Back on a second wind

MANILA, Philippines - Even if the music of the ‘80s seemed to have been drowned out for quite sometime by ‘70s favorites, it looks like the decade is now making its strong re-appearance. Quick to take a lead in the recording and concert scene, Viva Concerts & Events conceptualized Men of the ‘80s which continues its tour with a concert at the Sky Dome of SM North Edsa on Nov. 21.

The hitmakers of two decades ago are still well- entrenched with their enduring favorites — Raymond Lauchengco for I Need You Back; Louie Heredia with Nag-iisang Ikaw; Gino Padilla‘s Closer You and I; and Randy Santiago with Babaero. The timing is well-planned. Launched last year at the Music Museum and Aliw Theater plus three tours overseas, the show has ripened, ready to face wider and bigger audiences.

The repertoire brought back memories as a teener during the ‘80s claims. “For every good song now, there were at least five during the ‘80s.” He also recalls being crazy about Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club. Dina Bonnevie was launched in Katorse; Tito, Vic and Joey gave Student Canteen a run for the money; uncensored bold movies were showing at the Manila Film Festival.”

We ourselves remember three months of filming Nora Aunor’s Himala in Ilocos, Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon in Laguna with Haplos, watching Razorback at Kalye with Dawn Zulueta, Ninoy’s assassination, the Ayala “Cory” rallies, camping out at EDSA 1. Those were heady years, and one particularly nostalgic blogger with a dig at today’s lifestyle noted: “We did not have playstation, Nintendos, Xboxes, video games, 100 channels on cable, DVD movies, surround stereo, iPODs, cellphones, Internet, chatroom, Facebook. We had real friends and we went outside to actually talk and play with them!”

Raymond looks back to this decade of going to college at UP, the sense of freedom, driving his first car, representing the country at ASEAN exchanges, filming Bagets, waxing records, the songs of Billy Joel, Rick Springfield, Hall & Oats.

Perhaps because those who remember are now in their 40s, watching their children grow up with multiple problems, that they wish life were as simple as then. One of the ‘80s hitmakers Louie unequivocally claims this was the reason he left show business.

“Maswerte kami during our time. Wala pang piracy; our albums would sell; we would release them one after the other. Pero ngayon ang dami-daming artista. Kawawa naman sila.” After spending his entire music career with Vicor Music; after eight albums, Louie retired 10 years ago and spends time cooking paella for appreciative customers. His last album became caught up in the network war. “Biglang may Star Records, GMA Records. Naudlot ang aming promotion. Pasingit-singit na lang.” He admits today, it was out of frustration that he left. And perhaps a precise reading of what was to come. Nothing could convince Louie to return to recording and performing. Until the Men of the ‘80s concept came around.

Like Louie, Gino also left the music business in the mid- ‘90s, but unlike Louie, he felt the compulsion to return. The historic 1986 dueting with Tina Turner in the Pepsi commercial We’ve Got the Taste shot in Hollywood simply confirmed his already extensive popularity with the hit album Shifting Gears under WEA-Universal Records which included Snaffu Rigor’s Gusto Kita, Closer You and I with music by Louie Ocampo, and his own composition for I Believe in You used as theme song for the Bea Alonzo-John Lloyd Cruz starrer All About Love. There was also the TV musical variety show Triple Treat Gino shared with Randy and Keno, which a very new Regine Velasquez joined in the ‘80s.

His return to active recording in 2007 was not easy and for that Gino is grateful to his cousin Zsa Zsa Padilla, friends Francis Magalona, Tirso Cruz III, and Rannie Raymundo who guested in the album Hands of Time, and Sharon Cuneta who produced it.

Raymond was another accomplished ‘80s icon who was in and out of the music scene after being introduced in the ultimate youth movie of the ‘80s Bagets which launched the careers of Aga Muhlach, JC Bonnin, Herbert Bautista, William Martinez, and Raymond himself. Signing up with Viva, he ventured into television appearing in a soap Saan Darating ang Umaga, co-hosting GMA Supershow, appearing in Viva movies, disappearing and reappearing as a professional photographer, finally deciding it was really singing he wanted to do and returning to Viva for management.

