Contemporary Philippine Music (Updated)

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE MUSIC:
A CREATIVE PROJECT ON A NEW MOVEMENT
OF MUSIC IN THE PHILIPPINES
A Senior Seminar Paper
Presented to
The Interdisciplinary Studies Department
Ateneo de Manila University
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements of the Course
IS 152
By
Marvin Joseph D. Sayson
2009
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In the past four decades, the mainstream of Philippine music was driven by the collective
force of Original Philippine Music. This kind of music, as it started in the 1970s with the likes of
Freddie Aguilar and Juan De La Cruz Band, was characterized by standard, easy-listening chord
progressions and nationalistic lyrics. This showed how the beginnings of OPM (Original
Philippine Music) were influential for a nation under Martial Law rule, struggling with an
identity crisis. OPM, as it was known in the ‘70s and 80’s, provided the Filipinos with
togetherness through its values and ideas as heard in lyrics. After the Martial Law, OPM
blossomed with creative freedom with the likes of Apo Hiking Society as its proprietors.
After a decade of political unrest, OPM continued to flourish in the ‘70s. It provided
more avenues for self-expression and innovation for music technicality with the help of Western
music influence. The Grunge movement was happening in Seattle U.S.A., while the Philippines
adapted to these trends and made such music their own by using Filipino lyrics. Bands such as
Teeth and Twisted Halo used Grunge rock’s fuzzy guitar sounds and gritty vocalizations while
maintaining OPM’s traditions – the most obvious of all was the use of Filipino language. The
birth of ‘90s Alternative music was also marked by bands such as Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and
Parokya ni Edgar. All of these bands were popular in their time because of a crucial factor – their
music identified with the masses.

Looking at the present-day situation of OPM, there have been evident changes. The 21st
century has paved way for technological advancements and globalization. This has also affected
Philippine music. Faspitch, Typecast, and Urbandub – three bands under the Sonic Boom
Production group, have propelled a new movement in Philippine music. This movement,
Contemporary Philippine Music, was characterized by major tweaks in music technicality.
Contemporary Philippine Music’s use of musical pyrotechnics, complex chord structures and
sound effects-based ambience was noticeably different from OPM. The discriminate use of
English as its primary language also helped in gaining international recognition. Bands such as
Drip and Urbandub have been invited to perform in France and Singapore respectively. In light
of this brief history of Philippine music, there are also benefits and problems.
Benefits of Philippine music
Philippine music has nurtured in a nation trying to build its identity. In its own way, the
Original Philippine Music movement helped answer some questions for that matter. Songs such
as Bamboo’s Noypi (Hoy/ Pinoy ako/ Buo’ng aking loob, may agmiat ang dugo ko) have allowed
nationalism to take its place in popular culture. On the other hand, bands such as Radioactive
Sago Project have promoted political awareness through their music. The band’s sophomore
album’s title in itself, Tanginamo Andaming Nagugutom Sa Mundo Fashionista Ka Pa Rin (sic),
was a social commentary on widespread elitism in the Philippines. Over time, Original
Philippine Music has garnered enough recognition for the Philippine masses to identify itself
with the music and lyrics, so much so that majority of record bars in Metro Manila have a
separate rack for Original Philippine Music – a statement that the nation has indeed accepted the
genre’s distinctiveness as a part of Philippine identity.

Somehow, this nationalism has carried over from the previous era of Filipino music.
Before OPM, various kinds of music heard from Filipinos were rebellious cries from
colonization. This gave birth to a national identity; separating itself from the former foreign
hegemonies that ruled over the Philippines through centuries.1 Musicians such as Joey Pepe
Smith, Freddie Aguilar, and New Society wrote proudly about nationalism. The anthem hit from
Juan de la Cruz band, Ang Himig Natin, was the apex of a shared nationalism in Filipino music.
Shortly thereafter, OPM was on the rise.
Problems of Original Philippine Music
Despite this monumental success, OPM (Original Philippine Music) has also been
crippled by unavoidable problems. The extensive use of colloquial language makes OPM
esoteric and undecipherable to the Philippine elite. An example of this would be Kamikazee’s
song entitled Petix – a slang term for relaxing and unwinding. Also, OPM has been greatly
influenced by colonial mentality over the years. Cueshe, a mainstream alternative band, was
accused of plagiarism with their song Stay, allegedly being a recreation of the Australian band
Silverchair’s Greatest View. A pioneer band of OPM, Eraserheads, suffered the same
accusations of The Beatles’ Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds because of their song Alapaap,
which was dubbed by critics as a song about drugs2 (“Masdan mo’ng aking mata/ ‘Di mo ba
nakikita/ Ako ngayo’y lumilipad at nasa langit na”). These situations have made OPM
problematic, if not controversial.

