MORE MENTO THAN THE JOLLY BOYS

"We're honoured to have released this album! Count Kutu & The Balmers are the most authentic mento band in the world! You guys are more mento than the Jolly Boys are these days!" Chuck Wren (Jump Up Records)

It is a little known fact that this production outfit had a deep affinity with mento music, back in the day when I along with the creator of Bisikleta Productions had dreamt of finding a local band who does authentic mento whom we can include on our upcoming monthly events up until my co-conspirators untimely death that I had never stopped dreaming about it. Until I chanced upon a punk rock band called The Sneekers that our dream had taken shape.

One of the regular bands who have been performing on our productions had informed me that the front man for The Sneekers, who happen to be a regular fixture for The Rude Maynila Sessions have an unfathomable knowledge when it comes to mento music and in fact had another band that actually plays authentic mento and has been busking and hustling for the tourist of El Nido, Palawan. When we finally lined up his mento band for the sessions every one were instantly mesmerized by what they had seen and heard.

That band that had mesmerized our audience is called COUNT KUTU AND THE BALMERS.singing about the everyday lives of Filipinos injected with a humourous slant and armed with low end guitars, tenor banjo, maracas, catacoo, sand block, bamboo drum and rumba box recreating the rural style of Jamaican mento, made famous by artists such as COUNT OWEN, FRATS QUNITET, THE HILTONAIRES, LORD TANAMO, JOLLY BOYS and SUGAR BELLY is so authentic that they hit the style right out of the ball park. This may be sacrilegious to say, but it is as Jamaican as ackee and saltfish and Miss Lou.

Their beat was so infectious that the band had created a buzz in the underground music scene playing on some notable music events such as Irie Sunday and last year's Ska Reggae Festival and with the magic of YouTube they eventually caught the ear of Chicago's Jump Up Records head honcho Chuck Wren which landed them a record deal resulting in a limited edition 78 rpm style 10" vinyl. And besides that according to my reliable source The Jolly Boys manager Jon Baker had also taken interest on them.

And to get a taste of what this band is all about, below is their music video for your eyes and ears pleasure. To get a hold of the TAKE ME LP, we will be selling their vinyl on SEPTEMBER 28, FRIDAY at THE SPOT.

CREATING A RUMPUS

TO COMFORT THE DISTURBED, AND DISTURB THE COMFORTABLE.

The last Bisikleta Productions event was held sometime early 2011 supporting Pinkcow's bar tour for the promotion of their debut album. It's been a year and a half month now since that mayhem occurred and it's high time to break the silence and create another disturbance, And what better way to do that is to bring back THE RUDE MAYNILA SESSIONS to it's new home at the newly relocated THE SPOT at 1470 Luzvic Building, Samson Road corner Francisco Street, Caloocan City.

The sessions will be held on SEPTEMBER 28, 2012, FRIDAY at 8 in the evening featuring ska, punk rock and oi! performances by PINKCOW, STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, THE EXSENADORS, EARTHLINGS, DANDIMITES & THE PROLETS with Manila Soul's BEN MURPHY, Boppin Juke Pilipinas' and Bembol Rockers front man, MARC STEADY and MARK ZERO of Expansions playing a strictly vinyl DJ set all night long! Plus a sneak preview of Jump Up records vinyl release of COUNT KUTU AND THE BALMERS' TAKE ME LP will be held and sold at the gate.

And in true Bisikleta Productions tradition a mix CD will be given away to the first 50 early patrons. All of these for a measly sum of 50 bucks including an ice cold beer to boot!

RUDE MAYNILA SESSIONS IS BACK

GIVE IT UP FOR BATANGAS

When someone says something about Batangas City two things comes to mind one is the rare and exotic coffee called the Kapeng Barako most commonly associated with an image of a tough man and the other is the famed Balisong or fan knife made famous by actor comedian and the city's own Dencio Padilla. Urban legend has it that this knife is so famous that it's almost a de riguer accessory of every Batanguenos.

