I'm Getting Old

Last night, Rhea and I went to Kelvin's barbecue at around 7pm.

4 beers, a couple of bong hits, and a few drags off of a vaporizer later, it was 10pm and time to go home.

This, coming from people who used to party with the same people til dawn on any given occasion.

Time sure have changed, we're all older, more sober, and certainly unable to stay awake til the wee hours.

Not to mention the fact that we talked about politics, parenting, children, and who knows what other boring adult stuff.

Hoy, Ikaw.

Hoy. Ikaw. Sino ka ba?

Dada ka ng dada, kala mo'y may dahilan ang salita na sinasabi mo'y wala naman halaga sa mga taong kausap mo. 

Hoy. Ikaw. Sinungalin. 

Ano bang pinagsasabi mo? Ba't ka naghahanap ng paraan upang sirain ang ibig sabihin at palitan ang tungkulin ng aming pinagmamasdan?

Hoy. Ikaw. Siraulo. 

Mag medisina ka nga para di na maulit ang pinagiisip mo na walang halaga  sa ating mundo at para di na mauto ang mga kasama mo na wala naman may sakit katulad mo. 

Get The Fuck Out

Youre like a snake 

with venom in your mouth

When you scream 

you fill the world with doubt

You slither and slide 

marking tracks in your way

Leaving lives to rot and decay

Youre a little bitch and im a fucking fool

You spread your legs for anyone with a tool

But now that I'm on to your evil plans

Aint gonna fall again, you understand?

You can shout all you want 

and scream at me

All your noise 

sounds like your own eulogy

Your dead to me 

and you aint ever comin back

So get the fuck out 

and find another land to track. 

Judged Again

About this time last year, some fucking bitch judged me and tried to get me fired for mistakes like typos, when in fact, she was guilty of that which she accused me of. In the end, she's the one that left and HR never even received her complaint.

This year, i get judged again for having no responsibilities when in truth, i work 5 jobs, have 3 sons, a wife, and a very active rock n roll band. Again, an unfair judgement made in blindness by people that only see one side of a story and have no idea what was really going on nor which responsibilities I had assumed. 

Worthy to mention is that it was suggested that I had mentioned to turn over a dirty diaper of one of my children in order to use again rather than to go and purchase new diapers. Seriously, what the actual fuck?

It's stories like these that have reminded me of conversations I've had with friends in the passed about people who have likewise done them wrong. They have chosen to take the high road and simply block these people out of their lives rather than retaliating or stooping to their level of ignorance and false sense of righteousness to even speak in a black and white format when in fact there are tons of grey areas that they have no idea even exist. 

No Sleep

So as of last week, I now officially have 5 jobs.

1. Concierge at Aura Lifestyle.
2. Road Manager of Cheats
3. Road Manager of Nicole Asencio
4. Artist Liaison of Malasimbo 2017
5. Stage Manager of Ely Buendia

After Radio Republic cut me loose and I was jobless for 4 months, I became so desperate for work that I sought it out in every possible way that was possible. I practically begged for work and made myself available for even the slightest income, even if I deemed it an insulting amount to pay someone for the work that was required.

But then I started landing some work. I got a phone call here and a text message there and now there was work to be done. It was good work for decent money and I was starting to gain some self respect again. And I kept pushing. I kept moving forward and never looking back. I remembered that opportunity only knocks on your door once and that I shouldn't shun it due to fatigue, lack of sleep, or laziness. I didn't even turn down work even if it meant missing important functions or time with my family.

Then more work started landing on my lap. Scheduling was becoming tedious and my hours were starting to eat into other jobs that needed tending. Before long, I wasn't sure how to shuffle them all but with a lot of effort and time put in into making it work, I was able to continue up and running.

And here I am now, its nearly 4 in the morning, i've just come from a gig at 70's Bistro with the Blue Jean Junkies, and i'm about to start my concierge shift, which by the way, I wont be completing as i've got to get to Green Sun to do line/sound check for Ely's gig tonight. Then tomorrow I have Cheats at Route 196. On Sunday i've got another gig with Ely at the PICC. Then on Monday im skipping my concierge shift to do a gig with Nicole at the PICC and Sofitel.

So I don't sleep much anymore, but I remain grateful for all of the work been given to me and I hope that I manage to continue handling all 5 jobs, plus my family, plus the Junkies.

Here's to an even better 2017!

Embarrassed

Im in an uber and the driver is playing some Bon Jovi compilation and i just realized that im embarrassed to say that i used to listen to them. 

When Slippery When Wet came out, i was all over it. Probably listened to it a lot too! Then when they released New Jersey, i was totally into that too. 

Im glad i got out of it though! Its so freakin cheesy! 

Dear Madonna

Dearest Madonna,

Hi! How are you? I first heard that you were coming to Manila sometime last year and immediately jumped at the opportunity to see you in concert. It didn't matter that the concert tickets were priced the way they were, I had to see you, and so I did. It was February 25, 2016, at the Mall of Asia Arena, and it was up there with The Rolling Stones, who are my all time heroes!

