Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Happy birthday September!

Maligayang kaarawan sa mga magaganda't guwapong Virgo at Libra! ;)

Mga Christmas babies ang mga ito, hehehe :P

02 - Mylai D
04 - Geneefe S
06 - Pia C
07 - Kris D
08 - Anna C, Allan A, Meanne T
10 - Dino F, Faye T, Amiel B
11 - Jonathan dL
12 - NiƱo E, Jal T
13 - RG SM, Allen A
14 - themightydacs :P
16 - Miguel dL
17 - Ayeen E
18 - Reese F, Hans A, Annie B
19 - Ants
20 - Krishna Z, Jem Bu
21 - Lei C
22 - JC F
23 - Lolo
25 - George A
26 - Dennise R
30 - Jason C

- - - - -

At hindi mawawala ang special mention ng rockstars sa blog ko diba? Hehe. September rocker celebrants:

Kris w/ Cambio @ Wolfmann's Diner Launch
Kris Dancel (Cambio/Fatal Posporos) - Sept. 7 pala hehe


Jal w/ Sugarfree @ SM North EDSA
Jal Taguibao (Sugarfree) - Sept. 12



Jason w/ Twisted Halo @ Admit One in Saguijo
Jason Caballa (Twisted Halo) - Sept. 30

I hope I got these dates right now. Salamat sa calendar ni Klara.


- - - - -

Another nice thing about September is its 28th day...

This September 28, 2005, Andrew and I will be celebrating 7 years of being together :) :) :)


I'm broke but I'm happy

It's definitely the music that keeps me alive...

Ended a toxic day on a happy note. Baket toxic? Dahil sa sangkatutak na meetings and practices for Humanities Week. Baket happy? Because of these...

CDs
Flowerfish by Sheila and the Insects
Rhomboids by Monsterbot
Pinoy Ako by Various Artists
Greatest Hits by Hotdog

VCDs
Astroboy Vol 1
The Flying House Vol 1
Super Book Vol 1
The Care Bears Vol 1

As Alanis said, "I'm broke but I'm happy..." Hahaha! I actually had extra bounce in my step after I splurged on those discs :P

Napakinggan ko na yung Flowerfish. Ang ganda! It's got the dark vibe of Manipulator, but it sounds more like Plastic Eyes, Static Mind.

Yung Rhomboids next palang na isasalang ko.

The Pinoy Ako CD is a compilation of Star Records recordings, though it's not the official soundtrack of Pinoy Big Brother. Here's the tracklisting:

1 - Pinoy Ako by Orange and Lemons (Theme song of Pinoy Big Brother)
2 - Bye Bye Na by Rico Blanco
3 - Gusto Kitang Makita by Session Road
4 - Jam by Kevin Roy and Cooky Chua
5 - Laklak by Gloc 9 with Dong Abay
6 - Humanda Ka by sandwich
7 - Next In Line by Stagecrew
8 - This Guy's In Love With You Pare by Chito Miranda
9 - Pangarap by Barbie's Cradle
10 - Huwag Ka Nang Umiyak by True Faith
11 - Kailanpaman by Kevin Roy
12 - Beep Beep by Michael Cruz
13 - Someday by Barbie's Cradle
14 - Cinderalla by Stagecrew

14 tracks for P150 - sulit di ba?

As for the Hotdog album, I bought that for a presentation, as well as enhanced music appreciation :P "Simply no place like Manila..."

Yung sa VCDs naman...is it too early for me to be experiencing my second childhood, considering that I'll be a quarter of a century old in two weeks? Hehehe :P

Haven't watched em yet, though I think these aren't the episodes I used to watch circa 1980s. Nasilip ko na kasi yung Astroboy Disc 1, it's subtitled in English, and the theme song is different from that in the 80's :(

Gusto ko rin sana bumili nung latest release ng System of a Down. Kaso the P450 tag price always keeps me away from foreign CDs. Sa P500 kasi, dalawang local CDs na yun eh.

Btw, ang ganda nung album art ng Flowerfish and Rhomboids. Digipack pa so astig ;)

Friday, August 26, 2005

15 thousand cheers for Sugarfree!

Sugarfree's DRAMACHINE

GOLD na po ang pangalawang album ng Sugarfree na DRAMACHINE! Woohoo, astig!!!

Along with that, Sugarfree is celebrating its sixth year of existence! Join them and the Admit One family as they party on this Saturday, August 27, 9pm, at Saguijo Cafe+Bar, Makati!

Congrats sa minamahal kong Sugarfree! Rock on Ebe, Jal and Mitch :)

Sugarfree in Rock Radio Cafe
One of the first ever Sugarfree pics I took, way back when Rock Radio Cafe was still alive, at the very first Admit One gig in the South. Haaay, memories :)


- - - - -

Hahaha, pag pinapalabas yung vid ng kwarto sa MTV, nakasulat dun na the song's from the album "Dramachine and The Pinoy Blonde". Whut?! =P

Aliw talaga ko sa vid na yun! Drama ni Ebe, wehehehe, cute! =D

This is our last goodbye.

"This is our last goodbye..."

Ito LSS ko kagabi, sabay pinatugtog ni Trish on NU this morning as I was getting ready for Wolf's funeral.

"Just hear this and then I'll go..."

Just wanna say my last words about Wolf. Time to move on and live life to the fullest, just like he did.

- - - - -

It was an overcast Thursday when Wolfmann was finally laid to rest in Manila Memorial Park dito sa Paranaque.

