Anthony Dio

Mid-March 2010 Random Thoughts

First of all... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!  Yesterday (11 March) was the birthday of my sister Monica Dio-Grau & my niece Nikki D. Navarro.  Yes, they share the same birthdate.  Nikki, the only child (so far) of my sister Binky & husband Dr. Louie Navarro, turned one yesterday.  In celebration of her first birthday, I am posting my favorite photo of Nikki.  She was around 7 months when this pic was taken.  Here's Nikki, enjoying a book.  This photo never fails to make me smile...

The family will be celebrating this Sunday afternoon, and I look forward to that.

***

Recently, one Sunday, the praise and worship team had a lunch meeting with the pastor, after the church service.  The pastor shared his wonderful idea.  Since the Bread Of Life Ministry's theme as of late conveys Filipino pride, spirit, and nationalism, the pastor strongly urged the band to start using Filipino ethnic musical instruments.  A good start can be through experimentation with our Tagalog songs.  Later on, maybe it can be incorporated in our performances on a normal basis.

It's possible for us to sample these indigenous sounds through the use of samplers (courtesy of my church bandmates who happen to be full-time musical arrangers).  But it would be cooler and more visually appealing to use the actual ethnic instruments.  And the best part is the ministry is willing to invest on these instruments.  Last Sunday, a full-octave kulintang was set up during the service.  And one recent service, the praise and worship team from Davao was in town, and they have instrumentalists who played the kulintang and several other ethnic Filipino instruments.  Based on recent events, the ministry is serious in promoting Filipino music with the help of our indigenous musical instruments.

This would benefit me greatly, for I've been thinking about exploring and learning about our native musical instruments.  Since I'm a drummer, I do not have any knowledge with musical notes and scales, and I do not have a sense of musical pitch, I prefer to focus more on ethnic percussion instruments.  The idea I have in mind is I should look for authentic Filipino percussion which I can incorporate in my drumkit setup and be able to play it with sticks.  I'm thinking of something like what jazz fusion superstars Dave Weckl and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez did with their drum set-ups.  Hand drums such as bongos and djembes are positioned on the left side of Mr. Weckl's kit, and he plays these with sticks.  Meanwhile, El Negro has cowbells and blocks mounted around his set-up.  He even plays some of these with his foot, courtesy of a percussion bracket attached to a foot pedal.  Instead of using Western and Latin/Afro-Cuban percussion, i would use our homegrown ethnic percussion.

Another inspiration I have in mind is legendary Filipino drummer Jun Regalado.  I remember his famous piece where he mounted three kulintangs (placed over three cymbals) in his drum set-up, and played these in a contemporary arrangement of Sitsiritsit, a Filipino folk song.  Here's a video...

Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with our Filipino indigenous musical instruments, so this is new and uncharted territory for me.  Not only am I interested in learning about these instruments, but I also want to learn about traditional Filipino rhythms used by our native tribes and ancestors.  Not only will all these benefit me as a Filipino drummer and musician.  I can also possibly apply all these in the future, with my band's music or with other possible projects.  And I think it will be good for the Filipino drummer.

Now I need some aid on research (books, websites, etc.) and sources of authentic Filipino ethnic percussion.  If you have any links or leads, please let me know.

***


I recently got hooked with formspring.me.  It's quite a new website, which somehow works like Twitter, but it's in a Q&A format.  It says on the front page, "Ask questions, give answers and learn more about your friends."  So, it's as simple as that.  I had it incorporated in my website through a widget (on the left-side bar).  It's also a simpler and more useful alternative to my Q&A Page.

It's funny how I keep on receiving these personal questions from anonymous people.  Though most of the questions aren't so bad, some questions are funny, and some are uncalled for and too personal that I decided not to answer those.  I was hoping to receive sensible questions about the things I am into, such as music and drumming.  Instead, I receive these personal inquiries.  I'm not complaining, and I appreciate the fact that my formspring account is active in that manner.  Maybe it just hasn't sunk in me yet that I'm in a band that has a fair share of admirers and followers.  And I'm just the kind of artist who values musical integrity more than image.  But it's still a blessing, because I've seen other people's formspring pages, and the Q&As there are way more hilarious.  Some even treated theirs like a chatroom.  Others end up arguing, especially with the asker having the option not to reveal his/her identity, it's quite easy to start an online word war. 

My advice to fellow formspring account holders:  Be extra careful with what we post and with the info we're giving away (and that goes with other social networking sites as well), and we have the option not to answer every question asked.  If the question's too personal or if it's crossing the line, or if it's not a question at all but a bait for some online hating, don't entertain it.  Discard all those nonsense.

***


It's summer season here in the Philippines.  It's very hot, and weather experts say that it's only the beginning of summer and it will just get hotter (!) in the coming weeks.  Many people are affected by this heatwave.  In fact, one bandmate was recently treated for heatstroke (he's doing better now).  Our Civic has this small crack on the windshield, which was caused by a flying pebble when my Dad was driving along the Star Highway in Batangas.  The tiny crack's been there for over a year, until recently (and finally), the crack began growing bigger just a couple of weeks ago.  A horizontal crack is growing right in the middle of our windshield, and it's getting bigger, no thanks to the heat wave.  That's why we've been parking the Civic under the shade.  We'll have that glass replaced soon.

While many people are getting dramatic over this heat wave, I am wondering why I am not so greatly affected with it yet.  My friends would say that we live on a hill and it's windy in our area.  But no, my folks are feeling the heat.  I drink plenty of good liquid (water, juice, non-fat milk), which is always helpful.  I also eat less bad food (those rich in fat & cholesterol), which could be helpful too.  And I think it helps that I don't move so much.  By being economical or efficient with my movements, I won't "overheat".  It must be psychological too.  I don't let the heat wave affect my performance.

I am also fortunate that after all these years, I finally have reliable airconditioning in my own room.  I think it was a conscious effort by my parents not to make us accustomed to airconditioning on a daily basis when we were growing up.  I think it's a good move, even if I'm asthmatic and at times I badly need all the fresh air I can get.  I still don't use my airconditioner on a daily basis.  I only use it when it's really hot.  But lately I've been using it more frequently, and I'm glad the newer models are more energy-efficient (I have the LG split-type airconditioner in my studio room).  Plus, I always use the timer.  I don't want it running round-the-clock.  I'll will let it run for a few hours, then it will turn off.  When it's hot again, then I'll just turn it on again.

***


A few more random thoughts...

We from K24/7 will be introducing our new bass player soon.

Mid-March 2010 marks my sixth year with K24/7.  Wow, six years...

I just cancelled my Multiply, Friendster, and MySpace accounts.  My accounts from these sites have become frequently idle, and in order to simplify my online activities, I finally decided to let go of these.  Now I can concentrate more on the quality sites.  Thank you to these sites for being great hosts and great social venues over the years, especially to Multiply, where my blogging life began.

I remember Francis M.  It's been a year since his passing.  Here's my humble little tribute blog for him, which I wrote last year.  Long live Francis M!

John Mayer will be performing in Manila this May!  Now that's huge.  I'm a big fan of his music, and I would love to watch his show.  I hope he'll bring with him his Trio bandmates Pino Palladino and groove master Steve Jordan.

Earthquakes are happening all over the world.  In fact, when we had this recent gig at a hotel in Makati, some of my bandmates and I can feel some earthshaking.  We cannot stop Mother Nature, so the least that we can do is pray and be vigilant.  Let's be prepared, in case a big one hits us on this side of the world (knock on wood).

New Era Drum Tracks

I want to look back at my recording sessions, and share some of my thoughts about my drum tracks in our New Era album.

I played drums on four tracks in our album - Sweetest Thing, Don't Ever Let Go, Your Smile, and Pangako.


