FOR MARAWI CITY

I posted a video of a folk punk band based in Davao City called EMPATHY at Bisikleta Productions Facebook page a couple months ago. I was so impressed by their brand of music that I got in touch with one of the guys of that band asking how can I get a hold of their album called We Want A Better World. Upon further talks I found out that this band really is a punk with a purpose. In this soulless and spiritless age they are a rare breed. One of their purpose is helping the displaced people of Marawi City.  Right now They are doing a donation drive to help those people over there.

Wanting to heIp Empathy's cause, I asked them if we can be of any assistance to them here in Manila by doing a benefit gig for the said city and to further promote their music and to get in touch with an NGO over there to consolidate the plan.

I got in touch with one of Empathy's contacts in Marawi City and as of writing a total of more than a thousand families are already in Saguiran's evacuation centers as well as home based evacuation centers. Most of them can no longer travel by foot towards Iligan City and needed immediate assistance.

There are reports that some internally displaced people that are in Saguiran right now are so desperate they resort on knocking on people's doors begging for food. What we can do to help out is to attend this donation drive for them. 

On June 30th Friday we are doing a fund raiser for those people who are in dire need of assistance. I urge you to please take part of this meaningful event. The NGO's namely Nisa Ul Haqq Fi Bangsamoro, United Youth of the Philippines - Women and Al Mujadilah Development Foundation is asking for Medicines and Hygiene Kits that will be given mostly to the women and children in the evacuation centers of Saguiran which is 5 kilometers away from Marawi City.

In order for us to contribute to their cause EMPATHY is selling their WE WANT A BETTER WORLD CD at KALAWAKAN SPACE TIME as well as KNF and SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM CDs the profit as well as a percentage of the gate admission will be coursed directly to the Women's NGO group that I just mentioned.

Please do come and support this cause. Band's participating will be: SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM, PROLETS, KNF, MAZEFITS, NO BRAKEFAST KID, COBRA KIDS, SKANK REPUBLIC and DEAD BRAINS plus in between DJ sets by X FATAL SOUND X.

A little bit of your help can alleviate their life over there. Kalawakan Spacetime is located at 1046, 2nd floor Quezon Avenue, corner Roces Avenue in front of Fisher Mall.

IF YOU WANT TO HELP NOW PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING PERSONS:

FATIMA SHALOM ALLIAN OF UNSA UI HAQQ - 0917 631 2060

ZAHRIA MAPANDI OF AL MUJADILAH DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION - 0917 705 5628

NORAIDA ABO OF UNYPHIL WOMEN - 0917 623 5310

Please take note to indicate the actual amount or goods that you wish to send for recording purposes.

LOCK & LOAD PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS THE SKALAWAGS

Remember the group behind the recent Urban Bandits reunion that featured support bands spanning from the 80's up to the present? Well folks they are at it again. This time focusing on 2 Tone ska - a punky take on Jamaican R&B bringing in a short lived band called The Skalawags that will be held at B Side The Collective in Makati City on June 2, Friday 2017 featuring support acts Neighbors, Coffee Break Island, Dandimites, The Buzzer Beaters and Skaface with Par Satellite manning the decks. 

This band was a unicorn only the lucky few saw them live and only one of their songs was recorded under a compilation called Paalam Uncle Sam (getting a copy of the cassette tape is rare as a hen's teeth!) They are arguably one of the highly influential Philippine ska bands that was formed in the in 80's the other two bands were The Lost Boys and The Skavengers.

This band even tough their presence in the local underground music scene was short would leave an indelible mark on the Philippine ska scene that would later gave birth to Put3ska, Neighbors, Snubnose, Shuffle Union and a slew of ska acts to follow in the 90's up until today.

If you wanna know more about them I suggest you go to Jon Fishbone Gonzales' of the band Bad Omen as he is regularly posting some great stuff direct from the band members themselves or you can drop by his shop in Recto called Middle Finger for some TMZ style fun chatter.

