Because their Music Never Fades: Four persons that changed the Filipino rock scene

We live in an era wherein making good music comes to the point of wreckage. And with that comes my extreme frustrations to the contemporary Filipino music industry. But with almost a decade since being defunct due to still unclear reasons, the fact still remains that the die-hard fanatics of this band will always dream of another comeback miracle due to their extreme talent and coolness, keeping their music alive after so many years.


I am talking about the greatest Pinoy rock band that ever existed. Bow. Search the Internet for the greatest Pinoy rock band and most websites will pick The Eraserheads as top in their list. Wondering why these 4 UP grads ruled the 90s? Well, I am not in the position to say that because I am not fortunate to witness the grandeur of the Heads during that time and I only found their music interesting while listening to an FM radio during Sundays. Ang Huling El Bimbo is the first song that really struck me and one time I asked a relative of mine about the song, he simply answered “E-Heads na kanta yan. Kapanahunan ko pa yan nauso.” Compare there songs to today's songs and it still is superior both in lyrics and sound progressions.


Forget the theatrics and the near-death experience of Ely Buendia during the reunion concert. Luckily, he is still alive and currently sings as the frontman of Pupil. Their latest album Limiters of the Infinity Pool sounds cool and interesting for me but I don't want to compare it to the good old songs because it will be a some sort of disrespect to Ely. But to think that a reunion concert happened still makes a difference because only a few bands reunite after its broke-up because usually the reasons are too personal to discuss (Remember the interview to Rico Blanco?). But I just realized that after their reunion concert, obsession to their music have grown restlessly as if they are waiting for the E-Heads to release a comeback album. It’s too impossible now because they now have different interests and have already moved on.


Anyway, forget it. What matters is their music and how it shaped a generation. But hell, now is the era wherein Justin Bieber and Lady (Satanic) Gaga rule the radio stream and contemporary Pinoy bands (not all but only some) have these repetitive lyrics and music patterns that usually instead of being cool, has come to the point of annoying us and bringing out the misery of our consciousness in no time. No offense meant. Or maybe it is always time for me to move on like the E-Heads does because every era is a self-manifestation of its identity and I am stuck in the music of the 90’s: the popular songs that are now only heard every Sunday in FM stations. And maybe it is high time to close and instead go with what is now hip and cool nowadays. Heck, I will not swap E-Heads to any backhoed and stupid bands like –toot- toot and –toot-. It is too inimical and absurd. Why?


Because their (the E-Heads’) music never fades. Period. Just try to listen and appreciate their music while relaxing after a very tiring and busy day. You’ll remember something special from the past. No dull lyrics in their songs, easy to memorize and has this impact that will change your view in music... with a smile.

Tormented Heart by: Arvin Jay Villanueva

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”
–Norman Cousins

I know it is not yet the celebration of the Mothers’ Day but still, something urged me to write this down and publish this in my blog site.

Many of us never really understood what it feels like when you lose someone special to you. And all of a sudden, a feeling of regret and pain will sink deep within as if the world has gone blank. A desolate place full of questions, one cannot describe the melancholic picturesque of life after the demise of that person, thus creating another form of reality a bit far from what we are used to in our daily routine.

And it is very hard to accept it even more if that person will be your mother.

Of all the persons in this world, admit it or not, your mother is the one that gives you this momentary space or rather a temporary comfort zone as your fortress of solitude when you have problems that clogs your persona, your esteem and your character as a whole. Brain-racking but somehow our own mother has this STOP signage that tells us to take a break and look at the brighter side of life. The old adage which says, “Mothers know the best” is very reflective indeed.

I know some people who are not that close with their mothers, these people who have bitter feelings or hatred with reasons that are quite justifiable yet a bit unreasonable too. I am not that close with my mother either but I have sympathy to her because she is the one who is always busy, being preoccupied with things just for us to have education and live a decent life. And this is the main reason why I am not that close to my mother, her being too busy. There are those times that I can’t talk to her personally as if a big gap has been precluded by some sort of force which is unexplainable and I can’t even make a theory of why it happens. It’s a bit weird, to tell you honestly.

But I enjoy those moments with my family and I never let a day pass without seeing them. A day without them is already numbing as hell.

I remember once again my adviser during my fourth year high school when he lost his mother last January 2011. And as far as I can remember, the booklet that he gave before our graduation have so many anecdotes about the importance of family, especially our own mother.

