Eight years of True Faith

Here are some reasons why music acts come up with greatest hits packages. When several hits in a row keeps the artist busy with gigs and other things and away from recording, so to ensure that public awareness and sales continue, the record company compiles the early hits in one album. Another one is when celebrating milestones like receiving awards or an important anniversary. The bad ones are when personal and professional problems keep the artist from recording or when the inspiration has ran out and there are no new materials worthy of release. In short, when the hits have stopped coming, a collection of oldies tides everybody over.

Now the Eraserheads still has to come up with theirs but they might any day now. Side A waited for 10 years before coming up with a greatest hits collection. Come to think of it, so did the now defunct Introvoys. This means that eight years is really a bit too early for a pop group to begin wallowing in past glories. But we will indulge True Faith as long as these guys promise to work double time to soon come up with enough new materials to fill up a volume two.

Truth to tell, there was a time when I honestly thought that True Faith will never make it to a seventh year, let alone, a 10th anniversary. After the initial burst of success and hits like Perfect and Muntik Nang Maabot ang Langit, the group ran into the problem that is the usual waterloo of any group effort, distrust. Some of the members have stopped being friends and could not work together. The problem as to the ownership of the name True Faith even had to be decided by the Courts. Then the remaining members felt they could manage themselves better and called it quits with their manager. As a result of all these, a lot of people honestly thought that True Faith is no more.

Well, True Faith is still here and has apparently weathered all those storms. There are some new members, the courts have decided this group has the right to the name and there is a new album with the old music. At this point I think we can rightly say that this is the perfectly good reason for the release of Memories are Cheap, The Best of True Faith, 1993-2000. Memories is True Faith's greatest hits package and it is made up of songs lifted from six previous albums by the group, Perfect, Beyond Doubt, Build, Looking Up and Bliss. Therefore it is actually the best promo tool there is that will tell people that True Faith still exists, is as good as the band was before and even has a lot of new things to offer.

The most obvious choices for Memories are of course, Perfect, don't tell me you do not remember the image of soloist Medwin Marfil strutting around to this melody on your TV screen, and Muntik Nang Maabot ang Langit, which made the cello a trendy pop music instrument among local producers and arrangers. The others are: Alaala, Hi! How Much I Feel, Awit Para sa Kanya, Kundi Rin Lang Ikaw, Sa Puso Ko, Kung O.K. Lang Sa'yo, Sandalan, Huwag Na Lang Kaya, Baliw, Shotgun Baby Bang! Bang!, Ambon, Alam, Get It On and Minsan Lang Ako Umibig.

True Faith is at present made up of Medwin on vocals, his brother Eugene Marfil on guitar, Bimbo Yance on bass, Jun Dizon on drums, Jake Lumacad on keyboards and Jay Valencia, also on guitar. Only Medwin, Jun and Bimbo remain of the original band line up but in a gesture that shows that all is well between them and the former members, despite the court suit, True Faith founder and Perfect songwriter Francis Guevarra is behind the remix of How Much I Feel that is included the group's latest album.

For a look at how True Faith has weathered membership upheavals, changing music trends and the wear and tear of trying to stay on top in the country's extremely demanding music scene, catch the group at the Republic of Malate this Thursday, April 13. Dubbed The Best of True Faith, the concert started last April 5 and is mostly a showcase for Memories are Cheap although the band also performs old pop favorites plus current hits. Sponsors of the series are San Miguel Beer, the Manila Bulletin and LG Collins.

Take note that Republic of Malate owner and pop diva Kuh Ledesma was once the manager of True Faith. Medwin has since taken over the job and it looks like all fences have been mended and whatever lapses there were have been forgiven.