Besides those two popular contributions of this city to the world it is a little known fact that a great musical culture is being cultivated on this famed city the ancient war song called Kumintang later became a lovers serenade called Kundiman originated here.

Not only that this city had played a significant role in propagating Philippine music but poetry as well. If you think that battle raps originated in America better think again Bulacan and Batangas hold down the court on freestyle verses via Balagtasan which is a form of debate using improvised freestyle poetry set in a backdrop of a sing song rhythmic cadence think of Flip Top 1900's stylee.

Fast forward today the city now boast a handful of underground musical scenes from punk rock to hardcore and hip hop to ska you can find it here. One example of this is the band called CROOKEDBEAT. This band caught my attention when they message me here in this site about wanting to play in Manila so i took my chances and invited them in a Rude Maynila Sessions they immediately caught my ear and i told myself that this band have what it takes to be on top.

And now they are playing in Malabon City for their EP Launching. Please do support this band come and see them live on March 24, Saturday 8PM at The Spot and do not forget to buy their EP!.

So what are you waiting for? Ala eh tara na dine sa Malabon!

THE SIGNAL IS GO!

The Go Signals, one of the best in the country today. Read. Better yet, grab their CD and listen! - Al Dimalanta

"The underground scene is healthier now," says The Go Signals guitarist Mel Maniego. "There's more buzz and kids are starting to pick up guitars and instruments. Thanks to the Internet, kids now also understand the music style that drives our music."

During Pinoy punk's mid-80s heyday, Mel played guitars for rockabilly poster boys Private Stock. Now, with the power trio The Go Signals, Mel provides slashing chords and short sharp solo turns in the wake of the sturdy backbeat from his mates. His brother Dennis is a steady presence on bass while Spyk Dennis' son and Mel's nephew is a workhorse on drums.

At the group's album launch at Skarlet's Jazz Kitchen near Timog in Quezon City, Throw's Al Dimalanta introduces them as "the best band in the land."

Hooks, power pop and best album of 2011

Performing tracks from their debut, "Secrets & Lies," The Go Signals channel the power and the riffage of The Jam and the Clash with the melodic appeal of the Kinks and The Beatles.

They open with "Time", a hook-laden firecracker that draws the punks and two punkettes near the stage. By the time the title track, "Secrets & Lies" rolls in, a small moshpit erupts and the crowd happily jostles and shakes to the rhythm and the beat.

"Bullet for Your Eye" bites like something borrowed from Hilera but the mass of slam dancing bodies hardly bats a critical eye. A bit of new wave power pop shows up in the winning "Never Ending Cries."

In fact, the debut is so winning, it was named by Philippine Star columnist and Esquire editor-in-chief Erwin Romulo as one of the best albums of 2011. He called it "a true sonic testament to his status as the Filipino Modfather."

To avail of their debut album Secrets & Lies add them up at their facebook page or go to Bad Omen's axeman Jon Fisbone in his shop called Middle Finger Clothing at Cartimar, Recto

This article was taken form Tony Maghirang's Yahoo! OMG Pinoy Rocks segment

HERE WE GO AGAIN AT THE SPOT

After punk was hemogenized and hip hop lost its impetus for social change. The counterculture that energetically challenged the status quo, smashing social standards and revolutionizing every aspect of music, art, government and civil society is now a culture that is lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning.

According to Wikipedia, today's encyclopedia for the internet savvy dumb ass. Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a subculture that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day.

It's time to bring back the movement that have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders and the doomed shallowness of mainstream society. Let's bring back subversion and originality.

Join the Counter Culture!

REMEMBERING JANUARY 18, 2008

Tomorrow will be the 5th year death anniversary of Luis "Weslu" Guiang drummer of seminal punk rock bands Private Stock, George Imbecile and The Idiots and the finest ska band in the Philippines Put3ska.

Not a single day goes by that we think of you dearly, We miss you my friend.