I have to tell you, the entire experience was brilliant! We got there 2 hours before you hit the stage and enjoyed the free wine and scotch at the Globe booth. At the smoking lounge, a few people passed around a few joints right before you went onstage and that heightened the senses that you had opened when you dropped the curtains.

Your first few songs were unfamiliar to me but I loved them all. Dark man! And the show you did created further mystique to the already darkened theme. In Devil Pray you sang about Lucifer being near, which fucks the brain because you sang it. Just hearing the lyrics makes your hair stand but not because you're creeped out, but because not many people can get away with that the way you do so effortlessly. Singing lyrics about smoking weed, drinking whiskey, sniffing glue, doing e, and dropping acid was also brilliant, because people love to hear that! Again, it's dark, but awesome to say, even though the message of the song tells a lot more than highlighting only those words.

We had a Archbishop that suggested that we boycott your show because it was vulgar, suggestive, and blasphemous, but that fucker had no idea what he was talking about! I mean, you probably went much further than he expected you to and thank God for that! He may have wanted people to stop seeing you, but if anything, every show you do will guarantee you an even larger audience because you are fucking amazing!

And by the way, please ignore our dumb ass fucking politicians who are trying to get you banned for singing and dancing Holiday while parading the Philippine flag. We were there. We saw it. We loved it! And you couldn't have chosen a better song to sing it with. We are, after all, at least by claims, trying to further develop our tourism with tag lines like "It's more fun in the Philippines." There was nothing wrong with what you did and you don't me to tell you that. Just ignore these idiots who point their fingers at others in order to hide the wrong that they do behind closed doors. Like lie, cheat, steal, and rape.

I loved everything about the entire show. Thank you so much! You just gave thousands of people the best experience that the entire country has ever had the honor to have been a part of.

Love,
Miggy

My Dead Parents Are Back

So, in 2003, my Mom died. It was the saddest day of my life, and I was truly broken. She died in the hospital, and our plan was to have her cremated before beginning day 1 of her wake. I rode with her lifeless body in an ambulance from Makati Medical Center to a crematorium somewhere in Quezon City. The ride took over an hour and there was no joy for me, except that these would be my final moments with her physical body.

The cremation took maybe 2 hours. I walked around the tombstones and watched the sunset while waiting for her ashes to be put into the niche that we bought her. When it was done, a man there said that a titanium piece was found in the tray where her body lay. I recognized it as the mitral valve heart transplant she had had a few years before and kept it. I turned it into a pendant to be worn on a necklace and kept it very close and dear to me for years to come.

Then, I lost it. I tend to do that, lose things, no matter how dear they are to me. And i give myself a break every time i lose something and chuck it to the fact that they're all just things, material possessions. But I was really sad about it. A part of my Moms heart was hanging from my neck for a few years and it helped me feel really close to her, and now it was gone.

Fast forward to February 15, 2016, a Monday morning, as I was getting ready for work, I looked at our bookshelf and saw it. I couldn't believe it was it. I mean, this necklace had never even seen Rhea's house as far as i'm concerned. Or if it did, it was while we were dating and never since I had moved in. So how did it get there?

I don't think i'll ever have an answer that explains that, except for the fact that I believe that my Mom and Dad are visiting.

They've visited before. On my Dads last birthday, Rhea had said that Miq was making faces and talking to a corner in the room and when I joked that maybe that way my Dad, she suddenly seemed to agree that the suggestion may actually be accurate. There have also been other episodes when I felt their presence and didn't doubt that it was them. Sometimes just one of them, sometimes both.

But this time it's different. I believe that both Mom and Dad are here and are visiting. Not just coming for a quick hi hello and then be gone. No. This time, I think they might be hanging around until Moms death anniversary, which is March 5. Mom would have left us 13 years ago, and Dad 11. I like numbers and have always believed that the numbers 11 and 13 have powers. I wonder if they're somehow connected?

In any case, none of that matters. What does matter, is that I believe these to be true and I welcome their visit! More than anything, i'm so happy that they're here! I want to show them the kids, and Rhea, and to show them how much Sage has grown and into the kind of man he is!

And more than anything, I always tell people who have lost loved ones, that what makes it easier is to continue a relationship with them, even if they have passed. I did that for a long time, but feel as if i've forgotten how to continue doing that. Perhaps now is the perfect opportunity to find my way back into that relationship.

I love you Mom and Dad. Please stick around and enjoy your stay. I love you forever!

Do I Look Like Filipino Actor Michael De Mesa?

Michael De Mesa

Michael De Mesa is a film and television star who has been on the screens since 1992. You could say that he is quite famous and also comes from a family of known actors and actresses.

