MANILA STANDARD TIME

Mark your calendar boys and girls as Move up Hi Fi is serving a fresh batch of MST this year! Joseph Minister will be showcasing Marc Steady of The Bembol Rockers / Brownbeat All Stars / Brass Munkeys famer on the wheels of steel. 

With live performances by Manila's powerpop mod band THE GOSIGNALS and skinhead reggae band DANDIMITES. This is happening on the 30th of January, Friday, 8PM at MUZACK SPORTS BAR AND GRILL located in MAKATI CITY.

THE WUDS

PUNK ROCK SHOULDN'T STOP GROWING AND EVOLVING. BUT ITS GROWTH SHOULD ALWAYS BE BASED ON THE UNIQUE TRAITS THAT DEFINED MUSIC FROM THE START. REBELLIOUS, HONEST, LOUD, AND SCATHING. IT SHOULD NEVER TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT CONTRADICTS ITS VERY REASON FOR EXISTENCE.

- AL DIMALANTA

I read this quote a couple of days ago by Dead Ends/Throw front man which lead me to start writing a much delayed article for The Wuds an 80’s Philippine punk band that defied convention. The band was different from the rest of their peers these guys where doing Khrishna Core long before American Hardcore Bands the likes of Youth of Today, Shelter and Cro Mags fused Punk Rock and Eastern-based Indian spirituality of the Vaishnavas. and The Wuds are arguable the first straight edge band in the Philippines.

Late last year The Wuds did a series of crowdsourcing gigs and its purpose was to help finance their new album that will be coming out early this year. Cindy Aquino a photographer friend and also a contributor to Bisikleta Productions asked me if i can do a story for The Wuds on behalf of Kontra Kultura in helping to promote their goal on doing a new album DIY style. I asked her why did she picked me when i am not a professional writer i just do it occasionally for this blog alone. 

Her reply was that I was an 80s kid and witnessed Philippine punk rock explode during that time. Yeah i was there alright but my old folks was so strict that i have not experienced going to Katrinas, nor visited A to Z Records two of the iconic places to go to in the 80s. Those places i have mentioned was the ground zero/mecca of all things underground.

The only experience i had with the band was through Howlin’ Dave's radio show, Twisted Red Cross tapes and my old friends who were part of the infamous Joan Lombard / A.P. Aquino punks that occasionally organized underground gigs. Every time there was a “CONCIERTO” held i snucked out of my old folks home just to hear bands play at Dapitan Sports Complex, YMCA, PNR/Kadiwa and The Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Kalookan City.

To give justice and credibility to this article what i did was I asked several key persons to contribute to this article who knew them as a band and as individuals and who were present during the punk rock explosion of the 1980s I also ask them what they expect on The Wuds upcoming album and to cap things off was to ask Bobby Balingit himself about his band and what is in store for the old and the new fans/listeners via Cindy Aquino’s interview and without further ado here it is. 

RHANNY TORRES of The Lost Boys, Ethnic Faces, Violent Playground and Brownbeat Allstars

The Wuds created a massive impact on the Philippine punk rock genre. They have a dedicated fan base that go way back to the early 80’s.

I will not mince words The Wuds is Philippine punk rock royalty. Their songs speaks to the listeners it makes you think. Their music is deep unlike the usual punk songs that is full of anger. Angry at the world, angry at society, angry at their parents, etc. 

On their upcoming album, I bet it’s going to be a notch higher than the last with regards to their musicality especially Bobby who is constantly evolving as an artist. and his two bandmates Alfred and Aji who are both a respected artists in their own right. 

On Alfred, he is a pillar in the Philippine tattoo industry, He has done so much to elevate the art form to where it is now locally and Aji he is a respected music teacher.

JUN GENIUS (formerly known as Jun Idiot) of George Imbecile and The Idiots, Hard K, Jun and The Idiots, Jun Genius and The Brainiacs

For me The Wuds when i was as a teenager in the 80s watching them made me stick to the cause of being a punk rocker. The Wuds music is not just concentrated on aggression they also have the spirituality. They want to impart a positive message to the listener and I think whatever musical genre they play, they can surely excel at it.  As individuals all of them are deep. 

EDMOND ARAULLO of Private Stock, Nearby Cries

What i can remember from The Wuds was that they were the second wave of Brave New World bands that came along. They where from Singalong. We got to play with them as often as we could. Recto days sponsored by Yadu who does afternoon gigs back in the day.

One time they organized a gig and invited Private Stock to play. I would describe them as Kindhearted people. There are times that Private Stock and The Wuds will often rehearse at Navotas at Al’s place (Dead Ends) and Alfred and I would light up some weed. I also remember a gig held in Pasay City Sports Complex where the organizer would just give us food money. After the show The Wuds and our band would go to McDonalds to grab some eats. Back then we don't know that those guys are Vegetarians so what we did was we took out the meat for us to eat and the Buns and the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and catsup for them.

