Salamat Sa Musika

Halos naman siguro ng kabataan noong panahon ko ay nakisabay sa awitin ng Eraserheads. Sino nga ba sa mga kasabayan namin ang hindi makakakilala sa kanilang apat? Nang sumikat sila, naglabasan na ring parang mga kabute ang iba't ibang grupo ng bandang tumutugtog at nag-define sa bagong henerasyon.

Nawala sa uso ang mga solo artists. Napuno ng tugtugang banda ang lahat ng radio stations. Eraserheads, Alamid, Yano, The Youth, After Image, True Faith, Introvoys, The Dawn, Rivermaya, Put3ska, Tropical Depression. Unahan sa pangongolekta ng mga tapes (hindi pa kasi uso ang cd). Unahan sa scoop sa kung sinong banda at anong kanta ang nag number 1 sa Top 20 at 12 ni Triggerman sa LS. Aaaah, dekada nubenta.

Sumikat ang Long Hair. Sumikat ang mga itim na t-shirts na may mga imprenta ng mga mukha ng foreign at local bands. Halos lahat ng makita mong grupo nang mga kabataan ay may mga hawak na gitara. Buhay na naman ang rakenrol!

Muling binisita at nagbigay pugay ang mga bagong banda sa mga old rakistas na katulad nila Heber, Pepe Smith, Juan Dela Cruz at Mike Hanopol.

Kung ilalarawan mo ang 90s, pwede mo siyang ilahad sa ilang mga kataga: "Panahon ng Banda".

Taong 1995 nang kumalat ang balita sa unibersidad namin: MAGCO-CONCERT DAW ANG EHEADS!!!!!!

Posible ba? Alanganin kami.

Nakapag concert na ang Alamid at Yano sa Auditorium. Bumisita na rin ang Introvoys at tumili ang mga kolehiyala kay Paco Arespacochaga. Pero darating ang Eheads? Malabo ata yan.

Makalipas ang ilang linggo, nakumpirma ang balita sa pamamagitan ng mga posters na ipinaskil sa mga puno, sa mga pader, sa mga tricycle- Confirmed na! May Concert ang Eheads sa Auditorium. May mga kasama daw na ibang banda-mga front- pero hindi na namin inintindi.

Ang tanging inintindi lang naming barkada ay kailangang makabili kami ng ticket na kulay green na ibinebenta ng isang fraternity/organization na sponsor ng concert. At dahil kasama ko sa bahay ang isa sa mga organizers, madali kaming nakabili ng ticket.

Concert Day- preparado na kami. Hindi pa uso ang cellphone kaya bago maghiwalay sa eskwelahan ay nag-usap usap na kami kung anong oras at saan kami magkikita-kitang magkakabarkada. Napagkasunduan na rin kung saan kami tutuloy pagkatapos ng concert. Kasado na ang lahat.

Nakapila na kami sa harap ng Auditorium nang may narinig kaming ingay. Bumigay ang Front Glass Window at Door ng Audi dahil sa sobrang dami ng taong nagsisiksikan sa harapan. Mabuti at walang stampede. Kung nagkataon pala, kami ang orig, at mas sikat kami sa Ultra Stampede ni Willie Revillame.

Sa una pa lang ay malinaw na ang usapan. Hindi kami uupo sa gawing harapan (alam kasi naming dadagsa ang tao doon). Sa itaas kami tatakbo at magse-save ng upuan para sa mga kasamahan namin. Pagkapasok na pagkapasok namin sa auditorium ay para kaming mga langgam na nakawala at kani-kanyang nagtakbuhan paakyat sa 2nd level ng auditorium.

Nag-uumpisa na ang concert, tumutugtog na ang bandang ewan. Pero hindi sila pinapansin dahil ang hinihintay ng tao ay ang pagpasok ng Eheads.

Hanggang sa natapos na ang mga Front Act. Nag-alisan na ang mga tao sa stage. Lahat sa audience ay tutok ang mga mata sa stage. Isinarado ang telon. Tahimik ang buong paligid.

Pagbukas ng telon, naroon na ang apat, nakahawak sa kani-kanyang instrumento. Tandang tanda ko pa ang suot ni Ely-T shirt na pula na may tatak na Adidas.

Rakrakan Na!

Mabilis ang oras. Tumatakbo ng hindi napapansin. Sunud-sunod, walang pahingang tinutugtog ang mga kanta habang sumasabay ang audience. Hindi mo na halos marinig ang boses ni Ely dahil mas malakas pa ang boses ng katabi mong lumilitaw ang litid sa leeg habang kumakanta.