MGA KAPITBAHAAAAAY!

While society has become ever more estranged from the great events of the past, music on the other hand is the one constant. And that constant one starts out with a barrage of guitars then a painful voice resonated with a guttural tone that once you hear it will instantly take you back to a moment in time like Deja Vu.

It’s time to hear that song again! The quintessential Filipino punk rock band, Urban Bandits is doing a special celebration of their amazing Independence Day album on March 31, Friday at B Side The Collective in Makati City together with Wuds and G.I. & The Idiots, Goo and PinkCow and will be hosted by Carlos Palanca Awardee Erwin Romulo and Social Satirist Jun Sabayton of The Sabaytones plus audio ammunition will be provided by Par Satellite of NU 107’s Pirate Satellite program. 

This event is organized by Lock & Load Productions.

OPEN TURNTABLE NIGHT AT TUCKERS

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SKA PUNK?

DIY Label and Distro based out of Orange County, California called NO TIME RECORDS have put out massive 134 song compilation of some of the finest ska punk bands from all over the globe.

One band that caught the ear of this label is the up and coming ska punk band from the Philippines non other than SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM and ONE LAST MEAL. Also included on this compilation is France' acoustic ska punkers Beng Beng Cocktail, The Hempsteadys from the US, Manchester's' The Autonomads, The politically charged dub band from UK - Conscious Youth, New York's' The Pandemics, London's' punky roots rockers Smiley and The Underclass and many more.

Just so you know after the 2Tone movement came into prominence in the 80's a bunch of forward thinking punky rebels caught ear and later Third Wave Ska came into fruition in the 90s' and reared it's ugly head giving birth to a more aggressive form of sound incorporating, dub, reggae, ska and hardcore elements into the mix only a few bands can perfectly achieve the sound but most band failed miserably (too many third wave ska bands to mention here folks).

One perfect example of a great sounding ska punk band is The Mighty Mighty Bosstones whose singer Dicky Barrett came from the hardcore band Impact Unit and bassist Joe Gittleman of Gang Green.

To find out more about this massive compilation released by No Time Records please go to www.whatdoyouknowaboutskapunk.bandcamp.com and ready your credit or debit card to purchase the record.

KNF VS SSS

This coming Saturday, Quezon City punk rockers KNF will be releasing their second EP entitled Hoy Kolokoy alongside Singkopado Sound System who also happen to be releasing their EP. I got the chance to listen to both of their EPs firsthand before it hit the underground market and I must say that both EP demanded playback.

KNF, as I mentioned a few days back at my personal FaceBook page is that their songs are short and sharp like punk should be - no complicated Steve Vai riffs and songs about unicorns and dragons. These boys pounded out three chords as if their lives depended on it, Now I'm not going to do an EP review on both of the bands i just mentioned here because I'm too damn lazy to describe their sound so I'll just make it simpler by comparing their sounds to some of the music I've heard before so that maybe just maybe all of you dear readers can easily get what I'm trying to say here so here it goes...

...KNF's music is equal parts Yano and Grin Department. One song in particular is "Miss Kita" it's short, fast and injected with humor. As for SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM song "Forward Thinking" on the other hand is a mix of dub, reggae and punk that kinda reminded me of the band Destroy Babylon. If you wanna hear them live then do drop by at TOMATO KICK this Saturday. The EP launching is organized by SUS PETSA with the help of BISIKLETA PRODUCTIONS and supported by Angono's finest ska band NEIGHBORS (watch out for their upcoming album), hardcore band COBRA KIDS, 2tone skankers STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, melodic punk rockers GIVE CHANCE TO RUN and sociopolitical blues rockers THE GENERAL STRIKE.

This event is free of charge but i strongly advise to bring your tolerance with you. If you wanna hear one of their songs do click on the soundcloud icon below.

RPM: AN OPEN TURNTABLE NIGHT

This coming Saturday Bisikleta Productions is having an open turntable night event at Tuckers. This event will coincide with their 4th year anniversary. If you're a vinyl record collector please drop by and spin some records with us.