Raymond says, “Ever since I worked with Rudy Francisco at the Calesa Bar in 2004, I’ve had this love affair with standards that just keeps growing. Maybe it’s also the golden era that the songs represent that I’m fascinated with. You know, when the world was younger, gentler, kinder.”

When the Viva-Vicor combine decided to release twin albums of their catalogue, in the Senti album were Raymond with I Need You Back, and Louie Heredia with Can’t Find No Reason representing the ‘80s.

Senior member and leader of the pack is Randy who never once wavered in his being a showbiz personality. What Rico J. Puno is to the ‘70s, Randy is to the ‘80s. He was and still is likewise a total performer, a media personality seen in concerts, recordings, television, movies, with fans galore during his heyday. He even had the famous Hawi Boys (whose job was to control the crowd) among them Willie Revillame, Dennis Padilla, Chingkee Tan, and Jong Cuenco, now themselves distinguished in their own careers.

At the moment, Randy tells us tongue in cheek, he is enjoying his three sons ages eight to 19 and monitoring the list of his eldest Raphael’s girlfriends to compare with his own. He is also kept busy by road shows for The Filipino Channel (TFC) in Europe which he hosts and entertains for Filipinos married to locals and makes a sales pitch for TFC membership.

It was Randy who in 2004 put together The Greatest Hits of the ‘80s concert at the Araneta Coliseum with everyone from Jett Pangan, Juan Miguel Salvador to Raymond that proved that ‘80s music still had a large following. Following this lead, Viva launched its own Men of the ‘80s franchise.

Together, the combination of four distinct talents is deadly. It is easy to imagine how the soft-spoken Gino, the garrulous Louie, diplomatic Raymond, and the showman Randy, all still endowed with palpable talent could put together a totally engaging show. Never ever having performed together, it was exhilarating for former Pepsi generation endorsers Gino and Raymond to face Coke endorsers Randy and Louie on the same stage. It must have felt like Kapuso and Kapamilya performing, La Salle and Ateneo playing on the same side.

They remember working on the repertoire themselves, giving their all to the show. There was no way it could fail. We observe the billing of the show with Raymond first, Louie and Gino in the middle, and Randy last with that all important “and.” Gino figures Viva must have done it through seniority. Raymond agrees although “another factor was sex appeal so that explains why it’s me first then Randy last, “ he quips.

After the Sept. 2008 concert at Palomar Starlight Theater in California, we get this rave report: “The concert was so successful for both performers and audience. Management had to remind them it was almost three hours. Their songs saw us through the EDSA revolution, inspired us with hope, continue to serenade our girlfriends and wives.” As the reluctant Louie puts it, “It has been the best concert ever. The secret is us and the songs!” A crowd favorite is always the novelty portion where Raymond plays the Menudo, Gino Michael Jackson, Randy Prince and Louie Boy George.

It is acknowledged that when the Greatest Hits ‘70s franchise of Viva with Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuñiga, Rey Valera appeared to be coasting along till kingdom come, Boss Vic thought it was time for the Men of the ‘80s. It was also natural for Randy to head it. As the men of Greatest Hits have hurdled their various disagreements, so will these Men of the ‘80s similarly persevere.

Raymond states, “Any gathering of more than one person spells potential trouble. In our case pa naman we are four soloists used to getting things done our way. It’s really an exercise in patience and compromise. I think we’re getting the hang of it. I like to believe that while we may disagree we still treat each other with respect. Randy is our leader, and he is very good at it. The guy has so much PR he can handle anything. Plus of course at 65 he is the oldest, so we listen to him.”

At the prescon for Sky Dome, Randy and Louie are in a huddle. There is a booking for Valentine’s 2010 but Raymond might have a conflict. They may need an addition — Dingdong Avanzado? Juan Miguel? But Raymond’s Farewell that ends the show still has to be there. Problems, problems. But surely, nothing Kuya Randy can’t solve.

(E-mail me at [email protected].)