You can’t say Pinoy Grunge without Teeth

MANILA, Philippines - We caught up with the members of Teeth right before they played their first-ever 22-song set at 19 East. The boys — Glenn Jacinto on vocals, Jerome Velasco on lead guitars, Dok Sergio on rhythm guitars, Pedz Narvaja on bass and Mike Dizon on drums — were celebrating 20 years since they got together, like the fictional Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The act we’ve known for all these years, the band responsible for songs like Laklak, Hay Sarap, and Prinsesa, talks to Supreme about the past and the present, on performance, and their plans for the future.

SUPREME: How did you guys reunite?

GLENN: Well, matagal na ‘to dapat, eh. Since 2008, mero’n nang inquiries for us to do a reunion. Tapos, year after year, merong persistent na company na ini-ischedule ‘yung reunion tour. Pero due to our work schedules, di namin magawa ‘yun before. Now, my schedule’s flexible, and I guess it’s about time — it’s been 20 years (since we started). Sobrang tagal na. And now, I’m finally back.

What did you guys do during the break?

PEDZ: Well, ako kasi nung ‘97, umalis na ako. Nagpunta na ako’ng States. Ako naunang umalis. Matagal ako ro’n. Si Glenn, pumunta rin do’n noong 2001. Si Mike, may Sandwich at Pedicab. Si Doc at si Jerome, may Pupil. So, busy rin. Ako, sa States ako, trabaho lang ako ro’n — normal life lang ako ro’n.

MIKE: Sila talagang mga nasa US, totally different direction, eh. Talagang WORK! Kaming mga natira rito na Teeth members, sinwerte kami na nakapag-music pa kami. Up to now, tuloy kami sa music.

GLENN: Ako, I was working in the US the whole time. Iba-ibang jobs. Lately, nagself-employed ako. I have my own scrub suit business. Sinet aside ko muna siya. Subok muna rito sa Pilipinas; see what happens. Ayun — so far, so good!

Will this be this for good?

GLENN: Well, I wish it was for good but I’m going back (to Los Angeles) on Aug. 31. But we have plans. Hopefully those plans push through. And, God willing, I’ll be back after a couple of months.

What are those plans?

GLENN: Well, siyempre, ako, mero’n akong desire to record again. Definitely, we’d like to do that. Who doesn’t? Pero, I guess, timing is also important, eh. Depends on what the band and our management agree on.

What is it like performing now?

GLENN:  Well, now, syempre, medyo conscious na kami sa behavior. I tell myself not to get piss drunk, di tulad ng dati. Ngayon, okay lang na minsan, di na ako iinom.

MIKE: Sabi nga ni Glenn noong isang araw, “Tsong… Wala nang nagsla-slamman ano?” (Everyone laughs.)

GLENN: At siyempre, medyo praktisado dapat kami kasi ang daming magagaling na bands. Siyempre, dapat maayos na. Kailangan professional na rin.

Can you still rock and roll, given those restrictions?

GLENN: It’s all about the music, syempre. Kailangang ma-execute mo ‘yung music live — the best you can — para ma-enjoy ng crowd. Isang difference siguro, kasi before nagwa-wild talaga ako sa stage, eh. So, nacocompromise ‘yung singing, playing — lahat, eh. Ngayon, medyo sinisiryoso ko na, although, hindi ko sinasabing perfect na ako ngayon. Sumasabit pa rin ako pero I try to not make mistakes.

Why did you go back to performing?

GLENN: Syempre, if you’re a musician, it’s in your blood, eh. It’s something you have to do. You’re passionate about it. I guess, hindi na mawawala ‘yun kahit 60 years old na kami. Si Pepe Smith nga, mga 70 years old na, but he’s still rocking out.

You really see yourselves turning into Pepe Smiths in the future?

GLENN: Gano’n talaga, eh. Kasi, 20 years ago, nagstart kami. Twenty years after, ito na kami ngayon. Tapos nagiging worldwide na ‘yung tamang scene. Hindi nawawala ‘yung music, eh. Nagiging novelty siya or something, eh. Hindi nalalaos, eh.

MIKE: Twenty years ago, nung bata pa kami, hindi ko maimagine na magiging career ko ang music. Well, ngayon, pwede, eh. If you work really hard — if you put your heart into it — parang, “O, sige, tan****, di ako magtratrabaho. Pero ito gagawin ko at gagalingan ko!” Pwede music, eh. Pero may ups and downs. Pag andito ka si Pinas, kailangan mong ibalance. Given na mero’ng mga down times at di ka naman parating nasa taas. Kailangan siguro may business ka, pero musician ka pa rin. Kailangan siguro empleyado ka (kung kaya mo) pero ang main mo pa rin, ‘yung music talaga — kung nagdecide ka na “P***, music for life.” Kaya naman basta gagawa’n mong paraan.

