GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

IN MY LIFE

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
In my life-- I love you more

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney

In My Life lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

THIS is a tribute to perennial friends that went ahead of us into the unknown. Friends who touched my life in so many special ways. Musicians and a writer -- all of them have a special niche in my heart.    

Menchu Apostol -- Chumen as we fondly called him -- was a gifted guitar player who died early in his prime. I met him thru saxophonist Rey Ama (a schoolmate of mine at the UP College of Music). I best remember Chumen as a very humble person.    

I invited their band in the late 70's to practice in Capitol Homes in QC where my immediate fam used to reside since my beat-up amps, guitars and drums were all gathering dust. "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas ang peg. I had no band back then, you see.   

Fast forward… They called their band Group & Gang and they carved a name for themselves in Olongapo. "Ric, yung isang banda dun...nakatsinelas lang pero Yes ang tugtugan," kwento ng bahistang si Ike Liongson. "Araw-araw nga eh piyesta. Ganun kasaya ang scene dun," added Rey (flutist/keyboards). Later on, Resty Fabunan of Maria Cafra got Menchu to play in their all-original Jem debut album.     

Menchu had a cutting edge sense of hearing. He could easily detect sloppy guitar and out-of-sync drum playing. He was truly a band leader through and through. I can attest to this because I was fortunate enough to be invited to join them in one of their gigs.

Fast forward… Menchu became an in-demand sessionist and musical arranger but has remained humble as ever. I vividly remember seeking him out because our musical director in JINGLE opted for greener pastures. Chumen gladly obliged and, soon after, when someone came along to take over full-time, he didn't even bother to claim his TF. I returned the favor by giving him 3 jazz albums when I visited him at Birds of the Same Feather where I used to chill by listening to good music with a few bottles of ice-cold San Miguel beer. Nothing more, nothing less -- just the best. Chumen was with Sticky back then playing cool jazz.    

Pare, kita-kita na lang tayo "dyan" when the time comes. Jam uli tayo. Tugtugan mo ako ng gitarang iba ang hugis at tunog…    

Boy Royo was the quintessential rock star in every sense of the word. He acted and looked like one. He walked the talk, 'ika nga. Boy and his kumpadre Lollie Florencio(+) joined JINGLE's music department when we already had about five or six chapters out in the market. Both also lived in San Juan.    

Kuya Gilbert told us to form a group for he would be producing Triple H (Hot na Hot Happening) -- a three-night rock concert in Meralco Theater. He called us Jingle Clan comprised of the music department guys: Ogie Tupaz (guitar/vocals), Ricky Gruet (guitar/vocals) -- who eventually became a licensed doctor, Lollie Florencio (lead guitar/vocals), yours truly (ahem) (lead vocals) and Boy Royo (lead vocals). Puro mga batang San Juan yan.   

CSNY songs were our bread and butter. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was our fave warm-up practice song then. "Ipokree, ahlalala gumamela...Yonosoy, oorder na ng lasagna..." Wala yatang ganung food pa noon. Hehehe.    

Boy specialized in Neil Young songs. Paborito niya eh. "Tell Me Why" na pang-harmony. 

Emil Davocol (chief artist) who also passed away, Dan Tagbo (artist), Ogie, Boy and Lollie were all pirated by DJ Danee Samonte from us. They put up Burgis (BM in later issues) which was bankrolled by Mareco-Villar, a record company that also owned and operated DZBM -- a pop/RnB AM radio station.   

We struggled shitless back then. We were like injured dogs with broken limbs. Napilay kami talaga.      

My friendship with Boy and Lollie was never compromised after all the brouhaha. I still visited them in San Juan whenever I could for they were my drinking buddies. Jam ng konti. Pitik-pitik ng toma, ayos na. Those were happy days indeed.     

Lollie always admonished me then, "Ric, kami eh pabalik na... ikaw papunta pa lang... wag mo na kaming gayahin."    

Cheers to you then, Boy and Lollie! Jam uli tayo dyan… pag nagkita-kita.     

FIRST WAVE OF JINGLE ARTISTS

THESE three fine gentlemen belonged to the First Wave of artists who extensively contributed their art for JINGLE in the early years. Through FB, our paths crossed again. Visuals muna tayo ngayon...

Daniel Tagbo worked as a graphic designer in New York and California. He has also taught art classes in Shanghai, China for five years and is presently residing in Lucban, Quezon.

🔆🔆🔆

Red Mansueto studied Fine Arts major in Advertising at the University of the East.

 He worked at J. Walter Thompson Advertising; lived in Hong Kong; and, is still active 

in the local art scene.

🔆🔆🔆

Eric David is currently self-employed. He studied at the University of Santo Tomas 

and has worked in Sydney, Australia and California. 

 Note: All artworks herein are posted with permission of the artists. 

