indie cred pt.2

After the “indie cred” entry, i’ve had some requests to post some mp3s of the posted covers. Fret not as i will be posting mp3s soon but just not yet. I still have to devise a way wherein i can monitor who actually downloads them. I might have to really enforce membership for this blog but that’s not to happen that soon so relax. In place of that i post some more covers. This time, various album sleeves of 33 1/2 Long Playing vinyl albums part 1. click right HERE

my favourite shop

Arguably,the closest place you can get stuff you normally can’t or won’t find here in Manila is HK and in HK there are places to get records, hard to find dvd titles, especially on music and (foreign,independent,avant- garde,cult) film. Not everyone knows where to find these small shops and i have several secret locations i’m not quite ready to disclose just yet but one of the best sources for indie and electronic music dvds had recently been shut down. I’m sure you can read between the lines why but it was good while it lasted. R.I.P

One man’s trash,another man’s treasure. a re-post.

Years ago i contributed articles to Elan, the Philippine Daily Inquirer special supplement and one of the better features i’ve managed to put out is this little piece on collecting. I’m thinking it’s just the right time for a re-post after all, it is the simple yet complex world of The Collector. Just click and zoom in.

balancing act

I mentioned a few entries before how i try to balance the material i mix with every episode of Deep Fried (the radio show). Meaning as much as possible i try to put in tracks that are more rock oriented, whether remixes or “new school” electro alongside the more pure house and/or techno as to not totally alienate the average rock listener on NU107.

After all i’m counting on the rock people to get into it (and dance at Deep Fried,the dance night) and for them to realize that the mickey mouse dance music they hear on the variety shows or in the many bars cum clubs all over the metro doesn’t represent the real thang.

I realize that it may not be enough in words though so just to give you a more concrete audio sample, here’s a free mp3 download of Deep Fried Episode 6. It’ll be hard to sustain every episode as i’m not exactly a big fan of most of the new rave/fidget stuff that’s all over the net but i’m being open minded about it and every now and then there’s some exceptional tracks or passable at least, so there should be a couple or two per episode. As for the unadulterated good House tracks, be it deep or tech etc., they’ll definitely make the bulk of the hour for people to get familiar and condition themselves to the more underground tracks.

Yes, and by that i don’t mean Chicane or Tiesto. Please, let’s keep it cheese free. If not, you might as well give me a gun so i can shoot myself. Enjoy.

drowning in my nostalgia

Continuation and Part II of Past Foward entry. Starting off with some Consortium pics taken by the great Eddie Boy Escudero…

Consortium residents Cocoy P and myself. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

Jamie Bissmire of Space DJz. All around great guy. Rode with me on my Vespa after the gig on the way to after gig breakfast shouting "We are the mods,we are the mods" in reference to Quadrophenia of course. A mod/b-boy/ techno dj. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

I have no idea who he is but he looks fierce and has a nice Consortium shirt on. There were probably a hundred or so of this printed for a crowd of 3,000 so it's a rare item and anyone who still have theirs in good condition might want to get in touch with me. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

Cecile Z. A regular at the Consortium parties. Grocery, her store then, was part of Consortium,selling clothes for the 90's local rave generation. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

Detroit techno innovator Derrick May gracing the decks at Consortium. Check out the Adidas banner. Yup, my favorite brand supported COnsortium .Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

the fashionable set were definitely also represented at Consortium. Photo By Eddie Boy Escudero.

...as well as the rockers( Krishna M and Nathan-then with Rivermaya) which shows some were actually open to it then and maybe inspire others for Deep Fried? Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero

Karl Roy resting for a bit. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

The one and only John Glenn of Blue Cafe and friends were regulars at Consortium. In fact the experiment, that is Consortium was first held at Blue Cafe when Malate was about to get really hot. Photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

rod t.another Groove Nation dj. photo by Eddie Boy Escudero.

at Consortium...no comment. photo by eddie boy escudero

Noel dB and Rod T. photo by Eddie Boy Escudero

Doc Martin-one of my idols and an amazing dj with great taste in music. Really good guy and somewhat my mentor when i was trying to get in the L.A. underground scene.

Sample flyer to the smaller Groove Nation in betweener to Consortium named after The Jam's rousing tune!

a break from Consortium with samples of Los Angeles rave flyers during those halcyon days. Standard clubbing in clubs can be claimed by NY,SF and Chicago but really from recollection, the “raves” really flourished first in L.A as far as the US is concerned. Introduced mostly by British expats who infiltrated the club scene in L.A. playing mostly house and techno music from Chicago and Detroit! Go figure. Ping Pong in full effect. I must have gone to hundreds from 89 to 93. From dark, abandoned warehouses to normal establishments during the day, rave location by night as well as glamorous old buildings like the Park Plaza to the Union Station and amusement parks.

I think this is one of the reasons why people really dance abroad and not just stand around or make chit chat. This was the low average price to most raves back in the day with some going as much as $40. Then again, majority of the "party people " here in Manila do pay that and more nowadays and still just stand around and chit chat like they're at a dinner party. So maybe not many here are value for money conscious? That or Manila really is the Hamptons and people are moneyed ?

afternoon ravin' @ Venice Beach. Ahh,the love for beats.

