Pepe Smith to reunite with Juan Dela Cruz band for concert featuring pinoy rock legends

Pepe Smith is considered an icon in Pinoy rock music and is revered by both veteran and rising rock stars. Among his biggest hits are “Ang Himig Natin,” “Titser’s Enemi No. 1,” and “Beep Beep.”

And he feels happy that today’s rock bands still look up to him and sing his songs. He actually regards today’s new breed of rock bands as his children.

When asked if he is going to come up with new compositions, the revered rock icon says that he would rather revive his old songs and rearrange them a bit.

He rues that record companies no longer get them and produce their albums.

“Wala na kaming gustong gawin na mga bagong kanta dahil lahat ng mga recording company ang tingin sa amin ay matatanda na. So sabi ko sa kanila, sige sa inyo na lang iyan, pasok niyo sa puwet ninyo,” he said bluntly.

“Tingin nila matatanda na kami. Eh di sige lang. Eh yung mga presidente ng mga recording company mas matanda pa sa amin eh. Wala naman ginawa kundi maupo, kumita ng pera. Ganoon lang naman iyan eh,” he added, although he won’t go to the extent of naming names.

“Bin Laden, Obama... I don’t have to name names. Pag nabasa nila ito, malalaman nila na sila yung tinutukoy ko. Baka atakihin pa, mahirap na. Ang lalaki ng mga kompanya nila [pero] ayaw mamigay sa mga nagpayaman sa kanila. No payback, man. Kunsabagay, di naman nila iyan kaya dalhin sa langit. Hindi rin nila madadala iyan, tandaan nila iyan,” Pepe bristled.

He also laments over the release of an album of his songs without his consent and knowledge.

“I did an album titled ‘Idiosyncracies’ for Alpha Records. It’s supposed to be my solo album. They released my album without my knowledge. Hindi ko malaman kung saan nila nakuha ang master. Ni isang kusing wala akong kinita. Sila-sila lang ang kumita,” he related.

So, why didn’t he sue them?

“Demanda? Wala rin. Baka mag-drag lang ang kaso, maubos lang ang pera ko sa ganun. Indifferent talaga ang Alpha na iyan. I am glad that they are finally down,” said Pepe, referring to the record company which allegedly did not give him a fair deal.

“I am sorry pero ngayon lang ako magsasalita about this matter. The album title is ‘Idiosyncracies.’ Ang laman ng album ay mga bagong kanta. Sana mapakinggan ninyo ang mga kanta, nasa Internet na yata. Hanggang ngayon computer illiterate pa rin ako.

“They didn’t inform that they are going to release the album. They sent me a contract which I didn’t sign and then the next thing I knew, somebody was calling me and said, Pare, your album is out. Ang ganda raw. Album? Sabi ko, Baka yung compilation ng hits ng Juan dela Cruz Band.

“Sabi, hindi pare, hindi Juan dela Cruz. Hindi pa nga niya masyado mabasa, sabi niya ‘Idiosyncracies.’ Oo yun nga. Inilabas nga nila na wala akong bayad.

“I recorded that in 2001 and that was released in 2004. Ipinagkatiwala ko iyon kay Pete Daza (yung master) kasi nagpunta na ako ng Baguio. Namundok na ako. Tapos nagdala siya ng kontrata. I told him, I am not going to sign that. I don’t like it. I think he got a square deal pero pinirmahan pa rin niya.

“I think he would get P400,000 in case he would be able to get me to sign the contract. Hindi ko pinirmahan so he only got P300,000. Ganoon ang ginawa sa kanya ng Alpha. Ang ginastos daw sa amin ay P600,000.

“May dinala sila sa akin na contract pero hindi ko pinirmahan kasi gusto ko mag-meeting uli kami. After a month nalaman ko na lang na-release na pala ang album. Ang lalaki raw ng poster ko sa Odyssey. Sabi ko, ah ganoon, ini-release nila without my knowledge,” he said.

Pepe said he went several times to the office of Alpha Records to talk to Alvin de Vera, now the president of the said record label, but that he was always given the run around.

“I was just asking for complimentary copies of the album to give away. Nagbigay siya ng ilang kopya tapos sabi niya, last na iyan ha? Ah, ganon? O, sige ayos lang.”

But no matter the shabby treatment he says he received from Alpha Records, Pepe has another reason to be happy these days.

After a very long while, he’s going to be reunited onstage with fellow Juan dela Cruz Band members, namely, Wally Gonzales and Mike Hanopol, plus other Pinoy rock artists of their era in a big concert titled Ugat to be held on December 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.

“Ikinagagalak ko at ikinaliligaya ko na ngayon lang uli mangyayari ito after 30 years. Naalala ko pagig-gig kami kung saan-saan tapos nagkikita kami ng iba’t-ibang mga banda. Sabay-sabay kami tapos biglang wala. Nagkanya-kanya. Yung iba medyo bumigay na. Yung iba, di ko na nakikita ‘yung mga dati namin kasama pero ikinagagalak ko na ang Viva ang nagkaroon ng puso na pagsama-samahin kami uli,” said Pepe.