Sweetest Thing

"My bandmates and I were in the studio, working on "Sweetest Thing", which is the last song we finished for our upcoming album.  This is an original song written for us by our dear friend Mike Luis of Freestyle.  Mike is a genius when it comes to songwriting, and the song is sooo good that it gave my bandmate Paolo quite a headache while he was working on it in his computer haha, figuring out some of the notes Mike used (because Mighty Mike wasn't able to chart the notes, I think).  It's a groovy, bouncy, and catchy tune.  Anyway, the vocal parts were recorded on Wednesday night.  Earlier that day, we had a last-minute decision to have my drum parts recorded live.  At first, we thought of programming the drum parts.  But I thought that I should play the drum parts live.  I like the song, I like Paolo's drum ideas for it, and I was determined to put my mark in that song.  And so, we booked a recording date at Blue Door Studio in Quezon City (the same studio where I recorded my drum parts for 'Pangako').  I was scheduled the next evening."

"In the studio, I set up a small kit which I felt would fit the song just right.  My drumming inspiration for this song is Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, drummer and producer of Philadelphia-based hip-hop band The Roots.  I went for the less-is-more approach.  For this track, I want my drums to sound crisp and tight, almost like a toy, but still "realistic" enough for listeners to say, 'Hey, those are live drums!'  I used three drums - an 18"x 20" kick and a 14" tom, which are both from my Tama Superstar kit, and my 5.5"x10" Black Panther Premium Maple, my choice snare drum for this track.  I set up a few Zildjian cymbals - a pair of 12" A Special Recording Hi-Hats and a 16" K Dark Thin Crash (the said cymbals belong to my drummer friend Marco Katigbak), and my 20" K Custom Medium Ride.  I thought of using my 8" A Custom Splash, but I find it too bright-sounding for the song, so I decided to remove it on my studio set-up.  Paolo thought of using flammed cross-sticks for the backbeats on some of the verses, which is why I had my 13" Tama Artwood Maple snare drum on standby for that purpose (since I won't be able to play cross-sticks on a 10" snare).  But later on during the session, we decided not to play cross-sticks anymore.  And so, it was the 10" Black Panther all the way."

--- excerpts from my October 29, 2008 blog


I am pretty much happy with the outcome of this track, as I was somehow able to estimate the sound and feel I envisioned for the song.  We got the tight, snappy, toy-like sound out of the drums, plus the bouncy & playful feel.  The 10" Black Panther snare was the star of the drum set-up I used in that track.  I remember feeling quite loose during this session, so it enabled me to become more playful behind the kit.  Yet, I was having that "?uestlove-ish", less-is-more vibe, and I was making sure that my parts would still serve the music right.  The tricky part in this track is the bridge part, where the groove shifts to a tight 16th note feel, against the shuffle grooves played through the verses and choruses.

This is one fun song to play, and drummers who'll play to this song can go loose.  I look forward to playing this tune live.


Don't Ever Let Go

"I just recorded some of my drum tracks this week at SoundsRite Recording Studio in Makati, which is operated by drummer Boyet Aquino (who is best-known for his work with Francis M's band Hardware Syndrome).  The studio has a good reputation for its high-end equipment and facility & quality recording results, and its clients include a good number of big names in the music biz.  Though Boyet has an impressive collection of high-end drums, I still chose to use my Tama Superstar kit."

"On the Monday night session, I recorded Don't Ever Let Go, which was written by Paolo.  This is quite a difficult track for me because of the crafty drum parts Paolo envisioned for the song.  This was the old song which we recorded at Blue Door Studio  a couple of years ago, but had some bad luck.  I'm already through with that unfortunate experience, and I'm glad that I'm able to perform better in the studio this time, without any technical problems."

"I can't remember what I ate that time, or if the stars were aligned during those nights.  But for some reason, I feel good with recording my drum tracks at SoundsRite."

"In the studio, I brought with me my Tama Superstar kit, which has birch shells (birch drums are tried and tested in recording/studio situations).  My toms are fitted with clear Evans G2 batters.  My 18"x20" kick drum is fitted with an Evans EMAD batter and an Evans EQ3 Resonant black front head (with 5" offset hole).  Though my drums are pretty much set up for live situations, I was eager to hear how it performs in the recording studio.  At first, the drums sounded big and boomy.  After some tweaking, we were able to get decent tom sounds which responded well in the mix and complimented the songs.  I should try coated batter heads next time for the toms, for a warmer sound.  The kick drum's heads needed to be loosened and Boyet placed some cloth inside in order to kill some of the overtones (because of the EMAD head, I don't have any muffling inside my kick drum).  We were able to get a decent, thuddy, low-end sound from the kick."

"Opting to play simpler drum parts in the recording compared to what I would normally play on a gig, I only used the 10" and 14" toms, though I had the 12" tom set aside, in case it's needed.  I was also able to use my 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple and 5.5"x10" Black Panther Maple snare drums.  I tried my Old Faithful 5.5"x14" Tama Starclassic Maple, but the Magic Drum and the Cat sounded more fitting for the songs.  I was also able to use my two broken Zildjian K Custom Dark crash cymbals.  Even if they had those cracks and were de-modified, they still retain that K Custom magic in their sound.  It still has that complex, trashy & sophisticated character, while the damages dried up its decay.  I kept these old cymbals because I felt that they'll work well in the studio.  And gladly, they did."

--- excerpts from my April 26, 2008 blog


Don't Ever Let Go has become a favorite among most of our loyal friends and following.  The story behind the making of this song is interesting.  First of all, Paolo wrote this love song based on one bandmate's past relationship experience (guess who).  Second, during the first couple of drum recording sessions for this song back in '07, the computer at Blue Door Studio crashed - twice!  And during that time, never did that incident happened in that studio, which pretty much has a decent track record.  And it's so funny and coincidental that the two gear crashes happened during the sessions for this one song.  There's really something about this song.

Finally, we were able to record the drum parts at SoundsRite studio in the summer of '08.  I think the delays on the drum recordings in '07 were destined to happen.  Because during the SoundsRite sessions, I was more confident, I was more prepared, and I had my then-brand new Tama Superstar kit prepared for recording. 

I think I finished the recording in a couple of hours, which surprised me because I never thought I'll finish that soon, considering the sensitivity of the song and some of the more specific drum parts Paolo wanted.  Those drum fills during the bridge and the last chorus?  I can't remember the number of times I did retakes!  I would have played the drum parts differently in this track.  But this was Paolo's composition, so with him being the composer and producer, I have to respect that. 

I said this to most of our friends, and I'll say it again... Don't Ever Let Go is the most challenging song that I've recorded in our album.  And it's even more challenging to play it live.  Believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds.

In this song, my main snare drum is my workhorse "Magic Drum" 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple.  Plus, I have once again proven my theory on broken K Customs in this recording session.  Despite the defects, they sounded lovely in the studio.


Your Smile

"I recorded Your Smile, which was a bit easier for me because of its groovier, more straight-ahead nature; yet we need to make sure that my parts feel and sound right for the songs."

--- excerpt from my April 26, 2008 blog

Many listeners would think that the drum parts in Your Smile are programmed.  But no, the whole thing is 100% live recording.  It might not sound obvious during the first half of the song, which is mostly straight-ahead cross-stick grooves.  But once the snare drum comes in at the last chorus after the bridge, that would hint the use of real drums played by a real drummer.  Listen to the dynamics of the snare drum backbeat.  I was in my "drum machine" mode during this song's recording session, yet I still want it to feel like it's human.  And I have to say, this is one of my favorite tracks in our album.

Two snare drums were set up for this track.  The main snare is my "Old Faithful" 14" Tama Starclassic Maple.  It has the die-cast hoops, so I played the cross-sticks on that drum.  On the left side of the kit is the 10" Black Panther Maple, where I played the backbeats of the last chorus.  In case you're wondering about the splash cymbal model I used for this track, it's a 12" Zildjian Extra Thin Splash, which my good friend Rommell Garcia lent to me.


Pangako

"Recording began at around 12am.  I did a couple of practice takes then made adjustments such as fine tuning the drums, making sure that the drum sounds will fit nicely with the song.  (Studio Assistant) Ian double-checked the microphone set-up and prepared a click track for me.  Then we went on with the actual recording.  I'm not aiming to finish quickly or become a one-take wonder.  The most important thing for me is to serve the music by playing drum tracks which will compliment the song.  But still, we need to be efficient and productive with our studio time."