This morning, while driving through work and trying to cross the insane intersection of C5 Extension and the East Service Road, you know the one you take if you're exiting from Merville and trying to get to Sales Bridge, I saw a cop standing there and directing traffic. Because the situation in that intersection has been mad, I decided to roll down my window and thank the officer for his help.

He looked at me and thanked me for my comment then went on to call me Michael De Mesa! I looked at him and said that I wasn't Michael De Mesa and was a nearby resident. He apologized and that was that.

Funny thing is, i've heard this before.

Do I actually look like Michael De Mesa? I don't see it.

Me

Junkies Invade the Marina Bay Sands

From Niko's Camera

So check out from The Inn Crowd happened at 11am. We spent an hour in the lobby with around 20 other people, all of whom were locked on to their digital devices, leaving no room for conversation or friendship. I played guitar and created some noise hoping to see if anyone, anyone at all, would ask me to quiet down, to no avail.

When we got into the car we were told that some strings had been pulled and that we had been given guest access to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. I thought this was pretty neat. I had been there once before, had to pay like SG$18 to view the rooftop, spent I don't remember how much for a hotdog and a coke, and in the end, wasn't that thrilled about it anyway.

Having guest key cards though, that made all the difference. The Junkies were here and about to make some noise.

We started by having a smoke out back, where most of the employees go for their cigarette breaks. Then we hit the elevator that took us straight up to the 57th floor. The first thing you have to do is swipe your hotel key card through a computer that opens the gate for your entrance. And then you see it, the incredible view and the infinity pool. 

We took a walk through the length of the pool, watched the pretty and sexy girls sunbathe, disrobe, swim, drink, take photos, and sleep, then had another smoke at the smoking section of the infinity pool area. We had a look at the bar and took a peek at the outdoor bar overlooking the pool. All in all, it was just alright. Nothing to really brag about, nor did anything absolutely special or incredible happen. It was just 6 guys taking a walk where they weren't supposed to be, enjoying a view not given to just anyone who happened to be in the area. 

Thanks for this Niks

 

A Walk Under The Skylight

Chinese Musicians

Under the Hotel

Outside the Marina Bay Sands

What I want to know is, is it really worth it to be billeted at the Marina Bay Sands? We know it's expensive, about SG$20 a beer, but is sleeping in one of their rooms all it's made out to be? Don't get me wrong, I love a good hotel, and I certainly would enjoy the hotel's amenities, I just wonder if Marina Bay Sands is everything they say it is? Which is what again?

I Met A Bitch...

So i'm still reading Steven Tyler's autobiography Does The Noise In My Head Bother You and he just told a story of how former Aerosmith manager Tom Collins had once gotten the whole band to go against him through lies that he told them.

The reason i'm sharing this, is because I knew a bitch once that did the same sort of thing to me. She had fucking written a report against me and gotten a whole bunch of my friends on her side before I was confronted and by the time they spoke to me, it was too late. They all fuckin' hated my guts and thought so lowly of me. 

Like Steven Tyler, I wondered, "What the fuck? Didn't any of them stop to consider that perhaps she was lying?" I suppose it's a more serious case with Steven Tyler because Tom Collins had told the band that Steven was still on drugs, when in fact, he was 9 years sober. He also called Steven's wife of 18 years, and told him that he had been cheating on her, he had been celibate for 11 months at the time. 

In the end, Tom Collins's goal was to get Steven to check in to a rehabilitation center, it didn't work. He told him to fuck off! With the bitch I speak of, I think her intention was to get rid of me, same thing, ain't gonna happen.

Anyway, what the fuck is up with some people? Scum of the universe I tell you. 

Song of the Day - Who Are You? by Tom Waits

I think i've been in love with the music of Tom Waits since I was a teenager. A friend of mine gave me the CD of Bone Machine when I was about 18 years old and I haven't stopped listening to the album since.

This morning, while driving to work, I decided to listen to it again. Dirt In The Ground played and I thought to make that my Song of the Day but when Who Are You? started playing, I was moved beyond what I had expected and listened intently and unlike the way I have before.

I'm currently reading Steven Tyler's Does The Noise In My Head Bother You and he writes about how each person should interpret music and songs their own way. So I won't discuss how I view the song or what it's about but allow me to point out some lyrics that I think are simply brilliantly written.

They're lining up
To mad dog your tilta whirl
3 shots for a dollar
Win a real live doll

What an intro!

Not many songs start with such strong lyrics but this surely is one of them! Another song that has got an incredible first line is Steely Dan's Midnight Cruiser that opens with:

Felonius my old friend
Step on in and let me shake your hand

I also love it when Who Are You? changes chords.

It's a very simple transition and probably one of the more common chord changes, but it fits the song so appropriately and the melody rises with the change intensifying the words, and the pain!

Tom Waits goes on to sing:

Do you cry. Do you pray
Do you wish them away
Do you still leave nothing
But bones in the way
Did you bury the carnival Lions and all
Excuse me while I sharpen my nails
And just who are you this time?

