Shuffle Union - INVINCIBLE / Best Live Album

From Mr. Erwin Romulo's column "The Outsider" / Philippine Star :

"Best Live Album: Shuffle Union

Recorded at a tribute gig to the late Luis “Weslu” Guiang in Cubao, this is certainly a testament to the spirit of the statement of its producer, Betrayed’s Je Bautista, that “ska is reggae on beer.” It proves that a genre like ska thrives in environments wherein the equipment sounds as if it’s only held together with tape but where the interaction with the audience is never distant. In this case, only the music proves to be above the street and, in its most inebriated moments, reach glorious heights."

We would like to thank everyone who supported Shuffle Union this past year. Everyone deserves to be credited, from the teams who made the "Invincible Tour" and the "Manila-Bicolandia" happen, to all the point men, the bands, and supporters, big cheers to all of us ! and here's to a bigger 2010!

for the full article click here and another article about it from our friends from Bisikleta Productions here.

Right 2 VOTE @ 1962 Tambayanan

This December 22 at 1962 Tambayanan...

Honor rites for a fallen soldier

"A farewell gig for a dear friend"
2009 has not been the kindest of years that passed in recent memory.

(almost 2010). This was the year that saw the pack of typhoons that hit the country in the last quarter that deluged most parts of Luzon, that killed hundreds and affected thousands including our friends and families, underscoring the effects of climate change and environmental exploitation. This was the year that demonstrated the glaring disrespect of a powerful few to the rule of law. The verb is "demonstrated" since this has been going on for decades, but has only been brought to national view by the appalling "Maguindanao Massacre". This was the year that we witnessed the sickening apathy of our supposed leaders in their never ending political fandango and grandstanding in preparation for the coming national and local polls.

And this was the year that close friends and comrades in music fell. Early in 2009, a dear friend and mentor, Je Bautista left this world and passed on to the eternal performance stage, leaving behind his contributions to music, largely unheralded because of his preference of working behind the scenes. And recently, another friend, Juan Ronaldo Ragos, known as "Juan" and "Dokito" or "doks" to his friends joined Je, and many others who left us this year. And his friends have prepared a last farewell for him this Sunday, December 20th at Freedom Bar. A sentimental venue, since this was where I first shared the stage with Juan. You have come full circle little john!

December 8th

Why is John Lennon on this blog?

John Lennon, the other half of the most brilliant songwriting team in the history of music, died 29 years ago today in New York city. Expect worldwide tributes today for this extraordinary man, and this is my small contribution.

I practically grew up listening to his creations, and developed an appreciation that would later manifest in my musical inclinations. The artists/bands that emulate his music, or that of his group called The Beatles, continually grow, testament to his timeless appeal. People liked his style during his post-beatle new york days, as this writer. But the John Lennon of post-war Britain Liverpewl (pool) of The Beatles, Mimi's hellraiser, and the odd kid that didn't seem to fit, is the John Lennon that I would like to remember him to be. Youth, as with prominent YCGs (youth-cult groups) of England, was his potential, and the events that later led him to cross paths with Paul and George were the catalyst he needed to unleash a force in music unequaled until now. Literature on The Beatles and the groups they influenced is voluminous and accessible in almost any for of media now, and I don't need to expound on it here.

But that fateful event saved us from contenting ourselves with the mindless drivel associated with uninspired, or just plainly put, intellectually insulting music that is prevalent today. As Filipinos proud of our talent in music, let us drive ourselves to improve understanding of the music that we play. It doesn't matter where the music you play originated, what matters is you do your best to share it, and what matters most is that you do your contribution by writing your own music! Let us not "go with the flow", because the "flow" is headed downstream, let us instead go upstream, because the hardest path is the path worth taking.

(picture above) John Lennon, the best there ever will be.