Big Mountain: Phl on its mind

MANILA, Philippines - American reggae group Big Mountain has set foot in the Philippines for the first time — something the members had been hoping to happen for years.

The band best known for its reggae version of Peter Frampton’s classic Baby, I Love Your Way finally visited the country for a few live gigs highlighted by its top-billing turn at the Exodus Music & Arts Festival in Cavite last March 21.

“The moment we landed, it felt like a dream come true. This is a big trip for us and a great opportunity to showcase our music,” the band’s vocalist Quino McWhinney told the press gathered at Passion Restaurant in Resorts World Manila recently.

The veteran act performed at RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theater last March 20.

Big Mountain led a pack of international and local musical acts coming from different genres for the festival that included a car show at the Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Binakbayan, Kawit, Cavite.

According to DMC Entertainment production head Jesse Gonzales, the word “exodus” pertains to the movement happening towards the propagation of any genre, say, reggae.

Founded in 1992, Big Mountain made a big impression when its cover of the said song was included in the movie soundtrack of the Winona Ryder-starrer Reality Bites. Quino recalled that at the time, reggae bands could not yet penetrate mainstream, and that the band’s version being ultimately chosen for the film was a turning point for them.

He explained, “We felt the pressure back then as probably the only American reggae band to make it on the scene. On that note, I am not in the position to judge new reggae acts and how I feel about them because I don’t want them to feel some pressure. My message is just do your thing.”

Quino and the rest of gang, including two other McWhinneys, James and Jakob, are out promoting their new album timely titled Perfect Summer. One refreshingly sounding and intriguing song is called Gimme The Kushumpeng, the one Quino singled out when queried about the connection between reggae and cannabis.

He mused in connection, “The mystery of marijuana has been lost and I don’t want to give the impression that I engaged in cannabis. It’s a medicine if you are uptight about life but it’s not something I want my child to do when he is not ready.”

The other songs in the album manufactured by White Sage Records in California are All the Praise is Due, Seven More Days, I’m Calling You Out, Vision, It’s All Good Today, Reggae Got Soul, Here Comes That Feeling and the title track. 

Big Mountain, joined during the press conference by YouTube star David Dimuzio, will actually be spending some days in the country. The STAR was informed that they will be flown to the island of Boracay and will have a meet-and-greet session happening tomorrow, March 28, at Club Dredd and Boracay Kitchen.

The following day, March 29, the band will do a concert at Charlie’s Steakhouse. 

Asked to say something about Filipinos, Quino has only very warm thoughts: “We’re here for a fact-finding mission because the Filipino community in San Diego is very strong and there’s thing about you guys being able to sing like Luther Vandross and everywhere we go, especially in Asia, there are talented Filipinos around. What is it about this country that you have so much talented singers?”

As for their staying power, Quino’s bandmates have this to say: “It all boils down to us enjoying feel-good music regardless if it’s a hit or not and having a good leader in Quino who writes good songs.”