behind a trail of followers  musicians who are inspired by their music and their fans who stood by them throughout their careers. Local rock isn’t only what is available on the mainstream media, it’s readily seen on music channels and what we hear on the radio. Those are just the “tip of the iceberg” to what is a much larger picture. There are so many young and talented musicians aiming to achieve their own goals, whether it is to be signed, to release their full length album or just to perform in key venues along the gig circuit.

There are a lot of them and in no way is that an exaggeration. A perfect example of this, to give everyone an insight on how enormous is the “real” band scene, is the “Muziklaban” competition held yearly with literally hundreds of bands from all over our country aiming to win in this illustrious tilt. But with so many of them, a majority would be forgotten and thrown into obscurity. Let’s be realistic. In this day and age if you don’t have the right connections, a major label backing you or any endorsement deals, it would be hard to penetrate the mainstream. That’s why a lot of these bands don’t get a fair shot to make it big. Who knows how many hidden gems are out there  just waiting to be discovered?

However there are ways to find them.

One is to attend their gigs at key venues  venues that allow them to hone their craft and “test the waters” with a live audience for which it is not always about hitting the right notes and not about having a “certain look” catering to everyone. The only requirement is to be yourself and this for me is the most important criterion. A venue that welcomes originality and artistic freedom is Saguijo. This place has become a “hot bed” for upcoming bands and tenured ones as well. Both the new and familiar bands can be seen and heard here and they have contributed as much to the local rock scene. A venue like Saguijo is much needed. Another way to find those bands is, of course, through the internet which provides uploaded videos, file-sharing and websites made by the bands. So don’t despair, music aficionados; local rock will always survive and rightfully should.

The music landscape would be so boring and dull without rock. Sadly, however, we are flooded with twisted, redundant and crappy music we hear from the likes of Lady Gaga and other similar weird artists cut from the same cloth of “bad taste”. Rock  whether local or foreign  offers respite and escape from the “kind” of music that has been flooding the music channels, internet and radio. Lady Gaga seeks attention whether for good or bad and the more twisted her music is, the more she sings it. Shock value doesn’t equal talent. She’s just an opportunist milking her “15 minutes of fame” to the very last second and her “lifestyle” isn’t supposed to be shoved into our faces. Whatever you really are and what you do in your personal space is yours to keep. Thus, she has no right to force us to like what she does; she can take her “fashion statement” dress made of raw meat to the trash bin, because that’s where it belongs.

Now with that said, let us go back to the matter at hand which, indeed, is the more substantial. Let us not lose support for our very own bands. if they can’t expect support from us, then from whom can they get it? In my opinion, we have lost three great and major bands: Hale, Bamboo and Sugarfree, and that’s not up for debate. The fans are the source of energy and inspiration for these bands: If the fans turn their backs on them, naturally they won’t be able to continue for years to come. So there are lessons learned here. Do not forget your own. Let’s not wait for local rock to literally become underground again like in the old days. Just imagine how many were not given the chance to be discovered and how many had the talent back then to make it big. But that was then and this is now. We have gone a long way and a lot of things have changed for the better. One great change now is the chance to endorse upcoming bands and take notice of them. Here are the top three in my opinion and in no respective order.

1) Ozawa  This new band is gaining a following and has turned a lot of heads with its smart sound and great arrangements. The band has both received critical praise from fans and fellow musicians alike. Ozawa seems to have the recipe for success. Its self-titled debut CD is still available in select Odyssey, Fully Booked and Music O outlets. Genre: Power Pop. Members: Vocals  Lauran Ozawa; Guitars  Bel Sayson; Drums  Otep Concepcion.

2) Malay  A throwback to the ’90s era of grunge and alternative with elements of hip-hop thrown in. The intense delivery of vocals and the rhythm of the band alone would get your head bopping and asking for more. Genre: Alternative/Grunge. Members: Vocals/Guitar  Atty. Pochoy Labog; Bass  Miguel Dayanghirang; Drums  Alden Abaca.

3) Intolerant  It’s one of the major players in the metal scene if not the best in the country. Totally intense and uncompromising just like metal should be; it has been able to blend as well with other sub-genres of metal in its repertoire of full blown performances. Members: Vocals/Guitar  Russel Dela Cruz; Guitar  Joey Dizon; Bass/Vocals  Mic Gallegos; Drums  Pepe Gohu.

For more information and gig schedules of the three mentioned bands, visit their respective Facebook pages and websites for more details. Saguijo Café and Bar is located at 7612 Guijo St., San Antonio Village, Makati City.