Ramon ‘RJ’ Jacinto: Glam goes the Guitar Man

Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boo!

Musician and businessman Ramon"RJ"Jacinto has an interesting story about how he discovered rock ‘n’ roll.

"I had a ukulele when I was eight," recalls RJ. The first person that inspired him to play the guitar was – believe it or not – Pablo Virtusio, virtuoso guitarist and the late sidekick of the late FPJ, whom RJ saw at a Christmas party of his dad Fernando’s company.

"I was sick that day. I couldn’t walk. They had to bring my chair to the porch so I could watch Pablo Virtusio play. He had an acoustic five-string guitar at that time, which he played finger-style. Pablo Virtusio inspired me to pick up the acoustic guitar. But then I heard Little Richard," he says.

The one song that changed RJ’s life was Long Tall Sally: I’m gonna tell Aunt Mary, about Uncle John… Says he has the blues, but he’s got a lot of fun… Imagine the young RJ sitting at home one ordinary day, and then the otherworldly sound of Little Richard’s voice coming out of the womb of the radio, electrifying the air and transforming the world. It was rock around the clock for RJ from then on.

He says, "I remember when I was in Grade 7, while my classmates and I were waiting for the next teacher, I would go to the front of the classroom, sing Long Tall Sally and play guitar like Little Richard’s piano."

RJ Jacinto went on to make a name for himself in the realm of business, dabbling in politics, but never giving up the ghosts of rock ‘n’ roll.

At age 15, Jacinto set up RJ Enterprises, which released records by his band, RJ and The Riots. At age 17, RJ established the now-legendary radio station DZRJ-AM in his parents’ backyard in Quezon City. It was one of the stations (if not the first) to play the Beatles as well as Filipino rock ‘n’ roll bands.

BossRadio eventually morphed into The Rock of Manila, introducing a gang of merry pranksters that championed rock music as if it were the antidote to all the world’s ills – rock DJs such as Howlin’ Dave, Bob Magoo, Charlie Brown, The Madman, Cousin Hoagy, and Steel Banana, among others. Those guys ruled the airwaves. The nightly program called "Pinoy Rock and Rhythm" in the ’70s introduced legends such as Juan Dela Cruz, Anakbayan, Asin, Sampaguita, Mike Hanopol, Florante and Freddie Aguilar through the darkest days of martial law. There were also flatbed-truck concerts at the parking lot of DZRJ’s Sta. Mesa station.

Speaking of martial law, RJ and his family found themselves in exile in the US. (Nick Joaquin once said the saddest country of all is the "country of exile.") Homesickness made RJ write his signature songs – Muli and Sugat ng Puso. When he came back to the Philippines after the EDSA Revolution, he would revitalize his radio stations, put up RJ Bistros and open his RJ Music City chain of stores.

Today, Jacinto has streamlined his businesses in order to concentrate on his first love: playing his guitar, singing songs from the ’60s on a hard day’s night.

And you know he feels all right.

What was your first guitar?

My first acoustic was a Lumanog, with a really high action. My first electric was a Teisco, a Japanese guitar. And then I got a ’61 Gretsch, which is still with me, and a Fender Jaguar, which my mom Dina bought in the States. (As far as collecting guitars is concerned), I was able to (amass) over a hundred guitars. I couldn’t keep them all in the house (laughs). But now I just have around 70.

What was your first band?

My first band was called Ramon and The Riots, which eventually became RJ and The Riots. We played on Dec. 5, 1960. I can still remember the date. We played Johnny & The Hurricane songs such as Reveille Rock. "All right, you guys… rise and shine!" That’s where I got my RJ-AM slogan, "Gising na, RJ na!" Wala pang Ventures noon.

We even had a (gut-bucket) bass at that time. Our drummer was using a kit with one snare and one high-hat. Just like (‘80s rockabilly band) the Stray Cats. We were playing stuff by Gene Vincent (of Be Bop A Lula fame, the singer who influenced John Lennon) during the Ateneo High School Christmas parties.

What was the first song you ever wrote?

It’s called Weightless, which I wrote in 1961. Space exploration was so in at that time, what with Sputnik and all, so I wrote a "space tune" with my Gretsch.

What are your three most memorable compositions?

The first is Weightless, because that song came to me like a blessing from above.

The second is Muli, which I wrote when I was in exile. I was in pain at that time, pining for our country. I was also in the process of separation. I wanted to end my relationship at that time, but I didn’t want her to fall in love again. That’s why Muli has a line that goes, "Huwag ka nang iibig muli."

The third is Sugat ng Puso. When I was writing this song, I tried to imagine what it was like for those imprisoned during martial law, like Ninoy Aquino. Another (undercurrent) of the song is how (the prisoner) is thinking about his love for a girl that was cut short because of (his incarceration).

Do your kids play guitar also?

My daughter Natalia plays drums and guitars. My son RJ Jr. plays good rhythm guitar, but he doesn’t want to play lead yet.

Well, his father is the Guitar Man. It’s like Bencab’s son learning how to paint. What are the three songs that changed your life?

That is a very difficult question. But I would go with Little Richard’s Long Tall Sally, Elvis’ Blue Suede Shoes, and The Beatles’ All My Lovin’.

Do you have any favorites among the current crop of young bands?

I like the (Pinoy reggae band) Brownman Revival. I also like Orange & Lemons. They invited me to their Gweilos gig when they weren’t famous yet. I invited them to my Captain’s Bar gig and we jammed on the Beatles’ Can’t Buy Me Love.

There are a lot of good young bands today. All they need is exposure. That’s what RJ-TV is trying to do in programs like Happy Our, Gimme A Break, and Jojo A. All The Way! When the bands play, we show their contact numbers so that these young musicians will get more gigs. Other TV shows don’t do that.