"On my first take, I wasn't quite warmed up yet, and I was still absorbing the feel of the song, the drumkit, and the studio room.  But I felt confident that I'll be able to do better takes as we progress.  I think it was on my third or fourth take when I finally got in the zone.  I was fully warmed up and my focus was on a high level at that point.  I thought I made a couple of good takes.  But we know the drum parts can still get better."

"Recording resumed at around 3am.  I lost a bit of momentum, and my hands got cold because of the strong air conditioning.  But good thing I regained focus, and I was able to do my best takes of the night.  In order for me not to repeat the whole take, we just went back to the parts which needed refinement, such as cymbal crescendos and embellishments, some fill-ins, and some hits which will lock in with the bass guitar parts."

"My drumkit for this session is a Premier Artist Birch kit, which belongs to my good friend Ernest Ramos.  I used two toms - an 8"x10" rack tom and a 14"x14" floor tom.  Both toms are fitted with Evans G1 Coated batter heads.  The kick is a 16"x18".  Don't let its small size fool you.  It's the biggest-sounding 18" bass drum that I've ever heard.  It has a solid low-end thump, which often surprises those who hear it.  The kick is fitted with an Aquarian Super Kick I Clear batter head, which contributes to that huge sound.  The front head doesn't have a hole for the mic.  I don't want to make a hole because the kit isn't mine and I don't want to ruin the nice white Aquarian coated front head.  So we removed the front head and put a pillow in it (Ernest didn't put any muffling on his kick).  The snare drum I used is my Old Faithful 5.5"x14" Tama Starclassic Maple, which is fitted with an Evans G1 Coated batter head and an Evans Snare Side 300 resonant head."

"I used my Zildjian cymbals.  My hi-hats are a pair of 14" K Custom Dark Hats and my ride is a 20" K Custom Medium Ride.  The two crash cymbals used are my semi-retired damaged cymbals, which I both acquired from my friend Bennii Obana sometime last year.  On my left side was my freshly-cracked 17" K Custom Dark Crash, which I recently retired from gigging.  On my right side was my de-modified 18" K Custom Dark Crash which had so many hairline cracks when I acquired it, I had it cut after I wounded my finger.  Even if these crashes are damaged, they still have that spirit in their sound.  I thought that I'd just save these cymbals for studio work, where I think they'll sound well.  And they did sound exceptional in the studio."

--- excerpts from my November 16, 2007 blog


My drumming inspiration on Pangako is Jeff Porcaro.  This is a love song with a pop arrangement and mass appeal, and I can't think of any other musical inspiration better than Jeff Porcaro, who was not only a groovy pop rock drummer with a solid foundation.  He was a master of great feel and sensitivity.  He had the knack for playing drum parts which fits best for the music, in relation to its theme and emotions.  What mattered to Jeff the most is how the listeners feel the music.  I recorded my drum parts for Pangako with Jeff Porcaro in mind.  In fact, I think some of the drum fills I used reflected his huge influence on me.  May this be my humble tribute to one of my favorite drummers.  May God bless Jeff Porcaro's soul.

To fellow drummers who are curious about the accent cymbal I used during the bridge/guitar solo part, that was the broken 18" Zildjian K Custom Dark Crash on the right side of the set-up, which was trimmed down because of multiple hairline cracks.  It sounded like a trashy china/crash hybrid, and it sounded great on recording.  So, before disposing those broken cast cymbals, think about it first.  You'll never know how they'll sound like in the studio.  You'll never know if it's magic.

***


Final thoughts...

The music on Dry Your Eyes and Pangarap Ko'y Ikaw were arranged, programmed, and recorded by Jay Durias of South Border.  So, if the songs are coming from a musical master, I wouldn't dare touch it!  But if Jay would ask me to record the drum parts, I would have done it.

That Side Of Me and Prelude To Ecstasy might have been more slamming if we were able to record live drums for it.  But it's alright, because it turned out just fine.  Playing it live during our gigs would be a different story...

Come Back... It's the most perfect drum recording...  Because there are no drums on it! ;)

I'm planning to play more live drums on our next album, and I would love to do something more refreshing and out of the box.  I'm looking forward to that.

Mid-February 2010 Random Thoughts

Latest K24/7 update: K24/7 is looking for a new bassist. 

For inquiries, please contact our management (contact info posted at K24/7's social networking sites), or just approach the band during gigs.

This is urgent because the band has some plans in store starting this summer, and now that the band is rolling, we need a bass player who can offer a solid commitment to the band.   It's given that the bassist must be musical.  Having great technique may be an advantage, but he must have a great sense of feel and groove.  He must have heart and soul.  He must play for the music, and not for his ego.  He must be a team player.  He should be open-minded.  He must fit in with the group.  And most important, he must possess an exceptional personal and professional attitude.  He must have good work ethic, and he should be someone whom we can hang out with.

Are these requirements too much?  Well, these are the qualities I'm looking for in a bass player.  Frankly, I'm getting quite tired of bassists who come and go. It actually saddens me that my career-long cycle of finding a new bassist is ongoing again.  I feel like I have this bad luck with bassists.  But I'm hoping that all these will change for the best.  We need a bassist who can stick with us in the long term.  And hopefully, I would love to develop a solid drummer-bassist tandem with him.  I'm envious with those drummer-bassist duos who have stuck with each other for many years and have become successful with their partnerships.

The big question from many concerned friends is, "What happened to Kiko?"  Kiko De Leon has other career plans.  That's all I can say regarding that.  I would also like to say that personally, we don't have any problems with Kiko.  He's a good friend, and he gets along with everybody.  Kiko's a good bassist, he plays well with the band, and I think we play well together.  He just has other plans for his future. So I wish him all the best.


***

I am moved and inspired by the story Raymond Lauchengco shared last Sunday during the Sunday service at Bread Of Life Greenbelt.  I am hoping that Raymond publishes his story in his website.  In the meantime, let me briefly share his story.

It's amazing how God designed us to do things in life.  There are people who are designed to become doctors; some to become lawyers; some to teach; some to do business; some to be in the military, and so forth.  For Raymond, it turned out that music was his calling.  However, he had a couple of worries regarding his singing.  First of all, singing, or should we say music in general, is generally considered an unstable profession.  Or in Raymond's words, it was a job for lazy people because one doesn't require higher education to pursue singing.  And second, he's got an unbelievable stage fright.

Raymond recalled his youth, back in his high school days, when he was a promising singer.  At age 14, his music/vocal teacher got him into this college scholarship thing.  Though he was said to be too young to enter, his teacher insisted and took a chance.  One requirement was to sing an aria which, according to Raymond, was not his forte.  Eventually, Raymond got that scholarship, and was the youngest to have ever received it.  He recalled the day he got the letter.  He was so excited, so he eagerly showed it to his grandfather, who was with him at that time.  He thought that it would make his grandfather proud.  But to his surprise, his grandfather crumpled the letter and threw it to the trash.  Though part of him felt bad, Raymond never took it against his grandfather, whom he loved and adored so much.

Later on in his life, Raymond ventured into photography, which brought him considerable success.  However, his heart was empty.  It turned out that Raymond realized that it could be singing which God designed him to do in life and to touch and inspire lives.  This realization was further reflected when Raymond's wife produced a Valentine concert last week.  The concert featured Raymond and his sister, singer/theater actress Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo.  They were facing several odds and competition, because it was Valentine's weekend, and there were so much concerts around town which featured several high-profile artists, plus the higher costs of musicians, equipment and logistics during the peak season.  Later on, all these didn't matter, as they were moved by the blessings brought to them, through all the people who were behind them and who believed in them.  Raymond was so touched that when reporters showed up, it was either he should go ahead and thank them or hide and weep - with tears of joy and appreciation.

