The now and next of music
MANILA, Philippines - Once you’ve decided that you want to be the best rock’n’roller in the world, you go ahead and try it. —Keith Richards
When I learned of my first out-of-town assignment to cover Nescafe 3in1 Soundskool, my music soul was elated. For one, I am a fan (I mean, huge fan) of Pinoy bands and secondly, I get to fly to Boracay before law school starts again. A double treat, indeed!
Nescafe 3in1 Soundskool is the country’s major search engine for the freshest talent through its inter-collegiate competition open to young, unsigned bands in the Philippines. In its fifth year, it received over 2,000 entries nationwide and the competition has gone down to the lucky 13 bands who automatically advanced to the much anticipated Soundskool 10-day workshop where they will experience head-to-toe makeovers, radio guestings, photo shoots, mentoring sessions with top bands, and solo performances on stage! Not rock superstar-ish enough? The ultimate winner would receive P250,000 in cash, P100,000 worth of band equipment for their represented school, and an exclusive record contract with Sony Music Entertainment Philippines. How’s that to start some rock n’ roll?
School Is Cool
Like a groupie to the 13 bands, I followed them in each of their activities in the five-day Boracay workshop. The finalists were immediately assembled to discuss the general guidelines shortly after being nestled in La Carmela Beach Resort. The learning started with an inspirational talk from last year’s Soundskool winner, Letter Day Story (LDS). LDS recently came out with their lates music video, “Ikaw pa Rin.” The following days were packed with speakers like Sony Music’s big bosses Vic Valenciano and Jinno Mina and Soupstar’s band manager Darwin Hernandez giving the young aspirants a 101 on the Philippine music industry. The finalists were also “skooled” by Pupil’s Wendell Garcia on drums, Sandwich’s Raimond Marasigan on keyboards, 6CycleMind’s Bob Canamo, Chuck Isidro, and Ney Dimaculangan on bass, guitar, and voice, respectively during the breakout classes.
Every Boracay night is Soundskool concert night. The final 13 were divided into four groups and performed three sets before the guest idol bands (Callalily, 6CycleMind, Sandwich and Pupil). The talented finalists displayed their competence in song composition and melodic arrangements as they sang their originals. Man, when these budding artists are on stage, you wouldn’t doubt why they were shoe-in to the finals. They played it like they meant it. They put to heart all the workshop advice. “Own the stage and share your music as if it were your last. That’s the secret,” says Yanny Yuzon of Pupil.
Music Now, Music Next
To pursue a vocation in this art is no piece of cake, it takes more than talent to survive. Mentor bands Callalily and 6CycleMind could attest to that. “It’s always hard to please everyone,” says Keane Cipriano of Callalily. It was a challenge for them to perform before a crowd with the latter’s middle fingers up but as they always say, “the show must freakin’ go on.” 6CycleMind is not a stranger to the hardships of band life as well. “Hindi kami overnight na sumikat, binuno namin yun, nanghihiram kami ng gamit, namamasahe, pag naranasan mo ’yun at nagkaron ka ng konting pangalan sa industriya, iingatan mo,” narrates bassist Bob Cañamo. The other key in staying in the business (with intent to domicile) is the never giving up part.
Band music is an immortal industry, it’s deep-seated in our culture. As shared by 6CycleMind who has been in the music scene for eight years now, they’ve been in the era when hard metal was “the music”, then shifted to the “boom of the bands” and now, an inclination towards pop, the likes of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Sarah Geronimo. Amid the paradigm music shift, band music lives on. Yes, there are times when it gets set aside, but the fans who listen and continue to follow, keep it alive.
This poses a direct challenge to the next generation of band music: to live up to the demands of an industry for fresh talent, new beats, and young energy. Something — a charismatic group and a hit song to go with it — to be nostalgic about.
Nescafe 3in1 Soundskool is an opportunity to go beyond the four walls of a group and share, expand, make known their music, and have mentors, the likes of Paraluman, Hilera, Imago, Urbandub along the way. ”Swerte nga na may ganito (referring to Soundskool) na ngayon, nakahain na lahat sa kanila, kami noon, wala,” adds vocalist Ney Dimaculangan of 6CycleMind.
Nescafe 3in1 Soundskool breaks the misnomer of what rock superstars are — the mishandled fame, sex, intoxication, anger, drugs. and other what-have-yous — and transforms it into a celebration with organization, enjoyment with discipline, wit with seriousness, and soul with precision. Soundskool teaches discipline and presses the importance of education among the youth — music responsibility. This is music’s today and tomorrow.
Find out which band will bag the Nescafe 3in1 Soundskool 2009 title tonight, November 14, 7 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Sports Stadium in Metro Manila. Doors open at 5 p.m.
