Top Seller. Yah. Yah.

There’s been a lot of talk about this next song, maybe many too much talk: "this song is not a rebel song…” And the rest, should I say, is history.

When someone asks: “How are you doing?” It doesn’t necessarily mean comparing past from present but merely asking if life is any good? As far as music in general here in the republic is concerned a handful is exceptional.

But the norm I guess is how fast someone can sell soda or beer with their song? Seemingly a large chunk of today's criterion is built on the frequency a band gets to play in mall sunday-programs, city municipal activities and those overly hyped-up product launchings.

I don’t subscribe to that point of view. I listen to music.

I listen to it, local or otherwise, because I wanted to listen to what they have to say, their experiences, there life circumstances. Is there a song passionate and truthful enough? Sadly, I have yet to hear a band from the local scene that displays the same passion and dedication as the bands of old, such as 40, The Ire and Frank.

People seem to have misconceptions about music in general. I don’t think that the local acts are doing their own thing – take away their gadgets, demeanor and garb they’re just poseurs.

I don’t subscribe to form over substance. I prefer the latter.

“Fly and be free” as a friend would say. Bands, locally, think they are truly doing their own thing but that distinction is not apparent at all. As far as I am concerned the local scene for me, for the most part of it, is ARTISTICALLY DEAD.

There, I said it! If you have a problem with that shoot me, but not after you've listened to this and find out for yourself what I mean.

"...ug nahikap ko...bola-bolang dako..."

Good mental health to you all!

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Ian Zafra: THE TRUE SURVIVORS

"I have to disagree when you say that the local scene isn't as great as it was then.

First off, it shouldn't be compared. Then is then and now is now. Each should be viewed differently. For example, you cannot compare Local Ground with The Outpost simply because the people then were nurtured differently - music in those times were not the same as what we have now.

Remember music is a stamp of culture and community.

I see that this is a common mistake among our fellow musicians... most of us prefer the old ways. But things must evolve and change for the better. Another mistake is that we usually view success as a unified understanding. But success is always relative. What is successful to me may not be successful to you. We musicians should learn to accept new things, new riffs, new kinds of music. We must survive and breathe with the times.

The survivors are not those who are the smartest or the strongest but those who have adapted to change."

RADIOQUARANTINE: Thanks Ian for sharing your thoughts.

The Next Segment

“Make your own kind of music; sing your own special song…even if nobody else sings along… (Cass Elliot)”

I thought the line was a good jump-off point for our next segment. It has been years since I gave myself time to listen in to my favorite radio station and sometimes my taxi ride provided me glimpses of what is going on in the local scene. Occasionally, the dial is tuned in to a station which plays local talents on a regular basis. I appreciate the fact that some of these stations are finally supporting local acts but I say that with caution.

If one would ask me about the state or the quality perhaps of the musical creation I only have one thing to say: It’s a joke!

I simply couldn’t enjoy myself listening to songs which ridicule human condition with careless arrogance. If this is the best the Queen City’s purported purveyor of the genre could offer then I submit it’s either the media is run by idiots or perhaps they simply couldn’t care less and is just riding on the waves of sniggers & guffaws generated by songs which I wouldn’t dare mention.

“Music should be used in order to make a serious statement” according to Morrissey of The Smiths. So, with the kind of staple playing on some local FM stations what statement are they trying to convey? Cass Elliot sang those lines as a reaction to the establish order that music should be good enough to sell. So, make your own kind of music but some wiseass would argue that in fact this is exactly what the local scene is doing singing their own kind of music. However, remember this “Suck the morrows of life but don’t choke on the bone… (Robin Williams). You tried to be different but at what expense? I know for a fact that there are a lot of talents out there who are passionate about music and that passion is actually reflected in their songs. Sadly, we have yet to hear from them.