This is simply genius! The melody changes, the chords change, and the words hit you right in the fucking guts! And then, it all settles down, as if stating that it's all too late now and there's nothing you can do to better your situation.

Man, now that's a fucking song! It's hard enough to write a good song, but to write a painful song that other people feel, that's real talent!

Here's the lyrics in full:

"Who Are You?"

They're lining up
To mad dog your tilta whirl
3 shots for a dollar
Win a real live doll

All the lies that you tell
I believed them so well. Take them back
Take them back to your red house
For that fearful leap into the dark

I did my time
In the jail of your arms
Now Ophelia wants to know
Where she should turn

Tell me...what did you do
What did you do the last time?
Why don't you do that
Go on ahead and take this the wrong way
Time's not your friend

Do you cry. Do you pray
Do you wish them away
Do you still leave nothing
But bones in the way

Did you bury the carnival
Lions and all
Excuse me while I sharpen my nails
And just who are you this time?

You look rather tired
(Who drinks from your shoe)
Are you pretending to love
Well I hear that it pays well

How do your pistol and your Bible and your
Sleeping pills go?
Are you still jumping out of windows in expensive clothes?

Well I fell in love
With your sailor's mouth and your wounded eyes
You better get down on the floor
Don't you know this is war
Tell me who are you this time?
Tell me who are you this time?

If you click this link, you'll see that this wasn't my first Song of the Day from Bone Machine.

What are some sad songs that move you? I would love to listen and discover more music like this.

Dad's Car Brings Back Emotional Memories

Today, while driving to work, I spotted my dad's old car on the road. It brought me a few fond memories of times I had with him.

One of the first was when he had first bought the car. Shortly after he did, I suggested that he break it in and when he asked me what I suggested. I said "let's go gambling in Tagaytay!" It wasn't the biggest surprise but it was a surprise no less, he said "let's go!"

I can't remember if we went that same night or a few nights later, but we went. Had a great chat on our way there, spent P500 each and lost it almost immediately on slot machines. In the end, we weren't there for very long and got back into the car to head home. On our way, we decided to buy mom something from Whistle's Top and went to the Eastwood branch, you know the one that was outside on C5? It's no longer there.

Anyway, what I remember the most from that trip was that we had heart to heart conversations and were able to break down a few barriers in our relationship. I admitted things to him that I had previously denied, and he shared a bunch of things as well, including how he felt about mom being sick and how he wishes some things could have been otherwise.

I also remember bumping that car! That was a bad one and he got really mad at me. I don't even know why I took it. I had the Civic to use but for one reason or another, used that car instead and while fighting with Rhea on our way home from Capones, drunk, I ran a light and hit another car. I ended up driving the car home and the next day, when I woke up, he was so mad at me that he couldn't talk to me. I fixed all the work that needed to be done for the insurance but that didn't change how disappointed he was at me. And I certainly don't blame him.

After that, even when Monica had owned the car after dad died, I was upset with her for bumping it. I guess you could call it my protectiveness over the car. Then when she sold it for dirt cheap, again I was upset with her, but then again, it's not like she really could've gotten more for it.

I miss my dad. I think about him a lot and often wonder if he'd be proud of the man i've come to be. I think he'd be pleased with me in terms of my being a husband and father, but all in all, in general, I still wonder if i'd make him proud.

It's going to be his death anniversary in a just under 3 weeks. It's been 11 years and though i'll never completely get over it, i'm better able to deal with his physical absence.

I love you pops! I can think of no better father than you.

Do you have any stories you'd like to share about road trips with your dead parents?

The Madness That Ensued with the Blue Jean Junkies in Singapore 2016

So we went to Singapore for 2 shows. The first was a private event at the Hard Rock Cafe in Sentosa for a private partners event for Siemens, the 2nd, for a show everyone was invited to at the Blu Jaz Cafe on Bali Lane. I'd been to Blu Jaz twice before, both times I went to Singapore, and was thrilled to be playing at this bar that i'd fallen in love with since the first time I saw it.

We arrived shortly before 10am on Friday, the 29th, and after a quick round around Changi Airport for some photos and video promo material, we headed out to Sylog, a Filipino little restaurant at a food court for early lunch. None of us had slept much the night before so we were all really just hungry and in need of sleep. The food was not a problem as our bellies were quickly settled, and checking in to The Inn Crowd didn't take long either and before long we were all asleep.

Being next to 7/11 was useful

Sound check for Hard Rock was scheduled at 4:30pm and that became a rehearsal with a German man named Alex who jammed with us on a Jet song called "Are You Gonna Be My Girl." We hadn't learned the song so sound check was really practice.

After sound check we walked around Universal Studios in Sentosa and waited for dinner to be served. The smoking area there isn't really much of an area and it was raining a lot that day, making it impossible to have a full cigarette without getting drenched. Finally, after several attempts, Nuts and I were finally able to enjoy a cigarette in peace.

