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Friday, July 15th, 2005
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5:14 pm - The fourth iteration of Factory Records
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I just saw this today. Long live the Factory.
Go here if your interested.
current mood:  pleased
current music: CLAN OF XYMOX / no words
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(comment on this)
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| Tuesday, July 12th, 2005
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3:07 pm - Meeting the Dream King
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Weeks ago, I was told by a good friend of mine, Didpus Rex that Neil Gaiman would be coming to Manila c/o a bookstore called Fully Booked. Wow! This is chance that you don't want to pass up right? (Well, that's if you know the author.) And in my case, yes I knew him through the comic books I read. So far, here are my top Gaiman stories are Death: The High Cost Of Living, Neverwhere and Stardust.
My wifey, being a fan too rushed to the bookstore. They said that we can get stuff signed if we bought books from them. Ensuring our chance, we bought two books. That gave us two raffle stubs was equivalent to having five items signed. Feeling confident, we waited for the day our brief lives would be changed.
Day one (July 09): I got news that besides pass that we already got from purchasing books, we had to get another number. However, when we found out it was too late. The number was already at 700+ because people were already lined up so early. This already made me feel disappointed, decieved, and utterly pissed. What good did buying a book do when it didn't even guarantee my items to be signed? Still, we went to Rockwell to check out the event. I tried to talk to the Fully Booked staff to get a number, but all they can say was sorry. Yeah, they did change the mechanics. I felt like punching someone. But being a father and a rational person, I controlled myself.
Day two (July 10): Another day. I was hoping that things would be better. Oh, it was worst. The line this time was outside the bookstore. People were cued under the sweltering heat. Yes, it was HOT! I tried to get in the bookstore but the staff here were rude. I decided not to pursue what I wanted to do. Besides, it was a family day. I was happy spending time with them food triping around Greenhills.
Day three (July 11): Last chance. This time it was in the Cubao branch of the bookstore. This time we were able to get a number (144). They said that there were only 150 numbers issued. And those who wanted to take a chance, should wait. At this point, I didn't believe anything these guys were saying. So, we waited. Before our line could get moving, they let those from yesterday go ahead. It was a two-hour wait. Before reaching my turn, the staff said I could have three items signed. It was originally five items. When it was my turn, they said that only two items will be signed. Again, they changed the rules. These passes shouldn't have been issued at all. But hey, I got to meet the Dream King. My anger goes away.
Day three (July 11): PM. We got a meesage from my friend asking if we wanted to take a chance to see the Dream King in his hotel. I was wondering how he found out. It was a process of elimination. And we got lucky. At around 12:30 am, we saw him. But seeing the way he was, we let him be. He needed more sleep than we did. And he had a flight to catch. Furthering reading this way or this way.
current mood:  tired
current music: COLDPLAY / square one
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, July 8th, 2005
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10:33 am - Now hiring, country President
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The Philippines currently has the most colorful history to date. What have we had recently?
a. Our first lady President in '86
b. People Power called EDSA is now a trilogy
c. Our actor President, whose name is ERAP (actually spelled backwards is PARE, which means buddy - go figure), not a bad thing, if he actually knew what he was doing
d. Another actor who wanted to become a President
e. Actors and actresses holding government offices, not a bad thing too if ...
f. Veteran government officials continue to enrich their pockets
g. And now, our President who admitted to take part in some form of election fraud is stepping down?
Next contestant please.
current mood:  scared
current music: DANNY WILSON / mary's prayer
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, July 6th, 2005
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11:32 am - Looks like a nation can turn into a circus
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With all this talk about the Garci tapes, the dishonesty of the President, violence and on-going corruption, what happens to the rest of us? The forgotten people of the Philippines who remains deep in debt.
I think even if we put a "FOR SALE" sign over our country, no one would be interested anymore. Don't you think we should have remained colonized by the Americans before. Imagine, we wont strive to get a VISA to go to the US. And like Hawaii, we can still maintain our individuality. Or hey, even just remain colonized by the Spaniards? We'd be dealing in Euros now.
Now, we're left behind by our other Asean neighbors. These are the people who came to our country to study English or be in graduate school. And now, just take cinema as example. Korean movies are considered the French new wave in movies; Chinese films are being promoted in Hollywood; Japanese films are being redone by the Americans; Indian films get to be aired in Star TV. Thai films make it big in our country.
And while government officials work on "important matters", our country remains gloomy.
When will we ever learn?
Here's an article on what is happening in the Philippines.
current mood:  apathetic
current music: THE FALL / c.r.e.e.p
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(5 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, July 1st, 2005
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5:26 pm - Revolt of the working class
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I hate paying taxes. It absolutely does nothing for me or for anyone.
