I have been going around Mindanao and have had little time to be in front of the computer in the most comfortable blogging position (which I argue is absolutely necessary, as I’m sure some of you might agree)! Moreover, I have been struggling to get some music back into my system at late since the climate of my career has not been very flexible on that extent. Seriously, I make an effort! I try to steal time to listen to Smashing Pumpkin’s newest album entitled, Zeitgeist, their come-back album with a sound reminiscent of old goddamn school 90’s rock. If you’re a purist and you’re about to start dissing grunge, close this window right this instant!

Anyway.

It’s been an interesting month, thus far. And I can say the same thing about the previous month. I went to Cagayan to check out the music scene there and quite frankly, I was impressed. My heart bled over the fact that the Cagayan music scene seems more enthusiastic and more, shall I say, formidable compared to Davao’s. Not that I’m dissing our locals, no no. My point is, I wish the scene here would grow in terms of musical taste, and maybe even music support.


Just a week ago, I had a talk with several Davao local bands and one of the guys from the undergrounders told me that the music scene in Davao literally DIED for a year or two and now, it’s been trying to come back - no, crawling back. I mean, if you’ve visited my website over the year, I did plug several events alluding to such a “music scene”. But I did make it to a time when the scene was actually crazier, more visible and more immense - at least as far as the undergrounders are concerned. But for the rest whose heads are above the surface and only listen to bands who play when they play and who happen to be at the place where one is having their evening beers and sisigs, I guess there really isn’t much scene there to see since most of the local bands I talk about in this blog play for a specific crowd (I quaintly call the undergrounders). I’ve been observing this notable disparity for some time now: I know artists who are afraid to be labeled as a “mainstream” band when they step out of the so-called underground. Seriously, what is this obssession between distinguishing a band between mainstream and underground? There really shouldn’t be any difference. If you play music, you just play music. I mean, audiences are supposed to vary seeing as how tastes vary too. So if you have an audience with a predictable taste in music and they start listening to you - it’s really not a bad thing. Some underground bands are afraid to share their music to audiences outside the underground because the undeground might perceive it as the band trying to get into the mainstream. That’s peer pressure in your face. And I don’t get why bands should even care what “peers” should think. Unless of course they’re playing the music for them and not for themselves or to have fun with it. I don’t know, just a food for thought. That’s just me ranting.

I hate to see underground bands just stay underground. They happen to be the most original and most creative type of bands. Is it too much a stretch to share the music to “everyone else”?

***

The Muzika del Sur Music Awards 2007 is going to be held on August 19, 2007. See you guys there!

***

Meme time! Thanks Andrew for tagging. Sorry took a while to comply, but at least it’s here now, yeah!

Three Things That Scare Me

1. Crawling things
2. My mom raising hell
3. My girlfriend raising hell, hahaha. Peace, hun!

Three People Who Make Me Laugh

1. My brother
2. Mark Limbaga
3. Benedic!

Three Things I Love

1. Schneider - my laptop
2. *toot*
3. My Thai pants!

Three Things I Hate

1. Whistles
2. Whistles being blown! God.
3. Whistles being blown repetitively!

Three Things I Don’t Understand

1. Marriage
2. Russian
3. Married people

Three Things On My Desk

1. Laptop
2. Chicken - my Phone
3. My Italian hand sanitizer, hah.

Three Things I Am Doing Right Now

1. Typing THIS.
2. Furrowing my brows.
3. Slouching.

Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die

1. Live in New York
2. Get famous and filthy rich, hahahaha!
3. Bungee jump

Three Things I Can Do

1. I can play several musical instruments.
2. Walk from Katipunan (Quezon City) to Welcome (Nearing Espana)
3. Not leave an answer for number 3.

Three Things I Can’t Do

1. Kiss my elbow
2. Quit smoking. Fuck.
3. Sleep. (At least right now. 6:20 AM July 21. Huhuhu…)

Three Things I Think You Should Listen To

1. Me
2. The Knife
3. Your stomach

Three Things You Should Never Listen To

1. Me, ranting
2. Bad music
3. George Bush

Three Things I Would Like To Learn

1. Speak several European languages (aside from English)
2. Cook without burning half the kitchen
3. Sleep early.

Three Favorite Foods

1. Anything with mushrooms
2. CHEESE
3. Fudgy, chocolatey stuff

Three Shows I Watched As A Kid

1. Hiraya Manawari
2. Wheel of Fortune
3. Power Rangers (Damn.)

OKAY. That’s it. I’m going to sleep now. Good night!