The show was alright, I was having problems with my bass all through the night and that was putting me in a bad mood. But we played our first set, started tanking beers before the 2nd set, and played that set too. It seemed like we were a bit of a success but later on learned that our audience made up of people who'd get bored with any song that lasted over 5 minutes long. And if you've even seen the Blue Jean Junkies, you know that we can play the fuck out of a song and make it last forever.

When the gig was over, I was frustrated over my guitar and amp so I ordered 10 beers, none of which I had to pay for, all of which were drunk between the band, Monx and Deo, Michelle, and Eric who showed up later on with Lisa.

When the night was done and the beer all gone, we headed home and I passed out before the lights were even out! Talk about a bad combination of a sleepless night, a long ass day, two sets on stage, a lot of beer, and a late night! It was all good fun and we were lucky and thankful to be there and to have the opportunity to play for Siemens on Sentosa's Hard Rock stage no less!

This photo proves that we ate before going home, I don't remember any of it.

Day 2 rolled around and we couldn't exactly get out of bed. I think Niko was able to get up and take a walk, Nuts hung out downstairs at the lobby, while Nino and I stayed in bed til 2pm. It was only then that we got up to get a bite to eat. After 10-20 minutes of walking, we settled into an Indian Restaurant that served the spiciest fucking food, and we didn't even specify for it to be spicy!

You can't see it, but our scalps were sweating.

We headed back to the hotel after that to chill before sound check, also scheduled at 4 or 430pm. Sound check was great and unlike any sound check we've had in Manila. We were literally being guided what to do, what not to do, and when to do it. We loved it and in turn, it made for our stage time great as everything was balanced the way we wanted it to be. Except that it was also here that I discovered that the battery in my bass was fucked, and therefore, could have been the reason for my poor sound at Hard Rock. I owe Hard Rock an apology, I blamed their amp for being fucked when in the end, it could have been my bass.

After sound check, my good friend Ilangoh came to hang out and we had 2 pints of Hieneken with Niko and Nuts. A lot of good and fun as well as informational stuff was talked about and Ilangoh gave us a sneak peek into the life and work of a working local professional in Singapore.

By 730pm, we jumped at the time since it was still bright out and had to bid farewell to Ilangoh in order to get back to the hostel, eat, sleep, shower and change, and make it back by 10pm for our set. We did all that and left the hostel at 10:20pm, late for our own international show. But once we got back to Blu Jaz, we pretty much went straight to the stage and played for at least 2 hours without rest.

The crowd was great an very receptive to our songs. They cheered to our originals, enjoyed our little David Bowie tribute, and seemed happy enough when we'd jam out some of the other songs we played. In the end, Niko did a spectacular drum solo at the end of Freeway Man and when the song ended, we had everyone come up to the stage to join us for a photo!

It was after the set that I also had loads of fun! I met a lot of Filipinos living in Singapore, signed a bunch of CD's they had bought, and joined for many photos by many of them! This is really the stuff that moves me, that and hearing cheering and shouting from the stage, of course! I'd even met Inch Chua, a famous pop singer and we exchanged contact information and I gave her a copy of our album, no charge.

Casas showed up too and so with Eric, Lisa, Justin, Niko and a few others, we decided that eating was not the thing to do but that beers were what was needed, so we went to a girly bar, because that was the only bar still serving booze. The girly bar we went to was kinda seedy. It was dark and loud with a super sonic sound system and girls on stage singing and dancing Chinese songs. It wasn't sexy and they weren't trying to be sexy. On the main floor, a couple of girls roamed around striking conversations with us but we told them to carry on to someone else. After finishing a tower of beer, 70+ SG Dollars, we slowly made our way back home. Oh, I pissed on the street before getting in to the car.

When we got back to The Inn Crowd, Nino was downstairs and we got a bite to eat before heading to the room to pass out. I was pretty drunk, and tired, and when we had to check out at 11am the following day, I had a pretty hard time doing so. But I made it, didn't have to pay extra, and even got to play guitar for about an hour while waiting for Monx to come and pick us up.

What do you think we should've done in Singapore while we were there being the people that we are?

Song of the Day - Paris by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

I first heard this song only three weeks ago. It's a song that Tempestuous Jones covers and since i'm playing bass for them tonight, I had to listen to it, and learn it. 

The first time I heard it, I thought, "Cool, a new old song that I never listened to before!" It wasn't until today that I learned that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals only released Paris in 2010! That's really recent, at least for my standards! 

Anyway, it's a fun song to play and though quite simple, is good fun from start to end. It's tight, heavy, easy to listen to and digest, plus has that very catchy chorus. If anything, I hope to session with Tempestuous Jones more than once just so that I can play this song live again! 

Paris

You got me down on the floor

So what'd you bring me down here for?

You got me down on the floor

So what'd you bring me down here for?