Hanggang sa narinig ang intro ng Huling El Bimbo. Pawisan ang mga tao sa init sa loob ng auditorium pero tuloy sa pagsabay sa pagkanta ng banda. At bago pa matapos ang kanta, nagulantang ang lahat sa pag-akyat sa stage ng isang pamilyar na mukha- nagpa epal pala ang isa naming kaklase. Umakyat sa stage ang bruho/bruha para mapahiran ng panyo at mahalikan ang nagpapawis na mukha ni Ely.

At natapos ang konsiyerto.

Lumipas ang maraming taon......

Di na tayo nagkita.................

Balita ko'y naghiwa-hiwalay na kayo.....

At may kanya-kanya nang banda..........

Hindi ko na nabalitaan ang naging puno't dulo ng hiwalayan ng Eheads. Pero aaminin kong isa ako sa nalungkot sa paghihiwalay nila. Anu't anuman, nais kong pasalamatan ang bandang nag- define sa aming henerasyon.

Salamat Eraserheads.

Salamat Sa Musika.

Eraserheads: I Just Can't Get Enough

Today is October 30, 2008

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Ok. So it is now exactly 2 months since the Eraserheads Concert. And seems I still just can't get enough of the 'reunion' gaga. Actually, I have had two separate blogs about the eheads, however, I will need to give another one just not to let this interesting fact i've just read from the ULRAELECTROMAGNETICNIGHT blogspot.

My first blog specifically tackles the issue on the sponsorship controversy and how this reunion concert came to a reality.

Well, the concert almost didn't make it because of this controversy, and then there was the tragic death of Ely Buendia's mother days before the concert. But the concert did push through-so the second blog gives an account of some of the highlights and some insights gained on the concert.

However, a lot of the fans are 'bitin' because right after the first set, Ely Buendia was rushed to the hospital due to a heart failure.

So many people wondered-how would it have been if the concert came to Set Second? What would be the next songs? What would be the finale? Will they ever treat the fans with the 'Group Hug' that the fans were chanting?

This Interesting Blog says it all:

We were all supposed to dance the Huling El Bimbo with a fantastic fireworks display. It was going to be the perfect song to end a perfect concert.

I know because my sister said so. She was one of the band's PAs (guess which one!) and was there during the production meetings. On Sunday morning, as we gathered for our family lunch, she told us what was supposed to go down during the Eheads concert.

The first set went exactly as planned, except of course for Ely's collapse. To refresh your memory, these are the songs we heard:1) Alapaap 2) Ligaya 3) Sembreak 4) Hey Jay 5) Harana 6) Fruitcake 7) Toyang 8) Kama Supra 9) Kailan 10) Wag Kang Matakot 11) Kaliwete 12) With A Smile 13) Shake Yer Head 14) Wag Mo Nang Itanong 15) Lightyears

During the second set, the band was to sing ten more songs, in this order:1) Maskara 2) Poor Man's Grave 3) Torpedo 4) Trip to Jerusalem 5) Back To Me 6) walang Nagbago 7) Maling Akala 8) Tikman 9) Spoliarium 10) Magasin

When Magasin was to be played, the screen behind them would have montages of various news and magazine clippings of them. It would flash alternately with shots of the band and audience until the song reached the coda where Ely sings "...ay centerfold ka naaaa...woo hoo-hoo, haaa-haaa" part of the song. Then there would be fire works and a fountain of sparks, going on til the last note of the song. Then the hydraulic stage would be lowered and the band would make a "fake ending".

The lights would then go out.

My sister said the band would wait til the crowd chanted "more". "It would take two beers' worth of chanting "more" she said. Then in the darkness, a very dramatic keyboard solo would be heard, and it would be the opening chords of Para Sa Masa.

The hydraulic stage would rise again and there they would be.After Para Sa Masa, they'd switch into Overdrive. With the crowd pumped within an inch of insanity they were to hit us with Pare Ko. And then we would slow down and reminisce with Minsan.

Finally, they would perform Huling El Bimbo. Again, after the last refrain, at the coda (la la la laaa...) the grand fireworks display would go off, fountains of light surrounding the stage. The next la-la-la parts would see fireworks from behind the general admissions section, and as the song ended there would be a burst of confetti all over the audience.

Then the hydraulic stage would be lowered for the final exit.

Those were the plans for the Ultraelectromagnetic night. It may not have happened as planned but at least we knew they were going to give us a show we would never forget!We asked my sister if the band knew about all these plans and she said they did. In fact they were so excited about all the gimmicks and couldn't wait to party with the audience. "Nag-usap pa nga sila kung may mga kailangang saluhin na kanta just in case (di na kaya ni Ely)," she said.

"And Ely said, hindi, Kakanta ako!"

I'm putting out an order to the Universe that we all get to watch the second set!

--Source unknown

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Sana. Sana may susunod pang concert. At kung pwedeng isa pang hirit, sana, magreunite na ang banda.