1
E. San Juan, Jr., Writing and National Liberation (Quezon City: University of the Philippines
Diliman Press, 1991), 113.
2
Erwin Oliva, “E(lectronic)Heads: An Online Adventure” in Tikman Ang Langit: An Anthology
on the Eraserheads, ed. Melvin Calimag and Jing Garcia (Pasay City: Visual Print Enterprises, 2006), 72.
Philippine music’s identity crisis
Notwithstanding such notoriety, Philippine music was still a strong, unstoppable force.
These problems did not cripple the movement enough to make Filipino music wither through
time. But, as the times have changed, the problems of Philippine music have changed as well. A
notable characteristic of Philippine music was its ability to respond to the new trends and
technological improvements. Such innovations came with a price to pay. In the eve of the
twenty-first century, bands from Manila to Cebu have taken advantage of the technological
advancements to enhance their music. The Baroque features of music resurfaced in the form of
pyrotechnics and experimental qualities in Filipino music. Bands such as Urban Dub, Faspitch,
and Up Dharma Down created music beyond the standard four-chord progressions of OPM,
allowing a new wave of style to emerge in the Filipino music industry. This discrepancy equated
to an identity crisis for the Filipino music industry, thus giving birth to a new branch of
Philippine music: Contemporary Philippine Music.
Focus of the Project
This project, therefore, focuses on defining Contemporary Philippine Music. This study
explains its movement though the lenses of cultural studies. It also pinned down the common
characteristics among bands and music made in the Contemporary Philippine Music era. Finally,
this project’s creative output is a five-song album of the band Don’t Forget, Clementine, as an
example of Contemporary Philippine Music. This will help contribute in defining Contemporary
Philippine Music.
Objectives of the Project
As mentioned earlier, Contemporary Philippine Music has been creating new
opportunities for Filipino musicians, but its definition is still quite vague. The main focus of this
project is to identify the main cornerstones of Contemporary Philippine Music by pinning down
its origins, explaining the movement’s rise through sociological and literary theories, and
providing an overview of its musical aspects. Moreover, this project’s creative output, album by
Don’t Forget, Clementine, makes out an example of the many contributions to Contemporary
Philippine Music.
In light of the above, this project aimed to:
1. Define thoroughly what Contemporary Philippine Music is, in the context of Philippine
music history and music theory.
2. Create a brief timeline of the history of Philippine music in order to separate the eras of
OPM and Contemporary Philippine Music.
3. Explain the movement of Contemporary Philippine Music through theories of hegemony
(Raymond Williams) and Orientalism (Edward Said).
4. Produce a five-song album with the band Don’t Forget, Clementine (post-rock) as an
example of Contemporary Philippine Music.
5. Promote the awareness of Filipino talent and the importance of music in the academe.
Significance of the Project
First and foremost, this project is mainly a contribution to on-going studies of Philippine
music. The topic of Philippine music in the 1970s-1990s is seldom discussed in the academe, as
seen in the bibliography of this project. All the more, Contemporary Philippine Music is a new
idea. This project aims to contribute new information about Contemporary Philippine Music in
the fields of Philippine music studies. The popular culture of a country determines so much of its
identity,3 and this project is made significant by the influence of music on the Filipino culture.
Many researchers who want to learn about Philippine music will benefit in this project.
The use of Orientalism and theories on hegemony also provides new perspectives on Philippine
music’s growing history. The benefactors of this project include not only aficionados of
Philippine music, but members of sociological circles as well.
Filipino musicians may also benefit from this study. This project may be considered as a
guiding light for musicians who want to start their own bands and contribute to Contemporary
Philippine Music. This project aims to shed light not only on music technicalities, but also an
understanding of how Contemporary Philippine Music came about. This way, it helps musicians
realize Contemporary Philippine Music in an academic context.
Moreover, the significance of this project expands since the Contemporary Philippine
Music industry is indulging itself into the international world of music. This project is an
addition to the history of music around the world, especially in the height of the innovations
ushering in the collaboration of music and technology.
Lastly, as an active contributor to the movement of Contemporary Philippine Music, I am
privileged to write about the movement. It is both an advantage and a gift to me to be able to
write about Contemporary Philippine Music from the perspective of a musician. This way, I hope
that readers learn about Contemporary Philippine Music from the experience of a musician. The
progressing force has been a fruitful cause, and I believe that more attention must be paid to
Philippine music.

3
Deanna Campbell Robinson, Elizabeth B. Buck, and Marlene Cutberth, Music at the Margins.
(California: Sage Publications, Inc.), 3.
Scope and Limitations of the Project
The main scope of this project is Philippine music history from 1970s-2009. In order to
create a clearer focus into Philippine music, this project aims to study popular bands and songs
from eras of Philippine music. This includes the following musicians from 1970s: Freddie
Aguilar, Juan de la Cruz Band, and Joey Pepe Smith; 1980s: Apo Hiking Society, the early
stages of Eraserheads, and Alamid; 1990s: Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar. For
Contemporary Philippine Music, the focus will be on Urbandub, Typecast, and Tonight We
Sleep.
In order to capture the characteristics of these different eras, these bands will be
approached by the respective music theories they employed. Also, interpretations of lyrics as
social artifacts are crucial to studying the said music. Furthermore, the analyses of music will be
contextualized in Orientalism and theories on hegemony.
But, there is a limitation to studying popular music alone. Most, if not all of the collective
history of Filipino music noted in this project will be included by virtue of its significance in the
Philippine culture. Underground movements in Filipino music will be tackled the least due to its
limited research materials. This project will subscribe to the definition of popular music from the
book Music at the Margins: commercially successful music with respect to other industries
(television, film, radio, and publishing).4
Also, this project will employ mainly sociological theories, meaning other possible
explanations from different disciplines will not be used. The sociological perspective was chosen

