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Comments, Insights, Trivia, Folklores, and Stories About The Songs (And the Bands) On Rivermaya’s “Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo”
Don’t Touch That Dial!
It finally happened. I finally see my self buying a Rivermaya album. Well, not me exactly. I asked my wife to get me the album as she was going out to take my daughter shopping for shoes. I had to baby sit the little one that day, see?
Anyway, the first thing I do once I got hold of the CD was to pop it into the computer so I could have a field day throwing mud at every thing I was going to hear.
I must admit, I bought the album primarily because I was curious about how this band was gonna rip through twelve songs from a period in Philippine pop culture that produced what I consider to be the most incredible and most diverse seminal local “underground” (as it was called then) music. I was prepared to give Rivermaya my self-righteous sermon about them not being able to do justice to the songs they covered in the album. I thought, what does this band know about 80’s pinoy underground music anyway? In my mind, the only reference these guys probably have about my 80’s was – what? – “Enveloped Ideas” by The Dawn. (Disclaimer: I do not dislike The Dawn. They were a pretty great unit and were the benchmark for a lot of local 80’s bands at the time. And besides, Jett Pangan was a classmate and good friend of mine back in senior high.)
I was to be proven wrong. Three seconds into the first cover song of the album, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia kicked in - they same way five bottles of Red Horse would enhance the sanity of a guy just waking up with a really bad hangover. Hey… this is actually… very good! A lot of 16-beats in there.
For me, “Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo” is a tribute album in the “we’re-not-worthy-we’re-not-worthy” mold. And though I still believe that nothing will beat the originals (despite their lo-fi production qualities), this is still a damn good tribute album. So, without further ado, here’s what I can say about the covers:
Golden Boy
This song became Ethnic Faces’ trademark song in the 80’s – all because of the punchline “…ang tatay mong kalbo!” Rivermaya does an impressive job running through this song and its “salisi” drumming. It’s almost “plakado,” man. But, of course, it’s not entirely that “plakado”. For one thing, I felt it chugged along at a bit slower pace than the old version I was used to. Also, it seemed to lack the jangly guitar sound of the original. The guitar sound on this one sounded a bit muffled. And, Rico doesn’t have that smart-aleck dead pan drawl like Jack Sicat. But that’s okay. Kaya nga cover version e. Overall, I feel that the band did Ethnic Faces proud on this one.
Some trivia: somewhere in the lyrics, there’s a line that goes “… Peg questions, give no clue; Lost Boys, Ocean Zoo.” Lost Boys and Ocean Zoo were Jack Sicat’s bands before Ethnic Faces. According to Bedan folklore at the time (yes, Jack Sicat was Bedista like me), the name “Ocean Zoo” was said to have been derived from his 3rd year high school class section. You see, when Jack was in his third year of high school, he belonged to section 3-32, which some of the teachers rechristened as “three-thirty-zoo” because the class was, well, like a zoo. Ocean Zoo (it was a four-piece band) managed to release a 45 back in the early 80’s. The cover of that single was, to say the least, very interesting. On side A of the single, there was a picture of two of the band members with their faces painted like animals. Same thing for side B. If I remember correctly, Jack’s face was painted like a zebra. Underneath his mug was the caption: Jack Sicat – Vocals, Classification – Zebra, or something pretty close to that. I don’t remember what the other band members’ animal tokens were though. But it just goes to show you how innovative Jack Sicat was.
Things Are Getting Complicated & Healing
Ah, Deans December. Of all the local underground bands that came out during the 80’s, I will always fondly consider Deans December as the best, bar none. Although I’ve always thought their single “It Doesn’t Snow In Manila” was a bit too preachy for comfort, I consider their “Chemical Wedding” album a very cohesive piece of work that spit out social commentaries like the evening news.
Rivermaya’s take on “Things Are Getting Complicated” rocks! Of course, it sounds a lot cleaner (why does that seem like a bad thing?); but the band manages to retain the edge, the anger, and the angst of the original song. And it’s all good – even with the occasional faux British accent that local 80’s bands were known to indiscriminately abuse and misuse both on stage and on record!
On “Healing”, I could hear the band weld together the two versions of the song that I’m familiar with: the “Ten Of Another Kind” version (clean, tight, and slick), and the original/earlier version that WXB 102 would play (rough, echo-drenched, and more ethereal-sounding).
