Mojofly Spreads Its Wings

Sure they’ve got an appealing name, a title that’s interesting and unique enough to stand out from the long list of Pinoy bands. But does it actually mean anything in particular? "Nothing," Ricci says.

"Nothing," Kitchie chimes in.

"Nothing," Junjun echoes. "We used to come up with all these made up stories pero sa totoo lang, wala naman talagang ibig sabihin."

Who would have thought that a popular spud dish and a pesky bug would make a good name? Indeed, a catchy one. A name made up of two words that don’t mean anything would certainly be apt for a band composed of three diverse personalities. An afternoon of hanging out and watching these guys goof off could be likened to the game of Tetris – the pieces don’t match at all, but somehow they fit perfectly together.

Kitchie Nadal, the band’s lead vocalist, is usually the one who gets the fashion spreads in glossy magazines. But in the grander scheme of things, she admits that she takes a backseat in favor of her more experienced bandmates. "I’m their student," she says. "Junjun and Ricci are my teachers." Junjun Regalado, the band’s drummer, not only provides the rhythm to Mojofly’s songs, but also takes the role of the neutral, objective listener. "I’m the type to play devil’s advocate," he says.

Bass player Ricci Gurango,on the other hand, has a lot on his plate. "I’m the moderator, the reminder and the cook." His specialty? "Pasta!"

Despite their very different personality traits, Ricci says that "basically everyone watches out for each other’s back."

The team spirit truly shines through in their new album, A Million Stories. This is a project that showcases the band’s growth and maturity in the past two years. A Million Stories would definitely find its way into the Filipino youth’s ears and hearts as it is made up of tracks that are heavier and funkier as well as light and ethereal.

The singles "Alright Without You" and "Say It" have already teased listeners into anticipation of Mojofly’s newest CD. While their debut album, Birthday was almost a compliation of Ricci’s compositions, this one is a collaboration of the whole band," Kitchie says. "In a sense," Ricci adds, "this is Mojofly’s first real album."

A collaboration between these three should be interesting. After all, the band’s musical tastes are a cornucopia of practically every genre. Ricci listens to 80s acts such as Duran Duran and The Police as well as modern ones like *NSync, Nelly Furtado and The Calling. Junjun kicks back to the sound of local musicians such as South Border and the smooth tunes of foreign bands like Toto and Chicago. Kitchie, the band’s youngest member, likes Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer and Mazzy Star. Raymund Golamco, the band’s former guitarist, who also lent a hand in the collaboration of the album, dug the "heavier acts." "While Ricci composed most of the songs, the whole band had a say in it. If someone didn’t like something, then we’d go back to square one," says Kitchie.

So is Raymund, who left the band in December last year, still considered a part of Mojofly? "Well, he’ll always be a friend, he’ll always be a part of the ‘legacy,’" says Ricci. "But he left." The departure has led the band to search for a session guitarist, a situation with which they’re contented for now. However, they do have their sights set on the future. As Jun and Ricci point out, "Our dream is to play in a foreign country, where people don’t know us and don’t even speak our language. But the audience is there to hear us sing."