Can you say you’ve matured into something else?

MIKE :YES! PU**** I**! KUNG KILALA MO KAMI DATI, EH. (Everyone bursts into laughter.)

PEDZ: Well, of course, hindi na malalaman ng mga kids ‘yun ngayon. Basta, masaya kasi dati. Pero ngayon, mas gusto ko nang we’re playing the way we do.

Are there favorite gigs that you guys always come back to in your head?

GLENN: There was Davao, the one in Folk Arts, and sa Araneta Coliseum.

JEROME: Araneta gig, ‘di namin makakalimutan collectively. ‘Yun ‘yung first na malaking gig namin. That was around 1994-1995. Multi-band setup siya. That was our biggest break. Kami ‘yung unknown no’n.

GLENN: We were underground pero ‘yung Laklak was No. 1 sa LA 105.9. We didn’t have an album but we had a single out on the radio. Tsaka, alam na nung fans.

MIKE: Pero kami, hindi namin alam pa’no sila magrereact kasi first big gig, eh.

GLENN: Parang coming out! ‘Yun na ‘yung parang boom ng alternative music, eh. ‘Yun na ‘yung signal no’n, eh. Kasi ‘yung The Youth — putik! — nagsusunog sila ng CD’s sa loob Araneta no’n, eh.

MIKE: Pero kaya memorable ‘yung spot namin kasi ‘yung mga banda bago sa amin, okay lang ‘yung crowd reaction. Pero nung sa amin, talagang WOW! NAGWILD TALAGA! Kahit ‘yung first song namin, Galit sa Mundo, di pa man pinapatugtog sa radyo noon, nagwild pa rin sila. Nagsimula kami, “Pare. Galit kami sa mundo.” Biglang WAH! NAGWILD NA SILA!

JEROME: ‘Yun din ‘yung first paying gig namin. Binayaran kami ng P5,000 each (ata). Tapos kumain kami sa Savory Chicken at tumambay sa Luneta.

MIKE: Kahit hindi nga ‘yung gigs, eh. ‘Di namin makakalimutan ‘yung process ng making ng first album, eh. Kasi kids kami no’n, straight out of high school, nabigyan ng record deal. Tapos nagchart kami, both sa pop and rock radio station. Sobrang overwhelming na experience ‘yun, eh. Up to now, vivid siya — may kulay ‘yung memory ko no’n.

What do you think would attract listeners these days?

GLENN: I guess it’s good songwriting. A good song.

PEDZ: Pag magsimula na kami gumawa ng songs, do’n pa lang namin malalaman. Siyempre, nostalgic ‘yung ibang mga kanta namin ngayon kaya nakikita mong bumabata mga tao. In a way, siguro, naaalala ng mga tao mga nakaraan din nila. Lalo na ‘yung iba na lumalapit sa amin, sinasabing, “I couldn’t watch your show before ‘cause we were so young.”

So, did your concert at MetroTent surprise you?

JEROME: Nagulat talaga ako no’n. Akala ko talaga magiging major flop ‘yung concert kasi the week before, 200 pa lang ‘yung ticket sales. Late din kasi inannounce. Pero nung day na ‘yun, do’n nagsibilihan ng tickets. Tapos, biglang, pagkalabas namin sa stage, ang dami nang tao.

MIKE: Tsaka maganda, nagulat kami. Ang ganda ng reception, ang ganda ng stage, ang ganda ng sound system.

GLENN: Ginastusan din namin ‘yun. Atsaka ‘yung mga engineer namin, lighting, sinigurado naming okay.

MIKE: To this day, ‘yun ‘yung best gig namin. Overwhelmed din talaga kami. According sa mga nakanood — kay Zach (Lucero) — baka raw talo pa tunog ng foreign bands na dumating sa Pinas. Mas maganda pa raw sa The Nationals. Mas nasindak pa raw sila sa gig na ‘yun kaysa maraming foreign bands na napanood nila. Kahit si Diego (Castillo), sabi sa aking, talagang, “Wow! Thank you! Tan****!” At the same time, good ‘yun kasi narealize ng mga tao na kaya pala ng Pinoy ‘yun. Kaya pala ang gano’ng tunog.

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