Method to the rock & roll madness

It is not a trigonometry postulate you learned in high school. It ain’t part of your physics or chemistry curricula either. The Al Michael’s Method I’m talking about here is a band. As peculiar and intriguing as their name is, the people behind the band offer an interesting explanation to their title and non-commercial music; a brain teaser that would surely level off with the mumbo jumbo of algebraic expressions.

While most artists try to influence the world with their lyrics, unique sound or image, the Al Michael’s Method (composed of Joey de Guzman on vocals; Nikki Tirona on bass; Kuki Buencamino on guitar; and Nelson Gonzales on drums) will persuade you to change your take on music. Read on.

Young STAR: What’s Al Michael’s Method?

Nelson: Actually, Al Michaels is a sportscaster in the US. The Al Michael’s Method is a method of persuasion.

Nikki: It’s persuading someone to do whatever you want him or her to do.

Kuki: It’s like you’re playing director. You direct the person kung ano ’yung gusto mong mangyari.

How would you describe your music?

Nikki: Basically, it’s actually rock but fusion ng iba’t ibang sounds as well.

Joey: Ang influences kasi namin, iba-iba. There’s jazz, acid jazz, punk, showbands, ‘yun. So, nang pinagsama-sama lahat, ‘yun ang lumabas. So hindi namin ma-classify.

Who are your musical influences and when did you start playing?

Kuki: I started playing the guitar in Grade six. Musical influences vary from U2 to Extreme to Metallica. Not to mention, Westlife. I started learning about the guitar gods then, Joe Satriani and the like. Then, ’yung mga alternative na banda. Mga grunge, like Soundgarden. Then, after, mga Eighties to mid-Nineties, I didn’t enjoy the music that much. Parang, I just didn’t like their style. I didn’t appreciate it that much. It became softer, more ear-friendly, or commercial. I used to play the drums. I started in a band playing drums. So there, that’s me.

Nelson: Pearl Jam, mga gano’n. I started playing in 1994. I was forced to learn how to play the drums, kasi walang drummer ‘yung friend ko. And nung college, I had different bands also, alternative din, until I met these guys in 1999.

Nikki: Influences? S’yempre, Guns N’ Roses. During the Guns N’ Roses era, that’s when I thought, "I want to join a band." Nagpaturo ako sa dad ko, ayaw niya. Until nagpaturo ako sa friend ng dad ko. Basically, that’s where I started. I tried drums also, pero nauwi din ako talaga sa bass. My biggest influence would probably be the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Then there was acid jazz, tapos nagkaroon ng Jamiroquai, pero hindi ko kaya ‘yun. April Boy, Renz Verano and Backstreet Boys. Then N’ Sync. Number one boy band! Hehehe (starting an argument with Kuki, a Westlife fan).

Joey: Ako, nag-start ako sa hardcore. Mga influences ko, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Soundgarden, trash metal. Mga major new wave bands that influenced me — The Sundays, 10,000 Maniacs. Then, nag-mature na, kuno, Incognito, Jamiroquai to Stevie Wonder to Janis Joplin.

How did you guys meet?

Kuki: Jay (manager of band Strawberry Fields), introduced me to a band who was looking for a guitarist. Then, they got Nelson to be their drummer. This was around December ‘99. But anyway, after our second gig, parang us three members were dissatisfied with our music. We wanted a different sound from what the person who recruited us wanted. So, the three of us wanted out. Joey was going to jam lang with us. Akala pa nga namin bakla ’to eh (referring to Joey), kasi ang laki laki ng katawan tapos naka-sando. Pero ngayon, confirmed na — girl siya (laughter). When we were jamming with Joey na, December, 2000, we had a gig sa party ng Miss Saigon. By September 2001, kaming apat na.

Describe your band mate/s.

Joey: Nelson is business-minded. Kung naghahanap kayo ng perfect model for Bench na nagro-rowing, 'yung mga Richard Gomez type, we’ve got the guy for you. Si Nelson! Ang galing mamangka nito eh. Ang galing talaga.

Nikki: Sabi nang huwag muna pag-usapan si Kuki eh!

Joey: And seryoso si Nelson, masyadong seryoso. At walang awa ’to, walang patawad (refusing to give any other details).

Nikki: Si Nelson? Marami siyang secrets. He’s a dark person. Hindi literally. Hopeless romantic? Hmm... Hindi naman. Hindi nga pala si Kuki ‘yung pinapag-usapan.

Kuki: Noon lang ako nakahanap ng drummer na pareho kami ng iniisip. In terms of music, ’pag bigla siyang nagbabago, ako rin nagbabago.

On Joey, the vocalist?

Nikki: Joey is the relaxed one. In terms of decision-making, siya ‘yung anything goes. Siya ‘yung, "Sige, ok lang, kayo bahala." He tends to be irate. Joey has mood swings. Hopeless romantic yan. Marami ding racket kung saan-saan.