Those guys are dead serious at what they do. I can see their loyalty to each other. 

MEL MANIEGO of Private Stock, Beatdown Boombox and The GoSignals

They’re a great band. I’ll put Bobby on my top 3 list of prolific song writers of my generation. Bobby he is a good lyricist. Those three are Arnold Morales of College, Urban Bandits, Music Front and Put3ska, Al Dimalanta of Dead Ends and Throw

Alfred is the quiet one who does his own artistic stuff. And Aji - he’s a riot! Through the years Bobby’s song writing matured expanded his mind but his topics are always about social awareness often times kinda cosmic to me sometimes.

They’re survivors they’ve outlived almost everyone of us they are still intact. I do not know how they can stay together that long. It’s either Patience or they have good deodorants! Kidding aside i am wishing them brothers the best for their new album! 

AL DIMALANTA of Dead Ends and Throw

The music they do have mass appeal. I respect Bobby as a musician. His guitar style has evolved into something more avant-garde. I like Bobby as a songwriter because his songs are more introspective than political, although he started out writing politically conscious songs, his songwriting evolved into more personal and introspective topics, particularly when he started Juan Isip.

These are some of the words that best describe The Wuds as a band and as individuals. The Wuds is punk rock personified because they refused to be pigeon holed as Al Dimalanta of Throw pointed out in his quote that Punk music should evolve. 

This short interview is about that evolution. An evolution of The Wuds and the music that we call punk. 

These are some of the questions that i had prepared for Bobby on behalf of his bandmates using Cindy Aquino as my interviewer most of them was not been asked by her probably she was not brave enough to asked Bobby about some issues that might offend the man. One question in particular was that song that was bastardized by Rivermaya and Heber Bartlome's Akasha records issue but anyway listening to Cindy talked to one of the forefathers of Philippine punk rock was eargasm there's a nervous tone in her voice while asking Bobby but overall what she did was great and here are his answers that i painstakingly transcribed for all you readers to enjoy. 

IS OPM DEAD? IS PUNK DEAD? DO YOU THINK THAT THE UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT IS DEAD?

BOBBY: Walang namatay na movement yun OPM na thing na namatay na nabubuhay di ako naniniwala dun so wala walang namatay nagpatuloy ito. Ang bagong album na ilalabas ay pagpapatuloy. Hindi pagkamatay at bumubuhay.

WHY ARE YOU RELEASING A NEW ALBUM? WHAT IS IT FOR?

BOBBY: kailangang ipag patuloy kasi sa ngayon para kaming isa sa pinaka mahabang banda na nakipag sapalaran at patuloy pa din akong gumagawa ng di lamang kanta nag susulat pa din ako ng nobela at kwento hangang dun umabot kaya di dapat ihinto.

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF THE WUDS LONGEVITY?

BOBBY: Di namin kailangang dayain ang mga tao. Alam namin yun gusto namin gawin. Naniniwala kami sa goal na yun at naniniwala kami sa aming pinang hahawakan na nagppatibay sa grupo.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PUNKS THEN AND THE PUNKS NOW IN TERMS OF MUSICALITY AND LIFESTYLE?

BOBBY: Noon ang punk may struggle sa ngayon wala ng struggle nagawa na nuon pag sinabi kasing punk it means unconventional pag prineserve magiging conventional so di na punk. 

Walang ipaghahambing. Nagpatuloy ito walang meron bago o meron luma hindi ito old school, new school yan e pop mentality. di yan usapin ng punk.

WHAT CAN YOU ADVISE TO THOSE BANDS THAT ARE STARTING UP AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED YOUR BAND

BOBBY: Sa mga nagsisimula. Kailangang maging tapat sa sarili nila na ginawa nila itong bagay na to tapusin ay dapat isabuhay mo hangang sa mamatay ka na. 

Sa mga bandang sumusuoprta naman malaking pasasalamat sa kanila dahil dumating din yun panahon na nagkarooon ng acknowledgement sa hirap na ginawa namin.

So there you go The Wuds is constantly evolving but the roots are still in its place that is called punk rock. Brace yourself for the new album i'll bet it's gonna be a fun ride.

BRONZE FIST RECORDS PRESENTS SONS OF SKINHEAD MANILA MEETING

My friend from Japan Hideki Takasaki and head honcho of BRONZE FIST RECORDS will be hosting a show in my country Philippines tonight. at NGONGIS BAR.

Featuring the finest Oi and Street Punk bands in Manila. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Quezon City please do drop by and watch the show. The gig will be held at NGONGIS BAR in Tomas Morato.