I wonder what Binky Lampano would think about these covers?
Tupperware Party & Never The Bright Lights
I enjoyed the Rivermaya’s version of “Tupperware Party”. It’s much more raucous and reckless than the original. It’s more drunk, more loaded, more detention-worthy. In short, it’s a fun resurrection of a song aimed at that beloved group of people we now call “scenesters”. (God, saying that word makes me wanna throw up!)
Their rendition of the four-chord “Never The Bright Lights” is equally fun. They tweaked the “areglo” a bit but it doesn’t hurt the song’s potency. Of all the local underground songs that came out during the 80’s, this is the only one that I can still play on my old guitar with my eyes closed. (Kasi nga, four chords lang, no.)
Trivia: Violent Playground’s picture on the CD booklet features its original guitar player: Raton Del Gallego. He’s the second guy from the left. The “tisoy” one. How do I know? Well, Raton became a friend of ours at school (yep, he was Bedista, too). Nice guy, that Raton.
Ilog & Padayon
Tangina! I never thought these two songs would sound great electric! I am a big fan of Joey Ayala. Rivermaya’s covers gave these songs a whole new dimension. I especially love the band’s rendition of “Ilog” with guest vocals by Kitchie Nadal. True to the original song, this one starts out light, with gentle instrumentation interspersed with earnest vocals. It then finishes with a bang after the rest of band join in. I particularly like the way Rico and Kitchie harmonize on the closing notes of the song. I got goosebumps on my goosebumps, pare!
“Padayon” is my favorite worksong of all time. I wish all the “karpinteros” and “laborers” would sing this song while working. Rivermaya gave it the same treatment as “Ilog”: an acoustic start and an electric end, which also works pretty good here.
My wife asked me what “padayon” means. Actually, I don’t know. But “Padayon” was what Joey Ayala wrote on the ticked I asked him to autograph when I went to see him play Centro Escolar University in the early 90’s.
I think “padayon” is the Mindanao equivalent of “aloha” or something… (nagmarunong pa!)
My Sanctuary & Sumigaw, Umawit Ka
I was never really a fan of Identity Crisis. I liked “Imagining Oktober” but that was it. I never even bothered to listen to the entirety of their “Tale of Two” album, which included both “Sanctuary” and “Sumigaw”. We opened for them when they played San Beda in 1987. I remember us negotiating with Leni Llapitan over the song “Two Rivers” (by The Adventures). We rehearsed it and planned to play it for that particular gig; but Identity Crisis said it was gonna be part of their set. Well, since they were the headliners, they got first dibs at the song. We ended up one song short for our set. And we kinda sucked on stage that night. Jeez.
But you should’ve seen their drummer! It was some guy named Marvin. He was celebrating his 17th birthday that night (as proudly announced by lead singer Cool Carla), but he could beat skin way better that a lot of the older, more experienced guys. I mean, he was like a freakin’ wind-up monkey toy when he played drums. He was like a machine, man!
Anyway, Rivermaya’s cover of both songs sounded like they were the ones who did the original songs instead of Identity Crisis. I mean, lyrically, the songs sound like Rivermaya songs in the mold of “Liwanag Sa Dilim”. But , thankfully, the band stripped these songs of the over-the-top narcissism and self-conscious preening that Identity Crisis was notoriously prone to. Because of that, I believe the songs sounded better.
Observation: Even with the laudable effort the band put in doing “Sumigaw”, it (the song, not Rivermaya) still sounds like an entry to an inter-school choralfest. But that’s just me.
Inosente Lang Ang Nagtataka
To be absolutely honest about it, I loved the 80’s mainly because of the local punk movement that thrived then. Local punk bands like Betrayed (then fronted by balikbayan Eddie Siojo and featuring a pre-Tropical Depression Dominic Gamboa), Dead Ends (with brothers Al and Jay Dimalanta, and drummer Harley Alarcon), Urban Bandits (fronted by a pre-Put3ska Arnold Morales), George Imbecile & The Idiots, and The Wuds made my f*&%@g day. I was, and still am, punk no matter what people say! (Hell, I may be close to becoming an old washed up fart; but deep inside, I’m still that pimply 17-year old misfit who took a perverse delight in offending the sensibilities of the f*&%@g mainstream. Anarcheeeeeeeey!!)