4
due to its relevance to the history of Filipino music being a byproduct of hegemony.5 Sociology
also provides useful insights with regard to the Philippines as a colonized nation, and how it
responds to Western trends in popular culture. On the other hand, Orientalism, a cultural theory,
was also watchfully picked because it works hand-in-hand with the sociological aspects of the
Philippines being an oriental nation.
Furthermore, to explain how songs, as popular recordings, are pieces of oral history, the
sociological explanation has an advantage because of its treatment of social artifacts. Just like an
archeologist reconstructing cultures through gathering data from fossils, poetry, and icons, the
contemporary researcher may see through songs as chests of data that identify with social
realities of their time.6
This project also acknowledges the fact that there are only a handful of research materials
that venture into analyzing Filipino music. That being said, the sources of this project will be
limited by its small amount. Therefore, this project requires mostly new information, all with
respect to the researcher’s data gathering methods. Such approaches in response to this feasibility
problem will include interviews, participating and observing in music events, searching through
archives of radio station charts, and popular culture articles that provide insight about Filipino
music.
Lastly, in line with the objectives of the project, Don’t Forget, Clementine is limited to its
genre, Post-rock. That being said, the five-song EP will not be an all-encompassing example for

5
Ricardo Abad, “Sociological Perspectives in the Study of Philippine Popular Culture in
Reading Popular Culture,” ed. Soledad S. Reyes (Quezon City: Office of Research and Publications
Ateneo de Manila University, 2002), 17.
6
B. Lee Cooper, Popular Music Perspectives: Ideas, Themes, and Patterns in Contemporary
Lyrics (Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. 1991), 4.
Contemporary Philippine Music, but rather a contribution to the movement. The genre
demonstrated in the creative output of this project will be focused on post-rock.
Review of Related Literature
The literature used in this project were divided in two categories: articles and books about
Philippine music history, and cultural theories. Philippine music history is composed of books by
Philippine authors that have contributed to the very few sources on Philippine music and its
young history. Cultural theories, on the other hand, mostly came from Literary Criticism
lectures. These studies have been established enough to be well-known in the academe, if not
canonical in their own disciplines.
Philippine Music History
By default, it is hard to find texts and archives about Philippine music in the 20th-21st
century. The academe pays little attention to the subject, thus only a handful of information
regarding Philippine music after the country’s colonization is available. Also, it is hard to find
research material about Philippine music because it is a fresh phenomenon. Nonetheless, this
project makes use of three important books to grasp the history of Philippine music in three
decades.
Writing and National Liberation by E. San Juan is a book that provides insights on the
beginnings of Philippine rock music. The book claims that Philippine rock music was on the rise
in the seventies as a form of opposition against the Martial Law government.7 Moreover, it also
higlights the importance of music in a hegemony, and its ability to bring people together to go
against a ruling class. It mentions Freddie Aguilar, New Society, and Coritha as the catalysts of

7
the nationalistic music movement in the seventies.8 It provides a sociological context to
Philippine music as a form of resistance to political powers,9 and a brief overview of Philippine
music in the seventies. This book will be used in the project as a guide to how Philippine music
operated in the seventies.
Punks, Poets, Poseurs: Reportage on Pinoy Rock & Roll, written by Eric Caruncho, is a
compendium of memoirs and opinions regarding Philippine rock music. It covers the decades of
eighties to nineties. The book provides microscopic views of Philippine music, meaning various
artists and trends were specifically written about in great detail. Such topics included the
relationship of the rise of Satanic cults and hardcore music in 1987,10 the Eraserheads’ impact on
Filipino music,11 and even subjective definitions of Alternative Filipino music dating back from
the nineties.12 Despite being a painstakingly detailed compilation of Filipino rock’s history from
the said decades, this book is limited by its chosen genre. Filipino hip-hop and pop music were
not discussed. Nonetheless, Punks, Poets, Poseurs provides the study with magnified accounts
about Philippine music in the eighties to the nineties, which made it easier to pinpoint
timeframes and trends of the said decades.
Tikman ang Langit: An Anthology on the Eraserheads, compiled by Melvin Calimag and
Jing Garcia, is a collection of essays about a highly influential band in the nineties, and a pioneer
of Original Philippine Music, Eraserheads. This book highlights the importance of the
Eraserheads in the history of Philippine music by gathering articles about their impact on the
Philippines in the nineties. This includes personal reflections of the Eraserheads’ impact on

8
Ibid., 113.
9
Ibid., 114.
10
Eric Caruncho, Punks, Poets, Poseurs: Reportage on Pinoy Rock & Roll (Pasig City: Anvil
Publishing Inc.), 27.
11
Ibid., 103.
12
Ibid., 77.
individuals – writers, journalists, and music aficionados. The book also contextualized the
Eraserheads in line with nineties music phenomena such as the Grunge Rock movement in
Seattle. Such contextualization allowed the reader to understand the status quo of the nineties,
and where the Eraserheads belonged in that context. It also contains narrative essays and opinion
columns about the Eraserheads from their birth (1989) to their eventual disbanding (2002).13
All in all, these three books keep track of Philippine music history from different times
and perspectives. Although only a small portion of Writing and National Liberation was
dedicated to Philippine music, it still provided this study with a perspective that included the
concept of hegemony in the picture. On the other hand, Punks, Poets, Poseurs also had its own
views on Philippine music from the perspective of a rock journalist, Eric Caruncho. This book
mostly covered its crucial time of growth, which happened in the 1980s-1990s. It was a good
segue to Tikman ang Langit, which talked about the Eraserheads being a paramount contributor
of OPM in the 1990s, from an assortment of journalists’ different perspectives.
Sources on Cultural Studies
Readings on Popular Culture, edited by Soledad Reyes, is an anthology of essays about
popular culture in the Philippine context. It uses different perspectives and disciplines such as
sociology and literature, and applies them to popular culture icons and phenomena in the
Philippines such as Filipino drama, folk literature, television shows, myths, etc. The essays in
this book are theoretically sound, but not all of them are useful to the project because of their
chosen media (drama, literature, myths, etc.) for examination. Therefore, the sociological
approach to popular culture, which is found in the Introduction and Ricardo Abad’s Sociological
Perspectives in the Study of Philippine Popular Culture will be utilized mostly in this study.