MY 60's & 70's PLAYLIST (Part 1)

THESE are my all-time favorite singles since the 60's up to wherever my memory takes me (with invaluable help from Google and Spotify).

60's 

•  "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (1962)/Procol Harum. Undying organ riff.
•  "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965)/Bob Dylan. Angst-driven rock.
• "Penny Lane" (1967)/Beatles. Meticulously orchestrated.
• "Turn, Turn, Turn" (1965)/Byrds. Spiritual message for believers.
• "Louie, Louie" (1963)/The Kingsmen. A mixture of rock and soul.
• "Don't Worry Baby" (1964)/Beach Boys. Groovy vocal harmonies.
• "Groovin' " (1967)/Young Rascals. Chill music while driving on traffic-free Sundays.
• "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (1966)/Simon & Garfunkel. Simple yet elegant plucking.
• "My Generation" (1965)/The Who. "Hope I die before I get old." Buhay pa ang lolo mong Pete Townshend.
• "All Day and All of the Night" (1965)/The Kinks. One of the earliest punk songs.
• "Soul Kitchen" (1967)/The Doors. Danceable groove.
• "Sunshine of Your Love" (1967)/Cream. Eric Clapton soloed on this.
• "The 59th Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" (1966)/Simon & Garfunkel. Good bass line on the break.
• "You Really Got Me" (1964)/The Kinks. Long before punk was born...
• "Dear Mr. Fantasy" (1967)/Traffic. Steve Winwood, one of their generation's best crooners.
• "Do You Believe in Magic" (1965)/Lovin' Spoonful. Enigmatic John Sebastian's group before going solo.
• "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968)/Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger's vocals did not disappoint as always.
• "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967)/Beatles. Psychedelic John Lennon at his finest.
• "Drive My Car" (1965)/Beatles. Feel good vibes while cruising.
• "Dance to the Music" (1968)/Sly & the Family Stone. The inventors of funk.
• "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963)/Bob Dylan. Prophetic words indeed.
• "Here Comes the Sun" (1969)/Beatles. Good music to start the day right.

70’s

• "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971)/Marvin Gaye. A classic song like this never fades away.
• "Whenever I Call You Friend" (1978)/Kenny Loggins feat. Stevie Nicks. Their vocals complement each other.
• "Sweet Home Alabama" (1973)/Lynyrd Skynyrd. Good for head-bobbing.
• "Maggie May" (1971)/Rod Stewart. Before he sold out.
• "Running on Empty" (1977)/Jackson Browne. Another grizzled vet on the scene.  
• "What's Going On" (1971)/Marvin Gaye. Message galore for positivity.
• "Purple Haze" (1970)/Jimi Hendrix. The first song I learned to play in my guitar.
• "Take It Easy" (1977)/Eagles. Well-executed vocal harmonies.
• "Black Dog" (1971)/Led Zeppelin. The first heavy metal band.
• "Himig Natin" (1975)/Juan dela Cruz Band. The precursor, the conduit before the OPM invasion.
• "Midnight Rider" (1970)/The Allman Brothers Band. The wailing is unmistakably Gregg's.
• "Ventura Highway" (1972)/America. Another track for long drives.
• "Can We Still Be Friends" (1978)/Todd Rundgren. Multi-instrumentalist Todd's biggest hit.
• "What a Fool Believes" (1978)/Doobie Brothers. Michael McDonald never ceases to amaze.
• "Do It Again" (1972)/Steely Dan. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's first foray into the scene.
• "Moonshadow" (1971)/Cat Stevens. Reminds me of "little people" dancing in a dimly-lit garden.
• "Time in a Bottle" (1973)/Jim Croce. Jim's song for his first-born.
• "Sultans of Swing" (1978)/Dire Straits. I first heard this one in Tagaytay.
• "Hummingbird" (1972)/Seals & Crofts. Intricately-crafted guitar lines.
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (1970)/Creedence Clearwater Revival. A song everyone wants to have written by themselves.
• "Blinded by the Light" (1976)/Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Hypnotic organ-riffing.
• "Roxanne" (1978)/The Police. Rock treatise for the "red light" girls.
• "Fire and Rain" (1970)/James Taylor. His first plunge into immortality.
• "Lido Shuffle" (1976)/Boz Scaggs. Blue-eyed soul.
• "The Road" (1972)/Danny O'Keefe. An obscure act worth mentioning.
• "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" (1972)/Looking Glass. Another one of those one-hit    wonder groups.
• "Morning Has Broken" (1971)/Cat Stevens. Check out the piano accompaniment.

➽➽   Watch out for Part 2 of 60’s and 70’s favorites.

HEYA PEEPS! IT WOULD BE NICE TO READ 

IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW YOUR TAKE ON THE 60'S MUSIC. 

POST YOUR OWN PLAYLIST AND INCLUDE A STRONG MEMORY IT INVOKES. 

LET'S ROCK AND ROLL!