With “Inosente”, Rivermaya plays like an amateur band on its first rehearsal session. I don’t mean that they sound amateurish on this particular trip. What I mean is, they manage to express the kind of contagious exhilaration a fan feels when asked to jam with his favorite punk band. They clearly enjoy thrashing through the song the way any diehard fan would. Kaya lang, for me, it sounds a wee bit too clean for a punk song. Maybe because the production process involved in this album is way better than the “teka-teka” methodology and clunky machines that gave birth to the originals. To quote Ringo Starr: “I’m from the old school. I like a bit of dirt on my record.” But modern production processes notwithstanding, Rivermaya’s cover of “Inosente” still slampit-worthy.
Romantic Kill & Things Within
Of the twelve cover songs on this album, these two I’ve only heard for the first time. I’ve heard about these songs; but I’ve never actually heard them until now. I know that “Romantic Kill” was The Jerks’ first radio hit, back when Chicoy Pura was still a skinny punk. I’ve also heard that Silos had this great tune called “Things Within”; but I never really got the chance to hear it. So, I don’t have any point of reference for Rivermaya’s covers.
Be that as it may, the band’s version of “Romantic Kill” definitely has that 80’s feel. I mean, at certain points within the song, it felt like I was listening to The Knack or The Vapors. The sound is tight and slick. And it expresses the kind of teen spirit you’d expect from the era that boasted of tight “baston” pants and Vaseline-coated hair.
On “Things Within”, the band really glides. As a matter of fact, this trip reminded me of their very own “Nerbyoso”. God, if the cover sounds this good, I wonder what the f*&@k the original sounded like!
… AND NOW, Back To Your Regular Program.
Ever since Rico Blanco took over the Rivermaya’s leadership, the band has become a channel through which the band can flash their collective influences more unabashedly and even more pronouncedly. And obviously, everybody in the band has been passed the torch by at least one local 80’s underground band.
With this album, Rivermaya pays their debt of gratitude to the underappreciated and unsigned (but unforgotten) bands of an era that spawned and bred many groundbreaking musical genres. And I’m not talking about Friday Magic Madness.
October 17, 2006
Comments, Insights, Trivia, Folklores, and Stories About The Songs (And the Bands) On Rivermaya’s “Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo”
Don’t Touch That Dial!
It finally happened. I finally see my self buying a Rivermaya album. Well, not me exactly. I asked my wife to get me the album as she was going out to take my daughter shopping for shoes. I had to baby sit the little one that day, see?
Anyway, the first thing I do once I got hold of the CD was to pop it into the computer so I could have a field day throwing mud at every thing I was going to hear.
I must admit, I bought the album primarily because I was curious about how this band was gonna rip through twelve songs from a period in Philippine pop culture that produced what I consider to be the most incredible and most diverse seminal local “underground” (as it was called then) music. I was prepared to give Rivermaya my self-righteous sermon about them not being able to do justice to the songs they covered in the album. I thought, what does this band know about 80’s pinoy underground music anyway? In my mind, the only reference these guys probably have about my 80’s was – what? – “Enveloped Ideas” by The Dawn. (Disclaimer: I do not dislike The Dawn. They were a pretty great unit and were the benchmark for a lot of local 80’s bands at the time. And besides, Jett Pangan was a classmate and good friend of mine back in senior high.)
I was to be proven wrong. Three seconds into the first cover song of the album, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia kicked in - they same way five bottles of Red Horse would enhance the sanity of a guy just waking up with a really bad hangover. Hey… this is actually… very good! A lot of 16-beats in there.
For me, “Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo” is a tribute album in the “we’re-not-worthy-we’re-not-worthy” mold. And though I still believe that nothing will beat the originals (despite their lo-fi production qualities), this is still a damn good tribute album. So, without further ado, here’s what I can say about the covers:
Golden Boy
This song became Ethnic Faces’ trademark song in the 80’s – all because of the punchline “…ang tatay mong kalbo!” Rivermaya does an impressive job running through this song and its “salisi” drumming. It’s almost “plakado,” man. But, of course, it’s not entirely that “plakado”. For one thing, I felt it chugged along at a bit slower pace than the old version I was used to. Also, it seemed to lack the jangly guitar sound of the original. The guitar sound on this one sounded a bit muffled. And, Rico doesn’t have that smart-aleck dead pan drawl like Jack Sicat. But that’s okay. Kaya nga cover version e. Overall, I feel that the band did Ethnic Faces proud on this one.