Just to give you a background of what BRONZE FIST RECORDS - the label is based in Osaka, Japan and releasing Asian Oi! and Street Punk bands from Thailand, Singapore and Philippines. One notable release is Booted Cocks.

MOVE UP HIFI SKA FEVER

Mark your calendars people! This month MOVE UP HIFI is bringing the heat on December 13, Saturday at Muzack Sports Bar and Grill in Makati City. Move up HiFI round of DJs will be JOSEPH  MINISTER, SARGENTO VEZ expect to hear some tasty oldies but rudies tunes from them. And a bit of soul nuggets from guest DJ NICK MONSOON.

Plus performances from top caliber ska and reggae bands COFFEE BREAK ISLAND, NEIGHBORS, PINKCOW, DANDIMITES, STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, EARTHLINGS, BUZZER BEATERS and MENTAL SQUAT ISLAND.

And speaking of Coffee Break Island please do watch out for their offshoot band called The Borrachos debut album.

Gate will cost you a measly sum of 100 pesos and it comes with an ice cold beer it's cheaper than your average Tapa King meal and a cab fare.

And to end this plug i would leave you a word of advice. DRESS SMART AND DANCE HARDER THAN ANY MOFO, LEAVE YOR POLITICS AT THE DOOR, BRING YOUR TOLERANCE WITH YOU, DO NOT BRING IN A CONVENIENCE STORE BOUGHT BOOZE and not and definitely not the least if some foreigners comes and visit the gig please show some courtesy by welcoming them a Pinoy way and not the BURAOT kind of way. SHOW SOME DECENCY AND RESPECT BY NOT HECKLING THEM FOR CAB FARE AND FREE BOOZE.

If you do not have money to spare for a Jeepney ride and a beer then stay at home and wallow in your misery.

MOVE UP HI FI PRESENTS MANILA STANDARD TIME

Looks like the stars are all aligning by the end of this year. After a successful crowd funding gig for the Wuds by Kounter Kulture last Saturday there is yet another musical event worth checking out this month as Joseph Minister of Move Up Hi Fi is serving up another batch of tasty JA 45s with his cohorts Sarge Vez and Norris King.

With performances from 2 tone band STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, DANDIMITES, EARTHLINGS together with their new vocalist Viola from 3rd wave ska band SPORNEE, GOODLEAF and ska punkers PINKCOW the last two mentioned bands will be releasing albums of their own by the end of this year the last one happens to be recording at CBI's Paul Putian's recording studio called STUDIO JUAN that i think is worth waiting for.

And just to give you a quick history on who is the man behind MOVE UP HI FI. He happens to be a good friend of mine named Mark Young a DJ and a vinyl collector with impeccable taste for Funk, Jazz, Afrobeat and other music that you never heard before music that is worth listening to. I met him, along with fellow funk enthusiast and hardcore Meters fan Francis Hernandez of Loads of Motherhood way back early Y2K at The Fort during my ex wife's corporate party for an adult entertainment. I was blown away by the funk that was blasting through the speakers that i decided to check him out the rest is history.  Mark AKA Mark Zero, AKA Joseph Minister had been around the music scene for quite sometime since the early 90's and now he is focussing on unearthing some tasty Jamaican oldies but goodies - labels like Jayboy, Pama, Bamboo, Gibbs and Crab for all the ska and reggae fans to enjoy so if you happen to love ska and early reggae then do drop by at MUZACK MUSIC HALL AND SPORTS BAR in MAKATI CITY on NOVEMBER 28, FRIDAY. He along with NORRIS KING, SARGE VEZ and guest DJ NICK MONSOON of the trad ska band THE MONSOONS will be spinning 45s so do not miss out because this will be a trainspotters wet dream so don't miss it!

The location of the venue is at the back of McDonalds Buendia before Mayapis there's a building in front of Mini Stop where the whole shebang will take place. Entrance cost will be 100 Pesos that comes with a one bottle of beer fairly cheap if i may say so.

As i always say here in this blog. Dance hard, Drink heavily, Leave your politics at the door, Bring your tolerance with you and please spend money at the venue and not at the convenience store. This is the only way that you show your full support in the scene so please try not to humiliate yourself by displaying a 711 bought booze at the venue and lastly do not be a freaking asshole by doing the Nazi salute.

METAMORPHOSIS

  

Tonight Kounter Kulture together with Dirty Shoes Collective and THE Clothing  will be doing a crowdsourcing gig for one of Philippine’s surviving and still active 80's punk band - THE WUDS at SELDA DOS BAR in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City entitled METAMORPHOSIS. The aim of  the event is to seek out financial support  from people who will attend the show this November 15 that will help fund The Wuds recording expenses.

