What makes Rico, Hajji, Rey & Marco OPM legends

On Friday, Nov. 21, starting at 8:30 p.m., Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro, Rey Valera and Marco Sison will reunite for what is billed as OPM Legends: The Reunion (already sold out) at the grand ballroom of Solaire Resort & Casino (with Solenn Heussaff as special guest), fresh from their hit stints in California (San Diego on Nov. 7 and L.A. on Nov. 8).

In the local music industry, there are good singers and there are great singers — and there are also those who have surpassed greatness and have become legends because of their unique vocal styles, their amazing stage presence and their overall charismas. Their songs are so distinctly catchy and they still make people sit up, listen, reminisce and sing along. 

That paragraph, quoted from the concert’s press bulletin, explained why the guys are considered legends.

Of course, there are other factors that make them so, such as their “quick connect” with the audience, the way they adjust their music to the times and, yes, their sense of humor topped by Rico’s green jokes.

Recently, Funfare sat down with the legends for a free-wheeling chat.

= On how they take care of their voice

• Hajji: “No hard drinks. Nothing like a good sleep, at least eight hours per night or 10 a day before a concert. If you don’t get enough sleep, second song pa lang, paos ka na.”

• Marco: “No alcohol; it dries up not only your skin but your vocal cords.”

• Rico: “Secret!”

• Rey (pointing to Marco): “Babae. Nakakabata ‘yon. Ang nakakababa ng boses ‘yung mababang talent fee. Kapag tinaasan ang talent fee, tumataas ang boses mo. By the way, do you know how I keep looking young? Noong bata pa ako, mukha na akong matanda, hahahaha!”

= On their “titles”

• Hajji: Kilabot ng Mga Kolehiyala (in the ‘70s). Now, according to Rico, “Siya na ang kilabot ng mga ina ng mga kolehiyala.”

• Rey: No title. “Dinadaan ko na lang sa sex appeal, hahahaha!”

• Rico: (Still the) Macho Guapito. “No need for viagra!”

• Marco: Kilabot ng Mga Matrona (according to his co-members)

= On politics

• Rey (lost when he ran for vice mayor in Meycauayan, Bulacan): “I thought I could change the system. I realized that you could not; kakainin ka ng sistema. Hindi ko maibababa ang sarili ko to a certain level; I couldn’t be forced to eat back things.”

• Marco: “Enough already!” (He served two terms as councilor at a town in Laguna and one term as board member in the same province and lost when he ran for vice governor).

• Rico: Might he run again? Served three terms as councilor of Makati City.

• Hajji: “Not my calling.”

= On their most requested songs

• Rico: Kapalaran and May Bukas Pa. (His most requested joke: The Higante Joke. Find out for yourselves what it is.)

• Hajji: Nakapagtataka and Balatkayo.

• Marco: My Love Will See You Through and Make Believe.

• Rey: Maging Sino Ka Man and Malayo Pa Ang Umaga.

The four legends have nobody but Viva big boss Vic del Rosario Jr. to thank for re-launching them as a group and, they added, the radio deejays for playing their songs up to now including Long Tall Howard (on dzBB), and Dr. Love and Richard Enriquez (both on dzMM).

They observe some no-no’s: No scene-stealing from one another and no argument over money.

But more jokes, please!

“In Australia,” recalled Hajji, “our host’s wife suffered lockjaw. She watched our show the night before. Her doctor said that most of her muscles were strained from non-use pero dahil sa katatawa niya, nabanat nang husto ‘yung unused muscles niya. She was briefly hospitalized.”

It’s a great job. Singing is.

“We don’t work,” said Rey. “We play.”

Rico added, “After the short pre-show prayer, we say, ‘Let’s play!’”

And what fun it is to watch them playing!

(OPM Legends: The Reunion is sponsored by Farlin Baby Products, Pest-Off, Zim Cleanser, Honeymoon Tea, Coffee Trim and PCSO, for the benefit of PMA Makatao Class of 1989 Foundation.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)