Some trivia: somewhere in the lyrics, there’s a line that goes “… Peg questions, give no clue; Lost Boys, Ocean Zoo.” Lost Boys and Ocean Zoo were Jack Sicat’s bands before Ethnic Faces. According to Bedan folklore at the time (yes, Jack Sicat was Bedista like me), the name “Ocean Zoo” was said to have been derived from his 3rd year high school class section. You see, when Jack was in his third year of high school, he belonged to section 3-32, which some of the teachers rechristened as “three-thirty-zoo” because the class was, well, like a zoo. Ocean Zoo (it was a four-piece band) managed to release a 45 back in the early 80’s. The cover of that single was, to say the least, very interesting. On side A of the single, there was a picture of two of the band members with their faces painted like animals. Same thing for side B. If I remember correctly, Jack’s face was painted like a zebra. Underneath his mug was the caption: Jack Sicat – Vocals, Classification – Zebra, or something pretty close to that. I don’t remember what the other band members’ animal tokens were though. But it just goes to show you how innovative Jack Sicat was.
Things Are Getting Complicated & Healing
Ah, Deans December. Of all the local underground bands that came out during the 80’s, I will always fondly consider Deans December as the best, bar none. Although I’ve always thought their single “It Doesn’t Snow In Manila” was a bit too preachy for comfort, I consider their “Chemical Wedding” album a very cohesive piece of work that spit out social commentaries like the evening news.
Rivermaya’s take on “Things Are Getting Complicated” rocks! Of course, it sounds a lot cleaner (why does that seem like a bad thing?); but the band manages to retain the edge, the anger, and the angst of the original song. And it’s all good – even with the occasional faux British accent that local 80’s bands were known to indiscriminately abuse and misuse both on stage and on record!
On “Healing”, I could hear the band weld together the two versions of the song that I’m familiar with: the “Ten Of Another Kind” version (clean, tight, and slick), and the original/earlier version that WXB 102 would play (rough, echo-drenched, and more ethereal-sounding).
I wonder what Binky Lampano would think about these covers?
Tupperware Party & Never The Bright Lights
I enjoyed the Rivermaya’s version of “Tupperware Party”. It’s much more raucous and reckless than the original. It’s more drunk, more loaded, more detention-worthy. In short, it’s a fun resurrection of a song aimed at that beloved group of people we now call “scenesters”. (God, saying that word makes me wanna throw up!)
Their rendition of the four-chord “Never The Bright Lights” is equally fun. They tweaked the “areglo” a bit but it doesn’t hurt the song’s potency. Of all the local underground songs that came out during the 80’s, this is the only one that I can still play on my old guitar with my eyes closed. (Kasi nga, four chords lang, no.)
Trivia: Violent Playground’s picture on the CD booklet features its original guitar player: Raton Del Gallego. He’s the second guy from the left. The “tisoy” one. How do I know? Well, Raton became a friend of ours at school (yep, he was Bedista, too). Nice guy, that Raton.
Ilog & Padayon
Tangina! I never thought these two songs would sound great electric! I am a big fan of Joey Ayala. Rivermaya’s covers gave these songs a whole new dimension. I especially love the band’s rendition of “Ilog” with guest vocals by Kitchie Nadal. True to the original song, this one starts out light, with gentle instrumentation interspersed with earnest vocals. It then finishes with a bang after the rest of band join in. I particularly like the way Rico and Kitchie harmonize on the closing notes of the song. I got goosebumps on my goosebumps, pare!
“Padayon” is my favorite worksong of all time. I wish all the “karpinteros” and “laborers” would sing this song while working. Rivermaya gave it the same treatment as “Ilog”: an acoustic start and an electric end, which also works pretty good here.
My wife asked me what “padayon” means. Actually, I don’t know. But “Padayon” was what Joey Ayala wrote on the ticked I asked him to autograph when I went to see him play Centro Escolar University in the early 90’s.
I think “padayon” is the Mindanao equivalent of “aloha” or something… (nagmarunong pa!)
