Dongabay moves on with 'Flipino'

CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LANDLINE with ethno-tribal band Kadangyan's gong artist Jean Marquesto AKA John Govinda led to discussions on the whereabouts of my "lupit" music genius-idol Westdon Martin Abay aka Dong Abay of the aggressive folk rock band in the 90's - "Yano" (short for "probinsyano").

Dong with Eric Gancio, whom he met in 1992 at Patatag, which is a progressive choral group in UP, gained recognition for music that carried political and social undertones. Though Yano's lifespan was short-lived, it occupied a space in Philippine music history with the release of two albums - Yano in 1994 and Tara in 1997 before the group called it quits.

My Yano compilation got completed the moment BMG Pilipinas released the "Himig ng Dekada '90 Collectors Edition" featuring the songs of alternative Pinoy rock bands Eraserheads and Rivermaya as well as Yano.

Yano became my constant companion when I was yet a level-3 encoder at Innovative Data Entry Philippines. As I worked the graveyard shift, I found it a big help for a workmate at the CD-ROM B Division named Lorelie to pipe up 17 cuts from Yano to drive drowsiness away.

The first track "Banal na Aso" opens up with a "shot at people's hypocritical ways". Given a revived version by Dumaguete-based reggae band "Enchi", Tsinelas is a Yano-original and recounts the experiences of a protester and his humble companion, the flip-flops. Classics are "Kaka" that tackled the concerns of the masses in the post-EDSA revolution period, and my personal fave "Esem" on the concept of malling in the early '90s coming alive in a country where most people are reported living below poverty line. And the uniquely witty manner of attacking traditional politicians in "Trapo" - di binoboto pero nananalo, aside from "Mercy," "Sampaguita," "Coño Ka Pre," "Abno," "Iskolar ng Bayan," among others, full to the brim with ironic and satiric tones.

As Jean/John and I talked of developments in the music industry, he suggested I should get a copy of "Flipino" from dongabay (take note: it's all lowercase and one word according to Dong). Recovering in 2003 from the reported clinical depression he suffered after Yano disbanded, Dong returned to the music scene and formed Pan together with Onie Badiang, the former bassist of Yano and with two young musicians Duane Cruz (bass) and Melvin Leyson (drums). But in early 2005, the band became inactive and Dong moved on to being an indie artist and initially released his works at the UP shopping center and in a bar at the Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. As of December 2005, Dong worked with dongabay band as lead vocalist and in May of this year released the album "Flipino".

Album critic Ian Emmanuel Urrutia wrote in his blog that "Flipino" is a collection of sung razor-sharp poetry, simple words interlocked with questions and punditry. Witty, satiric, and ingenious - the vivid pictures depicted on the amorous verses are socially relevant, dug through holes of everyday life and cynicism. Dong Abay explains it all with his philosophies, his backlash on the country's rotting situation, his fluid rhymes that make listener's sweat on their pants. The 14-track "Flipino" (originally titled Farmeryano) also is a reformat of "Sampol"; a limited release EP containing seven songs, all of which are acoustic and raw.

"On Flipino, Dong teams up with half the Eraserheads (Raymund Marasigan on drums, Buddy Zabala on bass) and newcomer guitarist Vinty Lava. Altogether, they created simple folk melodies with nuances of pop sensibilities and old-fashioned Pinoy-punk reminiscent of The Jerks. Flipino to date is the most accessible set of songs laid on radio-gold platter, though the Yano-Pan image still etched a mark on the entirety of the record. And it's not a bad thing since this is the best Dong Abay could ever offer in his 12-year career as a legendary music icon. We remember him quit Yano, struggling with clinical depression (or a creative rot?) due to fame-induced pressure. Then he resurfaced with short-lived band, Pan and decided to call it quits to pursue a solo career. Whatever he has in mind, we surely wont know and even care. Yet his stories that run in intelligible verses allow us to think, swell and marvel.

'Ikaw ay inaanod. Walang kalaban-laban. Tuluyang nalulunod. Tungo sa kalaliman. Ikaw ay nalulula. Agad kang nahuhulog. Bumabagsak sa lupa at biglang nadudurog.'

"Easily the best song on the record, "Perpekto" excels in expounding strong statements both conceited and fact. Almost anthemic, the song ironically preaches us not to limit ourselves with the mistakes we create over and over. After all, it doesn't matter how many times we fall but on how many times we tried very hard to recover on that every fall. 'Ano ba ang epekto kung mayroon kang depekto? Wala. Wala namang perpektong tao.'

"'Tuyo' juggles eccentric portraits and descriptions with multi-phrased consciousness on water conservation. 'Okay lang kung tuyo na ang aspalto walang swimming pool sa kanto. Okay lang kung tuyo na ang kable, hindi ka na ulit makukuryente… pero dehins OK, kung tuyo na ang gripo, poso, balon, talon, sapa, o lawa.' Dong as always has been an active advocate of the environment; his works with Yano (Abno) and Pan (Dumpsite) testifies the love he has for Mother Earth.

"Not that Dong's agnostic or an atheist, maybe the rush of emotions in 'Mateo Singko' has kept him thinking not twice, not thrice but several times of why we, people suffer such adversities in life. Dong throws in 'Akrostik,' a pop culture quiz about the biggest names in the rock music scene, mostly from the 60's to 90's (from Lolita Carbon to Jesse Santiago to Bayang Barrios to Ely Buendia) to wittingly involving his name with the cheery, nursery-rhymesy approach of poking fun on every single letter of his name. Also in the same vein is the snotty 'Bombardment,' which seemed like a bloody war of consumable products, institutions, politics/showbiz personalities, and the ever-popular TV ratings feud between the two large networks. But at the end, Dong stresses that there's more to healthy competition that we should all watch out for. Original o pirated."

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