“If your mom is alive and close to you give her a big kiss and ask her for forgiveness. If she is far away, call her. If she passed away, pray for her.”
That’s the advice which can be found at the end of an anecdote in the booklet given to us last March.
*Condolences to my aunt who recently passed away. I know that my cousins are still on the process of accepting the loss of their beloved mother.

Pamatay-Araw

“To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven” -Karen Sunde
2/14/2012
2=B; 1=A; 4=D
2; 1+4
2;5
2=B;5=E
=BE
Be what?
Lonely? Happy? Romantic? Stupid? Ignorant? Cynic? WHAT?

Yung quote sa itaas, masyadong hindi makatotohanan. Tse!

Aminado akong hindi ko gusto ang February 14 kahit na dindidikta ng mundo sa akin na dapat maging masaya ako o di kaya ay may perang pambili ng panregalo para sa minamahal sa buhay at mamigay ng rosas sa kanila. Umagang-umaga pa lamang pagpasok ko sa eskwela ay kasabay ko ang grupo ng mga kalalakihan na bitbit ang mga rosas na kanilang ihahandog sa babaeng iniibig nila. Lahat halos ay nagbabatian ng Valentine’s Day habang ako naman ay ito, busy at problemado sa mga bagay na kailangan pang tapusin. For them this is a very special day but for me it is not a big deal as if it is just an ordinary day. I am not being cynic here. Haha.

Sa Valentine’s Day lang ba dapat magbigay ng ganyan sa minamahal sa buhay? Maraming nag-effort pa at nagmukhang tanga para lamang ipakita ang kanilang nais ipahatid na mensahe. Uso ang red habang sa hindi sinasadya ay black ang suot ko na may mukha pa ng nakakunot noong kontra-bida sa Harry Potter. Lilinawin ko: hindi ako bitter sa Valentine’s Day. Hindi ako nag-aalburuto diyan na wala akong girlfriend o kaya ay kadate dahil hindi ako nagmamadali at hindi ako hapit sa babae. Hindi pa tamang panahon para sa akin to enter into a relationship. I am still being preoccupied by the angst of immaturity in short.

Pero at the end of the day, ano ba ang natanto ko sa araw na kung tawagin ay Araw ng mga Puso?

1.) Malaki ang posibilidad na maging palapak ang plano mo kung gusto mong umamin sa babaeng matagal mo ng pinagpapantasyahan. Ang buhay nga naman. Tsk.

2.) Mauuwi lang ang pera mong matagal na pinag-ipunan sa wala, WALA at WALA. At mas masakit kong the day after ng date niyo ng babae ay hindi na kayo magpansinan. Ilusyon lang ang lahat ng nangyari.


3.) Mas mainan matulog at manood ng balita at maentertain sa bakbakan sa impeachment court kaysa sa mabroken-hearted dahil nalaman mong may kadate siyang iba.

4.) Mas enjoy ng mga single ang Valentine’s Day na kung tawagin nila ay INDEPENDENCE DAY. Mabuhay. HOOOOOO!!!

-AkosiArvinJayVillanueva. DUGONGPOLSCI.PUPian.

WHAT?

The news has been cobbled up with vexing side to side updates of what currently happens in the historical impeachment trial of the infamous Chief Justice Renato Corona ever since the unexpected reshuffling of events last year. We never imagined that it will lead to this situation that galvanized the neutrality of the democratic institutions in our government. The clash of the political giants in this warlike status quo in our government is misleading so to speak. As what a famous senator says, thanks to her rising blood pressure, the impeachment court is being turned into a “political circus” in which she cited that even though that this body is quasi-political and quasi-judicial, the Rules of Court will still prevail in able to construe that justice will be served well in this on-going trial. Fake documents!

Dollar bank accounts, ill-gotten wealth and failure to disclose the SALN to the public – all of these are still under the Article II of the Articles of Impeachment submitted to the Senate and as of this writing, it is now being turned into a lame and boring argumentation between the defense and the prosecution which may seem to be leading to nowhere. Addition to these are the unreasonableness of the witnesses subpoenaed when answering the questions of the senator-judges. But even though these things make the trial kinda lame, I still thank that the Senate President is a man with proven competence in tackling those issues pertaining to the Chief Justice. His maturity is proven enough and I admire him for this.

