COMMEMORATIVE INK FOR SUPREMO

It was in the early 90's when I was still studying advertising arts that i took interest in the alternative art movement called lowbrow art also known as pop surrealism it appealed to me because it did not fit comfortably into the accepted definition of art and one part of that movement was tattooing. I was the first one in my neighborhood in Caloocan City who introduce tattooing and I first did it manually by using a crudely made tattoo pen. I made it by asking some local folks in my hometown that was previously incarcerated on how to make one taking notes from them on how it should be done. 

Tattooing manually is literally too bloody time consuming. To cut time i did some research with the help of a magazine called Tattoo that was bought at a Book Sale store  I began looking for a better way on how to do tattoos faster by going electric thanks to my heavy amphetamine drug use back in the day I developed a MacGyver type tattoo gun using a dynamo taken out from a toy car, an antenna from an AM Transistor and needles soldered onto a galvanized wire and after a few misses from willing volunteers I began professionally tattooing people using Rotring Inks in exchange for a bottle of liquor and a bit of cash little did i know a young boy got interested in the art and inspired him to pursue the artform me however decided to let go off tattooing and pursue graphic design. Later that boy will become one of the respected, multi awarded and well known tattoo artist in my hometown establishing his shop called Killaokan Ink.

And now he had organized a tattoo competition that will fall a day earlier of Bonifacio's 152nd Birth Anniversary.  The event will be a tribute to the first President and Father of the Revolution and the Filipino Nation called HIMAGSIKAN. The theme for this show will be a commemorative tattoo dedicated to the Supremo - Andres Bonifacio. The show will start at 12 noon, Saturday on November 28 and will be held at Bradzky Resto Bar located at 78 MacArthur Hiway near a well known brothel called Majestic and Andres Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City.

For 150 pesos you get to see a lot of tattoo artist in action plus loads of bands. Killaokan Ink's Himagsikan will feature two DJs to set you in the ink slinging mood namely NORRIS KING from France of Legal Shot Soundsystem and JOSEPH MINISTER of Manila's Move Up HiFi plus a great line up of bands featuring THROW, HARD K, JUN GENIUS & THE BRAINIACS, NO BRAKE FAST KID, BONIFACIO REPUBLIC, THE NEW PROPAGANDA, ISIDRO PROJECT & many more. 

HOW MUCH PUNK ROCK DO YOU HEAR IN MANILA?

I have a thing for obscure musical artifacts and underrated bands, bands that puts out records with silkscreened artwork coupled with uneven Letraset type and handwritten track list. The less people that know about it, the better. I’m afflicted with the typical fanboy disdain for anything too mainstream. It’s fun to be ahead, or to be privy to info that is valued by a select few. 

During the early 80’s there was a fanzine dedicated to supporting and reporting the underground punk rock scene. The zine s a complete outsiders bible in its heyday it included scene reports, band interviews, columns, and exclusively reviewed no records that were released by an indie but distributed by a major label conglomerate record labels with names like Starving Missile and Disease Unlimited. It gave me information on lesser known, under the radar bands from around the world that only a few people knew about.

It also gave birth to a columnist named Mykel Board that was sacked by Maximum Rock n Roll due to some sort of censorship bullshit.

Beside being a columnist he also compiled the brilliant World Class Punk Tape featuring bands from South Africa to Columbia that was released by a cassette only label called ROIR and he also fronted a weirdo, lo-fi trash punk band called Artless putting out some records with titles such as Boy With A Cunt, Beer is Better Than Girls and how Much Punk Rock Do You Hear In Russia. He also published some books including I, A Me-ist a compilation of his written works in Maximum Rock n’ Roll Magazine.

This coming December he will be visiting our country and will do a show on the 5th, Saturday together with Philippines one and only punk band for hire called The Outsourced (this band also known as Bad Omen previously backed up Andy Deported of Taiwan based punk band The Deported who is also known as Andrew O’Brien a member of the Maine House of Representatives and Maximum Rock N Roll freelance writer). Included in this musical event is Arnold Morales of 80s punk band Urban Bandits together with Bad Omen and also in support are will be Collision and new bloods that will surely carve a niche in the punk rock scene here in Manila namely No Brake Fast Kid with their brand fast paced frantic, balls to the walls music fronted by a singer that sounded like Dave Mustaine's balls had been squeezed tightly with a monkey wrench and my current favorite due to their lack of musical education balanced with enthusiasm, The Dead Brains playing music for the punks who are bored of those other punks who have forgotten how great punk is and the anarcho acoustic troubadour The New Propaganda. 

This will be happening at For The Road Bar and Resto in Mandaluyong City located in Pioneer Street at the back of Robinson’s Forum in EDSA. Those of you who have read his often controversial write ups in MRR know what to expect and for those who don't know him for 60 pesos you’ll get a bottle of beer and sneak peek in the obscure but equally important piece of punk rock history. 

MOVE UP HI-FI'S MANILA STANDARD TIME

After a few months hiatus i am back at doing this blog again. I am starting off by promoting Move Up Hi-Fi’s Manila Standard Time happening at The Bar 1951 in Malate, Manila. 

Move Up Hi-Fi will be headed by Joseph Minister playing the finest ska and reggae 45s alongside a DJ crew composed of Rocket Punch band members and two bands The Steady Movin’ Beat and Singkopado Sound System. If you’re wondering who the latter band is then let me introduce the man behind the band by telling you a bit of a story. 

Last night I was deleting past messages on my email when i chanced upon an old email that was sent to me when i was in Africa. It was a bunch of MP3s of a newly recorded album of a band that i fully supported and promoted in this blog from way back. I decided to listen to it again. I remember how I enjoyed the interplay between the two singers each of them with a distinctive voice and style. I remember me and the guitarist of Rocket Punch talked about the band during a DJ gig we did a few months ago describing them as sort of The Clash style of vocal attack it's sacrilegious to describe them to the only band that matters but  they do wear their hearts on their sleeves and it is obvious that they love the band. Listening to their songs and hearing them simultaneously flattering my ears ala Mick Jones and the other bashing my head ala Joe Strummer is what got me interested in the first place and started championing their ska punk sound.

The singer's slurred wails perfectly compliment the edgy punk rock while the other clearly singing with a charged guitar skank is anthemic. In that emailed recording i noticed while they are sharing similar headspace, they seem to be two entirely different artist. The way the other singers voice seems to be stacked on top of the other works to highlight their differences is interesting because it works to show how much each artist has progressed each person is so different now than before but unfortunately the guy who complimented the angst of the other singer had left the band and decided to take another musical path in the guise of Singkopado Sound System. There are rumors floating around why he left the band at the peak of their career but let us not wander to that side of the story.

On November 21, Saturday they will be bringing in all original new music so i suggest to go out and be the first one to hear them live. They will be playing together with the only 2tone band in Manila The Steady Movin' Beat.