Side A band original member and Disney’s first and only officially licensed Filipino artist to paint Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars artworks Rodel Gonzalez wishes to see more Filipinos being recognized in international platforms. Filipinos, he said, have the talent we can show and boast to the world.
“As far as shows are concerned, I just want the Filipino people to feel proud because sometimes we are misrepresented in America. They thought Filipinos are just for domestic (service). We are connoted or we are connected to being contract workers. There were those who would look down on us and sometimes there’s this racial slur,” Rodel expressed his feelings when I asked what he wanted right now.
“It makes me feel proud for Arnel Pineda, Manny Pacquiao, Lea Salonga and also other well-known artists, who have Filipino blood like Bruno Mars. They are able to show to the world how talented Filipinos are. Kaya gusto ko rin na mas marami pa tayo na maitaguyod ang bandera ng Pilipinas. And even if I have been living in the US for 20 years now, I want Filipinos to know that the Philippines is still home to me,” added Rodel, who is currently back in the country for the Side A repeat performance, Then and Now The Repeat, today, June 1, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater and for his first one-man art show dubbed The Fine Art of Rodel Gonzalez, on June 3, at COLLAB Sheraton Manila at Hotel Newport World Resorts.
I have known Rodel for many years even before he and his brother Naldy formed the OPM band Side A. The brothers started as members of The FM Band that had music gigs in pizza parlors and folk music bars. If I am not mistaken, it was at the Manila Hilton, where I first met them. I remembered they stood out in the auditions as back-up band for Joey Albert, Isay Alvarez, Juno Henares and Lerma dela Cruz, who were regular performers then at the hotel.
Rodel amusingly recalled how surprised I was when I found out that they could actually sing because as a back-up band, they were instructed by the F&B manager to strictly play instrumentals.
“Naldy told me to sing after hours of playing instruments while waiting for the singers to come on stage. Natugtog na kasi namin lahat kaya sabi ni Naldy kumanta na ko (laughs),” Rodel ruminated.
After that, the F&B manager and I agreed to also assign Rodel and his band in the first set of the show. But even on the second set, the audience would request their songs.
“So, the singer would pass the mic to me kasi ‘yung kinakanta ko ang madalas ma-request. Naalala ko ‘yung unang kinanta ko, I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near) by Michael McDonald, si Richard Merk napalingon bigla at sabi, ‘Saan galing ‘yun?,’” he quipped.
However, Rodel and Naldy left for Singapore to perform and when they returned in 1985, they co-founded Side A, along with other original members Kelly Badon, Joey Benin, Pido Lalimarmo and Mar Dizon.
In 2002, Rodel migrated to Hawaii and began pursuing his art career. His cousin, Roy Gonzalez, a well-known seascape artist in Hawaii, introduced him to different galleries and invited him to join in art shows.
“I was around seven or eight years old when I began painting because my Lolo and my father were painters. We had art galleries in Mabini when I was young. But, of course, I also wanted to try something different, so I shifted to music,” shared he.
“My dad was not completely sold (on) the idea but he still supported me. Of course, I wanted to prove that making music is good,” said Rodel, who wrote the songs Eva Marie and ‘Di Pa Huli when he was in his 20s.
But fate brought him back to the art scene when Rodel began receiving many invites from different galleries outside of Hawaii — most of them were in Los Angeles.
“In 2008, we decided to transfer to L.A. because it’s difficult for us to travel from Hawaii so often. I was already in L.A. when James Coleman, the background artist of Beauty and the Beast and Winnie the Pooh, asked if I wanted to become a Disney artist. We would often meet in art shows,” said he.
“James told me that the CEO of Disney Fine Art is a fan of mine. So, ako naman s’yempre natuwa ako, pero I said that I’m not an animator. In the end, I accepted the offer because he said that I excel in background art because I do a lot of seascape and landscape paintings and I could still do them by incorporating them (into) the Disney characters, basta consistent lang sa movie plot. They also provided me with some guidelines and also, I tried to immerse myself and study the craft, ‘yung the Disney world, so that I can easily come up with a concept at para hindi rin nakakahiya if ever may Disney fans na makausap (laughs),” added he.
His works appealed to many art lovers to the point that most of his Disney artworks can be seen not just in the children’s bedroom but also in the living rooms or dining rooms.
“Dahil sa background, parang naging fit for all ages ‘yung kinalabasan. Naging formula ko kasi ay 80 percent background and 20 percent Disney characters,” shared Rodel who, by the way, majored in painting at the University of Santo Tomas.
American filmmaker George Lucas also admired Rodel’s creative talent that he bought four of his artworks and added them to his collections.
“That was the time when Walt Disney (Company) acquired Lucasfilm. At first, I thought it was just a prank when someone called me up and said that he’s calling from George Lucas’ office, but later on, I was informed that George Lucas wanted to buy my works. To be collected by the man himself is a privilege and an honor. So, nag-thrive rin ‘yung mga gawa ko at kinuha rin ako to do Star Wars (artworks). And then last year, Disney also had Marvel and I was also offered to work on them (characters).”
Art connoisseurs can expect some of Rodel’s Disney artworks in his one-man art show aside from his seascape and landscape paintings, and his artworks with NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Stephen Curry as subjects.
Rodel shared that it was Kingson Sian, president of Newport World Resorts, who broached the idea of holding an exhibit in the country so that more Filipinos will get to know that we have a kababayan who is famous for his artworks in the US.
“I’m so blessed that at my age, I’m turning 64 this year, I am still able to do the two things that I love the most — art and music. So, this is really a ‘Wow’ feeling for me.”
In spite of what he has achieved in the art and music scenes, Rodel remains the same — humble and kind.
“Each one of us can aim high. Hindi imposible mangarap at maabot ang tagumpay. So, I hope that more Filipinos will shine. For me, I thank God for blessing me with the things that I love doing. All I want now is to continue and just live without any worries, ‘yung maganda ang pag-iisip natin because once the Lord tells us, our time is up, then, there’s nothing we can do,” he concluded.