Delaying tactics, oh yes. Even though the Constitution safeguards the right to a speedy disposition of cases, it seems to be unlikely in this impeachment trial considering the fact that they assume that by end of late March, the trial is over already. It is not feasible to tell the truth. The whole world is watching on this and flaws in our politics were getting clearer in this one.

Addition to the fact that most of us doesn’t even care at all.

I like the segment of TV5 journalist Lourd de Veyra in one episode of his program Word of the Lourd titled “Impeachment for Idiots” wherein he asked the ordinary people in the streets about their understanding to the impeachment process. Sad to say the reality but all of those interviewed didn’t fully answered the question correctly. It’s quite funny to think that mass media had been talking about the impeachment trial almost everyday since the start of the trial and yet we don’t exactly grasp the meaning of that political and legal process? I don’t blame anyone here, not even the government itself. It’s just disappointing that as the sovereign, we don’t fully grasp the realm of the rights given to us with the exception of the right to be ignorant. The exigencies in the society are still there untouched: poverty, high prices, unemployment and the like. It’s always the problem and more likely those who suffer will be immune already that they no longer enjoy the rights and privileges granted by our Constitution.

As we are talking about this, I am beginning to appreciate more the real importance of studying political science and the laws themselves. It goes beyond the box which makes analyses to political issues involving the never ending conflict of interests between the rich and the poor and the continuing inequities in the society as well as corruption in the bureaucracy.

“Like people, like government” –J.P Rizal

This quote of Rizal still haunts me up to this point.

SAAN NA NGA BA TAYO PAPUNTA?

Nangarap tayo at nagbakasakali na makakamit ang tagumpay na inaasam. Achievers tayo kung tawagin noong high school pa tayo at naniniwala tayo sa kasabihang tiwala lang.

Nga pala, nasan na ang “tiwalang” iyon?

Sa sandali ng aking pakikipagbuno sa mga aklat na kailangan pang basahin ay pinilit kong isulat itong matagal ng nilalaman ng aking isipan. Aaminin ko na madilim ang aking pananaw habang sinusulat ko ito. Depressed? Burned-out? Fatigue? Ewan. Halo halo. Sa mga tamad magbasa ng ganito, maari na kayong tumigil dito pa lamang at baka ako pa ang maging sanhi ng pagkakaaksya ng oras ninyo, nakakahiya naman.

Totoo. Sawa na ako sa buhay ko sa pang araw-araw pero di nangangahulugan na gusto ko ng umayaw. Mahaba pa ang lalakarin sa daang bako-bako, paliko-liko na minsan ay mabato pa. Madadapa ka madalas ngunit ang mga sugat na matatamo mo ay magiging peklat lamang paglipas ng panahon. Karapatan nating bumagsak, tumilapon at maiyak dahil tayo’y tao lamang at kahit na hindi ko alam ang kalagayan ninyo sa ngayon dahil hindi na kayo nagpaparamdam, alam ko sa sarili ko na magpapatuloy kayo.

Pero hanggang doon na lang ako. Period. Kahit ano pang sabihin ko ay aminado akong wala na talaga akong alam tungkol sa inyo. Lahat ay nagbabago, oo. Pero sa pagbabagong iyon nawa’y hindi mabaon sa limot ang lahat. Sa mga pagkakataon na nakikita ko ang iba sa inyo minsan, iniisip ko kung kayo nga ba iyon o kamukha niyo lang dahil kahit titigan mo ay parang hindi ka talaga kilala.

Kailan ko nga ba huling nakita ang lahat? Parang kay tagal na noon at habang tinititigan ko ang mga larawan niyo noon ay iniisip ko kung tapos na nga ba ang lahat at wala ng mangyayari pa. Kahit na may event na nagaganap, ibang iba. Di ko maipaliwanag. Hindi na yata kayo yung kilala ko noon at malay ko rin ba na hindi na ninyo kilala ang “ako” na kilala ninyo noon. Mag-iisang taon na ang nakalipas ngunit talagang iba na nga ang ihip ng hangin.

Sana nga mali ako. Alam kong hindi panaginip ang lahat. Malungkot dahil parang hangin na lang ang laman ng garapon. Ilabas ang luha't doon itapon ang mga alaalang nagbigay inspirasyon sa lahat.

Ang hamon ko sayo ngayon: Saan tayo papunta?