For an added extra bonus Tuckers will be bringing in ska punkers PinkCow for an intimate acoustic set if you're in luck they might carry with them their No Boundaries LP so please do carry with you some extra cash to get a copy of that great record.

THE RUDE MAYNILA SESSIONS REBOOT!

After six years of absence Rude Maynila Sessions is finally back! And performing on August 13 will be SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM, STEADY MOVIN BEAT, NO BREAKFAST KID, DANIDIMITES, COBRA KIDS and RAGTAG & BOBTAIL.

For 100 pesos (one bottle of beer included) expect to hear a mix mash of Hardcore, Punk Rock, 2Tone Ska and Skinhead Reggae on this day. The Rude Maynila Sessions will be held at THE NAKED TURTLE SPORTS DINER located at P. Tuazon Street beside LTO.

Due to P. Diggy's (President Digong) nationwide ordinance on curfew our show will start at 8 in the evening and end at 1 in the morning. Please bear in mind that the last Rude Maynila Sessions at Sazi's was a blast but unfortunately it did not go down well on the managements part and Bisikleta Productions got banned due to false accusations of the bar staff, now in order for us not to be accused again please refrain from bringing in alcoholic drinks bought at 711 or other stores. Let's police ourselves.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL VENUE. PAY THE DOOR CHARGES AND BUY DRINKS AT THE BAR.

FOR OUR FALLEN COMRADE.

It is with deep sadness that our friend, band mate from Private Stock (Mr. Future Generation himself), Edmond Araullo had just passed away. - MEL MANIEGO

Edmond Araullo passed away on May 2, Monday due to Diabetes. He was the guitarist of 80's Philippine punk band Private Stock performing in Katrina's Malate. They made their mark performing at the legendary Brave New World series and independently release their debut album called Hype's Cool under their own record label called Payola Records. Their music is a mixture of rockabilly, garage rock and rhythm and blues filtered through a punk rockers dilapidated amplifier. Some of their songs can be found on Twisted Red Cross compilations namely Katrina's Live Tamanaway, Rescue Ladders and The Human Barricade and Brave New World Live!

Their brand of music inspired a whole generation of punkers to pick up a guitar and form a band. Outside the music world he is a great friend, a father and a great grand dad. This 13th of May his closest friends and brother Ricky Aruallo will pay tribute to him in Malabon City - The birth place of Private Stock Performers will be some of Manila's punk rock pioneers the likes of Al Dimalanta (Dead Ends), Jun Ortega and Benie Sengson (G.I. & The Idiots) Mel Maniego and Ricky Araullo (Private Stock) Radzon Medina (I.O.V) they will be joined by the new bloods on the scene influenced (directly and indirectly) by Private Stock's music namely NO BRAKEFAST KID, ISIDRO PROJECT & FASTPACE.

Supporting the bands will be a DJ set by RUINED GENERATION a duo consisting of Gener (My Generation) Sanchez and Jon Ruiz (Jon Ruin). The event will be held at his former's band mate brother at Tey's Dugout located in General Luna Street, Malabon City.

NO BORING OLD FARTS

This coming Saturday, 21st of May we'll be bringing in skinhead reggae band the DANDIMITES, 2tone Ska band STEADY MOVIN' BEAT and former PinkCow guitarist Paulo Robleza's new band SINGKOPADO SOUND SYSTEM comprised of members from various bands namely The Exsenadors, One Last Meal and The Wayfarers. 

Joining these bands to set up a punky reggae vibe the whole night will be France's Legal Shot System selecta NORRIS KING,

 Manila's Move Up Hi Fi JOSEPH MINISTER

and Global City Rudeboys TWICE THE PANIC.

This show is absolutely free and happening only at XII Bar at 8 in the evening. XII Bar is located at Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan, Metro Manila.

Meanwhile here's a bit of a taster on what's coming this Saturday.