Lava Lounge drink list by Agu P...Dig that dilis! oops, my mistake that's on the menu which i have yet to find.

Lizza N and Koro during the Lotus Eaters/Rivermaya recordings that didn't see the light of day.

Juan Nunez of Wax Records L.A.. Sadly, majority of the record stores in L.A. have now gone belly up and are just existing online.

Cyril Y.,Simone of DSound and Pepi D.

Lourd, Peter Coyle(The Lotus Eaters)Jay I., Joonee G. and Jem Kelly(The Lotus Eaters)

In a LOMO moment gone wrong -Jay J (Moulton Studios SF/naked), Rica,Pepi and vocalist Latrice Barnett.

goodbye

Up Dharma Down say goodbye to their debut album Fragmented(2006) with the video to We Give In Sometimes. Here’s sample screenshots of this terrific video from Ivan Despi@ The Acid House , the same guy responsible for Radioactive Sago Project’s Alaala Ni Batman,in collaboration with Everywhereweshoot and Inksurge.

You may request for the video on Myx and Mtv.

Goodbye Fragmented. Hello Bipolar.

past forward

Yesterday, i stumbled upon a bag full of old pictures,papers,fliers from back in the day. It’s amazing how time flies and how we’ve changed, improved or failed throughout the years. There were lots of good times and equally bad experiences but all in all, essential in what we may be doing today. It’s good to look back every now and then,in order to move to the future.

One day you’re selling records then you’re on radio, the next time you part own a bar and when you wake up you’re married with kids, managing bands and running a small label. Along the way you meet different people, some of which are still around and some are gone, much like places and things. Here’s a few examples of miscellaneous goings-on that had something to do with my yesterday, in correlation to today and possibly,even tomorrow.

flier for the opening of the “way ahead of its time” bar for the local lounge lizards circa 1998

the original Groove Nation partners. Arnel F.,Alde A. and myself.

The Verve Room where Mario was the resident dj and yours truly guested every now and then.

my co-host Myrene(Sandwich/Imago) at the old NU107 station for Groove Nation Sessions 94-96

with Boo Kyler during the RT years for Groove Nation's After Hours

my Vespa taken by Neil Oshima

the actual mag ad featuring the Vespa

with Jason Bentley of Metropolis on KCRW/Quango Records and then girlfriend Veronica.

Some of the coolest Jap friends of mine and the GN crew. Shigeru and Koro. Not in picture is Hiro. Our excellent visual graphic jocks and former partners in Lava Lounge.

Alde and Arvin.A couple of my really really good friends. Here in fookin' Manchester vibe circa 1990

Regulars at the store then. Bob Y,Felisa and my cousin AJ G.

old friends from highschool/mobile days in the 80s. Maly and Boom of Violent Playground and also at one point,singer of VP,actor and news anchor Manoy

Jonny, Pepi at 1 1/2, myself and Kim of DSOUND

our beloved top dogs Margot and Georgie who just recently passed away after 14 years of making us happy.

those of you who went to Groove Nation should know Carlo O. and Joel G.(my best friend) who were behind the counter pre-dating High Fidelity shenanigans. Right here in their glorious 80s new wave pose. Carlo is currently with Ben Sherman/Paul Smith and Joel resides in the US.

Noel dB, now of Sweetspot and engineer for Up Dharma Down with the other GN guys Doy and Cocoy at the old 99.5RT studio for SNL with Boo Kyler

Gienel! Koro and Hiro- the best visual graphics guys and way before the term video jock came about. Great friends as well. Also in the picture is Paolo , another good friend and supporter

Benedictine Abbey School school mates of mine, Jocson brothers and Joel in the US. Young, Pinoy and in the snow. New Wave chong!

Peter Coyle of The Lotus Eaters with good friend and Groove Nationale Karlo at the dinner hosted by my cousin Cherish.

Cocoy, Myself, Jon Hardy,Chez Damier(standing), Derrick Carter and Paolo t. in 98

take your pick...The Fat Boys? Ant & Dec? I have no idea how they were able to convince us to pose like this in Boracay but here it is. You may stop laughing now.

Laurent Garnier and i at the best Consortium ever in 97

After store hours we usually hangout a bit. Felisa,Patrick,myself,my cousin Louie and John "B-Boy" Deakins

no, it ain't Bagets nor The Gwapings, It's Positive Noise L.A. chapter. Edwin & Robert Maclife,Dwight A., Dan S. Lots of good times with these bunch and yes ,we were hamming it up for the cam!

For the Halloween party around 97 at Ramon Magsaysay Center in Malate, Mario S dressed as uhm, of course, Mario of Mario Brothers and Ces G. as some housefwife in curlers.

A Youth and a couple of Muhlachs

more Muhlachs

One of my early bookings and with an itsy bitsy billing alongside L.A.underground staples of the day and the great Doc Martin himself. check out the Toti D. spelling. I suppose you can guess why. If not, say my name with an American twang.

