70's Music Scene

JINGLE is slowly evolving from a mere songhits to a more sophisticated music magazine by attracting intellectuals who contributed in-depth stories worth reading. Names like Cesare Syjuco (his family-owned RC Cola), Skip Alunan, Joey Ayala (yes, he contributed cartoons for us in those halcyon days), Mike Jamir (he later on worked for us and joined our editorial staff). Remember that it all happened in the rented house-turned-office in Lope K. Santos that was a stone's throw away from our humble abode.    

I also remember Danee Samonte, also known as the famous DJ Charlie Tuna, from DZBM -- together with DZRJ –- two of the pioneering AM radio stations back then. The latter plays rock music while the former plays R&B/pop. Two contrasting styles. Wala pa ngang FM nun.

BM is owned and operated by Mareco Villar, a company known for releasing  homegrown talents for the seniors market. RJ is obviously owned by Ramon Jacinto, rock impresario and co-owner of Jacinto Steel.

When Danee pirated our key personnel, who later on produced Burgis -- a direct competition who carried the same format -- we naturally gravitated towards DZRJ...that's when a sort of unwritten or informal partnership occurred. BM sila. RJ kami.

It was during this time when we chose Cacho Hermanos, the printing company owned by the Ramoses of National Book Store, in Mandaluyong, to be our official printer. We fondly remember jolly Mr. Ben Ramos who has a twin brother whose name I forgot. Anak sila ni Mrs. Socorro Ramos, the company’s founder (and Nanay Coring to book aficionados).

My Kuya Gilbert also went into concert-producing and promoted Filipino bands like Boy 

Camara & the Afterbirth, Anak Bayan, Bits & Pieces, Progeny and Jingle Clan (kasama ako diyan) through Triple H (Hot na Hot Happening) at the Meralco Theatre for three nights.  

Anak Bayan played original rock/jazz improv, truly cementing themselves as a pioneering band long before Juan dela Cruz Band made it big. Di ko pa nga naintindihan that time yung tugtugan nila. Masyadong "kawala." They had Vic Naldo, Edmund Fortuno(+) and Marlon Ilagan(+) (brother of actor Jay Ilagan(+)) on bass, who we heard died early in his prime. Hindi nairecord yung mga kanta nila. Eh pag ganun kabigat ang tugtugan...na masyadong ahead of its time...wala talagang bibili ng album mo. Plakahan pa kasi ang norm nung mga panahong yon. Remember, hindi pa pumuputok ang Ang Himig Natin (read about this below)...

Boy Camara, the leading rock vocalist of his generation, sang Yes (classically-trained British musicians) songs. Mala-Blood, Sweat & Tears/Tower of Power naman ang genre ng Bits & Pieces na may horn section. Pang-acoustic folk naman kami. Parang Neil Young meets Cat Stevens.

Maraming rock concerts nun like yung sa Antipolo that featured T. Tinio and other

underground (di pa nga indie ang tawag) bands. Madalas ding magpa-concert sa RJ parking lot. Minsan pa nga eh truck ng gravel and sand ang ginawang stage. Pausbong na kasi ang local music scene noon with the likes of Maria Cafra, Heber Bartolome's Banyuhay, Sampaguita, Florante, Petrified Anthem. Mga regulars sila sa Pinoy Rock & Rhythm of Howlin' Dave of RJ. The radio program mainly featured original Pinoy Rock.

       

But, of course, sila Joey Smith, Mike Hanopol at Wally Gonzalez ang nag-umpisa ng lahat through Ang Himig Natin. This was Pinoy Rock’s national anthem. The rest is history...At umarangkada na nga ang OPM.     

Nagkaroon din ng New Moon concert series nun...

Sabay-sabay lahat. Sa radio, recording, live concerts, print, television. May movie nga na Gil Portes-Ricky Lee tandem -- Pabonggahan.

Naging hit factory nga nun ang Vicor. Nandun din ang Dyna, Alpha, later on na yung WEA and OctoArts. Malakas ang bentahan ng plaka (45-rpm and 33-rpm vinyls) noon na naging cassette tape later on. In the 90's, compact disc (CD) na.  

Remember, all of this was happening during the martial law era...

Lumipat kami ng office sa Annapolis st. in Cubao. Bahay yun nina Rina Jimenez (David), who later on contributed articles for us. She was just in college then. Who would have known that she will one day become a well-known newspaper columnist/feminist/activist?   

Alam ba ninyo na bago sumikat ang Hotdog eh heavy metal ang tugtugan nila? I was able to watch them then –- somewhere in Makati -- when they were still known as the RedFox band. Ang hahaba ng hair nila at head bang sila nang head bang on stage. Sadly, Rene Garcia, brother of Dennis, has passed on...    

Another regular on JINGLE was the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society –- that was how they

called themselves back then. Si Kuya Gilbert ang nagbansag sa kanila ng "APO". I got to be friends with Danny Javier, the sweetest celeb I had ever known.    

The Metropop Music Festival was born. My brother was invited to be part of the screening committee. Tandang-tanda ko pa isang araw na excited siyang umuwi at meron daw folk singer from Olongapo na ang ganda-ganda ng kanta. Bale they discovered this unknown talent by the name of Freddie Aguilar. Nung pinatugtog nga namin yung tape eh nagtayuan ang balahibo ko.

Hindi nga nanalo ang Anak, pero nationwide hit naman ito at multi-platinum pa. Kada ililipat mo ang radio dial (of course, the touch screen didn’t exist then), puro Anak ang maririnig mo. Ganun kalakas ang hatak. It became an international hit and was translated into 29 different languages by 53 countries (according to Ka Freddie).   

Marami ngang magagandang klasikong awitin ang pinasikat ng Metropop na hanggang ngayon eh naririnig pa rin natin sa radyo.  

Mid-70's up to the 80's were the golden years of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Kasabay nito ang masterpieces nina Brocka at Bernal. Second golden age din noon ng Philippine cinema. Madami ding bomba (soft porn) movies ang pinayagang ipalabas noon. To divert our attention away from the tyrannical rule? (To be continued)