If I was a man I'd make my move

If I was a blade I'd shave you smooth

If I was a judge I'd break the law

And if I was from Paris

If I was from Paris

I would say

Ooh la la la la la la la [4x]

You got me up on your swing

So when you gonna shake that thing?

You got me up on your swing

So when you gonna shake that thing?

If I was a man I'd make my move

If I was a blade I'd shave you smooth

If I was a judge I'd break the law

And if I was from Paris

If I was from Paris

I would say

Ooh la la la la la la la [4x]

If I was a man I'd make my move

If I was a blade I'd shave you smooth

If I was a judge I'd break the law

And if I was from Paris

If I was from Paris

I would say

Ooh la la la la la la la

Music And The Brain And The Brilliance Of It All!

I saw this very interesting video that was produced by Ted-Ed and instantly had many flashing memories come through my mind. For a long time now, I have been unable to multitask, especially if there was music playing. I've always chucked it to simply not having the mental capacity to write, or read, or even be really engaged in a conversation if music played in the background, especially if it was a song I liked. 

Now, I understand my brain a little better, thanks to this explanation. 

The video talks about how our brains light up when music plays. We are able to distinguish rhythm, melody, and I suppose, tones and chords as well, which all happens at the same time. Not to mention how some songs or lines bring back memories and emotions too! And that's just the listening side of music. There same video talks about the difference of a listener to a musician, who has trained how to play an instrument, and is now able to access most of the areas of the brain at the very same time. Not something the brain often does when experiencing most anything else. 

No wonder it can be so tiring to listen to music. Just this morning I was running through the songs i'm playing tonight at Handlebar with Tempestuous Jones. It didn't take very long before I decided, that's it, i've given it enough time to familiarize myself with the songs and chords and arrangements, that it was time to give myself some silence and allow my brain to breathe. 

Another example was when Niko, Rico, and I attended a workshop at The Sofitel featuring Scott Henderson, Dennis Chambers, and Jeff Berlin. All three of us were exhausted and had to leave the room for a smoke every hour or so. They were doing so much on stage that our brains were fried just listening to them. 

As for playing music, I also understand how I don't find it that easy to engage with the audience that well while at a gig. My concentration becomes divided when I try and my playing ends up suffering. Naturally, there are easier songs to play where you don't get lost and play as tight as if you had your eyes closed, but for other songs, I can't even think about how my wife is in the audience. 

It's nice to know now that music is in charge of me and controls even my social life. So the next time we're talking and there's a song I really like that's playing, please don't get offended if it seems as if i'm drifting away from you and into the wild and colorful processes of my brain. 

The Film Being Again & That Fucking Adam Levine

I'd seen Begin Again a few months back and loved the movie. How could I not? It was about music and the spirit that breathed in that film was so pure and beautiful.

But then I saw it again, on tv, last night or the other night, and I happened to catch the section where freakin' Adam Levine was singing. I can't tell you how much I hate that guy. His voice bugs the fuck out of me and him being in a beautiful movie about music pisses me off.

I gotta tell you, if I hear another fucking falsetto note from that fucker i'm gonna throw up! 

Out of curiousity, am I the only that feels this way about this guy?

The Blue Jean Junkies Conquer 2 Gigs In One Night

Last Saturday, January 16, 2016, must have been one of my favorite nights as a musician. 

We were booked to play 2 gigs, both of which were scheduled during the week itself. The first was to pay tribute to David Bowie, by doing 12 straight Bowie numbers at Alchemy, a bar that was once our home, but also a bar that has let us go after having been booked there at least once a week for over 6ix months. The next, was to play the Philippines' biggest music festival, Rakrakan.

I got to Alchemy at about 9:30pm, half an hour late from call time, but an hour before we hit the stage. The place was packed with people I had never seen before, many of them Westerners, and so much so, that even the table I had reserved for the Oknards had been given away to some other folks. 

The original plan was to play 2wo sets of 6ix songs each, but right before starting, Nino had spoken to Gordon (the owner of Alchemy) and had agreed that we play one long set instead. A man I hadn't yet met, came up to me while I was having a cigarette before playing, and asked if I was in the band. I said yes, and he said that we better do a good job because a lot of people were counting on us to pay the proper respect to the man we were all gathered there for. Prior to this, I had even received a Facebook message from a friend I hadn't seen or spoken to in years, and had pretty much said the same thing. The pressure was on, and I was nervous.

But more than the nerves, I was excited. We were playing to a full crowd, and we were to play nothing but Bowie. This gave us direction and we were not winging songs like we often do. We started our first 333hree numbers and had gained plenty of confidence. The cheers between the songs were loud and the applause was more than we are used to. This helped us run through the rest of our songs and as an added push to do well, we saw some friends in the audience by this point, all of whom were smiling at us, dancing to our music, sorry, Bowie's music, and singing along too! Not to mention all the strangers who were doing the same. By the end of it, an encore was requested and we went into our final number, Space Oddity. 