My Sanctuary & Sumigaw, Umawit Ka
I was never really a fan of Identity Crisis. I liked “Imagining Oktober” but that was it. I never even bothered to listen to the entirety of their “Tale of Two” album, which included both “Sanctuary” and “Sumigaw”. We opened for them when they played San Beda in 1987. I remember us negotiating with Leni Llapitan over the song “Two Rivers” (by The Adventures). We rehearsed it and planned to play it for that particular gig; but Identity Crisis said it was gonna be part of their set. Well, since they were the headliners, they got first dibs at the song. We ended up one song short for our set. And we kinda sucked on stage that night. Jeez.
But you should’ve seen their drummer! It was some guy named Marvin. He was celebrating his 17th birthday that night (as proudly announced by lead singer Cool Carla), but he could beat skin way better that a lot of the older, more experienced guys. I mean, he was like a freakin’ wind-up monkey toy when he played drums. He was like a machine, man!
Anyway, Rivermaya’s cover of both songs sounded like they were the ones who did the original songs instead of Identity Crisis. I mean, lyrically, the songs sound like Rivermaya songs in the mold of “Liwanag Sa Dilim”. But , thankfully, the band stripped these songs of the over-the-top narcissism and self-conscious preening that Identity Crisis was notoriously prone to. Because of that, I believe the songs sounded better.
Observation: Even with the laudable effort the band put in doing “Sumigaw”, it (the song, not Rivermaya) still sounds like an entry to an inter-school choralfest. But that’s just me.
Inosente Lang Ang Nagtataka
To be absolutely honest about it, I loved the 80’s mainly because of the local punk movement that thrived then. Local punk bands like Betrayed (then fronted by balikbayan Eddie Siojo and featuring a pre-Tropical Depression Dominic Gamboa), Dead Ends (with brothers Al and Jay Dimalanta, and drummer Harley Alarcon), Urban Bandits (fronted by a pre-Put3ska Arnold Morales), George Imbecile & The Idiots, and The Wuds made my f*&%@g day. I was, and still am, punk no matter what people say! (Hell, I may be close to becoming an old washed up fart; but deep inside, I’m still that pimply 17-year old misfit who took a perverse delight in offending the sensibilities of the f*&%@g mainstream. Anarcheeeeeeeey!!)
With “Inosente”, Rivermaya plays like an amateur band on its first rehearsal session. I don’t mean that they sound amateurish on this particular trip. What I mean is, they manage to express the kind of contagious exhilaration a fan feels when asked to jam with his favorite punk band. They clearly enjoy thrashing through the song the way any diehard fan would. Kaya lang, for me, it sounds a wee bit too clean for a punk song. Maybe because the production process involved in this album is way better than the “teka-teka” methodology and clunky machines that gave birth to the originals. To quote Ringo Starr: “I’m from the old school. I like a bit of dirt on my record.” But modern production processes notwithstanding, Rivermaya’s cover of “Inosente” still slampit-worthy.
Romantic Kill & Things Within
Of the twelve cover songs on this album, these two I’ve only heard for the first time. I’ve heard about these songs; but I’ve never actually heard them until now. I know that “Romantic Kill” was The Jerks’ first radio hit, back when Chicoy Pura was still a skinny punk. I’ve also heard that Silos had this great tune called “Things Within”; but I never really got the chance to hear it. So, I don’t have any point of reference for Rivermaya’s covers.
Be that as it may, the band’s version of “Romantic Kill” definitely has that 80’s feel. I mean, at certain points within the song, it felt like I was listening to The Knack or The Vapors. The sound is tight and slick. And it expresses the kind of teen spirit you’d expect from the era that boasted of tight “baston” pants and Vaseline-coated hair.
On “Things Within”, the band really glides. As a matter of fact, this trip reminded me of their very own “Nerbyoso”. God, if the cover sounds this good, I wonder what the f*&@k the original sounded like!
… AND NOW, Back To Your Regular Program.
Ever since Rico Blanco took over the Rivermaya’s leadership, the band has become a channel through which the band can flash their collective influences more unabashedly and even more pronouncedly. And obviously, everybody in the band has been passed the torch by at least one local 80’s underground band.
With this album, Rivermaya pays their debt of gratitude to the underappreciated and unsigned (but unforgotten) bands of an era that spawned and bred many groundbreaking musical genres. And I’m not talking about Friday Magic Madness.
October 17, 2006