And it doesn't even go to basic stuff like education, sports or road works. All you see are a bunch of black Suburban vehicles with flashing lights and annoying sirens plowing their way through traffic with a bunch of paid cops by their side. They don't even experience a normal everyday traffic jam. So, they can never sympathize with any of us for even the simplest things. Geesh, they don't even pay taxes. They'd probably just wake up everyday with money in their bank account given by some "non-existent" person.
Imagine if the entire Filipino working class didn't pay taxes for a month. Do you think the government would take things seriously? ..... You kidding?
current mood:  rushed
current music: SOULGROUND / we play house
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, June 24th, 2005
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10:35 am - Sessionroadzia - WTF!
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This maybe be old news, but I just found this out last night.
Check out these links: Superdrag boards, Funhouse Show, further discussions.
I wonder if their record label knew about this. It's worst than downloading songs.
The sad part is that this will create a bad stain for Filipinos again. This really sucks!
current mood: irritated
current music: SUPERDRAG / garmonbozia
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, June 23rd, 2005
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11:02 am - Have you heard of The Hepburns?
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Now that I'm in the mood to start posting again, here is my interview with Matt of The Hepburns sometime in 2003 :-)
I read somewhere that Hepburn is the name of an old and powerful family noted throughout the whole history of Scotland for their turbulence and for their disloyalty. Their designation is said to have been derived from a place called Hepborne or Hayborn in Northumberland, from which Adam Hepburn, the founder of the family, came in the reign of David II.
Thinking about it is quite scary but listening to the band is just the opposite. The Hepburns I know is an 80s Welsh band that have recorded a 12" and an album on the indie label Cherry Red and only to re-appear again in 2000 with a three-inch CD album called Champagne Reception under the classy Radio Khartoum.
The Last Thing I Saw Before I Said Goodbye is The Hepburns' album for 2003 and marks the debut of James White (brass, keys) and Jen White (flute, backing vocals) alongside the now classic trio of Matt Jones (guitar, voice, songs), Mike Thomas (bass guitar) and Pat Grover (drums).
I had the priviledge of interviewing The Hepburns. Matt had a unique way of answering my questions. So I decided to leave it the way he wrote it. And just so that you won't get confused, the questions I asked are found at the end of this article.
Mario: Answers to your questions.
In reverse order. Mike first started playing the bass in about 1984. I formed my first band in 1979. Pat Grover has been playing in bands since the late 1960s, when he lived in Ladbroke Grove after moving to London from his native Newcastle. As Outkast say “What’s cooler than being cool?” Pat Grover is “Ice cold!”
The most fulfilling part for me is writing the songs on an acoustic guitar in my kitchen, but also seeing Mike and Pat’s reaction when they hear them for the first time. We practice in Mike’s shed once a week on Tuesday nights. When we play in the studio we try to recapture the ‘in the shed’ sound.
Back in 1979, when I first started writing, I was listening to and influenced by so many brilliant bands. There was Orange Juice (Postcard era), The Monochrome Set, most of the groups off the Cherry Red Pillows & Prayers compilation including Ben Watt, The Marine Girls and The Passage. I was also a huge fan of Magazine. Howard Devoto is one of my favourite lyricists - along with Ian Dury - and The Correct Use of Soap (which is) one of my all time favourite albums. People talk about the band sounding like Nick Drake, but I didn’t hear a song of his until a couple of years ago. The countrified inflections in the tunes come from listening to Jake Thackray. I got the ska bug from The Specials, then started listening to some Trojan stuff. May I recommend for your readers “Ram Goat Liver” by Pluto Shervington - a classic. Oh, I almost forgot The Smiths. I saw them five times on their UK tour (83 or 84) and got to meet Morrissey after the Swansea gig. I gave him some of my lyrics and my home address but he never got back to me. His loss, not mine.
Side note one:
Mario: What was the song you gave Morrissey?
Matt: The song I gave Morrissey was Reel Around The Fountain! He, he! Actually it was an early work called Little Hope & Call. It sounded more like Orange Juice than The Smiths, quite 'jaunty', the lyric went something like "You have a pact with the devil, oh little hope and little call, your fleeting smile will do us all...in!" Not bad eh? I was about 18 when I wrote it.
Mario: Not bad. Not bad at all.