When we left the stage, I myself met maybe a dozen people who were applauding us for a job well done. One friend I spoke to, even told me that he was a fan of ours after what we had just done. There were compliments on my bass lines during Let's Dance, and we even got booked right then and there to play a gig for a friends birthday party. Other people said we had done so well that they got drunk so fast, while others simply said they wished that there was more since they had enjoyed so much! 

I'm sure many bands hear this on a regular basis, but not us. So to be regarded in that much bright light felt really good and heart warming. And just as the night had started so abruptly, we had to split. Our call time at the Globe Circuit for the Rakrakan Festival was coming fast.

The car ride alone was loads of fun already! Renee, Maite, and Al Louise joined us in Niko's car. Tim and Anna were in Nuts' car, and we were a traveling party on our way to a music festival with 70 bands on 333hree stages. 

When we got there, as somewhat expected, there were still 4 bands before it would be our turn. So, beer was on everyone's minds and we got to that in almost no time. Naturally, we spent a little time roaming the grounds and saying hi to a few friends, but it didn't take long before we found our spot near our stage and settled in, very comfortably I might add.

We smoked some pot, drank our beers, and took some photos while telling jokes and talking about other Bowie songs to learn. When the beer stubs had run out, I managed to get Keith (of Rakista) to open a bar for us so that we could buy more beer by telling him that we had nearly an hour of waiting before it would be our turn and we needed the fuel to keep us alive, otherwise our batteries would die out and we wouldn't be able to play very well. You know how it is. 

So Renee, Niko and I went to one of the main beer booths in the center of the venue and bought 11 beers and brought them back to our little outdoor tent. Again we drank, smoked, and laughed. We were in really great spirits and it seemed like nothing would put us down. Then the band before us was done and it was our turn. At this point, we were drunk, but not to the point of passing out. As a matter of fact, we had so much energy running through our veins! 

The stage wasn't as big as the other stages, but it was still pretty big compared to the bar gigs we normally play. I can't remember what songs we played but I know we played our originals. It must have been during our first song that I saw Tim stumble and fall to the ground in front of the stage, taking down the barrier that divides the crowd from the stage. People in the audience had been asleep but had woken up from our noise, and i'm guessing the madness that ensued once that barrier was down. Dudes in black stormed the front and with the bouncers gone, (we were the last band to play,) there was nothing stopping them from coming right up to us! 

And so what do I do? I jumped off the stage and joined them! I had never done that, nor had I ever imagined that I would do something like that. But it felt so good and seeing their reaction was priceless. These guys really appreciated being so close to us and you could feel their happiness through the air that separated us. I loved it! 

I had lost my guitar tuner as a result, and I know that I littered at least one cigarette onto the lawn, but my mind was somewhere else and I couldn't even think of anything other than to play my hardest and damnedest. If im not mistaken, I probably joined the audience on that monitor twice throughout our set. By the end of it, some of them took pictures and the clear sky hovered over us as the Globe Circuit cleared to emptiness. 

When it was all said and done, I had received a few messages from friends that I didn't even know were there to congratulate us for playing an awesome set, as well as a few comments about how I was a rockstar now. Bullshit! But the term helps because it does help you feel as if you are getting closer to where we want to go, which is towards some element of success as a band.

Dancing with a fan! 

I was so tired by the end of the night, that when Nuts dropped me off at the corner of EDSA and Pasong Tamo, I thought my legs were gonna collapse under me. Then my internet died and I lost my Uber booking, forcing me to walk under the bridge to Pasong Tamo Extension to wait for a cab. I'm lucky I didn't pass out in the cab and was able to get home safely.

These were great gigs for the band. We all got to bond and since we had done well, were all really happy and pleased with ourselves as well as each other. Now, onto our next adventure! 

If any of you readers were there that night, please do share your experiences with me. I would love to know what it was like for the people in the audience! 

A Bad Night On Stage

Not taken from last night

You know how sometimes musicians have bad nights? That just happened to me last night. I can't really understand it, or why it happens, or what causes it to happen, it just does. I reckon that some artists can chuck it to bad equipment, or lack of practice, or sometimes in our cases, we do a song that isn't ready but go for it anyway. None of those were it last night. It can't be blamed on anything, it simply just didn't work.

The feeling is pretty awful. You're up there, and you're messing with your amp, trying to find where to stand instead, you change your tone a bit, close your eyes, try to get into it, listen to your band mates differently, maybe try to look out into the audience...i suppose everyone has their own techniques about what to do in that situation, and sometimes you're able to snap out of it. Sometimes, it's just one bad song, then the rest of your set is fine. But not last night. From start to end, I just wasn't into it. 

It's not the first time it's happened. But in all the few times it has, i've never been able to pinpoint what caused it. I guess it's normal for the level of musicianship i'm at. I wouldn't be surprised if amazing musicians could pull a trick to get their heads elsewhere, enabling them to play brilliantly. 