A mass was held at 9am, followed by some words from his loved ones. I'm not sure if it's right to post them here. It's just that what Wolf's family (his mom in particular) had to say were so beautiful and meaningful, gusto ko sana i-share sa kung sino man ang nais makinig. If ever anyone thinks na hindi ko dapat isulat ang mga ito dito, just let me know :)

- - - - -

One of Wolf's sisters played Wolf's first ever jamming session. There I was expecting some raw-sounding guitar riffs or other whatnot, sabay biglang tinugtog yung sounds:

"The wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock..."

in the cutest baby voices ever (dalawa ata sila ni Wolf nung sis niya singing). Sabay in between verses, humihirit si Wolf ng "Brsssh brsssh". Sabi ng ate niya, bata palang si Wolf, mahilig na talaga sa instrumentals/effects :P

- - - - -

His mom didn't prepare any speech, but simply asked Wolf to help her with what she was supposed to say.

Three things - obedience, love/peace(?) and reconciliation, and passion.

Obedience. Ever since, Wolf always wanted to just make music. But his family would tell him to prioritize his studies. Wolf would ask, "Eh kelan ako pwede magbanda?", wherein his parents would answer, "Kapag may degree ka na." And Wolf, understanding that his parents just wanted what was best for him, obeyed his parents' wishes, and successfully obtained a college degree. At ayun, nagawa rin niyang tuparin yung pangarap niyang maging musikero.

Love (or was that peace?) and reconciliation. Wolf's mom said Wolf was the peacemaker in the family. He didn't want anybody fighting, and it was he who would always try to patch things up between folks. Naalala ko tuloy yung naikwento ng isa sa mga Starmart Crew (si Cris ata yun?) about Wolf mediating between Nato and the rest of the Revolver Crew during one prod.

Passion. This last part was the one that affected and inspired me most. Truly, as Manong Vin said the previous night, Wolf lived and breathed music. Vin added that up to the last moments of Wolf's waking hours, the mann was celebrating the beauty of music (Rockestra's awesome outcome, in particular). Wolf's mom also acknowledged that her son's passion was the music. He would make his own music, and at the same time help his friends and other musicians in improving and believing in their craft. Wolf is one of the prime movers of the underground Electronica scene. He just kept on doing his thing, because that was what he believed in. Wolfmann and his work will definitely continue to be an inspiration to many.

- - - - -

Wolf's family is requesting us to join them in their 9-day novena for him:

Here is the novena prayer for Wolfmann, don't forget to pray this novena every 8pm till August 30/05 (and beyond if you so wish):

Lord, help us to see death for what it really is,
the end of poverty, and the beginning of riches;
the end of frustration, and the beginning of fulfillment;
the end of weakness, and the beginning of strength.

Let not grief overwhelm us nor a sense of loss embitter us.
Out of our sadness, let there arise a new joy
for so much that has been given to us.
Cast out our fears and let not our hearts be troubled.
Let Your spirit of peace come alive within our experience
of hurt, sorrow and isolation,
of our sadness today, and our loneliness tomorrow.

We humbly commend to You Wilfrid Andrew,
Whom You have called out of this mortal life.
You loved him always with great love.
Now that You have freed him from all pains of this earth
Bring him into Your paradise
Where there is no more grief, or mourning, or sadness,
But peace and joy with Your son and the Holy Spirit forever.

We thank You for all the blessings
You have given to Andrew in his mortal life.
We pray that he may be able to glorify You
With the life that he lived
And by the way he made use of Your blessings.

Lord, may we never forget that life is short and uncertain.
Let Your spirit guide us in holiness, justice and service
To our brothers and sisters.

We pray for the healing of all unhappy feelings
Andrew's death now leaves in our hearts.
Be with us, Lord, during our moments of sorrow and loneliness.
You are our rock, our fortress and our strength.
We trust in You and hope in your glorious resurrection.
We lift to you our grief and sorrow, confident that
You will change our mourning into rejoicing
That our beloved Andrew now rests in your peace.

Amen.

- - - - -

Wolf was buried not far from where my Lolo and my Uncle Dickie are. Bumisita nga ako kay Lolo after Wolf's burial. Na-badtrip lang ako kasi hindi na naalagaan yung lugar ni Lolo, puro basura tas dry na yung grass, and in some places exposed na yung cracked na lupa. I just said hi to Lolo, who passed away when I was 8. His was the first funeral that I attended. Kinuwento ko kay Lolo that Wolf was just there sa kabilang area, and pa-hi nalang pag nameet niya sa Heaven.

At least pag bibisita kami kay Lolo and Uncle Dickie, I could also easily visit Wolf. And maybe me and my cousins would finally find Rico Yan's and Ninoy Aguino's resting places. Hehe. Yun kasi libangan namin tuwing Araw ng Patay :P

- - - - -

Just a thought...Na-meet na kaya ni Wolf si Pope John Paul? Inggit ako, hehehe.


- - - - -

Kakatugtog lang sa MTV VH1 Collection a while ago...

"Make my way back home and learn to fly."

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Wolf's Words

Still not over losing Wolf. And I don't think this feeling will subside anytime soon, not even after the final goodbye on Thursday.