13
Joey Alarilla, “The Long Goodbye,” in Tikman Ang Langit: An Anthology on the Eraserheads,
ed. Melvin Calimag and Jing Garcia (Pasay City: Visual Print Enterprises), 43.
Such articles will be used to provide proper context to large-scale theories. It is important to note
that these theories, again, are sociological, and applied to the Philippine context, thus its
importance in this study. Popular culture, after all, includes popular music.14
David Richter’s compilation of literary theories, The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts
and Contemporary Trends is rich in cultural studies. It provides insights not only on how
theories are applied in the literary world, but also their cultural importance and social
significance. Two theories, namely Marxism and Literature and Orientalism, were used in this
project.
Marxism and Literature by Raymond Williams provides a more cultural perspective on
Marxism. It makes use of Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony in order to determine the role
of culture in society. In line with this, he notes that components of culture, although oppressed
by hegemonic limits, are significant breaks from the status quo.15 Music, as a part of Philippine
culture, has played an important role in the history of the Filipino. The identity of the Filipino
has been refined by the music of its corresponding time. This will be explained further in the
Theoretical Framework as the micro study of Filipino music.
Orientalism by Edward Said is a postcolonial theory that studies the relationship between
the East and West. It says that the Occident is the colonizer, while the Orient is the colonized.
This does not only entail subordination in political powers – it also includes cultures and
ideologies being highly influenced by the West.16 Philippine music has also been manifestations
of following the West’s lead. But as time has passed, Contemporary Philippine Music has

14
15
Raymond Williams, “From Marxism and Literature,” in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts
and Contemporary Trends, ed. David Richter (Boston: St. Martin’s, 1998), 1161.
16
Edward Said, “From the Introduction to Orientalism,” in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts
allowed Filipino musicians to rise from such phenomenon and gain recognition internationally.
This theory will be discussed further in the next section.
Raymond Williams’ hegemony and Edward Said’s Orientalism both have a common
factor – making use of hegemony as a pillar for discussion. Orientalism talks about hegemony in
the context of felt subordination and domination, while Raymond Williams explains the
dynamics of these relationships further.
On the other hand, Readings on Popular Culture will help this study contextualize
cultural studies and frame them in the Philippine setting. It puts to operation various theories on
cultural studies, thus providing this study examples on how to apply its chosen theories to
Philippine music.
Theoretical Framework
The theories used for this study were chosen from sociological and literary concepts. A
crossbreed of both disciplines used in this study provided a cultural outlook on Contemporary
Philippine Music. Music, in a sense, is a kind of oral history.17 Therefore, music is considered to
be a component of Philippine culture. In order to grasp this concept more clearly, theories of
hegemony and Orientalism were used in this project to work with each other. This way,
Contemporary Philippine Music’s situation and context is properly framed.
In studying Contemporary Philippine Music, two approaches, micro and macro, were
utilized. First, in examining the micro qualities of Contemporary Philippine Music, the concept
of hegemony as originally proposed by Gramsci, and refined by Williams. Then, for the macro
study, Edward Said’s theories on Orientalism helped situate and contextualize Philippine music

17
in the international level. Both micro and macro frameworks will be discussed in the next
sections.
Hegemony
Although the traditional concept of hegemony was elaborated by Antonio Gramsci,
Raymond Williams extended this definition further to support his theories. Not only does he say
that culture belongs to hegemony, Williams also expands this idea, claiming that hegemony goes
beyond culture.18 Hegemony, he says, is “a realized complex of experiences, relationships, and
activities, with specific changing pressures and limits. In practice, hegemony… can never be
singular.”19
In turn, music belongs to hegemony, but its role and place in society is not exclusively
deemed as a vault of oral history. For example, Philippine music in the seventies and eighties
were propelled by a hunger to challenge the Marcos dictatorship20. On the other hand, nineties
music in the Philippines seemed to be a response to democracy and freedom of speech,
especially when various subcultures like hardcore music’s Satanist cults rose in the late eighties
and early nineties.21 This period was the transition between dictatorship and democracy.
The reason why the concept of hegemony was used in this study was because it contained
music itself, and the factor that determined music – Williams’ understanding of a superstructure
in the context of hegemony. Superstructure, according to Williams, is the society’s way of seeing