Raymond's wife had a statement in regards to the production, and it was like, "Watch my husband. See and listen to what God has gifted him."

I can relate to Raymond Lauchengco's story, and I am grateful that he shared it.  If Raymond publishes his story in his website, I'll be linking and sharing it here.

***

I am trying to get rid of distractions in my studio room.  Why?  So that I can focus more on music and drumming, particularly with woodshedding.

First off... the Xbox.  I would love to keep the Xbox360, which helps me unwind and relax.  Plus, I had my recent solitary moments of glory when my Cleveland Cavaliers set records and won the championship on NBA Live - twice (that 75-7 season record was ridiculous)!  However, another reason why I also got rid of the Xbox is because I'm unable to maximize its usage.  I'm only able to play at least twice a week.  At times, I'm unable to play at all for one whole week.  I already disposed it.

Now, I'm thinking if the TV should go.  I'm thinking if I should take it out to the living room.  Right now, we only have one TV at home, and it's in my studio room.  When my folks want to watch TV, they need to spend time in my room.  And if they're in my room, I can't play the drums and do the things I need to do.  I don't mind having people, especially my family, in my room.  But it doesn't let me become productive with my practice.  Now, my parents are planning to buy a new LCD TV, and I'm not sure yet where they'll be placing it.  Maybe that should help with the TV situation.  But I'm thinking, I still want a TV in my room because it's always great to have one, especially after a long day or night, or when I want to relax.  It also helps me go to sleep, unless there's something really interesting to watch.  Plus, it's nice to be able to watch concert videos and instructional drum videos with my drumkit nearby.

On second thought, I think the TV should stay...

***

Speaking of TV, I recently had a The Godfather Trilogy DVD marathon, which is something I like doing annually.  The Godfather Trilogy is probably my most favorite movie series of all time.  I find myself telling my friends who haven't seen it yet to watch it while they're young.  There's so much words of wisdom to be picked up and absorbed from the three Godfather movies.  Here are some of the most noteworthy.

"A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." - Don Vito Corleone, Part I

"Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever." - Michael Corleone to brother Fredo, Part I

"It's an old habit. I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men." - Don Vito Corleone, Part I

"We're all part of the same hypocrisy, Senator. But never think it applies to my family."  - Michael Corleone to Senator Geary, Part II

"My father taught me many things ... Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."  - Michael Corleone, Part II

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment." - Michael Corleone, Part III


There are plenty more memorable lines from the three movies.  Every man (and woman) should see this trilogy at least once in their life.

***


That's all for now.  Summer's just around the corner. It should be good...

K24/7 Highlights (Late Jan - Mid-Feb 2010)

I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks, so let this entry be my catch-up blog...  First of all, I want to share some highlights from K24/7's activities in the last few weeks.

Friday, January 29...  That afternoon, we performed at St. Theresa's School of Novaliches.  As far as I know, it was a high school fair/anniversary celebration, and they had this Rockista event, which I believe is like a battle of the bands competition, and we were the featured guest performers.  The students of STSN were amongst the warmest audience we have ever played for.  It was one of those priceless moments.  Kids went up the stage in the middle of our set to take photos with us while we were performing.  Plus the way they reacted whenever we began singing and playing songs was infectious... It was crazy.  After the set, plenty more students approached us to take photographs with us and have us sign their New Era cds.  And all these went on even when we were already outside, at the parking lot, preparing to leave.  Then later, at the end of the day, when we went online to check our Facebook page, there's an overwhelming amount of messages posted by STSN students!  We never experienced anything like that.  There's so much love and appreciation, and it's quite humbling, actually.  We are very grateful to the students, faculty and staff of STSN.  We would love to perform again in your future events.

Thursday, February 4...  We were scheduled for a taping at Studio 12 in ABS-CBN.  We were guests on the Feb. 5 episode of the Myx Daily Top Ten, and we were there to promote New Era.   Iya Villania was the VJ that episode, so that was a major highlight for us that day because Iya's a total babe, and she's really cool, friendly, and down to earth.  I got starstruck, actually, which doesn't normally happen to me whenever I see famous celebrities.  But it does happen to me from time to time, especially when the celebrity happens to be someone really gorgeous.  Kiko wasn't present for the TV taping because he needed to attend a family event.  That's why we were missing one member, to those who have seen the show on TV.

Friday, February 5...  Album promotion goes on...  Early afternoon, we went to the Wave 891 station in Ortigas Center.  We guested on DJ Jerome's afternoon show.  We were given the interview and the opportunity to promote our album & gigs.  My bandmates even sung on air to give listeners a taste of our vocal abilities.  Ian and Paolo were not around for this radio guesting.  They must have overslept or something haha!  Anyway, it still went well.  I think we'll be returning to Wave soon for another guesting; this time at Air Angel Gia's radio show.  We'll be posting the sked on our Facebook page once it's confirmed.

Thursday afternoon 'til Saturday morning, February 11-13...  K24/7 was invited to return to Kalibo, Aklan for a Valentine show at Abregana Bar, together with Luke Mejares.  We were in Kalibo last year for the Ati-Atihan celebration, so this was our second time to have a show in that city.  Just like last year, we were accommodated well and the food was great.  We also visited a local GMA radio station to promote the event & our album.  Special thanks to our good friends Karen Alejandro, Doc Danny, Sir Fritz, and everybody at Abregana Bar & Basa Hotel.  And of course, thanks to those who showed up at the event & to those who bought our album.

Saturday night, February 13...  For the third straight year, we were invited to perform at Ateneo De Manila High School's JS Prom.  It's always a blast to perform at Ateneo's prom because they have a great & appreciative crowd there.  And last weekend's crowd was rowdy, with some Ateneans & their dates going up the stage to dance.  It's also cool that prom hosts Iya Villania and Drei Felix were singing along with us.  Thank you Ateneo High for inviting us again to perform for your prom.  We don't mind doing this every year.  It's always fun!

More K24/7 updates soon...

Photos courtesy of K24/7 Manager Alona David.

A Great Start Of The Year For K24/7

January is about to end soon, and my band K24/7 is having a great start of the year.  Our album New Era is selling well on its first month (considering that for now, we are directly selling it during our shows), and the gigs are going well (considering that some of us in the band missed a few gigs due to illnesses).

Last week was a great & busy week for K24/7.  The week began with a radio guesting on 99.5RT's morning show with King DJ Logan and Cleo Caliente on Monday morning January 18.  The night before, we had a gig at Mugen in Metrowalk Ortigas, which normally finishes late at around 330am.  So after the gig, most of us didn't went home anymore.  We just hung out at a nearby 24-hour Starbucks outlet until sunrise.  Then we took the short 10-minute drive to Paragon Plaza, where the radio station is located.

The Disenchanted Kingdom morning radio show was a blast, and the updates & discussions opened up during the show were really funny.  King DJ Logan and Cleo gave us an interview & the opportunity to promote New Era.  Later on, we played a game called "Porno Poryes", where we have to guess if the flick title is an actual porn movie or not.  The record holder is Mark, a mainstay of the show, with his 8 out of 10 score.  We're not really a bunch of porn connoisseurs haha, but we somehow had the instinct of guessing whether it's a legit title or not.  And boy, are we good guessers, we got 9 out of 10 and we beat Mark's record haha!  But still, hands down to Mark, 8 out of 10 from an individual is respectable, while we broke his record as a group.  We really had fun that morning, and we thank the crew from 99.5RT for having us as guests in their morning show.

Later that week, on Friday morning, January 22, we had a TV guesting on ABS-CBN's morning show Umagang Kay Ganda.  We were requested to sing I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas.  The morning show required us to sing an upbeat song to help jumpstart the morning.  We also got to see and talk to Donita Rose, one of the hosts of the show, which was cool because she's one of the most gorgeous Pinays in my book, plus she's a really nice person.  There are videos of that TV appearance uploaded by our friends on Facebook.