- - - - -

Been going through Wolf's Friendster blog. Sobrang sipag nun magpost, hehehe. But this particular post has a different light now that Wolf's gone:

July 10, 2005

Growing Old

ganun ba talaga pag tumatanda ka?
sa november... 29 na ko.
ang bilis sumakit ng ulo ko!
ang bilis kong mapagod.
ang bilis kong mawalan ng pagasa.
ang bilis kong magalit

ang bilis kong matawa.
ang bilis kong mag-yosi.
ang bilis kong antukin sa oras na di ako dapat matulog
ang bilis kong uminom ng beer
ang tagal kong magising
ang tagal ko na sa banyo!
ang hirap tumae!!!
ang bagal kong kumain!
ang sakit ng tuhod ko at siko!
ang sakit ng ilong ko!
ang hirap bumangon sa umaga!
ang hirap matulog sa gabi!
ang lapad na ng noo ko!
ang sakit ng likod ko!
pakiramdam ko mabagal ang mga araw
pakiramdam ko mabagal ako tumanda...

ganun ba talaga pag tumatanda ka na?

- - - - -

A lot of people would prolly be steering clear first of Wolf's songs. When Wolf was still at St. Luke's, I was deciding whether isasalang ko yung CDs niya. I didn't. Tas nung Sunday afternoon, Francis Brew announced on NU that Wolf had passed away, sabay patugtog ng Fish N Chips tsaka Piniritong Dalagang Bukid. Ayun, gulpi-de-gulat ako't nakapakinig ng Wolfmann nang di oras, hahaha :P

Been playing Diner and Breaking the Beat Project ever since. Tas dito sa PC paulit-ulit yung Para sa Windows Media Player. Para was supposed to be Wolfmann's next big hit. Siguro kung marelease pa yung third album. Anyways, here are the lyrics to that beautiful song. You can download the
Acoustic and Electronica versions at the Files section of his Yahoogroup.

PARA

manhid... akoy manhid...
magdamag na nakahiga sa sahig.
banig... kahit may banig,
nakapako ang kamay sa sahig...
may anghel na dumaan
at unti unti akong tinatayo
sa aking kinalalagyan....
inabot nya ang susi sa sasakyang
patungo sa gitna ng araw at buwan....
di ko man alam kung saan na pupunta
basta't magmamaneho lang
hanggang sa may pumara

para na... may maglalakad sa tubig...
para na.... o nalilitong pag-ibig...
para na... di na kaya pang kumabig...
para na... o ayoko ng umibig

tawid... ako ay tatawid
sa di masukat na dilim ng langit...
lamig... akoy nanlalamig...
habang lumilipad humihigpit ang kapit
may demonyong dumaan
at akoy tinutuksong
bumaba sa aking kinalalagyan...
di maiwasang lumingon
sa lumipas na mga araw at buwan
di ko man alam kung saan na pupunta
basta't magmamaneho lang
hanggang sa may pumara

para na... may maglalakad sa tubig...
para na.... lumutang na pag-ibig...
para na... di na kaya pang kumabig...
para na... o ayoko ng umibig
para na... akoy maglalakad sa tubig...
para na.... o nalilitong pag-ibig...
para na... di na kaya pang kumabig...
para na... parang ayoko ng umibig
para na... kung di ikaw ang iibigin...

- - - - -

Was at Wolf's wake nga pala kanina. Ayun, gwapo parin siya. May goatee parin - rockstar na rockstar talaga :P


- - - - -

Comment ni MikeD (sandwich/Pedicab): Araw-araw listers' night ah :P
(To the uninitiated, 'listers' refers to the members of the bands mailing lists - in this case, listers ni Wolf, hehe.)

- - - - -

Hey Wolf, hope you're enjoying Electronica Heaven =)

Monday, August 22, 2005

Remembering Wolfmann

Again, words are not enough to explain how I feel.

Received a text message from Vin this afternoon, a bit past 4pm, saying that Wilfrid had passed away. The Wolfmann is now free.

And although I hardly know Wolf, I am distraught at how things have turned out to be. What more pa kaya yung family and close friends niya? They must be feeling 100x more than the grief I am experiencing.

Just like most of the people I've come to know in the past two years that I've dipped into the lokal gig scene, Wolfmann is a brilliant musician, and more importantly a kind soul and an inspiration to many.

- - - - -

I was never a fan of danceable music; in fact, I am allergic to dancing (ask my highschool friends). So I guess accepting an invite from Wolfmann himself to join his Yahoogroup was a pretty monumental moment in my music fanlife. See, that's Wolf - humble enough to reach out to the fans (or future fans) himself. May personal touch kumbaga, at hindi distant.

So I got to know about this guy named Wilfrid Hernandez, a.k.a. Wolfmann. As of then, electronica was unchartered territory for me. But Wolfmann's stuff made me realize that electronica music can actually rock! Wolf came out with an album called DINER. The music was kick@ss stuff that reminded me of the first Matrix soundtrack. And the album launch was one helluva party, so fashyown! DINER (and later on Squid9's Kraken Modular album) successfully widened my musical taste and showed me how much more there was to appreciate about the lokal independent music scene. By the way, Diner was already Wolf's second album. Breaking the Beat Project, the first album, is some fine sh*t too!

- - - - -

One personal Wolfmann moment I would never forget was when I boldly (read: kapalmuks) asked him if I could hitch a ride from Saguijo to Paranaque. It was the March 2005 Admit One gig, which I attended alone and without a prospect of a ride home. So nung nakita ko si Wolf, I asked kung pwede makisabay sa kanya pauwi, since he lived in the Las Pinas area. Without a moment's hesitation, the good guy said yes.