18
19
Ibid., 1160.
20
21
itself in the world, including its ideologies.22 More importantly, this is highly affected by the
political and economic stature of society. This conjecture will be discussed in detail in Chapter
II.
Philippine music, in a sense, has been unconsciously operating this way. Seventies to
eighties music from Juan de la Cruz band, Freddie Aguilar, and New Society opposed ideas of a
suffocating political structure. ’90s music focused on liberation and taking Philippine music to
greater heights. Contemporary Philippine Music, which started in the first decade of the twenty-
first century, was a response to globalization and the Internet age. To explain the global
perspective further, this study used globalization and Edward Said’s essays on Orientalism as its
framework.
Globalization
The phenomenon of globalization describes the openness of one nation to another, due to
economic needs. On one hand, it helps a nation’s economy grow by opening its doors to foreign
investors. Globalization paves the way for the creation of one big global community that is
composed of nations collaborating with one another.
It cannot be helped, though, that cultures also cross with one another, and some cultures
are more influential than others. An example of this domination is illustrated by John Storey in
his book Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture, saying: “Globalization is the
successful global imposition of American culture, in which the economic success of US

22
capitalism is underpinned by the cultural work that its commodities supposedly do in effectively
destroying indigenous cultures and imposing an American way of life on ‘local’ populations.”23
This domination of the American culture is attributed to their successful capitalization of
many other nations, particularly the Philippines. The Philippine culture’s affinity to Western
ideas and thoughts is an opportunity for the American economy and culture. It is an opening for
the Americans to gain access to the local economy and culture, thus colonize it with their own. In
order to expound, this study used Orientalism as a lens for more particular insights regarding
cultural domination and subordination. It pinpoints the influence of West over the East, not only
in terms of economy, but in terms of culture.
Orientalism
Orientalism is a cultural study that magnifies the relationship between East and West and
how the West has shaped the East’s culture in history. Orientalism provides this project with
explanations on how Philippine music was maneuvered mostly by colonizers in its earlier days.
It should be noted, though, that Orientalism only serves as a framework in this project, and later,
Contemporary Philippine Music’s response to such phenomenon will be discussed.
First of all, it is important to acknowledge Edward Said’s comment that the Orient and
Occident are not just merely there. They somehow co-exist with each other, and that is the basis
of his studies.24 This relationship between Occident and Orient has always been the dominator
and the dominated. But, this subordination is not only exclusive to the political arena. It includes
the West’s authority on Eastern ideologies, cultures, institutions, and the many dimensions of

23
John Storey, Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture. (Georgia: The University of
Georgia Press), 153-154.
24
society.25 This, as Said says, is a relationship of a different degree of complex hegemony26
because it involves a colonizer and a colonized.
In order to completely understand the theory of Orientalism, it is important to know why
the Occident is attracted to the Orient. The West is fascinated with the East because it sees the
Orient as a romantic, all-consuming passion; being enthralled by the unknown.
In the history of Philippine music, this trend is also applicable. Philippine music in the
nineties was greatly influenced by American music movements such as Grunge Rock and
Alternative Rock.27 The concept of forming garage bands in the Philippines also reached its
height in the ‘90s – a borrowed idea from the West.28
What separated ‘90s Philippine music from Western music was the use of the Filipino
language, which supported its search for the Filipino identity, coming from an intoxicating
Marcos era. On the other hand, Contemporary Philippine Music discriminately used the English
language. This linguistic shift may have foregone what Philippine nineties music has established
– a music that brings the masses together, making the Filipino community more united. But,
Contemporary Philippine Music’s use of the English language has enabled it to reach
international audiences and be heard in other countries.
This is how Contemporary Philippine Music responds to Said’s theory on Orientalism.
Somehow, Filipino musicians have found a way to submerge into the technicalities and adept
skills of Western music in order to gain recognition internationally. Therefore, one goes back to
why the Occident is attracted to the Orient in the first place. Today, Contemporary Philippine