Rise above mediocrity; dig into the deepest crevice of your soul and let your heart sing the most passionate word your voice could bellow. Sing against the established order with no fear. The first time I catch “the Ire” played on the radio – Eyes Above was the song - I thought the future of independent music in Cebu is bright. With limited resources that band was able to pull off something enviable. I thought that song has it all – excellent song and the recording was quite impressive.

Today’s “indies” are a far cry from the bands coming out in the early 90’s. I thought the whole scene is in regression.

Any thoughts from you music fans would be greatly appreciated.

-wormtongue

Strictly Music

It was headbanging until they made it funny. We meant the local acts. Seemingly bands no longer play good music, they're into singing jokes. They have gone as far as composing KUGMO songs and TAE songs. Geez.

We ask: what for? Grab attention?

Well that ultimately made Cebu's music scene somewhat a big prank. If you've been tuning closely to it we're certain you will have observed the same. It's not that you will care enough to scribe placards and yell “WE DESERVE QUALITY MUSIC!”. However in as quickly as you can dismiss and switch that dial to some better track, likely a foreign piece, you are part of the audience that deserves fine music - from the bands we call our own. If not for your time then at least to the batteries waning life in your portable tuner.

It's about time we do some spotchecking in this backyard. At first we were told to keep it easy and just enjoy, it was the high it brings afterall, they said. And so we did that we're even pass the malt limit to tolerate such butchering.

Music should be entertaining. It is given. A line, a repetitive phrase, or a full stretch of words integrated with a beat and some tune can be music to the ears. There are no hard rules to making it, no one could care less either. It's very essence – it is self expression.

It is when it becomes something else that makes this universal equation odd. When it no longer becomes self expression but a means to serve superficial objectives. The band who merely wanted to be famous, they have bred, ladies and gentlemen. And they would sing whatever you like just to get you into their fan base.

It is a sad unfolding. Now that there's easy access to musical instruments and studios, add to that audio editing softwares anyone can get a pirated copy of, and some play-all radio stations, it has become a large scale feat, without realizing its true casualty – the overall music scene. Time will be that Cebu's brand of music may fall purely under the likes of cheap novelty songs and fancy jingles.

Hence, we take this critical stance. We thought a straight-to-the-point review about the local scene will help those involved refine their craft, listeners and bands alike. This is no expert opinion and we are not the all-knowing, nonetheless, it is an opinion. If we say you suck, maybe because you really suck. That comment need not be made with a doctorate.

If you are with a band, stick around and we'll help you decide if you're better off as a rockstar or as stand-up comedian. If you're the faithful listener, we'll recommend which one is worth the following.

-yakult

Genesis Wisecracked.

I had a heated discussion with a colleague about My Chemical Romance and Lard. I argued how the latter is far better than the former in terms of sophistication when suddenly a voice proclaimed that Kim Chiu is far better than both combined.

After that wisecrack and considerable amount of chortle it occurred to me how diverse musical preferences are even for a small community such as a call center floor. And in this community, as far as my preferences are concerned, I could talk about music to only a handful. When I say “music” I don't mean your run-of-the-mill, corporate-sponsored kind of music but sensible tunes coming from exceptional tunesmiths.

Once, I played “Ocean” from the Dead Can Dance on the floor and people complained about the ghastly sound coming from my mobile phone. The reaction, as had been, was so predictable that in times I deliberately crank up the volume during “Avail Time” just to spite the philistine.

So people came up to me and asked, WHY? Why listen to that kind of music? To which I respectfully replied, “You hear things as it is and you ask why, but I hear things as it is not and ask why not?”

Why not listen to the Dead Can Dance? Why not immerse yourself in the eclectic sound of Beirut, Yo La Tengo and the Decemberist? These artists represent the best in their genre and highly acclaimed by critics.

Now how about the local acts? How has it been since “Local Ground?” Are the present acts worth looking into like the acts in the early 90's? Does the Zetgeist capture the same passion and vigor of the new music movement of that time?

And who the hell is Kim Chiu?

-wormtongue