I don't think I'll ever forget those 30 minutes or so from Saguijo to BF Homes. We got to talk about stuff. He mentioned he was going to mass with his family the next day (Palm Sunday), which is why we left Saguijo relatively early. I asked about the songs Wolfmann+ was coming up with. On the South Super Highway, Butterfly Carnival was playing on NU. Wolf turned up the volume, saying he loved that song. Later on, we passed by a vehicular accident - a car was parked right under the Skyway, FACING US. That must've been some turnaround, and the car was prolly speeding. The driver seemed to be ok naman; he was still in his seat making a phone call. Wolf commented he was glad we were doing just around 40-50, or else baka nadamay pa kami sa aksidenteng yun.

We stopped over at Ministop just outside Tahanan Village, Wolf bought a pack of cigs. And the nice thing was Wolf actually remembered where I lived. He'd been to my house before; he did Kris (Dancel, Cambio/Fatal Posporos) a favor by dropping off the Fatal Posporos CD I asked for at my house. Too bad it was my sis who was outside, and Wolf was kinda in a hurry so he just gave the CD to my sis and left. Di ko man lang siya napasalamatan in person so tinext ko nalang.

- - - - -

I dreamed of Wolf before. Something about us dropping by Manresa (his alma mater, where I also studied Prep and Grade One) because he had to get his gear since he had a gig that night. Ewan, labo, hehe.

- - - - -

Saw Wolf sitting with Tani and Leigh last Friday night at Rockestra. Wanted to wave hello, pero medyo malayo ako and he wasn't looking in my direction so sabi ko baka later nalang. Sana nakapag-hi nalang ako, kasi goodbye na pala yun.


- - - - -

Ang isang malaking kasalanan ko kay Wolf is that, aside from his DINER album launch and one short gig at the UP Bahay ng Alumni, I didn't go to any of his gigs :( He'd always text about his gigs, especially when Wolfmann+, the group, was already in action. Sadly, I never found time for a Wolfmann gig, and I guess that's something I'll regret for the rest of my life.

Also, I didn't make any effort to have Wolf play at Pisay. He once asked about Kwentuhan Sessions when he heard about it through Twisted Halo. I told him I'd see what I can do. But I never went further than texting him that, because I felt that Pisay kids weren't ready for Wolfmann's stuff yet. Sorry Wolf. Not that I doubted your talent, but I was apprehensive about the open-mindedness of the students. My mistake :(

- - - - -

Wrote him a Friendster testimonial for his birthday last year, part of which said:

Just wanna wish you more gigs, more albums, and more rockin years to come! =D

Hindi na pala magkakatotoo yung wish na yun.

- - - - -

He would've been 29 this November. So young. Too young to go. Is it a sin to ask God, "WHY"? Ang dasal ko kay God kahapon was kung ano man yung will Niya, tulungan nalang Niya tayong maintindihan yun. Easier said than done, of course. I mean, Wolf's at the prime of his career. Ang dami pa niyang magandang magagawa, ang dami pa niyang kaibigang matutulungan at mabibigyan ng inspirasyon. Why does he have to go so soon?


- - - - -

As I said, I'd never forget that ride home with Wolf. But what I'd treasure most was the ride of a lifetime that is his music.

- - - - -

Salamat sa musika, kaibigang Wolfmann! We're all gonna miss you, but we know that you're in a better place now.

Wouldn't wanna say goodbye...maybe...see you later :)

Wolfmann at the DINER album launch

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Prayers for Wolfmann

Hey folks, Wilfrid Hernandez, aka Wolfmann of electronica outfit Wolfmann+, is currently at St. Luke's Hospital after suffering an aneurysm last night. Please pray for this extraordinary musician, who is also a dear friend to many. Ipagdasal narin natin ang kanyang pamilya't mga kaibigan, nang hindi sila mawalan ng loob, and that they'd make it through these trying times.

Salamat.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Rockestra was hot!!!

Literally and figuratively, hehehe.

Long post, hehe, sorry.


- - - - -


Ok, rants na muna.

Walanghiyang Folk Arts Theater (Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas) yan! Ganun pala dun! Ang inet! :( Di tuloy na-appreciate fully ni Andrew yung gig kasi distracted siya sa init. And maganda sana kung yung seats pataas, kaso they were mostly on level ground. Gusto ko pa naman nakikita ko yung buong orchestra, bawat member sana, para ma-appreciate ko sila ng todo kasi kitang-kita ko mga ginagawa nila. I couldn't even sit straight to watch kasi ang tangkad nung nasa harap ko. Buti nalang wala akong katabi, so I was watching through the side of the person's head in front of me for the most part of the show.

Sayang din wala si Sam, had to cancel last minute because of family obligations. Sold her P630 ticket to a scalper outside for a measly P100 :(


- - - - -


Now on to the raves. Mostly random thoughts na 'to ha :D


TWISTED HALO. Pucha ang ganda nung gig!!! Bad venue aside, it was one helluva show! The orchestral arrangements were superb, especially for Sugarfree's set, where the orchestra really did shine! But of course my love goes to Twisted Halo - Brad, Closed Captioned, #36. Grabe, that blew me away sobra! It was like those three songs, especially #36, were meant to be played with an orchestra.