The morning radio and TV guestings we had that week seem to be good signs.  We broke the record on the radio show game.  We sung I Gotta Feeling, and the lines in that song go "I gotta feeling... That tonight's gonna be a good night."  The night of January 22 was a big night in the local R&B & hip-hop scene.  It was the awards night of Wave 891's 1st Urban Music Awards, which was held in Eastwood Mall.  K24/7 is nominated in the Best Urban Band category.  Actually, we weren't supposed to attend the event because we have a gig at Off The Grill that night.  But management insisted that we attend (which is another sign), then we'll just leave in time for our OTG gig.  The awards show was scheduled to start at 7pm.  But as expected, show was delayed, and it opened at 9pm (!).  The opening performance of Q-York, Kenjhons, Chelo Aestrid, and The Philippine Allstars was amazing!

At around 930pm, we decided that the rhythm section should go ahead to OTG.  With me being a fast-moving and time-conscious individual, I was the first to leave Eastwood.  But just as the rest of my bandmates were preparing to leave, the People's Choice Award was up next, and we were among the nominees.

We won.  K24/7.  Winner, People's Choice Award, at Wave 891's 1st Urban Music Awards.

I wish I was still in Eastwood when my bandmates went up the stage to receive the award.  I was already on the road when DJ Gia, our friend & the Wave DJ who presented the award, sent me a text message, congratulating me.  Then I replied, "We won?"  Yes, we won the People's Choice Award.

We may not have won the Best Urban Band award, but the People's Choice Award means a lot because this was decided by the people; by the listeners.  We are humbled by the award, for it showed that there are many people out there who believe in our band.  We are sincerely grateful to our dear friends and followers for the love, care, and support, for believing in K24/7, and for sticking with us through these years.

To be honest, I thought that it's just another popularity or hatak thing.  But later I felt and realized that it means more than that.  We love what DJ Gia said when she was presenting the award...

"The People's Choice Award stands out because among the numerous choices the listeners have for this category, they choose and decide to vote for and support the individual/group closest to their hearts. This award recognizes the voice of the people and will be given to the individual/group that has won the love and support of the listeners of Wave 891. And for the nominees here with us tonight, I believe that's what really matters at the end of the day."

And that said it all.

In behalf of K24/7, I would like to once again thank all our dear friends, loved ones, listeners, and followers for the tremendous love and support.  We owe you guys, and what we can do to give back in return is to simply keep working and performing harder, develop into better artists, and continue playing music that can inspire and hopefully empower and touch lives.

K24/7 would also like to congratulate all the winners and the nominees in the 1st Urban Music Awards.  And of course, congratulations and thank you very much to Wave 891.

A great start of the year, indeed!  I'm hoping that we can carry on the momentum in the coming months.

New Era... And Beyond

Here's something about my band K24/7...

Our album New Era was finally revealed mid-December.  Like I said on my New Era blog, the album is a product of approximately 5 years of blood, sweat, and tears.  It's a dream come true for me; my first-ever album as a professional musician.  I can now say that I'm a certified recording artist.  I'm hoping for more recordings in my career.

Now that the first batch of New Era albums are available, where will my band go from there?  This question has been running in my head for days now.

The first set of people who have possession of our new album are loyal friends and followers, relatives and loved ones, and individuals who have helped us through the years, particularly with the recording and production of the album.  We have received mostly positive feedbacks and reactions from our music, and we sincerely appreciate all these.  All the hard work is beginning to pay off.

For those who have their New Era copies, I want to point out a minor flaw on the album design...  Some of you may not notice it, but on the back cover part, we mislabeled tracks # 8 and 9, which are Pangako and Come Back.  Pangako should be Track # 8, while Come Back should be Track # 9.  We intend to correct that on our next batch of cds.  Anyway, to those who already have their New Era copies, don't worry about the minor design flaw.  The cds you have right now are the first-ever batch; consider it as a collectible (that is, if we make it big someday).

Going back...  We are still yet to promote New Era on a bigger scale.  We haven't made any formal album launch yet.  The band and management are working on it, so that would be something to look forward to in the coming weeks.

For me, the title "New Era" is symbolic.  During the Holiday season, we were greeting "Happy New Era" on Facebook.  For me, it means a lot.  "New Era" does not only mean a new year for us, but also a whole new decade.  And for me, the new decade is a time for greater change.  It's time to step up; to level up.  As for K24/7, the time has come to make greater developments in our music and career.

In the past 3 years or so, my life with K24/7 was pretty much routine.  The last few years were mostly spent by playing at Off The Grill, Mugen, and occasionally at Taboo on weekends, plus the occasional events and parties.  I'm not complaining; in fact we are forever grateful to these establishments for the opportunity to perform and establish a "home court" venue and crowd.  Plenty of moments and memories were made from those gigs.  Right now, I think it's about time for a growing band like K24/7 to reach for greater heights and aim for bigger goals.  I'm thinking about more albums, major concerts, overseas tours, frequent TV appearances, product endorsements... The works!  For me, K24/7 is more that just a bar band, a party band, or a cover band.  We can do more.  And we must do it this decade.  I'm sure longtime K24/7 friends and followers will agree with me.

This will be the new journey of K24/7 from now on.  This is going to be a very interesting decade.

January 2010 Random Thoughts

My band is at Off The Grill right now, grooving and rocking.  While I am here at home, on the road to recovery.  It's my first time to miss a K24/7 gig due to illness.  The first week of the new year and the new decade is a physically tough and uncomfortable time for me.  Like I said on my previous blog, I had the upset stomach, which caused backache and had me chilling (literally) for a few days.  The first three days of 2010 were tough.  It was a holiday weekend, we had gigs on those 3 nights, and every gig was a physical challenge.  I am pretty much capable of psyching up myself before a gig.  Whenever I'm sick or just feeling strange, I make myself believe that I'm very strong and I just let it out on the drumkit.  I'm a fighter in that sense.  I also try not to show any signs of weaknesses, because I don't want my bandmates, audience, or people around us to worry (though this doesn't work all the time).  But last weekend, there was no hiding in my physical condition.  I had to lie down during breaks.  I had to observe economy in motion.  I was so relieved after the Mugen gig last Sunday, the last of the weekend gigs.  It was finally time for me to take a much-needed rest.

I've been taking my rest here at home since Monday.  It wasn't really a relaxing kind of rest, as I was still feeling the pain in my tummy and my lower back, plus some occasional chills.  Sometimes I feel warm; sometimes cold.  My movements were in slow motion.  I was hoping that Monday would be my final day of recovery, so that I would be back to normal by Tuesday, the day I rehearse for the Sunday church services.  But, it wasn't that simple.  The next morning, I told Bread Of Life that I'm sick, I won't be able to make it, and get a sub for the service.  Thinking that my condition's not improving, I also decided that it's time to see a doctor.

Before going to the doctor, good thing my Mom bumped in to my aunt, Tita Helen, who helped cure me.  She gave me the hilot and advised me on what to take to help make myself feel better.  I wish Tita Helen was around way earlier (though it's ironic that she lives just a doorstep away).  I was praying that I'd be just fine, because I had the feeling that they might check me in to a hospital (again, it's ironic that poor fragile me was never confined yet in a hospital; and I'm not really looking forward to my first time).  My Dad's brother and Tita Helen's husband Tito Mars stood by his word - "Before going to the doctor, see Tita Helen first."  I'm glad she's there, and my condition has improved, thanks to her.  We have doctors in the family.  Maybe Tita Helen should have been a doctor or a physical therapist.  I got cured the old school way.

So, yeah, I'm missing the OTG gig now.  It was just called last night, so I had to decide if it's a go for me.  As much as I don't want to miss a gig, my health wins this time and I decided to take some more rest.  So there goes my Iron Man award haha!  I wish I'm at OTG right now, playing music with my bandmates.  I'm pretty sure the gig's going smoothly right now.  I'm not worried; my mentor and friend, Benjie Mendez of South Border is filling in for me.  Maybe my bandmates are worried haha, Bagets could be giving them the musical examination right now.  But it's all cool, we are all brothers in music, and I think Benjie enjoys playing with my bandmates.  I'm sure it's still all good.  I'll be ready by Friday...  Can't wait for the weekend.