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We don’t gig much. The most unique gig was supporting the House Of Love at the Camden Falcon in 1988. Halfway through our set we brought on veteran Llanelli cabaret entertainer, Mr Roger Forsyth, who sang The Sheikh of Araby in an eye patch and with a parrot on his shoulder! He brought the house down. Cherry Red, to whom we were signed at the time, spent ages trying to get us to release the song, previously covered by Clinton Ford, the trombonist. I wish we had now.
We didn’t sign to RK (Radio Khartoum). Alexander is much too cultured to get anybody to sign anything! Seriously, the RK set up is more like a Berkeley collective and its boss an avid music enthusiast. He couldn’t be further from a music industry type which is why we all get along so well.
About songs from The Last Thing I Saw Before I Said Goodbye: Tokyo Rollerball Cheerleader Chant is a nonsense rhyme. I normally put a lot of hard work into lyric writing, pursuing the killer line or phrase - it helps my vocal performance if there’s a good storyline, helps me put some feeling into it. With Tokyo there’s only one line repeated throughout the song. So the challenge here, obviously, was to let the tune instead of the words carry the song. With James White playing trumpet I think we just about pulled it off. Not forgetting several generations of the venerable Mr. Grover’s family, three of his children and his wife packed into a tiny recording booth at Loco - unforgettable. The instrumental tracks are a product of watching too much television when I was a kid then listening to loads of John Barry and Burt Bacharach later on. There is a certain caché associated with ‘lounge’ and easy listening, but I just like anything with a strong and affecting melody, always have done.
Side note two:
Mario: Where do you guys usually record? Can you tell us about the place?
The studio we work in is wonderful. It's called Steer and used to be part of a coal mine. The studio itself was a "washery" where they used to wash and weigh the coal. As my grandfather and father were both miners it is good to be carrying on the family tradition. The enigineer, Ali, says that the ghosts of the old miners are watching over us!
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About our EP Deciphering Linear A: When myself and Alexander were working our way through the 60 or so tracks for “The Last Thing I Saw…” trying to sort out a running order we decided that “What if Everyone Got What They Wanted” was strong enough to stand up on its own as a single. When vinyl was the established format for releasing singles it wasn’t uncommon for songs not featured on albums to be released, e.g. “Gangsters” by The Specials, my favourite single of all time. And anyway, I had always harboured an ambition to release a 45. Maybe someday we’ll release one in coloured vinyl or even dayglo? As for everyone getting what they wanted, you asked would there be peace? Well, that might not be what everybody wants. For instance, what if I had something that you wanted and I wouldn’t give it to you?
At the moment I’m listening to Keane, Junior Senior, Franz Ferdinand, Outkast, George Formby (the ukelele player), Cessna and The Lucksmiths. The most exciting of these is probably Keane - passion and self-belief reminiscent of The Smiths - but I’ve got a creeping suspicion they could end up stadium rockers like Coldplay. They’ve already been compared to A-ha - so each step is plagued with danger. This Is The Last Time is pure genius, though.
The best gig I ever went to? Too hard to say. Although Echo and the Bunnymen at Newcastle City Hall, 1982, was incredible. The artist with whom I’d most like to collaborate is Ian Dury but as he’s dead I’d have to do it through a medium. Working with Madonna would be fun! I’d love to hear her singing some of my lyrics and I wouldn’t even mind if they got some big shot like William Orbit in to produce her. Like to hear a Junior Senior edit of some Hepburns stuff, too.
Biog stuff: I have a daughter (17) who lives with her mother, her step-dad and her two sisters on the Isle of Mull. Mike has two kids, William and Molly (1 ½ and 6). Pat has three daughters and two sons by several marriages. We all have day jobs. I’m a civil servant, Mike is a teacher and Pat works for the local social services delivering toilets!
Side note three:
Mario: Hmm, I think Pat has a great career and probably gets paid the most.
Yes, Pat definitely has the best job. He delivers a wide range of household appliances for people who are "housebound" which just goes to reinforce my belief that he is a guardian angel in a Slazenger baseball cap! I don't know who gets paid the most, but I'm sure that Pat has untold riches stuffed into his mattress!
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Digital music distribution: The Hepburns would most likely be dead and buried if it wasn’t for the advent of the Internet and Mr. Bailey’s timely intervention in resuscitating the band. It follows, I think, that we have to be positive about any means at our disposal for getting our music to a wider audience. That said, RK is dependent on people actually buying our music rather than, say, peer-to-peer file sharing. I’m not concerned with the illegality of this behaviour so much as the immorality of putting someone as nice as Alexander out of business. And his artwork is so lovely, you’d be better off just buying the CD.
As for The Last Thing I Saw Before I Said Goodbye? (It) was the inside of the lid of my eye. Or more accurately, a crumpled can of Baltic lager, 5% ABV, available from any branch of CKs supermarket, 8 for a fiver.