What keeps you busy these days?

I perform at the RJ Guitar Bar every Friday. I play songs by the Beatles, Elvis, even Eric Clapton. Clapton is one of my favorite guitar players. He plays so cleanly. His phrasing is awesome. That’s what young guitarists should learn. It’s not about playing a million notes, with all the pyrotechnics. It’s about phrasing, knowing where to put the right notes. Notes are like jewels – you shouldn’t waste them, you only use what you need.

As for the young guitar players… They could use distortion effects (to mask their mistakes). Kami noon, clean sound lang. We had to rely on tone and phrasing. Kids today are good and fast, even faster than we were. Eric Clapton is not the fastest guitarist. You have all these flamenco guitarists, or jazz guitarists like Joe Pass. But for me, Clapton puts value in what he’s playing. That’s what makes him special.

What do you want to be known as – a businessman or a musician?

Before, when I was so preoccupied with my businesses, music was just an outlet. I only played two or three times a week. As time when by, I realized that what is more important is not what I have to do, but what I want to do. I realized that a musician is who I really am. So, I gave up my other companies, and concentrated on my music and broadcasting firms. So, wala nang distinction between the two. Music and business became integrated. My hobby became my job.

I go on board on Sundays, while the other members of the family are sleeping. I am an early riser, so I go on air at 9 a.m. My work is my pleasure. And it is so fulfilling when RJ-FM became the No. 1 station in the Adult Contemporary category for the A, B and C brackets. In all age classes, we’re No. 5. That’s a big deal for us.

How was the station able to achieve this?

Well, four years ago, I told the guys at the station I wanted to combine past hits with current hits. "You’re dreaming, RJ," they told me, "radio is niche, and it’s not a good idea to cater to two distinct markets." I told them, when you go to a typical person’s house, you’ll see that he or she has a variety of CDs – by artists from the ’60s or ’70s, as well as by today’s artists. So, at the station, we chose the new hits that won’t clash with the classics. We try to look for the common denominator. Now, we have a whole range of listeners – from the elite to the masa. I could imagine the whole household listening to our station. Hindi na nakikipag-talo ang bata sa mga magulang nila sa pag-lipat ng station (laughs). They could listen to RJ.

What are your plans for the stations?

We want to put up 10 radio stations nationwide in the span of three years. I also want to go into digital TV and cell-phone videos. Content is king (in this day and age).

For RJTV, we want to expand the RJ community by showing everything from classic rock videos to segments featuring young Filipino bands. That’s what MYX is doing really well. But you have to remember RJTV had Junior Jam, 20 years ago. We also had battle-of-the-band competitions. We were showcasing young bands already.

Many years ago, "The Rock of Manila" hosted parking lot concerts. We were the first to play Juan Dela Cruz, Sampaguita and Florante, because the other stations didn’t want to play them. Young bands need to be heard. We Filipinos are really talented. All it takes for us is to observe other musicians and we learn right away. We at RJTV will feature more bands from off-the-beaten-track, explore more ideas, and showcase more original songs.

What else do you collect, aside from guitars?

Guitar straps (laughs). I also collect vintage effects boxes. Just recently, I bought a Roland Space Echo box.

Who do you hang out with?

I like getting together with other guitarists – Ben Tesoro of the old Hi-Jacks, Joey Puyat, Francis Reyes of The Dawn, and Noel Cabangon. Noel told me that Sugat ng Puso was one of his musical inspirations.

What do you usually wear when not at work?

Short-sleeve polo shirts and just recently I started wearing jeans. The jeans today, ang gaganda na ng cut. And they feel like ordinary cotton pants na.

How do you describe your getups in each decade?

You know what? The outfits in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and the present are similar. You could wear tight (stove-pipe) jeans today, just like in the ’60s. Mas lawlaw nga lang ’yung pundilyo ng pantaloon namin noon (laughs). You could wear boots today – the kind that we wore in the ’60s.

How do you characterize the phrase "being fashionable"?

Being fashionable for me is to be open to the ideas of the younger generation, to observe how they dress up. The older ones shouldn’t be stale in their fashion choices, but at the same time kailangan bagay din sa kanila ’yung clothes. As I got older, comfort became the main concern, not looks. I go for 100-percent cotton, instead of polyester. No tight-fitting shirts for me (laughs). Things like that. The idea is to stay comfortable, but at the same time to look hip.

The important thing is to be yourself.

Your name: Ramon Jacinto

Your favorite qualities in a man: Sincerity, fairness and courage.

Your favorite qualities in a woman: Femininity, loyalty and courage.

Your favorite occupation: Making people sing and dance together.

Your chief characteristic: Passion in whatever I do.

Your idea of happiness: Christmas every day.

Your idea of misery: Worrying about my family.

Your favorite color and flower: Red; rose.

If not yourself, who would you be? Richard Branson, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney combined.

Where you would like to live? Philippines, my Philippines.

Your favorite poets: William Ernest Henley (author of "Invictus").

Your favorite painters and composers: Monet, Lennon and McCartney.

Your favorite heroes in real life: My dad Fernando Jacinto and Ninoy Aquino.

Your favorite heroines in real life: Joan of Arc and my wife Frannie.

Your favorite heroes in fiction: The Lone Ranger and James Bond.

Your favorite heroines in fiction: Wonder Woman.

Your favorite food and drink: Adobo, good white wine.

Your favorite names: Beatriz, Nadine, Luccia, Nicole, Natalia.

Your pet aversion: Hypocrisy.

What characters in history do you most dislike? Hitler and Marcos.

What is your present state of mind? Life begins at 60.

For what fault have you the most tolerance? Aggressiveness.

Your favorite motto: Kayang kaya (Can do). – Based on The Marcel Proust Questionnaire