*****


It was our first Christmas in our new home here in Sampaloc, and our family's holiday season went really great.  There were plenty of good fortune and blessings for the family in 2009.  I already mentioned about the new house, my 2 new nieces...  Dio clan was blessed in 2K9, and we ended the year with a couple of high notes.

First, my brother in law Jito was able to set a business deal, and he was able to acquire 3 Monterey Meat Shops.  He was eyeing on this business opportunity for months, and finally he was able to acquire it on mid-December.  It's a family business, so my siblings, brothers in law, and some of our parents had our share on the investment.  My bros in law are mainly running the biz, and I credit them for a job well done.  So, please buy meat at our Monterey Shops (UniMart Greenhills, Cash & Carry Makati, & Makati Supermarket in Alabang).

Next, my youngest sister Karen and her boyfriend, video editor Ted Mosuela announced their engagement on Christmas eve, in front of the whole family during Noche Buena.  It was funny because one of my bros in law Louie loves to kid around, and he would often tease Ted if he would make an announcement, which normally happened during family meals.  This time, it was for real.  Over dinner, Louie asked Ted if he has an announcement.  And so, that was Karen & Ted's cue to reveal the news.  Everybody was jubilant after Ted's announcement.  Soon after that, everyone's asking Louie if he knew all along, and no he did not.  Only two people in the family knew before the announcement - me and my eldest sis Rica.  I'm really happy for Karen.  Ted is a good guy, and he makes my sister happy.  The happiness of my kid sister means a lot to me.

I love all my sisters, but Karen is the closest to me.  We are just 13 months apart, and we practically grew up together.  Sometimes I think we are like twins, yet we are different in many ways.  We fight a lot when we were kids, but we get along most of the time.  I admire her in many ways, especially her artistic talents.  I've seen her during her rough and dark times, which is tough for me as a brother.  That's why I was hoping and praying that she'll be blessed with happiness in life.  And the prayers were answered.

Congratulations, Karen & Ted!  The wedding will be on 111111 (11 Nov '11, a Friday), so there's plenty of time to prepare.  I'm sure the wedding will be great.

Now that my youngest sis is engaged, Louie's teasing me this time... "Any announcements, bro?"

*****

 
I remember having this interesting conversation with my Lola's and cousins' helper Bella sometime late November.  That time, we were still sleeping at my Lola's house next door, though most of our stuff were already moved in to our new house.  Here's an excerpt, simplified and translated in English...

Bella:  Why are you still sleeping here in Lola's house?

me:  Because we don't have water yet in the new house.  We still lack some utilities.

Bella:  Can you feel something here in Lola's house?

me:  Yes.  I was having the bangungot.  But I haven't had it lately.

Bella:  One night, while you were sleeping, I saw this girl sitting right beside you.

me:  Really?  How does she look like?

Bella:  Black, like a shadow...  That's why I don't like going up the third floor alone.

me:  If it's my Lolo, it's okay, but who could that be?

Okay, so there's a spirit who was keeping an eye on me during my stay at my Lola's house.  But why?  Was she there to protect me?  Or could she be the one causing my series of bangungot attacks?  Who else has seen or felt her?  Who is she?  Why me?

When we finally moved to the new house, I joked to Bella, "You can sleep in my room now."  She laughed, and she was like, "No thanks.  I'll sleep with your Lola."

***

Okay, that's all for now.  I need to rest.  I think I'll go to sleep now.  Any imaginary friends there to keep me company?  Kidding...

K24/7 - New Era: A Dream Come True

December 18, 2009...  This is a date that I will remember.  It was a Friday night, and my band K24/7 is scheduled for our usual weekend gig at Off The Grill.  It was pretty much routine... Until our manager Alona David gave us the most pleasant surprise.  My bandmates and I were each handed a couple of CDs, with Ate Alona greeting us a sweet Merry Christmas...

It was our new album.  K24/7: New Era.

Earlier this week, Ate Alona, road manager Jason Reyes, and I met up to check the final CD design and listen to the final audio mix, before the production of the first batch of CDs.  It was all good, and it's a go.  We were expecting the manufacturing to be finished sometime next week.  It went ahead of schedule.   And so, management gave us the surprise last night. 

For me, it's a dream come true.  It's definitely a long time coming.  I am now on my 12th year as a professional musician, and I've been with K24/7 since early 2004.  One of my career dreams is to become a recording artist and to make albums.  Finally, this dream came true.  This is my first album/recording credit as a professional artist, and this wasn't handed to us in a silver platter.  New Era is approximately 5 years in the making; a product created from blood, sweat, and tears.

When I held my copy of New Era for the first time, I took a moment, holding the album with both hands, and I just stared at it.  I had this mini flashback of the last 5 years I had with the band, and that moment when my bandmates began making the first demos.  In those 5 years, K24/7 has faced adversities along the way.  We went through the tough times, from studio and gig mishaps to bandmember changes, from songwriting hardships to production concerns... We went through various challenges, whether musical, personal, financial, or whatever imaginable obstacle.  And just as we thought that things seem to be on track, something would come up.  Wow, those 5 tough years...  What a journey it has been!  Unbelievable.

It was a huge sigh of relief.  I felt like all the stress in my mind and body was took off of me.  Suddenly, I broke a smile and there was peace of mind, like a big monkey was mightily taken off my back.  And it felt really good.  While writing this blog, I have our album playing in the background.  I may have listened to our songs thousands of times.  This time, it sounds and feels way much sweeter.

At times, we were on the verge of losing hope, going through depressive stages, and the like.  But we just hung on to our dreams, and we never gave up and called it quits.  I like what our dear friend Jean Ramiro told us one time...  She described K24/7 as a very resilient group.  Now, I see New Era as a testimony to K24/7's strength, persistence, and determination.

I always believe that God has His reasons, and in life, there are reasons why things happen.  Looking back at what happened in the last 5 years...  Yeah, we know the album is waaaaay overdue.  But the wait seems well worth it.  I am grateful to the Lord for all the blessings, and as well as for the adversities and the lessons learned.

Our acknowledgements are well-documented in our album sleeve, and I would like to thank all the wonderful people who love, support, and believe in K24/7.  Personally, I sincerely thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you so much for hanging on with us; for the patience in waiting for our album to come out.  I would also like to offer my deepest gratitude to the unsung heroes...  To our management - Alona David, producer Alvin Llanderal, and Jason Reyes; and to everybody involved with the production of New Era...  Thank you very much for helping make my dream & K24/7's dream come true.

Now that our album is finally out, this is just the beginning of a new chapter in K24/7's history.

Let me know what you think or feel about New Era.  I'll most likely write more blogs about our album in the near future.

*****

K24/7: NEW ERA is currently available at our gigs.  Drop by at any of our gigs, and go grab your copy!  Php250 only.  For info, sked, and updates, just visit K24/7's Facebook Page.

November 2009 Random Thoughts

It's been a month and a half since my last Random Thoughts blog.  Let me go through this episode with a review of my recent tweets, in chronological order...

"lucky that i was already at Onstage when the Greenbelt 5 shootout took place... was strolling around the area minutes before it happened..." - 6:06 PM Oct 18th

I was in Greenbelt that Sunday morning for the church service, when the robbery at the Rolex shop in Greenbelt 5 happened.  The second Sunday service of Bread Of Life in Onstage Greenbelt 1 begins around 10am.  After the opening praise and worship performance, my bandmates and I have the habit of strolling around the mall.  Shops begin to open by that time, then we return to Onstage a few minutes before the closing prayer, for the closing songs.  Luckily, I was already on standby at the Onstage lobby when the incident happened.  I was just sitted on one corner, tinkering on my iPod, when I heard three loud bangs.  At first, I thought those were just the sounds of shutter doors of nearby stores.  But it was louder than normal.  Then a series of loud bangs followed.  And when I noticed people entering the Onstage lobby, running in for safety, it was clear that something bad was happening outside.