PICKING SONGS. Got to talk to Joey (Halo guitarist) the day after, and he mentioned the songs they were choosing to play for Rockestra. Tig-tatlong kanta lang kasi, and it was quite a difficult task to pick just three. When he said that Hiram was a strong choice, medyo nanghinayang ako na hindi nila ginawa yun. I mean, the guitar parts at the end of the song are so powerful on their own - what more with violins and cellos to add to the intensity?! Tas astig kasi sabi ni Chino David (Silent Sanctuary/MSO guy who thought up this whole gig - props to Chino! Galing!) and ng MSO that any of Halo's songs were fit to be arranged for an orchestra. And Joey added that that was surprising, considering that Halo's songs are already full in the sense na nirecord yun with no less than three guitars already.


HALO'S VIN DANCEL. And of course, Vin's usual intense stage presence got that extra oomph when backed by the orchestra. He was the only vocalist who had to work the stage without a guitar strapped to his shoulder (at least for their first two songs), so he was totally free to just let it all out on stage that night. I wonder lang what was going through his mind as he was hopping around on the darkened stage as a vidclip was being shown before their performance, hehehe.


FASHOWYN! And yeah, all the bands were fashyown! Particularly loved Joey and Buddy's get-up. Joey had a black polo and a red tie, while Buddy had a red polo and a black tie (ay, did I remember that correctly?) Basta, blood red and brooding black go sooo well together (my batchmate PJ had the same get-up sa prom and it was astig). The ladies - Kris, Aia, Myrene - were friggin cool in their somewhat unique gowns, hehehe. Nakakagago yung suot ni Aia - Imeldific sleeve sa kaliwa pero sleeveless sa kanan, hehehe. And Myrene was so funky in a gown paired with Doc Martens (if I'm not mistaken - basta boots yun). Gwapings for the night were the mestizos - Tim of Imago and Diego of sandwich. Tim looked fine in that suit tas long rocker hair, eyecatching talaga hehe. And I haven't seen Diego in so long that his clean cut look stunned me was well. And, not since around 2004 I think, na-confuse ako ulit kay Ebe and Vin. Pareho kasi silang naka-black long sleeved shirts, and from a distance it was kinda hard to tell em apart, hehe.


IMAGO'S AKAP. And since Sam couldn't go because nagbantay siya ng bro sa hospital, and Akap was just sounding so damn good, I called Sam and let her listen to that awesome song. It was the least I could for a friend. Sayang lang talaga she didn't get to experience it in the flesh. Wala siyang masabi kundi "(Expletiiive)! Ang ganda! (Expletive)!!!" Hehehe.


SUGARFREE'S SET. I believe the most awesome set for the night belonged to Sugarfree. Sobrang ganda ng arrangements nung orchestra for Prom, Tulog Na, and Burnout. Halos maluha ako sa intro ng Prom - I couldn't really guess the song just then - it was sooo sweet! And then when Tulog Na started playing, I was just brimming with happiness that they picked that beautiful song. And Ebe's intro to Burnout - "Hindi man kita mahanap, para sa 'yo ito." - was just uber heartbreaking. I have no idea though what he meant when he said that. Di rin naman kasi ako privy sa lovelife ni Ebebebe hehehe.


HOW IT ALL ENDED. Siyempre, with an explosive set from sandwich. Props to Raimund for getting folks on their feet! I mean, hindi ka ba naman talaga mapapatayo niyan sa astig na violin-infused Humanda Ka. After sandwich's set, the vocalists and most of the band members went back onstage for a stunning rendition of Banyuhay ni Heber's "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy". Later on, the MSO played the song on their own to cap off a night of pure wonder and awe.


CONCLUSION. Tulad nga ng tinext ko kay Vin right after their set, "It was beautiful beyond words." So yeah, all these words written here can't even start to describe the beauty that was Rockestra.


SETLIST. So these are what the rest of the bands played that night:

Cambio - DV, Lihim, Patlang
Silent Sanctuary - Ok, my bad. I'm not familiar with their songs, so I can't list what they played here :P
Imago - Anino, Taning, Akap
Twisted Halo - Brad, Closed Captioned, #36
Sugarfree - Prom, Tulog Na, Burnout
sandwich - Humanda Ka, Masilungan, Two Trick Pony

- - - - -

Special shoutouts to the Pisay seniors that made it to Rockestra last Friday night - Nikki, JC, Beng, Albert, Katya, and alam ko may kasama pa sila but I can't remember who na (sorry!) hehe. Thanks guys for going kahit onti kayo. Sulit naman diba? :P

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Oooh baby I love your way - Encore! (Updated)

Baket pa kasi may pasok bukas...eh di sana live telecast mapapanood ko, hehehe...

Was bloghopping when I discovered these awesome finds!

Vids of Week6 performances by Marty, Jordis, and MiG!
Thanks sooo much to www.rickey.org for these great stuff (just 'Right Click' and 'Save As'):
(Pics are actually from rockstar.msn.com, but the vids are from www.rickey.org)


Photo from rockstar.msn.com
Marty's Baby One More Time


Photo from rockstar.msn.com
Jordis' Knockin' on Heaven's Door


Photo from rockstar.msn.com
MiG's Baby I Love Your Way

Though MiG stumbled on the last notes, this was definitely a stellar performance. I was rendered *speechless*, as opposed to me jumping and clapping after Marty's and Jordis' performances.

- - - - -

Postscript: So MiG *did* end up doing the encore - plus Jordis and Marty! =D He was gracious enough to let his fellow top Rockstars join him for the encore. Awww, how sweet!

