THE PASSING OF THE TORCH TO THE GUYS AT COUNTER CULTURE

We're so proud to say that we had earned our bragging rights from the get go when Bisikleta Productions first started. The brains behind this operations was a bragging right in itself. His name alone is enough proof that this production is one heck of a force to be reckoned with. 

The man i am talking about is non other than Luis "Weslu" Guiang. He's the man behind the kit of PRIVATE STOCK, G.I, AND THE IDIOTS & PUT3SKA. He also played drums for TROPICAL DEPRESSION and sessioned for THE JERKS. 

It's a great honor and a privileged for me to be a part of BISIKLETA PRODUCTIONS we had featured and supported great local talents for almost 7 years and we had our fair share of visiting foreign musicians as well as one well known DJ on our shores and it would be a shame not to name drop each and every one of them since this is one of our bragging rights let me now tell you who they are even though we can not afford to bring in foreign bands we are extremely blessed by the presence of these fine individuals: Ryan Kunimura of GO JIMMY GO jammed with PINKCOW, Keb Darge rocked the crowd with his rare as hen's teeth rockabilly 45s at the now defunct bar of Put3Ska's vocalist the Ten 02 Bar & Resto, Eddie Ocampo of THE STUBBORN ALL STARS had jammed with NEIGHBORS and lastly Korey Kingston Horn of HEPCAT, THE AGGROLITES, WESTERN STANDARD TIME and SUEDEHEAD had graced Counter Culture Fridays last February 8 rocking the crowd with his superb drumming.

And now as Bisikleta Productions passed the torch to the guys at Counter Culture as it is now their time to earn their laurel through Counter Culture Fridays. 

POST SCRIPT: If you missed last Friday's show you can head on down tonight at B - Side in Malugay Street, Makati City at The Collective for an authentic reggae refresher to cap your weekend courtesy of IRIE SUNDAY watch Korey Kingston Horn for the very last time as he will jam with Manila's only reggae band that matters non other than TROPICAL DEPRESSION.

COUNTER CULTURE FRIDAYS

Today had me thinking about how a lot of people perceive reggae music. Last Friday was Marley's favorite singer, the crown prince of reggae Dennis Emmanuel Brown's birthday. My friend and I went out that night to see our buddies from Angono, ska stalwarts NEIGHBORS perform for a Robert Nesta Marley event in Marikina.  

It's a saddening sight that we've noticed that some of the bands that played that night are just out there not to remember and embraced the man who addressed the social issues of his homeland and had given voice to the political and cultural nexus of Jamaica, But simply because Bob Marley smoked weed. 

Reggae is not all about smoking weed and loving Bob. I’m tired that weed’s presence seeps both blatantly and discreetly into all sorts of lyrics. So much to my dismay that I got up on the mic like Kanye West bum rushing Taylor Swift and started lambasting a band that night using reggae and hip hop music as a poor excuse for their choice of medium complete with their fake ass Jamaican patois singing and rapping about nothing else but Marijuana from the beginning of their performance up to the end of it.  

Reggae music in and of itself is brilliant – it addresses social issues like racism, equality, overcoming the odds, being true to oneself, having faith, love, endorsing sustainable living, and much more.  Morgan Heritage sang, “You don’t haffi dread to be Rasta,” which is a nugget I hold onto, because it’s expressing that it’s what’s on the inside, or what’s in your heart, that counts. If I apply this adage to this particular issue, I come to the conclusion, You don’t have to be high to be  enlightened. For those indie bands out there in garages all over Philippines, you don't need to get high or turn your locks into dreadlocks. 

And remember reggae is not just about the acquisition of a Bob Marley’s Legend CD. 

One more thing about the band that I had bum rushed unlike Kanye who apologizes to one of the talent less individual in the world I will not apologize at all because the crap you put out that night is like her voice, when not treated with effects, is incredibly annoying.  

And for the readers of this blog there are some great, trusted reggae, punk, hardcore and ska event producers as well as equally great bands out there all you got to do is to sift through the dross. Please do not settle for anything less as Robert Matthew Van Winkle had said - ANYTHING LESS THAN THE BEST IS A FELONY.