The original Greenbelt 1 and the new Greenbelt 5 malls are connected, and Onstage (2nd floor, GB1) isn't so far away from the fine watches & jewelry shops at the ground level of GB5.  News reports said that the exchange of gunshots lasted around 3-5 minutes.  Being there, it was way longer, around 15 minutes.  That moment, we had no idea yet of what's exactly going on.  My church bandmates, who were still strolling around the mall when it happened, ran to Onstage for their safety.  Our bandmate who came in last was really lucky because he was so close to the crime scene.  He actually saw the armed men and ducked for his dear life when crooks began exchanging gunshots with authorities.  Thankfully he escaped the mayhem despite becoming deaf for a moment because of the loud gunshots (his hearing is okay now). 

We are usually done with the services at around 12-1230pm.  But everybody in Onstage was requested to stay put inside the theater due to safety and security reasons.  At around 2pm, we were allowed to leave Greenbelt by groups, using the fire exits.  My bandmates and I were among the last to leave.  We thought the parking will be closed by investigators and we might be forced to leave our cars overnight.  But good thing the authorities allowed motorists to leave the carpark, as long as we show our driver's licenses and registrations. 

It's funny that my church bandmates and I were in a sticky situation once again, a few weeks after our Ondoy experience.  We're still pretty much lucky.  Despite tighter security and some interior redecorating at the crime scene, life was back to normal around the Greenbelt area the following day.  I wonder what has happened with the Rolex robbery case?

"i'm saying goodbye to double bass for now... i'm going back to single bass. i'll be blogging about that soon..." - 9:10 PM Oct 20th

You can backread that blog.  But right now, I really miss having a double pedal.  I'll write a Gearhead Thoughts blog soon in relation to that.  Though I'm getting the hang of playing single bass, I realized that there's so much stuff that I can't do with a single pedal.  I guess my feet are already wired for double bass.  But every gig has become a challenge.  I'm still in search for a nice single bass pedal for my personal use.  But I'm planning to get a new double pedal next year.  Perhaps as a reward for this challenge, I want to get the best double bass pedal I can afford.  Still thinking about it...

"the vacuum cleaner is my favorite household 'chore' appliance... makes life easier... God bless the soul of the person who invented it..." - 5:36 PM Oct 23rd

And I really mean it.  For someone like me, who is asthmatic and sensitive to dust, I'm really glad that there's such a wonderful invention called the vacuum cleaner.  I've been doing a lot of vacuuming in our new house in the last few weeks.  For me, house cleaning is impossible without it.

"i watched THIS IS IT last night... got teary-eyed at certain parts... so inspiring... MJ is THE GREATEST. :)" - 1:58 PM Nov 2nd

I'm totally inspired by this documentary, and I'm glad producers decided to release it.  This Is It is another testimony to the greatness, professionalism, sense of perfection, megalomaniacal tendencies, and pure spirit of Michael Jackson.  Though I always thought of his Dangerous years as his prime, I'm so amazed by how great he still was, even if he's already 50!  Though not as vigorous as his younger years, MJ still had the same artistic drive and passion.  He never ceases to amaze people with his performance, as evident from how the young dancers were reacting to his solo rehearsals.  So enthusiastic, they were like little kids again when they see their hero MJ do his thing.

I would love to compare 50-year old MJ to another great MJ - NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.   During Jordan's earlier years, he was on fire with all his high-flying dunks, acrobatic shots, and amazing plays.  But when Jordan matured, particularly during their championship years, he was still a model of greatness, though he doesn't need to be flying all over the place anymore.  I kinda see Michael Jackson that way in This Is It.  For me, the new concert is like an updated or modernized version of his record-breaking tours during the 80's and early 90's, catered for the new millenium, for a new generation of audience, and for MJ's more fragile physique.  Plus, I love the care, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail MJ showed during the production, from the notes and pieces played by his band to the dance rehearsals; from the new mini-movies to the stage props.  MJ was really on top of his game.

Geez, it could have been an awesome show!  I'll surely get a DVD copy once it's out in the market.

"had fun at the benefit show for Raffa. it's always great hanging out with fellow musicians. best wishes to bro Wendell, Jaja & baby Raffa.:)" - 4:47 AM Nov 6th

K24/7 was invited to perform for a fundraiser event for Raffa, the baby of Wendell Garcia, drummer of Pupil & among the best all-around session drummers in the Pinoy music scene.

Here's some info about Raffa's rare disease, copied from the event's promotional material:

"Raffa (Son of Jaja Borja and Wendell Garcia) is suffering from a rare connective tissue disorder in which the skin becomes inelastic and hangs loosely in folds called Cutis Laxa. His been in and out of the Hospital for over a year and spent about a month in ICU.

Cutis Laxa is characterized by skin that is loose, hanging, wrinkled, and lacking in elasticity. The loose skin is often most noticeable on the face, resulting in a prematurely aged appearance. The affected areas of skin may be thickened and dark. In addition, the joints are loose (hypermobility) because of lax ligaments and tendons. When cutis laxa is severe, it can also affect the internal organs. The lungs, heart, intestines, or arteries may be affected with a variety of severe impairments. In some cases, hernias and outpouching of the bladder can be observed."

The fundraiser, which was held at Taboo, was highlighted by performances from several bands and artists, ranging from rock to jazz to R&B.  It was one of the most fun gigs I ever had this 2009.  Though bands played short sets, nothing beats hanging out with fellow musicians and appreciating great music together.  But most important, we were able to help out Raffa.

Cutix Laxa Update For Raffa

 
"happy birthday to Paolo Banaga, my K24/7 bandmate and brother in music... :)" - 4:49 AM Nov 6th

It's birthday season for majority of the K24/7 family.  So, advanced and belated Happy Birthday to all the celebrants...

Paolo (06 Nov), producer Alvin (13 Nov), manager Ate Alona (15 Nov), Ryan (27 Nov), Kiko (29 Nov), yours truly (05 Dec), Ian (07 Dec)

"lots of tech probs last night at our gig, but it's ok... realized that many modern musicians are so dependent on gadgets nowadays..."  - 11:34 AM Oct 24th

"tough gig @ OTG last night... had to once more deal with tech probs which are beyond my control... hate it when it happens... spoils my fun." - 4:45 AM Nov 7th

"but i still tried my best to groove better and forget about the technical issues... though stressful, i think it was still a nice gig..."  - 4:48 AM Nov 7th

The things that have been frustrating me on gigs in the last month or so are technical issues which are beyond our control, namely the electronic devices and set-ups which run the play-along sequenced tracks we use on some songs.  My bandmates and I have been pretty much "hardware-challenged" lately since Teddy decided to leave the band.  In our band, almost by default, the main keyboardist is usually the guy running the sequenced tracks.  When Teddy left, so did his gear, mainly his laptop and/or iPod, where he operates the tracks.  Ian is still in the process of setting up his gear for that purpose, while Paolo's laptop's been having some tech issues.  So, we've been making compromises with our gear.  My iPod was heavily used during Ian's first few weeks with us.  Classic iPods can be quite tricky to operate during live situations, until we figured out that we can plug it on Ate Alona's Macbook then play the songs through iTunes.   Currently, the services of my iPod are no longer needed, because my bandmates have already copied the tracks on the laptops.  Though this simplified the tech issue, Paolo had a few instances when multi-tasking became quite a chore, at times forgetting the cues on when to stop certain tracks.

Though stressful and challenging, we're getting the hang of all these tech concerns.  But whenever the sequenced tracks go nuts, it's us drummers who get screwed up the most, since we're the guys who have to nail it down and obliged to play along with it.  And when the drummer goes nuts, so will the rest of the band.  That's why it's so much of a burden for me whenever something goes wrong with the play-alongs.  I would accept it if I make mistakes during gigs.  But these technical glitches are something which my bandmates and I do not cause.  It's like there's no Plan B or we cannot escape from it.   