BIGGER BOSS SOUND INVADES MANILA

Warsaw's vintage reggae, rocksteady and ska selectors - Bigger Boss Sounds will be coming to Manila on February 13, Saturday they will be joined by the one and only Mento band in the Philippines Count Kutu and the Balmers (they had put out a 10" record under Chicago's Jump Up Records) and Move Up Hi-Fi's Joseph Minister and France's Legal Shot Sound System and resident Irie Sunday DJ Norris King.

Expect to hear authentic Jamaican oldies but rudies sounds from them.

UNPLUGGED FOR THE FUCKED UP GENERATION

We are tired of your sense of entitlement, your fondness for shuffle-mode playlists, diverse array of genre artists and your belief that digital music need not to be paid for.

These zombified sedentary people have dehumanized live music. Communal listening has moved from music venues to virtual listening rooms powered by Spotify silently sitting in groups staring incessantly into their cell phones image crafting their social media profiles with selfies.

In this era of smartphones we now have a generation of online gangstas and offline carebears. 

Welcome to the FUCKED UP GENERATION.

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.

BROKEN LINEAGE

Get ready this coming Sunday as we along with Di alternator brings you the 2nd installment of our DESTROY IT YOURSELF event happening at Back to the 90's located in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. For this 2nd session we will be focusing on the fast, loud and furious punk music called Hardcore. Featured in this event will be THROW, HARD K, BLINDSIDED, RED CORPSE, A.S.P. and COMMUNION.

Plus we will also be featuring a very special guest band not on the bill so all you UNCIVILIZED PEOPLE get ready! 

Just to give you a hint who these guys were. The bands name is called GIRLS hailed in Malabon City and the drummer is the founder of Bisikleta Productions and one of the core members of PUT3SKA. They were featured in a bunch of compilations and released their debut album under Twisted Red Cross and in the mid 90's released another recording called Technology Eats The World under Recycled Records with Julius Felipe doing drum duties. 

As the 90's drew to a close they had gone on their separate ways. The bass player went to see the world while the vocalist went to work in Qatar then later joined I.O.V's guitarist Radzon Medina to form HARD KULANGOT and then the guitarist went on to form GUT REACTION.

If you still don't get who these guys are then y'all a bunch of IDIOTIC IMBECILES I have to say DAMN YOU PEOPLE better BURY YOURSELF. See all of you on Sunday, July 26, 3 P.M.

SKANKIN' AT THE PARK WITH ANGONO'S NEIGHBORS

Mark your calendars ladies and gents as Neighbors bring Eastern Town Ska to the Philippines Capital on March 28, Saturday.

Skank in the park lads. Skank in the park.

THE BRASSPACKERS THIS FEBRUARY 14

Move Up Hi Fi is serving up another healthy dose of ska, early reggae and lover's rock with him are international reggae sensations from Japan and France starting off with Japan's Papa U Gee and Big Answer Sound System selecters Takashi Kirihara and Tatsuki Uchida, Norris King of France Legal Shot Sound System and the globe trotting French NGOs who uses brass instruments to spread a musical awakening to the underprivileged children all around the world bringing joy to their daily life.

This show is happening on the 14th of February at Muzack Sports and Bar Grill in Makati City. The show starts at 8PM. If you have a date instead of getting her naked in bed on that said date why not do something meaningful for a change and watch THE BRASSPACKERS blow your mind.

PUNKY REGGAE PARTY

If you got nothing else to do on the day of Fornication err Valentines Day. Please do check out Goodleaf's Steady Edy's shindig at The Bar 1951 on February 14, Saturday as he along side Steady Movin' Beat and other bands celebrate a night of Punky Reggae Party.

HAPPENING TONIGHT AT WESLU'S PLACE

Happening tonight at Luis Weslu Guiang's brothers pub called Tey's Dugout in memoriam to Bisikleta Productions founder Luis Weslu Guiang drummer of G.I. and the Idiots, Private Stock and Put3ska.