Matt Jones, 2004
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Here were my interview questions.
Talk about the past
How long have you guys been making music? What is the most fulfilling part of it?
I am only familiar with some of your releases from Radio Khartoum and songs from compilations.
After all these years, what does your discography look like?
Tell us how you got signed to Radio Khartoum?
What made you decide to start a band?
Who were your heroes then?
Do you guys get to gig a lot? Which was the most unique?
The Last Thing I Saw Before I Said Goodbye (my comments and some questions on the album)
Ok, this is catchy ... Tokyo Rollerball Cheerleader Chant ... any idea what it is about? I'd really like to see a video on this. Hehehe :-)
I like High Street Fashion. The vocals take me back to my post punk days, while the laid back loungey sound is just me today.
What do you mean when you say, I've Seen Your Sort Before? Is it equivalent to saying, I've seen your ways before?
Another favorite album track is Smaller Than Life. The melody reminds me of the Pale Fountains, especially when the horns come in. It makes me smile. "I could be a redwood
maybe, reach up to the sky ..."
The Girl Who Lost Everything and Coach Park No. 6 are, for me, trademark Hepburns tracks. Belle & Sebastian must have been secretly listening to you guys.
The Happy Bachelor is a semi ska-track that keeps me semi-dancing.
The instrumental tracks (Hotel Grover, Themonic Possession) cater to my love for film soundtracks. Great for head-bobbing and foot stomping.
Now, on to your EP, Deciphering Linear A, here are my comments and some questions:
What was the reason for the EP? Why weren't they in the album?
I love the art cover. Who did it
What If Everyone Got What They Wanted sounds like anthem. And you're right, life would be a bore. But do you think there would be peace, if everyone got what they wanted?
Other matters
Besides the music you make, what are you currently listening to?
What was the best concert attended? Why?
Which artists now-a-days do you find most exciting? Why?
Given the chance, who would you want to collaborate with on your music? Why?
Do you guys have side projects? Whether as the Hepburns or individually? Can you tell us about it?
Do you guys have families? Kids?
Day jobs anyone? What do you do?
As we move into the future, what are your thoughts on digital music distribution?
Finally, what was the last thing you said when you said goodbye?
-photo courtesy of Radio Khartoum
current mood: sleepy
current music: SECRET SOUNDS / come back home
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, June 22nd, 2005
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5:30 pm - Let's Terno Au Go Go once more
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For more info about Terno bands, head on here.
current mood: restless
current music: BEN WATT / lone cat
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(comment on this)
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5:14 pm - Back in the groove
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Hi Everyone!
This is really amazing. I was able to find the password for my LJ. And now, this is my first post in ages. Hahaha! I hope my friends are still here. Please drop me a note when you can. I need to be updated. How's ur music life? What's new or old or have recently discovered or liked? Oh dear, I have to update my pic too :-D
Cheerio!
current mood: amused
current music: CAT POWER / keep on runnin'
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| Tuesday, July 22nd, 2003
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4:09 pm - The Fridge playlist 20030721
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01. EPHEMERA / oh yeah
02. THE STEINBECKS / geology
03. BELLE & SEBASTIAN / dirty dream number two
04. ANTHONY ROCHESTER / elephants
05. LAURA WATLING / october
06. MAJESTIC / nyra & michelle
07. CASSINO / consecuencias
08. DUBSTAR / popdorian
09. THE SPANISH AMANDA / port sunlight
10. ULTRAMARINE / the place
11. HOOVERPHONIC / innervoice
12. BJORK / venus as a boy
13. NO MAN / soft shoulders
14. PURPLE SUBMARINE ORCHESTRA / happy talks
15. APRIL MARCH / sometimes when i stretch
16. ANTENA / camino del sol
17. CHIHARU IWAMOTO / kiss
18. HELENA AZUL / mon bel andalou
19. THE WAKE / town of 85 lights
20. THE WAKE / crush the flowers
21. THE FIELD MICE / coach station reunion (live)
22. TERRY HALL / first attack of love
23. THE PEARLFISHERS / over and over
24. RODDY FRAME / turning the world around
25. 1000 VIOLINS / if only words
26. THE DESERT WOLVES / love scattered lives
27. KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION / he holds her, he needs her
28. BRITTLE STARS / trip me up
29. SPRING / hysteria 67
30. BRIGHTSIDE / i will set you free
current mood: mischievous
current music: ISABELLE ANTENA / les poisson des mers du sud
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, July 8th, 2003
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8:06 pm - Get ghettified
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| Monday, June 30th, 2003
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6:56 pm - dance, dance, dance to the radio!