(Photo from
rockstar.msn.com, video from www.rickey.org)

Photo from rockstar.msn.com
MiG's encore, with Jordis and Marty


Week 6 Elimination Show Recap from rockstar.msn.com:
Jessica, who has been in the bottom three so often she should be paying rent, is pretty sanguine about her station. "I feel like a pro," she tells Brooke...

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Oooh baby I love your way

Blogging as I'm watching the *best* Rockstar:INXS episode ever...

Reality Show Recap, 08/16/05

Parang lalong lumalabas na planted obnoxious guy si JD, hehehe. I'd hate him to the bones, if only he didn't show any sliver of talent. Magaling din siya eh, it's just that he's got an attitude problem. Aba, rockstar nga, hehehe. (No, but really I don't believe in that rockstar-asshole-stereotype...not with our local rockers at least.)

Performance Show Recap, 08/17/05

String section! Astig! Didn't know much of the songs though, hehe.

Jordis - Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Bob Dylan
My gaaaaad! Jordis is waaaaay cool! I loooved her take on Knockin' on Heaven's Door! Astig! (Hehehe, ang daaaaaming vowels ah) :P

Jessica - Torn, Natalie Imbruglia (actually it was written and originally recorded by LA band Ednaswap)
I freakin love that song to pieces. High school days eh. And for me, Jessica's version sucked. Sorry. I'd really like to see her out of this show already. Tagal na niyang sumasablay eh. Could the guy votes be keeping her there?

Ty - Maggie, Rod Stewart
Ty's good as usual. Though still doesn't change my opinion about him not fitting in with INXS.

Suzie - Bring It On Home To Me, Sam Cooke
I still don't understand why she was in last week's bottom three. Ang ganda ganda kaya nung Losing My Religion niya! This week was another awesome performance. Upakan ko na yang mga voters na yan kung ma-bottom three pa ulit siya this week.

Marty - Baby One More Time, yes, the one by Britney Spears
Hahaha, puro kamot-ulo siya during the vidclip intro to his performance. Man, that was the most rockin Baby One More Time I've heard. I'm starting to like this guy now :P

Deanna - I Can't Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt
I dunno the song...but isn't she out of tune? Hmmm, she'll be in the bottom three for sure, if not the one leaving tomorrow.

JD - As Tears Go By, Rolling Stones
Didn't like it much. I guess di ko rin kasi alam yung kanta.

Mig - Baby I Love Your Way, Peter Frampton
If *THAT* doesn't earn him the Encore tomorrow...I'll...I dunno what I'll do! And if Mig DOES do the Encore...then that could prolly mean his wife would be visiting the Mansion!!! OMG, that'll definitely be the best moment for MiG...syet, ako yung naeexcite para sa kanya hehehe. If that'll be the case, then the song choice for him this week was sooobrang swak! ...An INXS member (ay sorry, dunno their names still) said that that performance made him proud to be Australian...well, ALL of MiG's performances have made me proud to be a Filipino! Go MiG! Darn it, win that contest, will ya! Wooohooo! (Hyper...) :D


Hirits for the night:

Dave to Jordis: It is such an honor to be on this planet watching a star being born. (Huwow!)

Dave to MiG: ...(as MiG was performing) all I could think about was how much I love my wife...
(And at that moment I'm pretty sure MiG was just really thinkin about his wife back in London, too. Haaay, ka-emote naman 'to! :P) ...


http://rockstar.msn.com/recaps/week6/reality
...because [JD] only wants to attach his name to something of quality, he's just going to bow out. "That's not being in a band," Jordis tells him. "We're not in a band," J.D. reminds her. "We're competing to be in a band."

http://rockstar.msn.com/recaps/week6/performance
Elegantly hip in a hairstyle that makes her resemble Gwen Stefani, she starts the song like a lounge singer, leaning against the piano but ends it in a powerful pop-soul mode, using all of her vocal power like a more restrained Mariah Carey.

Didn't catch the show? Check out their Week6 performances here:
http://rockstar.msn.com/video/performance/wk06

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Updated gig pics

Finally updated my Multiply Photos :D

Haven't been to a proper (proper?) bar gig since school started (except for Kjwan's vid launch, at side-trip lang yun nung gabing yun hehe), so puro mall gigs nalang muna ang dagdag sa pics ko :P Sorry, ganyan talaga addict, basta makita ang mga minamahal na banda, susundan kahit saan :D

P.S. Yaw ko na pumuntang SM Sucat, langyang traffic yan. Sana sa ATC or Festival naman sunod na mall gig ng kung sino ;)


Twilight Launch @ Gweilo's
02 July 2005
Kjwan's Twilight Vid Launch


OnL @ Tower Records SM North
29 July 2005
Orange and Lemons @ Tower Records SM North



OnL @ Tower Records Shangri-La
05 August 2005
Orange and Lemons @ Tower Records Shangri-La


Cambio w/ Twisted Halo @ SM Sucat
13 August 2005
Cambio with Twisted Halo @ SM Sucat


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Finally got to watch Twisted Halo again (haven't seen em since May I think), at nameet ko narin si Abe, ang bago nilang drummer. I'm no drum expert, pero nafeel ko na parang iba nga tunog ng Halo w/ Abe. Kumbaga he was able to add to the band's groove already. But then I sobrang loved watching Monmon play drums, what with the closed eyes, pouted lips, and graceful wrists, hehehe. So yun, nasenti tuloy ako kasi di na si Monmon yung nasa drumset.