25
Ibid., 1283-1284.
26
Ibid., 1279.
27
28
Ibid., 207.
Music is being eyed by the West for its undeniable talent. For example, Typecast, a Laguna-
based band that plays Emotional-Rock music, has been invited to New Jersey for a U.S.A. tour
after upcoming third album. Drip, a Trip-Hop three-piece band from Manila, has also been
invited to France last year to perform in a festival. These are a few examples of how the
Occident is attracted to the Orient.
Although it has been said by Said that the West is attracted to the East because of its
exoticism, it must be understood that this trait is not a characteristic of Contemporary Philippine
Music. Moreover, it is not the sole reason why the West began to acknowledge music coming
from the Philippines and other Asian countries. It must be noted that this facet of Orientalism
does not follow for Contemporary Philippine Music.
Also, this attraction does not entirely mean that Western music wants to take over
Contemporary Philippine Music. It must be understood that the subtle subordination
Contemporary Philippine Music happens in the technical aspect. Contemporary Philippine Music
is also noted for its extravagant use of sound effects and pyrotechnics. Such response to the
technological advancements of music was pioneered by the West, and followed by the
Philippines, which created a standard for Contemporary Philippine Music.
A more extensive explanation of how Contemporary Philippine Music operates under the
framework of Orientalism will be discussed in Chapter III, along with examples and
characteristics of Contemporary Philippine Music.
The theories of Raymond Williams and Edward Said work hand-in-hand with each other
– the earlier providing grounds on where music is situated in a society on a national level, and
the latter giving an international, macro view of cultural relationships between East and West.
This project will utilize such theories on culture and society in order to provide a context for the
history of Philippine music, and how it has reached Contemporary Philippine Music’s current
status.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are crucial to this study:
1. Philippine Music – a general term for music in the Philippines, it does not necessarily
entail a certain time or era. This keyword contributes to the project as an easier way to
encapsulate the totality of music in the Philippines.
2. Original Philippine Music – a general term that covers Philippine music in the 1970s-
1990s, OPM is best-known for its three characteristics. First, it heavily relies on the
Filipino language. Second, lyrical themes in OPM are very emphatic and relevant to the
masses. Third, OPM was considered as popular music of its day. The discrepancy
between popular music and independent music will be tackled in Chapter II of this
project. Examples of OPM are bands such as Eraserheads, Rivermaya (Bamboo Manalac
era), Teeth, and the like. Although Filipino Hip-hop artists such as Francis M. and
Andrew E. are part of this movement, this study will only cover the Rock and Alternative
portion of OPM.
3. Contemporary Philippine Music – a general term that covers Philippine music in the
2000s decade, and defining Contemporary Philippine Music is the core of this study. In a
nutshell, Contemporary Philippine Music is defined by its use of new genres. This project
will cover three of those genres, including Emo, Post-hardcore, and Post-rock.
Contemporary Philippine Music is also known for its discriminate use of the English
language. Thus, Contemporary Philippine Music has made its way to international
audiences. Contemporary Philippine Music will be examined further in Chapter II, along
with its mentioned genres.
4. Genre – style of music according to sound and music theory. In this project, the following
genres will be discussed:
a. Punk – music that is characterized by its use of simple power-chords, deviant
lyrics, and explicitly written against political powers.
b. Grunge rock – born in Seattle, Grunge rock is music composed of subliminal
lyrics containing depressive themes. It is best known for the use of fuzz, guitar
distortion, and simple but heavy power-chords.
c. Alternative Rock – an offspring of Grunge rock, Alternative rock is mainly music
that is less heavy compared to Grunge, and has a wider range of themes such as
romance and coming of age.
d. Post-hardcore – a relatively new genre, Post-hardcore is characterized by its
heavy guitar riffs, use of ambient sound effects, and growling vocals.
e. Post-rock – is ambient music that makes use of synthesizers, guitar effects, and
simple note and chord progressions. An important aspect of Post-rock is its focus
on music rather than lyrics; more often than not, Post-rock music has no lyrics at
all.
5. Popular Music – is a keyword that is defined by the book Music at the Margins as music
with “a specific social quality… defined by the relationships in which the music works,
gets and realizes its meanings and functions, and has effects.”29 It is music that is made

29
popular by its relevance to its corresponding era. Music is also considered popular due to
its record sales and commercial success.30
6. Independent Music – is music that is produced in spite of the absence of a supporting
major record label. Independent music, dubbed as “indie” in the vernacular, is music that
does not necessarily conform to the mainstream audience’s expectations. Therefore, there
is an outstanding notion that independent music is entitled to a wider range of creative
freedom.31 Independent music and its relationship with the rise of Contemporary
Philippine music will be further explained in Chapter III.
7. Orientalism – is a socio-literary theory by Edward Said that focuses on the configurations
of power between East and West, or Orient and Occident. It states that “The relationship
between Occident and Orient is a relationship of power,” and “of domination.” 32
Moreover, it highlights Western influence on Eastern ideologies.33 This concept is the
guiding framework for explaining Contemporary Philippine Music’s coming about.
8. Globalization – is the thinning of national borders due to the growth of taransnational
corporations.34 National and international economy are not the only faculties affected by
globalization. Cultures also mesh with each other, with one culture influencing the other.
9. Hegemony – as defined by Raymond Williams is “a concept which at once includes and
goes beyond two powerful… concepts: that of ‘culture’ as a ‘whole social process,’ in

30
Ibid., 10.
31
Christine Andrews, “If it’s cool, creative and different, it’s indie,” CNN.com, 13 October 2006
[news on-line]; available from http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/
Music/09/19/indie.overview/; Internet; accessed 1 August 2009.
32
33
Ibid., 1284.
34
John Storey, Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture. (Georgia: The University of
Georgia Press), 152.
which men define and shape their whole lives; and that of ‘ideology…’ in which a system
of meanings and values is the expression or projection of a particular class interest.” 35
Hegemony is the overall concept of a society, which includes the dominations and
subordinations within.36 This umbrella concept will be used to explain the role of music
in the different eras of Philippine music.
Methodology
Data-gathering methods
The secondary sources used in this project were obtained from of Rizal Library’s
collection of books, articles from publications, and Internet sources. Also, readings from Literary
Criticism class from the English Department were used as main sources of Hegemony and
Orientalism theories from the book The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary
Trends. The researcher’s personal collection of Philippine rock music commentaries and insights
from columnists and Filipino journalists were also used. This includes Punks, Poets Poseurs, and
Tikman Ang Langit. Internet sources that took on fresh concepts such the genres of
Contemporary Philippine Music and Independent Music were utilized.
Rubrics for studying music
This study uses a focused set of rubrics in observing the chosen music for corresponding
decades. These rubrics are composed of: music genre, technical style, lyrical content, and social
context. Music genres will be discussed in relation to their respective time frames. Technical
style will be analyzed through the lens of music theory and my personal knowledge. Lyrical