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| Thursday, June 26th, 2003
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8:24 pm - My LJ is rated ...
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8:22 pm - Licensing songs, MSN 6 and WindowsMedia 9
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Besides managing content for the music section of PinoyCentral ... yes, there is still one ... thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) duruttiboy ... I'm also tasked to licensing songs for wireless content. I constantly call, email and harass publishing companies for songs that we convert into ringtones.
The work is quite simple if you think of it. I just follow what songs are on the MYX Hit Chart, hunt for the publishers, and get the license from them. What's taxing is the constant calling and following up. I'm not a nagger and I don't like nagging ... but in this case, I have to be one. It gets tiring - believe me.
And for the past three weeks now, I've been hunting for songs by F4 and Meteor Garden. At the office, I have to listen to more of these songs to get myself familiar. Then, when I get home .. more from Meteor Garden. The craze is just all over. Sometimes, I feel I know how to speak Mandarin.
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Recently, Windows have been improving their products. If you've downloaded MSN 6 and Windows Media 9, you'd probably know why.
For MSN 6, they added a feature customizing your avatar. Nothing really new. But it's quite a trip when you put up all sorts of pics. Plus, there's are a whole lot more of emoticons and backgrounds.
For Windows Media 9, the most noticable feature is that you can dock your player on the taskbar when minimized. It really looks so sleek when it miniturized and docked. Something that Winamp 3 can't do besides being so freakin slow. Try it. Oh. by the way, you've got to be using XP for this.
Well, enough of this free ad for Mr. Gates. How I wish he'd read this and send me a super-powered PC. Hehehe.
current mood: jubilant
current music: JOE BATAAN / latin funk brother
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| Thursday, June 19th, 2003
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8:04 pm - 14 days
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it's been close to two weeks that i haven't eaten rice, bread, noodles or anything that has carbo.
i don't feel skinnier, but i do feel lighter. i don't know what's going to happen to me after ... hope its something good.
i miss eating pizza ....
current mood: drained
current music: PENNY DAI / ni yao de ai
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| Tuesday, June 17th, 2003
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5:48 pm - You know you want it ...
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It's now official. Factory Girl Records is pleased to present its debut release - Working Titles.
Some people already got their copy. You should too.
It's all for a good cause.
current mood: shameless
current music: AL GREEN / let's stay together
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| Tuesday, June 10th, 2003
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11:46 am - The Fridge playlist for 20030609
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| Wednesday, June 4th, 2003
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8:29 pm - Friends through compatibility ... is it true?
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| Tuesday, June 3rd, 2003
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8:21 pm
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8:12 pm - The Fridge playlist for 20030602
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01. PAUL WELLER / love-less
02. THE MAKE-UP / we can't be contained
03. CINERAMA / model spy
04. THE BLUE NILE / tomorrow morning
05. MALCOLM ROSS / low shot
06. HOLIDAY / everything you say
07. MY FAVORITE / you belong to us
08. LUSH / monochrome
09. BETH GIBBONS / romance
10. COLOR FILTER / clouds of summer (junior varsity remix)
11. KOMEDA / a simple formality
12. APRIL MARCH / up above
13. CAMERA OBSCURA / keep it clean
14. TURIN BRAKES / pain killer (summer rain)
15. SOFT PILLOW KISSES / i don't know what to say
16. RED SLEEPING BEAUTY / the young pretenders
17. TAHITI 80 / heartbeat
18. ARABESQUE / the boy from brazil
19. RITA CALYPSO / kinky love
20. TESTBILD! / molloy in orbit
21. THE ALUMINUM GROUP / chocolates
22. CIBO MATTO / flowers
23. ALAN RANKINE / days and days
24. PAUL HAIG / running away
25. BRITTLE STARS / souvenir (OMD)
26. GALAXY 500 / ceremony (new order)
27. THE CLIENTELE / i had to say this
28. TRUE LOVE ALWAYS / cashmere
29. THE BRILLIANT CORNERS / anticipation
30. THOMAS DOLBY / one of our submarines
After a two-week absence, The Fridge goes back on air. Yes, it still can only be heard in the Southern Metro. However, the frequency has changed. Instead of 102.3, its now at 106.3. It think the reception is clearer.
Besides the main man, RJ, who owns the station, there were other blokes present. One of them was Diego. After the show, we had a good conversation about music and about selfish people. I hope skipscada and the others get to come over next week.
current mood: hopeful
current music: EAST VILLAGE /
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working