- - - - -

Meron nakong ROCKESTRA tix!!! :D

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Umuwi ka na baby

Pansin ko lang, madalas may napapadpad dito sa blog ko because they searched for Orange and Lemons stuff. So para di naman sila mabigo, imma post the lyrics of Hanggang Kailan, my LSS for the past couple of days.

- - - - -

Hanggang Kailan

Castro-Fundales

Labis na naiinip
Nayayamot sa bawat saglit
Kapag naaalala ka
Wala naman akong magawa

Refrain:
Umuwi ka na baby
Hindi na ako sanay ng wala ka
Mahirap ang mag-isa
At sa gabi’y hinahanap-hanap kita…

Chorus:
Hanggang kailan ako maghihintay
Na makasama ka muli
Sa buhay kong puno ng paghihirap
Na tanging ikaw lang ang
Pumapawi sa mga luha
At naglalagay ng ngiti sa mga labi

‘Di mapigilang mag-isip
Na baka sa tagal
Mahulog ang loob mo sa iba
Nakakabalisa, knock on wood
‘Wag naman sana

(Repeat Refrain & Chorus except last word)
labi…

Umuwi ka na baby…
Umuwi ka na baby…
Umuwi ka na baby…
Umuwi ka na baby…
Umuwi ka na baby…
Umuwi ka na baby…

- - - - -

Funny quote from the
OnL thread at Peyups.com:
"crush ko si mccoy. pangit niya sa tv at pictures pero sa personal, mukhang delicious"

- - - - -

For more info on Orange and Lemons, check these out:
Official Site (still under construction)
Yahoogroups
Friendster
MySpace
Somewhere else in my blog

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Marty unplugged

Rockstar:INXS 08/10/05 Personal Recap

Suzie: Losing My Religion, REM
Wow, I loved the way she did that song! Pwedeng i-release as a remake, astig ng pagka-arrange! Suzie owes JD for that, hehehe.

Mig: All Right Now, Free
And MiG rocks as usual. Is there any song he can't do well? Haaay, sana talaga manalo siya! I mean, he's so right for the band diba? :D

JD: Crazy, Seal
No comment really. Nothing particularly bad nor good about his performance this week. What he did well this week was to advise Suzie about her performance. Good guy effect, hehehe.

Jessica - Come As You Are, Nirvana
Jessica prematurely celebrated when Dave said it was the best he's seen her...and then he added that it was in terms of her STYLE :P So basically, she looked great, but her performance sucked. And the guys of INXS agreed. So do I. Tancha ko bye-bye Jessica na 'to, unless someone else screws up tonight.

Jordis: Layla, Eric Clapton
Ehehehe, whoops, she almost dropped the mic :P Hmmm, she kinda looked lost tonight, I wonder why. (By the way, she just celebrated her 23rd birthday. Man, this young gal's waaay cool beyond her years.)

Brandon: It's All Over Now, Rolling Stones
Brandon is definitely in his element kapag classic rock. INXS, however, said they were looking for Brandon's element as part of INXS. I don't think he'll be in the bottom three tomorrow night, although I don't think he'll last long in the contest either.

Marty: Mr. Brightside, The Killers
Ngi, Marty unplugged 10 minutes before the performance, hehehe. I wonder how the house band felt about that. It was good though, and Dave and INXS actually loved it. I loved Marty's shirt, hehehe. Hindi siya ka-gwapuhan, but I find him attractive. Maybe it's because he's got this blond rocker/Kurt Cobain thing going. And I still can't pinpoint who he reminds me of, although my sister's mentioned Ralph Fiennes...prolly because of the nose :P

Deanna: Long Train Running, The Doobie Brothers
Yup yup, she did work the room. Kaso lang it was only her performance last week that caught my attention. I do agree that she oughtta try something different.

* After commenting that he wants to see Deanna sing something without belting it out, Kirk gets inspired by Marty's performance and says that they'll prolly have an all-acoustic round next week. Hmmm, interesting.

* Ang daming kanta this week na ngayon ko lang nalaman na yun pala title and artist nun :P

Ty: No Woman, No Cry, Bob Marley
Wow, he got a standing ovation from everyone in the room... Good for him, after how he did last week. Still, I don't think he's the guy INXS is looking for.

* Aba, nagpakita sila ng early results before the show ended. As of the show's end, it was Jessica, Brandon, and Deanna at the bottom three. Sabi ko na eh, Jessica'll get the boot this time. Let's see tomorrow night.

From the Rockstar:INXS official website:
Week 5 Recap
Videos of Week 5 performances

Explore the site, vids of all the performances from Week 1 are there. Lotsa info about the contestants too. Hehe, addict eh noh :P

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Adam Begins

Since we're on the topic of Counting Crows narin lang...
(Happy birthday Adam!!! - 08/01)

Gave Ebe a burned copy of Counting Crows' 'Flying Demos' and '2 Meter Sessions' for his birthday last May, and he was really appreciative, I was glad I made that bold move (di naman kasi kami close or anything).

As we talked about Counting Crows I realized that this guy loves the band as much as I do (CC lang naman yung most favorite band ko in the whole wide universe), and we even both loved the song "Anna Begins". He mentioned the site www.annabegins.com where Adam Duritz, that genius of a songwriter, tells us what the song is about.

Lyrics below (I always sing this as 'Adam Begins'); read Adam's heartbreaking story about Anna here.