This band that Kounter Kulture and Dirty Shoes Collective is supporting is hailed as one of the best if not the brightest stars to came out of the Pinoy underground music scene in the 80s. I first heard of The Wuds on the radio way back when I was just barely a teenager via Howlin’ Dave’s punk rock show at RJAM that I patiently listen to. The music that Dante was playing was harsh, hard, and in your face. It appealed to me and I liked it a lot to the point that I was religiously following his show and do my own mixtape using my Dad’s Sanyo radio cassette recorder and his Perry Como tapes that I used for recording music whenever Urban Bandits, Third World Chaos, Integrated Circuit and The Lost Boys is being played by Dante. My first impression of The Wuds was that the band lyrically and musically is different from the rest of the Philippine Punk Bands that came out in that era. Their sound has this folky undertone on them. Imagine a bunch of hippy Khrisna devotees who decided to cut their long hair in exchange of a Mohawk then traded their acoustic guitars with an electric one then plugged it on a dilapidated amp with the volume blasted way up high. They got that positive spiritually behind that noise and angst. Just listen to Patay Buhay from their debut album ARMS TALK with that Khrishna Chants. These guys where doing Khrishna Core long before American Hardcore Bands Youth of Today, Shelter and Cro Mags coined the term.

Their music and the rest of the bands that Howlin’ Dave had featured on his show had left an indelible mark on me when I was growing up. The Wuds along with Dead Ends, Private Stock, Urban Bandits and the rest of the bands that recorded on Tommy Tanchanco’s Twisted Red Cross label had been a part of my life in one way or another. It influenced me spiritually and mentally. Arguably speaking The Wuds are the only existing underground band with original members still intact that survived the 80’s Philippine music punk scene the rest of the bands in that era sadly disintegrated completely when that year come to an end, While the other bands are content on just doing the same old thing up to now they however are still putting out records in the span of three decades including the raw and uncompromising album recorded in the mid 90s called AT NAKALIMUTAN ANG DIYOS under the highly controversial record label called Akasya Records run by Heber Bartolome in which the band felt they where swindled in the process.

After 30 years in the underground music scene The Wuds is still standing strong with 8 albums under their belt including a rare 7 inch split vinyl with The Jerks vocalist Chickoy Pura that i am on the constant look out. Not content to sit on their laurels the band have decided to put out new material by doing a series of live shows to fund their new project starting tonight November 15, Saturday with the help of a bunch of young upstarts who called themselves Kounter Kulture and Dirty Shoes Collective a bunch of creative misfits who most of them have become a regular mainstay of Bisikleta Productions before they successfully had done a series of musical events this year mostly album launches from new school punk bands that I highly respect and admired.

It is great to see that these young individuals had taken a big step forward by helping The Wuds achieve their goal and true to form the band is proudly showing their anti consumerism by coming full circle doing it the old school punk way of DIY via crowd funding to record their new album. For those of you haven’t got a single clue on what crowd funding is all about it is a form of soliciting financial contributions that gives musicians freedom from shady greedy record producers whose only goal was to churn out idiotic music for money and fooling people. 

This form of monetary help gives them complete creative control of their work because at this day and age of Lizza Nakpil fabricated bands the likes of Rivermaya, The Wuds brand of music is still relevant today as it was 30 years ago because it is fast, hard and painfully true that everyone should hear right now and in order for them to make a new album for all of us to hear The Wuds needs us. Which reminded me of Joe Strummer saying without the people you're nothing quote. This band is turning to us for help.

It is high time that we all give something back to this band and rest of the pioneers who paved the way for all the new breed by spending our hard earned money to real music who influenced not just me but countless others who in one way or another started their own bands. 

Now give yourself a favor and go out and spend your half months worth of your salary to something meaningful. Go watch The Wuds play with Neighbors, Goodleaf, Coffee Break Island, The Exsenadors, Tolonguez Death Squad, PinkCow and a bunch of talented musicians.

HENRY NEEDS YOUR HELP

A few weeks ago a friend of mine from Angono, Rizal had informed me about a friend of ours in the music scene that suffered a stroke. A regular fixture on the Mod and Ska scene and well known as the go to guy when it comes to threads worn by skinheads and mods.

I was surprised to learn about his condition because first and foremost he is a health buff. He habitually does cycling and runs regularly in other words he lead a positive lifestyle. I admired him because of this. 

On November 22 bands who knew HENRY RIZARDO personally is asking for your help. They will stage a gig at FOR THE ROAD BAR in Madison Square, Mandaluyong City. If anyone of you reading this post and knew Henry please do drop by and lend a helping hand.

Let us all wish for his speedy recovery. HOLD STEADY MY FRIEND, HOLD ON HENRY.