35
36
Ibid., 1159.
content and social context go hand in hand as the latter is shown to influence the earlier,
especially in the ‘70s-‘80s decade. Also, lyrical content will be discussed as a mirror of society’s
trends. All these four rubrics will be used in analyzing music for Chapters II and III.
Primary data were obtained through personal observations, key informant interviews, and
focus group discussions. Participant observation was conducted by the researcher. This included
going to events that featured Contemporary Philippine Music bands, listening to Contemporary
Philippine Music, dissecting Philippine music according to music theory, and differentiating
Contemporary Philippine Music from other kinds of Philippine music. The focus of these
observations, in line with Contemporary Philippine Music, were three bands – Urbandub,
Typecast, and Tonight We Sleep. The third genre, Post-rock, was the focus of the creative output
of this project, which included an brief history of the genre and the performing band’s (Don’t
Forget, Clementine) contribution to the movement (see Appendix A for the observation guide).
Also, an in-depth analysis of the whole album conducted by me, as a co-producer, was
used to describe the whole album proper. This helped describe the project on paper, according to
the observation methods I have laid out (see Appendix B for observation guide).
An evaluation of Don’t Forget, Clementine’s album launch was also carried out via an
interview guide, which took place from January 7 to 10 (see Appendix E for the interview
guide).
Timetable for creative output
As mentioned earlier, a full-length five-song EP of the band Don’t Forget, Clementine
was produced as the creative output of this project. The album’s pre-production took place in the
Owyong Residence the weekend of August 29, 2009. Pre-prouduction covered songwriting and
fixing arrangements per song. After pre-production, the drum tracks were recorded in Blueberri
Jam Studios. Analog recording equipment will be used for these tracks. Drum track recording
was held on October 19. This included the digital mixing and mastering of the said tracks in
GarageBand, an Apple Incorporated audio editing software. After which, all instruments – three
six-string guitars, one bass guitar, two synthesizers and beat samples were recorded in the
producer’s house using a Line6 UX1 Audio Interface, and GarageBand once again. The
recording of these instruments is happened from October 29 to November 17. The post-
production, which included mixing and mastering of all the tracks, sampling audio to ensure
gapless playback, and planning of the album’s marketing and distribution occurred while
recording.
An evaluation of the creative output was held along with the launch of the album in
6Underground, Ortigas on December 12, 2009. Other bands that have contributed to the
Contemporary Philippine Music movement such as Wagyu, Twin Lobster, City Light
Soundtrack, and Encounters With A Yeti were invited to open for our band.
Plan for Data Analysis
The data gathered from observations supplemented this project with insights and opinions
to support the inferences of theories and concepts according to chapter. Chapter II made use
mainly of book sources and articles. Chapters III to V, on the other hand, relied on Internet
sources in order to define more clearly Contemporary Philippine Music. This included
participant observations in Philippine music events, and the evaluation of this project’s creative
output. Together, these data-gathering methods supported the study with different angles about
how Contemporary Philippine Music operates.

Organization of the Study
This study is composed of five chapters. Chapter I serves as an introduction that gave a
background to Contemporary Philippine Music. It also states the objectives of this project, which
includes the creative output - an album of Don’t Forget, Clementine, which answered some
questions about Contemporary Philippine Music. Chapter I, then, defines the scope and
limitations of the project, and framed the theoretical framework and methodological procedures
of the project. Chapter I also includes a brief introduction to the two bands to be investigated
upon by the project as examples of Contemporary Philippine Music artists – Typecast, and
Urbandub. A timetable for the creative output was also included in Chapter I.
Chapter II will focuses on a brief account of Philippine music history and how it led to
Contemporary Philippine Music. While discussing the eras in Philippine music starting from the
late 1970s, its lyrics and themes are analyzed through the concept of hegemony. This chapter
explains the relationship of music to the Philippines’ hegemony in certain eras of Philippine
music. This chapter also covers Philippine music in the ’90s era, as it reached new commercial
success because of its youthful themes. It then segues to Contemporary Philippine Music’s birth,
beginning in the 2000s.
Chapter III focuses on Contemporary Philippine Music. This chapter covers two main
forces of change in the 2000s decade: prosumerism and the rise of the Internet. Along with these
two concepts, the operation of Orientalism in the 2000s music industry is also discussed. Also, in
order to dissect the concept, I decided to focus on two genres conceived in the movement. Emo
and post-rock were defined through analyzing their respective flagship bands.
An in-depth analysis of the creative output of this study is the gist of Chapter IV. It
focuses mainly on Don’t Forget, Clementine’s music – how it is considered Contemporary

Philippine Music, the production process of its first album, and how its EP has contributed to
Contemporary Philippine Music. An evaluation of the album and its launching event is written in
the end of this chapter.
Chapter V summarizes the main study of this project by bridging together the points
made in Chapters II-IV. It concludes the project by restating its objectives and enumerating the
ways they were achieved. Recommendations for further studies about Philippine music are noted
to end the project.