Aphrodite, Christian Smith and Misstress Barbara and the press at Lava Lounge

9 Fanzine

Mutual Admiration Society

Tracey Thorn and fanboy with the"pinch me i must be dreaming "look.

Vividly remember this tour and dancing to Greame Park at the Mayan dropping really low BPM tracks like Inner City's "Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin" and Saint Etienne's version of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"

one of Seal's best known songs "killer" is originally an Adamski 12"single featuring a then unknown Seal .Here, he gamely holds a placard promoting Positive Noise. No Groove Nation, Terno Recordings yet in the offing.

3 of the still,very active and loyal Groove Nation people around. Mario and Gina S., Cyril Y.

3 of the cast of Melrose Place Bgy Groove Nation. Felisa,Benjie L.and Belle currently with NU107

my former partners in Quiapo vintage watch expeditions Agu P(now editor of Men's Health mag and the guy responsible for the striking Groove Nation logo) and Karlo, full time husband and writer at large.

This a shocker i know but this was Oakenfold pre-prog and trance crap-ola, when he was still putting out good stuff like Movement 98 and produced the Happy Mondays' Pills,Thrills & Bellyache. What i find more shocking is my Tom Hingley inspired bowl cut. It made me look more like Efren Reyes Jr.!

a little recent but connected. Pepi was just 3yrs.old here,with friend Noelle

my bosses

pepi age 3 then at Terno Au Go Go with Carlos. Heavy Duty...Rock & Roll.

rajo,yes the designer at Consortium.

Cecile Zamora's Grocery at Consortium

The actual test print of the Groove Nation(store)logo done by an Angeleno.

the Groove Nation paper cd bag

sample fan mail of Groove Nation Sessions

first episode of Groove Nation Sessions

is this old skool or what?

again with the name (towdi dee)

kid rock

I warned you didn’t i?

I love my kids and they surely love music despite their age.  Pepi is 6yrs. old and Paddy’s only a 1yr. and a half. I’ve often been teased by Lourd of Radioactive Sago Project that my kids would probably like the opposite of what I’m into in terms of music. For example, if i listen to, say, Black Flag then they would probably be listening to Black Eyed Peas. Pretty funny and scary all at the same time but Pepi and even Paddy have proven, that’s not the case. Quite evident it’s in the blood but if that notion is hogwash to most, then at the very least, it’s the environment that dictates the outcome. It’s really what you expose your kids to.

Before you contact Bantay Bata, no i don’t tie them to a chair and force them to listen to Craig Armstrong or Ryuichi Sakamoto till they’re brainwashed. In fact, anything age appropriate in the Disney/Nickelodeon/Cartoon Network/Sesame Street are encouraged but when they’re constantly within hearing distance of what’s on rotation on the Ipod or turntable, they really get curious and are drawn to the music. They develop a taste for it and i suppose, further strengthened by the “its in the blood” theory.

Well, so far so good.

the future Steve & Doug Butabi or Hall & Oates

in case you missed it

Shameless plugging but these are some of the releases Terno put out the past few months. Available at Astrovision, Odyssey, SM and Fully Booked.

PARAMITA's second album

Swissy's debut album

and in the stores in a week or so before the end of September…

Ang Bandang Shirley

indie cred

Ever since Terno Recordings’ inception I’ve been hearing murmurs within the very small, local “indie/indiepop” faction how Terno’s not that credible as a bonafide “indie” label (in terms of sound facet and not just the process) being that the artists on Terno aren’t really all “indie” and Terno’s not to be considered as an indie label in the same sense as a Sarah or Postcard. Well, i didn’t quite intend it to be that genre specific, as in an all jangly or twee indiepop label.

Originally that was the plan but with foreign contributions however as it went along, it became more localized and closer, say to a “Factory” with all sorts of artists on the roster. Before anyone cries blasphemy, I’m not comparing Terno to Factory in terms of greatness, it’s just the closest example of a label i could think of that most people probably know, which had a diverse mix of artists and music output. Process-wise Terno is definitely on its own but if it’s credibility we’re talking about, i think that’s what the label has a lot of. Money nope, integrity yes, in abundance.

As for myself, well, i may not be from Sweden nor am i British but let’s just say I’ve been into it longer than these Pinoy indie kiddies, meaning i didn’t just learn or got all my stuff from the yearly Universal CD sale, if you get my drift. I’m amazed at the cockiness of some of these people with faux Brit singing accents when they weren’t even alive when i was already buying the records they now just download off music blogs and yeah, their yearly purchases at the various CD sale blow-outs.

I know i sound bitchy but some of these characters have got to get down from their high horses and remove their cardigan sweaters. They should take a cue at being humble from someone like Dale of Apple Orchard who is in that world but doesn’t act the way they do. Too much attitude like they invented “indie”.

In appreciation of the post-punk, new wave and indie 45 single sleeve art and for these Indier than Thou peeps, here’s some samples from the past. What’s that? You weren’t around yet?

Yeah, exactly my point.

There’s more where these came from but it would be obscene already… so do i get a badge for my messenger bag now?