Kuki: Kung saan saan mo ’yan makikita, from Pasay, pupuntang Libertad, pupuntang Cubao, Baclaran. Pinakamalakas kumain ‘yan. Magaling mag-direct, mga pilantik ng kamay. He’s very creative, pati sa paglagay ng melody sa songs. He’s a nice person (laughter).

Kuki: Si Joey, magaling sa constructive criticism. Kunwari mayroon siyang hindi nagustuhan, ‘yung manner ng pagsabi niya will make you say, "Oo nga ’no, tingnan nga natin ’yun." Instead of being defensive, you absorb his ideas. ‘Yan din ang pinaka-ngarag sa aming lahat. That’s his term eh, ngarag! Siya din ‘yung pinaka-pressured sa aming lahat. Sa babae pati, ngarag din (laughter)! Hopeless romantic ‘yan. Kunwari lang na ayaw niya ng love, but deep inside, ‘yun ang hanap niya. Pero pag may dumating na hindi true love, bakit naman hindi? Hehehe (louder laughs).

On Kuki, the lead guitarist?

Joey: Grabe ’to! Ako una! Ako! Si Kuki, perfectionist. Sa music ’to ha. Mabait siya. Minsan mabait. Nakakaawa. Nakakaawa ‘yung mga nakaka-relasyon niya. Awa ako.

Nikki: Actually, in defense of Kuki, siya ‘yung nakakaawa, siya ‘yung iniiwan.

Nelson: O, ’wag na nating ibalik ang past ha. Past is past.

Joey: Tama, oo nga. And actually, hindi siya mukhang gitarista, mukha siyang doctor. May mga nagsasabi, gitarista mo ‘yan? Bakit ganyan ang hitsura, mukhang doctor? Masyado siyang malinis. At nagmamalinis! Seryoso ’to. Mr. Career Move si Kuki.

Nikki: No comment, OK ‘yang si Kuki. Mabait.

On Nikki, the bassist?

Joey: Si Nikki, trying hard magpapayat. Noon takot magpatunog, pero ngayon nakukuha na niya ‘yung timpla niya. Gusto na nito mag-seryoso sa buhay. Actually, lahat naman kami. Cool si Nikki.

Nelson: Si Nikki, drinking buddy ko ‘yan. Overall, he’s a nice person. Seryoso. Takot nga when he first started with us.

Kuki: Dumating ‘yan, may dalang maliit na notebook, nakasulat lahat. Kasi ‘yung mga nag-audition sa amin mga nagmamarunong, wala naman pala. Ang talas ng tenga ni Nikki eh. Magaling pa kumanta. Mahirap maghanap nga bassist na OK ’yung style, mahirap din maghanap ng bassist na jive ’yung ugali, na swak lahat.

Do you diagree on things?

Kuki: Wala naman. It doesn’t mean na pare-pareho kami ng gusto. It’s just that we fuse our influences sa music namin, konting arrangement, tapos, OK na.

Have you guys experienced bloopers on gigs?

Nikki: One of them was in Mayric’s. We were all playing, maya-maya, we were looking for Joey kasi nawawala. Nasa ilalim ng mesa, natumba! Kumakanta pa ha, sa ilalim na ng la mesa galing yung boses!

What was the hardest thing that you had to go through in making album?

Nikki: Ako, ’yung recording process, without that, wala ’yung launch altogether. The recording was the hardest, the whole thing.

Joey: And paglakad ng sponsorships. Mahirap din to get gigs. Una, hindi kami kilala. Hindi ‘yung the usual na kasama sa clique ng mainstream na bands. We just did it. Sige, gawa tayong album, hopefully, it’ll pick up na from there. Gigs, recording etc. We just want to play our music. Mahirap, unang una, wala kaming manager. So, kami kami lang talaga. And our music is not commercial. In some venues, may times na gustong-gusto kami ng crowd, but there are places where hindi talaga. Depende din sa mga tao.

Tell us about your gig tomorrow, Sept. 7

Joey: It’s the ultimate day for us. It’s the biggest thing ahead of us. This is the time na magpe-pay-off lahat ng efforts. All of our blood, sweat and tears, d’un mapupunta. Actually, it’s blood, sweat and tears, and tears, and tears, and tears. It’s our EP launch. It’s going to be fun. It won’t be just an album launch, but it’s going to be an interactive show. It’s gonna be one hell of a night. We prepared a lot of creative stuff for the program as well for it to be really fun not just for us. It’ll be at Club Sound Experience. Ang goal namin, hindi mapasaya sarili namin. Ang gusto namin, matuwa yung mga tao. Hindi kami yung "pa-deep" na banda. Ang gusto lang namin, masaya kami, masaya ang audience, masaya lahat.