Pinoy Rock

Nakita ko yung "The Wuds" kanina sa S.O.P, tinugtog kasi nang Rivermaya yung kanta nila na "Inosente lang ang nagtataka". Old school punk ang tugtugan nang the wuds and I like their music. Ang totoo niyan eh hindi ko na sila naabutan 1980's pa ata sila nagstart, eh ang naabutan ko eh Yano, Eraserheads, The dawn, Rivermaya (si bamboo pa bokalista nila!), at Siakol.

Na-miss ko tuloy yung Pinoy Rock noon, simple lang kasi at hindi masyadong maarte ang mga kanta. Na kahit sang kanto may inuman eh siguradong maririnig mo na kinakanta! Naalala ko nung nilabas nang E-heads ang "Pare ko" grabe hindi siya nakakasawang pakinggan kahit mga sobrang lasing na ang mga kumakanta, susundan pa nila yan nang "Bakit ba?" by Siakol ay naku sabay sharing nang mga bigong pag-ibig stories na kulang na lang eh magyakapan at magiyakan tong mga nag-iinuman sa min!

Kung ang mga Amerikano eh may "Grunge", ang hapon eh may "J-POP", "Manila Sound" naman ang musikang pinauso nang mga banda na Juan Dela Cruz band, Sampaguita noong 1970s (correct me if I'm wrong ha! hehehe), Kaya naman nilabas ang tribute album na "Hopia, Mani, Popcorn (Best of Manila sound!).

Parang overrated na tuloy ang pag lalabas nila nang tribute, parang kailan lang kasi eh naglabas din sila nang album na tribute sa APO Hiking Society na sobrang gasgas na! At bago pa yun eh naglabas din sila nang tribute para sa E-Heads! Baka naman sa kalalabas nila nang mga Tribute Album eh wala ng gawin ang mga banda dito sa Pinas kundi mag-cover ng mga kanta!(wag naman sana.)

Wish ko lang eh sana maintindihan nang mga tao ang musika, hindi dahil uso eh pakikinggan nila! Yun na lang ang ginagawa kasi nang iba! Kung hindi pa gagawa nang Tribute album para sa Manila sound eh hindi nila makikila ang kanta!

Hay....

LEARN THE HISTORY OF PINOY ROCK HERE

Coffee Anyone?

The Starbucks Principle
By Nick Garcia

Haven’t you noticed how Starbucks has taken the place of Megamall, Enchanted Kingdom, and Jollibee? Today, Starbucks spells gimmick. Suddenly everyone is mad about coffee, and is willing to spend a whopping hundred bucks for “one tall mocha frappe please!” or “I’ll have one grande iced coffee please!” Everyone claims it’s different, it’s something to die for. Instead of catching a nice flick at the cinema, the Filipino’s new idea of fun is to voluntary park their buns at the café and gulp all the caffeine they can.

No one knows exactly why Starbucks has become the hotspot, when what they serve is just foamed Blend 45 for crying out loud. Oh, try pointing this out to Starbucks fanatics (i.e., the likes of teeny-boppers and kikay girls), and you can expect getting attacked on how little you know about coffee. Get ready with answers like “Duh! Starbucks isn’t just coffee! They’re ground beans and processed chocolate and skimmed milk! What do you know about that?”

They have a point there, though, because even in the United States, when you talk coffee, Starbucks comes first. Their ingredients are never questionable, and if I’m not mistaken, Starbucks is an established-since-year brand. In short, Starbucks is the coffee authority. But it ends there. Starbucks is coffee, period. Certainly not a gimmick place of some sort, not convincing enough as an alternative for the mall. This, I repeat, is the case in the United States.

But Starbucks invades Manila and here it becomes an obsession. As you may have already seen, the interiors of Starbucks cafés are all designed to create a distinct ambience. Notice from the Italian-tiled flooring, to the cowboy motif wall covering, to the fancy lamps, tables and chairs crafted like those only seen in home magazines. Of course, who would miss the complicated bar counter, behind which all the grinders and blenders are displayed as if to remind you they really do process your cappuccino.

I mean, who can resist frequenting a posh place like this? Instead of worrying about other important things, the typical kikay teenager puts on her best dress, and with her kikay friends goes straight to Starbucks where she orders “one tall caramel frappe please!” This takes time to prepare, which is fine. She feels rewarded by the fact that the ethical barista would shout her name across the room by the time her frappe is ready. After she claims it, she heads for the self-service corner where she takes excessive packets of extra sugar, extra cream, and an inch thick of Starbucks tissue paper for souvenir. Then she sits by the front window, hoping someone she knows would pass by and see her drinking expensive coffee. She takes remarkably small sips in order to prolong her stay, like a real smart-ass.

During the entire process, there is the obligatory flaunting of Nokia cell phones, the occasional eruptions of “yeah” and “sure” here and there. You get the impression everyone in the room is from the conyo sector. Pathetic as it is, the Starbucks atmosphere is so contagious that it simply brings out the social climber in one.

You have to admit that the Philippine franchiser of Starbucks-whoever he is-deserves credit. He’s certainly not stupid. He sees through us Filipinos, and definitely knows how to flatter us. Mr. Starbucks is aware of the average Pinoy to desire to be associated and considered among the elite because well, in reality, the average Pinoy desire is far from being that. The average Pinoy home is less attractive than a place like Starbucks. The average Pinoy meal is without garnishes. The average Pinoy environment is less comforting and convenient than a service of Starbucks.

But when in Starbucks, the average Pinoy is instantly made to feel he’s in New York, or Las Vegas, or Paris, or anywhere else but Manila – one probable reason why we Filipinos buy this flick. We are total suckers for anything that is western in concept. But Starbucks has gone beyond colonial mentality; it has become pure escapism. It helps us forget about the EDSA traffic jam, the hostages in Mindanao, and the decreasing popularity of Erap. In this age of harsh realities of poverty and chaos, anything that offers oblivion and temporary indulgence sells fast. No matter how costly it is.

With their little creativity in repackaging, Starbucks is no longer just coffee. It’s already a religion. That we Filipinos practically worship that green logo with the exotic lady shows where we derive our strength to move on. It is from the promise of Starbucks every pay day.

*source: Bakit baligtad magbasa ng libro ang mga Pilipino – Bob Ong

Flyin'

AEROPLANE
Tal Bachman

I was wrong to keep you underneath my finger
I was wrong to try and change you like I did
Oh I was a fool, I was to blame
And I put myself to shame
Now you and your love can show me the way
*(You gave me your heart and one last chance)

Now I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
And I, I wont make the same mistakes I used to make
*It was love and evolution
It was tearing it us apart
I prayed for a solution and I found it in your heart
Now I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
I can fly,

It's true, I loved taking you for granted
I was deaf and numb and blind to who you were
Now I'm gonna show you and you're gonna see
Everything you mean to me
I am going to be there whenever you need
(I'll protect you, I'll respect you)

Now I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
And I, I won't make the same mistakes I used to make
*It was just another emotion
It was running through my veins
But you gave me your devotion and something in me changed
Now I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
I can fly

(I'll protect you, I'll respect you)
Now I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
Yes and I, I wont' make the same mistakes I used to make
Oh I feel like aeroplane above the rain
Yes and I, I won't make the same mistakes I used to make

Some questions have no answers
Some answers have no truth
The Truth is my religion
And I seen the truth in you
And I, I feel like an aeroplane above the rain
I can fly