Being a true-blue musician, I sometimes wish just to play pure music.  I mean, as much as possible, I want to be organic and I don't want to become too dependent on machines, which I think is a trait I noticed from most modern musicians.  It's not that I don't want to play along a sequenced track or work with a computer, which are great for certain applications, and can help certain songs, melodies, and tempos sound more consistent.  Technology is awesome, and it can assist us musicians in a myriad of ways.  But sometimes, it just gets too techy, and it makes me yearn to play pure, unadulterated, natural, straight-from-the-heart-and-soul music.  No electronics, no gadgets and gizmos, no gimmicks... just me and my instruments.

"watching This Is Spinal Tap... every conscientious musician should see this flick hahaha! :)" - 1:13 AM Nov 12th

Enough said.  Just watch it.  Trust me...

"though nobody has won anything yet, thanks to those who greeted us for the Wave 89.1 Urban Music Awards nomination... :)" - 6:46 PM Nov 14th

K24/7 is nominated in the Best Urban Band category at Wave 89.1's first-ever Urban Music Awards.  For more info, click here.

Honestly, at first, when I received the news about our nomination, I had mixed emotions.  I thought it's cool that we are nominated.  Like how Paolo puts it, prior to this, we never experienced getting nominated for any award, so it's an honor and a privilege to be recognized in that light.  But, when I learned that fans determine who will win through SMS votes, I thought that it's just another popularity contest.  If I were the person running the tally, I would work it like it's a government election - it should absolutely be a one-time vote, so that means voters should be firm with their choice.  With the SMS votes, fans and listeners can vote as many times as they want.  Hence, this is more of a "hatak" thing.  Though it's good for marketing and publicity, I can't see how text votes can raise our value and musical integrity as professional artists.

But we got word that the Urban Music Awards will have both a sort-of People's Choice Awards (where there will be winners determined through SMS votes), and a panel of judges from the Wave camp who will choose the deserving awardees.  So, upon learning that, I guess that's fair enough.  We'll have these details verified.

It's also a blessing that we are nominated, considering that we are a band that has been around for quite some time already, and has yet to release its latest album.  We owe it to our friends and followers.  Thank you very much for the tremendous love, support, and the great patience (for waiting for our new album to come out).

To vote for K24/7 via SMS, text "WAVE 891 UMA K24/7", then send to 2968.  (Note: It's okay to use small letters; it isn't strictly all-caps.  Just make sure that the format & "K24/7" are typed correctly.)

"reviewing my recent tweets... preparing to write another Random Thoughts episode... it's been awhile since my last "real" blog..." - 9:34 PM Nov 23rd

Task finally completed.  'Til the next blog.!

PS > My twenties days are numbered...

"Chain Of Fools" by Jazee

Gearhead Thoughts: Back to Single Bass, For Now

Lately, I've been having mixed emotions about my recent decision.  Last week, I sold my Tama Iron Cobra double bass pedal.  So now, I'm officially back to single bass.

I sold my double pedal out of necessity and because of artistic reasons.  To be honest, finances are quite tougher right now, with my new studio room and all the bills.  I need some added funds to pay for my quarterly insurance bill, and I'm glad the sale was able to help me out with that.  Musically, I was thinking of going back to single bass for quite some time, in order to go back to basics and concentrate more on my right foot.  This idea is now fulfilled.

I've been playing single bass for a week now, which is quite a challenge for me because I've been playing double bass for so long that I got so used to it.  My right foot is doing more work right now, while my left foot seems wired for playing two pedals that I need to adjust.  It's funny because there were times during our gigs when I was about to instinctively play a double bass lick, and my left foot would naturally respond by shifting from the hi-hat pedal going to the twin pedal's slave pedal, only to realize that, "Oops, no more double pedal!"  It has become a challenge especially during K24/7 gigs, where I found ways to integrate double bass in our style of music.

I guess I have to agree with my bandmate Paolo when he told me that double bass has become my trademark.  It's a pretty unique quality, considering the idea that double bass is unusual on most mainstream musical styles, which includes R&B and hip-hop.  I'm not really a heavy, speed demon type of double bass player.  I choose when to use it in our music.  I also have this goal or artistic intention of applying double bass on popular music.

When fellow drummers and musicians ask why I play double bass with K24/7, I would ask back, "Why not?"  Drumset drumming is a constantly developing modern art form; it's still evolving up to this very day.  Why not integrate double bass drumming on R&B, hip-hop, pop, and most popular, groovier styles of music?  I think it's an interesting idea.  Some drummers, mainly the younger ones, would often think that double bass is about speed and is intended for rock, metal, and heavier styles.  It saddens me whenever there are some immature, close-minded, know-it-all types who criticize me for having a double pedal with K24/7.  I know I'm not an advanced-level double bass player, I know I need to improve further, and I intend to work harder on my double bass technique when I go back to double bass.  Personally, double bass is not limited to certain musical styles.  It's all up to our creativity, and we can only be limited by our imagination. Plus, all double bass drummers should keep in mind that the guy who began the art of double bass drumming was this jazz/big band drummer.

We should keep in mind that in today's very modern times, thinking out of the box can be a very fruitful and wonderful thing.  For example, we now see modern progressive rock/metal drummers who choose to play on small set-ups, instead of the stereotypical gargantuan multi-tom monster set-up.  We all have the freedom to choose.

I have a strong admiration for dominant double bass drummers such as Virgil Donati, Derek Roddy and Mike Portnoy.  I do wish I can someday reach their level of footwork speed, precision, and power.  Yet, I also have a great admiration for tasteful double bass drummers like Simon Phillips, Tim Alexander, Steve Smith, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd... and the list goes on.  They are the types who are not so heavy and uber-technical on double bass; yet, when they choose to use it, their executions are very musical.  Having a double bass pedal doesn't mean that you have to play it all the time.  It's like a pianist has 88 keys on his synth, and that doesn't mean that he/she needs to use all those notes in one song.  We need to pick our drum parts wisely, tastefully, musically.

Anyway, going back to single bass...  Like I said, my drumming-related reason for going back to single bass is because of my intention of going back to the basics.  And this includes my right foot technique.  I feel like I need to work more on my right foot.  When I was starting out back in the 90's, I was pretty much on the right track.  I was so into those single bass grunge drummers - Matt Cameron of Soundgarden, Dave Kruzen and Dave Abbruzzese of Pearl Jam, Sean Kinney of Alice In Chains...  I also dug the drumming of Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers...  And thanks to these guys, I went back in time to discover the excellence of the late great John Bonham of Led Zeppelin... Thank Heavens for Bonzo's mighty, lightning-quick right foot!

I was so determined with my bass drum foot back in the day.  Until one day, my heavy metal bandmates back in high school persuaded me to learn double bass, so that we can play some Metallica and Pantera tunes.  At first, I wasn't so fond with the idea.  Then after one jam session, they lent me a double bass pedal so that I can start practicing with it.  From that moment on, and by the time I discovered the great progressive rock drummers, I got hooked with it. 

Now I'm bringing back my enthusiasm for single bass.  I've been playing single bass on church services in the last three years.  The songs we play do not require double bass drumming.  I once brought my double pedal at a church service, but I never really got to use it.  I think I was only able to use it for a climactic ending for one fast song haha!  Realizing that, I know that I'll just be fine without a double pedal with K24/7.  It's just that, I got so used to playing double bass with my band.  I find myself adjusting some of my drum parts.  I'm missing double bass.  I miss playing those "quad" fill-ins, those straight-ahead singles, those crazy song endings...  I miss sneaking those double kick licks on songs like Icebox, Four Seasons of Loneliness, and our old-school MJ-EWF Medley. 

I know I'll be going back to double bass sooner or later, and hopefully be able to score a better set of twin pedals.  In the meantime, I'm rocking and grooving on a single bass pedal.  I'm going to buy a nice single pedal soon...

Caring For Your Introvert

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch

Please read this article by Jonathan Rauch.  This should help explain the psychology of an Anthony Dio.

Special thanks to Random Jan for sharing this.  May God bless you.