Anna Begins - Counting Crows (c) 1993

My friend assures me "it's all or nothing"
I am not worried- I am not overly concerned
My friend implores me "for one time only, make an exception."
I am not worried
Wrap her up in a package of lies
Send her off to a coconut island
I am not worried - I am not overly concerned
with the status of my emotions
"Oh", she says, "you're changing."
But we're always changing
It does not bother me to say this isn't love
Because if you don't want to talk about it then it isn't love
and I guess I'm going to have to live with that
but I'm sure there's something in a shade of gray
or something in between
and I can always change my name if that's what you mean

My friend assures me "it's all or nothing"
But I am not really worried
I am not overly concerned
You try to tell yourself the things you try tell yourself
to makeyourself forget
to make yourself forget
I am not worried
"If it's love" she said,
"then we're gonna have to think about theconsequences"
cause she can't stop shaking
and I can't stop touching her and...

This time when kindness falls like rain
it washes her away
and Anna begins to change her mind
"these seconds when I'm shaking
leave me shuddering for days" she says.
And I'm not ready for this sort of thing

But I'm not gonna break
And I'm not going to worry about it anymore
I'm not gonna bend.
And I'm not gonna break and
I'm not gonna worry about it anymore
It seems like I should say "as long as this is love..."
But it's not all that easy so maybe I should just
snap her up in a butterfly net
Pin her down on a photograph album
I am not worried
I've done this sort of thing before
But then I start to think about the consequences
Because I don't get no sleep in a quiet room and...

This time when kindness falls like rain
it washes me away
and Anna begins change my mind
And every time she sneezes I believe it's love
and oh lord....
I'm not ready for this sort of thing
She's talking in her sleep
it's keeping me awake
And Anna begins to toss and turn
And every word is nonsense but I understand and oh lord
I m not ready for this sort of thing

Her kindness bangs a gong
It's moving me along
and Anna begins to fade away
It's chasing me away
She dissappears
and oh lord I'm not ready for this sort of thing

My happy thoughts - Rockstar, Sugarfree, Counting Crows

Some kababawans that made me smile today:

+ MiG's enjoyable "We Will Rock You" performance today at Rockstar:INXS. He's my bet, sila ni Jordis. Big disappointment if neither of them gets far in this competition.

Finally getting my Sugarfree shirt and pins from Klara - thanks for buying em for me! Ganda nung pins!

Actually bumping into Ebe, just over an hour after getting my Sugarfree merch, over at Greenbelt 4. Hi-hello-wachu-doin-here stuff lang. Mukha akong gago na sobrang nakatingi when we parted ways. That was a really pleasant surprise that capped off this day :)

Seeing Counting Crows' "Long December" on MTV's VH1 Collection tonight. Labs namin ni Ebe yang bandang yan, sobra.

- - - - -

I think I'll be listening to Counting Crows tonight...

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

MiG will rock you!

Rockstar:INXS, 08/04/05
(And the obsession continues...)

Mig - We Will Rock You, Queen
What can I say? I'm loving this guy! Go Mig!!! Rock us indeed!

Deanna - I'm the Only One, Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge pala yung kumanta nun. Galing, ngayon ko lang naappreciate si Deanna. She really worked up the crowd, and INXS and Dave as well. And she elicited the wittiest hirit of the night (see below).

Marty - With Arms Wide Open, Creed
Dave said his performance of "With Arms Wide Open" was the best he's seen for that song (so I guess he's no Creed fan either, hehehe). INXS loved it was well. But somehow, I didn't dig it. I like Marty though. I can't seem to put my finger on it, but he surely reminds me of someone...

Ty - Everlong, Foo Fighters
Uh oh. I guess he was rightly apprehensive about doing Everlong - a song he's never heard before. Sayang. The band and Dave didn't diss him though.


Jessica - Blister In The Sun, Violent Femmes
Oh ok, she did well with Blister in the Sun. I guess I'm starting to not dislike her.

Brandon - If You Could Only See, Tonic
I remember liking Brandon before, pero parang 'wala lang' siya ngayon. I love "If You Could Only See", and I didn't like how he did it, much the same with how he did "Hard to Handle", which I also love.

Jordis - Man Who Sold the World, David Bowie
I got goosebumps. Dave and INXS had nothing but praise for this dreadlocked rock chick. "So far, Jordis could do no wrong" indeed.

J.D. - The Letter, Joe Cocker
I wasn't familiar with the song, so I'm not sure if he did it justice. Though from what I saw, JD did well. I just find his stage moves awkward, manic JD seems to be back. Nevertheless, mukhang nabawi naman niya yung disastrous Champions stint niya last week.

Tara - Message in a Bottle, The Police
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't spectacular either. Ang masasabi ko lang is that this gal's flexible. She may not really shine like MiG, Jordis, or Ty do, but in my opinion she never really sucked in any genre. In fact, her take on Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", which landed her in the bottom three, was actually a good one.

Suzie - Get Back, The Beatles
Kinda laid back rendition. Dave and INXS praised it; I'd have preferred it more energetic. "Get back!" Suzie rocks, anyway. I hope she stays longer.

- - - - -

Hirits for the night:

Tim to MiG: After what J.D. did to "We Are the Champions", Brian May and the members of Queen will be really happy you did that (sabay focus ng cam kay J.D.)...no offense J.D.! *snicker*

Dave to Deanna: You're sister's here? And you held it together? *lol*

DJ to Dave: My sister says hello.