When we got offstage, I asked Nuts what he thought and if he agreed that we were really loose and he did. He went on to saying he couldn't hear our drummer, our drummer couldn't hear him, i couldn't hear him much either. So maybe these elements caused us to fuck it up, but whatever the case may be, the good part is that you strive to do better the next time and avoid these types of experiences like the plague! 

We've got 3 sets in 2 different venues this Saturday, let's hope that both of those go really well! The first is a David Bowie tribute night at Alchemy, two sets, and the next is a half hour set at the biggest Filipino festival, Rakrakan. We need to do amazing! 

Song of the Day - My Death by David Bowie

It's quite eerie listening to Bowie sing My Death now that he has passed away.

What you don't hear in this video is his introduction wherein he explains that the band doesn't play this song anymore, but being that this was the last show of the tour, it was an apt song to play, as it was also the end of Ziggy Stardust. As a matter of fact, he ended the show with the song Rock N Roll Suicide, another amazing track from the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album.

I fell in love with My Death the first time I heard it. So much so that I learned how to play it on the guitar and learned all the chords too. Naturally, I played it in my basement maybe 100 times but could never sing it well. First, I was never a singer, and even when I learned how to carry a tune, I could never quite reach these notes. Second, I could never even get the air to belt out the notes to match the intensity of the vocals.

Nonetheless, I will always love this song, as well as Bowie! Rest in peace man, hoping to meet you in the great gig in the sky one day!

My death waits like an old roue'
So confident, I'll go his way
Whistle to him and the passing time

My death waits like a Bible truth
At the funeral of my youth
Are we proud for that and the passing time?

My death waits like a witch at night
As surely as our love is right
Let's not think about the passing time

But whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil, I don't care
For in front of that door there is you

My death waits like a beggar blind
Who sees the world through an unlit mind
Throw him a dime for the passing time

My death waits there between your thighs
Your cool fingers will close my eyes
Let's think of that and the passing time

My death waits to allow my friends
A few good times before it ends
So let's drink to that and the passing time

For whatever lies behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil, I don't care
For in front of that door there is you

My death waits there among the leaves
In magician's mysterious sleeves
Rabbits and dogs and the passing time

My death waits there among the flowers
Where the blackest shadows, blackest shadows cowers
Let's pick lilacs for the passing time

My death waits there in a double bed
Sails of oblivion and my head
So pull up your sheets against the passing time

But whatever lies behind the door

There is nothing much to do

Angel or devil, I don't care

For in front of that door there is, Thank You

David Bowie Died Today

David Bowie died today and I am heartbroken. I love fucking Bowie man! Been listening to his music for about 20 years now and am a real fucking fan! I have so many of his albums, spent countless hours playing his songs on the guitar and bass, studied his music for all these years, still watch his DVD concerts that i've got, and continue listening to his music, even though i've been influenced by so much more since then.

I hope that the Blue Jean Junkies get to play a tribute of sorts to him sometime soon. It would be nice to take the stage and play nothing but Bowie songs. Like an 8 song set of his music, maybe even more if time permits us to stay on stage for that long.

Someone commented earlier and said that he wonders if the kids of today will recognize his brilliance, I could only promise to share his music with my kids so they know at least some of his songs. 

What a sad day this is. And year! Lemmy died a few weeks ago too. Heaven must be celebrating the presence of all these genius artists! 

Love you Bowie, thank you for the music! 

Song of the Day - Goin' Out West by Tom Waits

Love this fuckin' song! 

I first heard Bone Machine from my good friend Majbritt Rijs when I must have been about 18 years old. She knew I was crazy about music and gave me CD's of Bone Machine and The Essential Billie Holiday. I was listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin at the time, but these 2 albums became staples in my life that I continue listening to this day.

It's impossible to choose a favorite song from this album, but Goin' Out West is definitely up there!

Well I'm goin' out west

Where the wind blows tall

'Cause Tony Franciosa

Used to date my ma

They got some money out there

They're giving it away

I'm gonna do what I want

Do what I want

And I'm gonna get paid

Little brown sausages

Lying in the sand

I ain't no extra baby

I'm a leading man

Well my parole officer

WIll be proud of me

With my Olds 88

And the devil on a leash

My Olds 88

And the devil on a leash

Well I kno karate, Voodoo too

I'm gonna make myself available to you

I don't need no make up

I got real scars

I got hair on my chest

I look good without a shirt

Well I don't lose my composure

In a high speed chase

Well my friends think I'm ugly

I got a masculine face

I got some dragstrip courage

I can really drive a bed

I'm gonna change my name

To Hannibal or maybe

Just Rex

Change my name to Hannibal

Or maybe just Rex

I'm gonna drive all night

Take some speed

I'm gonna wait for the sun

To shine down on me

I cut a hole in my roof

In the shape of a heart

And I'm goin' out west

Where they'll appreciate me

Goin' out west

Goin' out west