The Eheads Reunion Concert

The Eheads Reunion Concert-What Lies Beneath?

Absolutely no joke about it.

The Eraserheads, one of the most prominent Pinoy rock bands of the 1990s, formed by Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro, will be having their reunion concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on August 30, 2008.

Flashback: In the 90's, Eraserheads, or Eheads, took the OPM by storm; releasing super-hit songs like Harana, Ang Huling El Bimbo, Ligaya, Magasin and Toyang. The band is just phenomenal, they were even called the Beatles of Philippine Music.

In 2002, rumors have been speculating that the band members are not in good terms. And in March of 2002, the Eheads disbanded. Since then, Ely Buendia, had formed two bands, the Mongols (which also disbanded later), and the Pupil. The other Eheads members, Raimund, Buddy and Marcus, recruited a new female vocalist, Kris Dancel. However, a few months after, Marcus had also quit the band.

End of the Story.

But not quite.

Ricky Lo, in his Philippine Star Column in July 2008, confirmed that the Eraserheads will be reuniting for a one-night concert at the CCP open grounds on August 30, 2008, and that

"It took one big company to bring the former band members together,’ said the source who is keeping the company’s identity ‘confidential’ for the time being."

The "BIG COMPANY" was later on identified as Philip Morris, the company which produces Marlboro cigarettes. And a hefty 10 Million php each-member is actually at stake. Some people who are in the music business-know-how, disputed the figure and stated otherwise that the 10M might have been for the whole band, thereby giving the members a 2.5M each payback for the 45minute show. Ely Buendia, however, said that they are doing it not for the money, but for the loyal Eraserheads fans who have been with them through all the years.

End of the Story.

But not quite.

And what lies beneath?

On July 1, 2008, a new law that bans tobacco sponsorships and all forms of tobacco advertising in mass media, including the Internet, took effect in the Philippines.

Howie Severino, in his blog, entitled, An example for the Eraserheads? , states,

"In the Philippines, those seeking tickets to an August 30 reunion concert of the famous Filipino band Eraserheads are being directed to www.marlboro.ph, a web site run by Philip Morris International's Philippines subsidiary. The Eraserheads have been called the "Beatles of the Philippines" and the reunion concert has generated enormous online buzz that often mentions the Marlboro web site, generating positive publicity for the world'sbest-selling cigarette brand. Philippines authorities should investigate whether marketing for this concert violates a national law that, as of July 1, 2008, bans tobacco sponsorships and all forms of tobacco advertising in mass media, including the Internet."

The buzz on this issue has since circulated in the Internet media, and a lot of debates and discussions are still on-going. Howie Severino even created a special documentary, Boses Upos, in connection with the new law on Cigar Ad Ban, and the effects of smoking in people's health.

This thing about cigarettes is actually a lengthy discussion, considering that a lot of people in the Philippines are into smoking, and that it has been a fact, especially these days, that more and more young people are seen smoking in broad daylight.

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Howie shared that one colleague even took the documentary as an ear-opener:

Dear Howie, Medyo nagulo ako coz it's the first time i've heard about the term "ear-opener".would you please expound?
#3.1.1 hector (Homepage) on 2008-07-31 15:48

hector, a colleague commented on how the unusual audio, and not video, kept him glued to the documentary. He said it was not an eye-opener, but an ear-opener. ; >
#3.1.1.1 howie on 2008-07-31 16:33

yeah, got it na. kasi it's the voice (robotics) that's the issue of the documentary.i hope that the government will also try to look into these issues. parang the advisories posted on the boxes "cigarettes can kill, or cigarettes are addictive, or dangerous to your health" are not working anymore.siguro nga, it is much better if we have those "sin taxes" implemented already.
#3.1.1.1.1 hector (Homepage) on 2008-07-31 17:05

@hector. I think "sin taxes" would definitely help. Well basically, only those who can afford pay the hospital bills that chain smoking results to should have access to smoke (if they dare). I think people, especially those in poverty, have better things to spend on than their daily dose of cigarette boxes. @howie: again sir, a very nice documentary. If i heard it right, are cigarette companies not allowed to advertise starting this month?
#3.1.1.1.1.1 Ronin on 2008-08-01 19:21

Ronin, that's true, the ad ban on cigarette companies started July 1. They are not allowed to sponsor events either, including the upcoming Eraserheads reunion concert.
#3.1.1.1.1.1.1 howie on 2008-08-02 08:02

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The Eraserheads concert is actually making news-not only because of their much-awaited reunion. But because of what lies beneath the BIG COMPANY's sponsorship issue.

It's about time for our governing bodies-the lawmakers and the law enforcers-to take a serious look of this scenario.

Now it's the government's turn to complete the story.