CHAPTER II
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE MUSIC
Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of the history of Philippine music from the 1970s to
the late 1990s. After discussing each decade’s music characteristics (which includes technical
aspects, lyrical themes, genre, and overall feel), theories of cultural studies were used to explain
the music phenomena of each era, respectively. The project studies Philippine music history
according to this methodology in order to pave way to the next chapter, which is a study of
Contemporary Philippine Music.
The Birth of OPM: 1970s-1980s
Martial Law hegemony
A number of articles on Philippine history literature were devoted to describe the
suffocating domination of the ruling class over the subordinate class in the Martial Law era.
Conrado de Quiros, in his book Dead Aim, laments tragic stories of how Ferdinand Marcos
“ambushed” Philippine democracy. More than discussing how Marcos’ dictatorship produced
clamor and rage over the Filipino people, it gave insight to the former president’s genius.37
Nonetheless, his ways of keeping power to himself was the downfall of Philippine politics, and
created a revolting atmosphere.38

37
Conrado de Quiros, Dead Aim: How Marcos Ambushed Philippine Democracy (Makati City:
DWWP. 1997), 436.
38
Ibid., 432.
Much can be said about Marcos and his hunger for power, but in order to understand the
ideology he imposed, this study turned to a book he himself published: An Ideology for Filipinos.
This book, dated 1983, Marcos states that ideology is necessary in order for a government to be
successful.39 His program, New Society, subscribed to seven main principles: nationalism and
identity, unity, social justice, barangay or participative democracy, self-reliance through rational
planned change, freedom of belief, and internationalism or adherence to the ideals of United
Nations.40 Marcos, then, ended his dissertation by saying that Martial Law was meant to be “a
unique force for realizing the revolutionary aspirations of the Filipinos.”41
But, all of these intentions were overshadowed by the harshness of Martial Law. Several
events occurred which fueled the fire of the Philippine nation’s revolt against the Marcos regime.
Such events included the temporary suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, arrest of opposition
figures, imposing of curfew, excessive government corruption, military abuse, media censorship,
and the crucial assassination of Benigno Aquino.42 The ideologies and principles that Marcos
sought for in the implementation of his New Society were absent in the midst of these events, as
carried out Martial Law. Soon, the Filipino people will respond with revolution, and music
would play a role in this class struggle.
The media sector of society was influential in the Martial Law era. Opinion leaders,
composed of journalists and student activists, were adamant in criticizing the Marcos
government. In turn, Rosalinda Galang of Manila Times, Manuel Almario of the Philippine News
Service, and Ernesto Granada of the Manila Chronicle were abducted and held captive in the

39
Ferdinand Marcos, An Ideology For Filipinos (Manila: Marcos Foundation Inc. 1983), 1.
40
Ibid., 97-98.
41
Ibid., 101.
42
Paul Rodell, Culture and Customs of the Philippines (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press,
2002), 21-22.
Camp Crame Detention Center, to name a few.43 The Marcos regime reacted violently to
journalism and media.
All of this led to a felt subordination in the Filipino people’s struggle. This felt
subordination is a crucial component to Williams’ hegemony. The next section discusses more
aptly the role of this felt subordination in the making of Philippine music in the 1970s-1980s era.
1970s-1980s: music as a response to the Martial Law
Music in the 1970s and 1980s was defined mostly by its proprietors. Artists such as
Coritha, New Society, Heber Bartolome, and APO Hiking Society were the major constituents of
this era’s music. The latter composed “Hindi Ka Nag-iisa,” a song they wrote in reaction to the
assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983.44 Filipino folk was also popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
This genre was led by the likes of Joey Ayala (originally a Davaoeno who fled to the city),
Florante de Leon, and Bagong Lumad. Philippine folk music was nationalistic in nature, with
songs entitled “Tayo’y Mga Pinoy,” and “Nena,” a Filipino name for women. The song, written
by Heber Bartolome and performed by his band Banyuihay, was about women being driven to
prostitution by poverty.45
Two important artists reached their heyday in this era, as they revolutionized the
Philippine music industry by writing their respective masterpieces. Joey “Pepe” Smith, the king
of Philippine rock & roll, wrote “Ang Himig Natin.” His counterpart, Freddie Aguilar, wrote
“Bayan Ko,” which invaded the airwaves in the time of People Power. These two artists will be
the main points of discussion for this section, keeping in mind their large contribution to

43
Luis V. Teodoro, “Forgetting, Or Not Knowing: Media and Martial Law,” 232.
44
2002), 185.
45
Ibid., 186.
Philippine music history, and how they have influenced a vast number of Philippine musicians
after their time.
In order to contextualize the political and emotional unrest of musicians in the Martial
Law era, it is important to identify the culture and ideology of the said time. Both of which make
up the hegemony –
a concept which at once includes and goes beyond two powerful earlier concepts: that of
‘culture’ as a ‘whole social process,’ in which men define and shape their whole lives;
and that of ‘ideology,’ in any of its Marxist senses, in which a system of meanings and
values is the expression or projection of a particular class interest.46
According to this definition by Raymond Williams, culture and ideology are both crucial in
identifying the hegemony of one society. Music, regarded as pieces of oral history,47 is a part of
culture. More than the lifestyle side of culture, it is also the “necessary recognition of dominance
and subordination.”48 Thus, the realized oppression of Filipino people in the Martial Law era was
somehow etched in their culture. How this relationship of dominator and subordinated works is
highly a demonstration of ideology. Ideology, according to Williams, is “a relatively formal and
articulated system of meanings, values, and beliefs.” These ideologies, as said by Louis
Althusser,49 are manifested directly from the governing political power to the people of a society
by Repressive State Apparatus. The operation of Martial Law itself, which included imposed
curfews and media censorship, all under government control, was an example of Repressive

46
47
48
49
Louis Althusser, “From Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses: notes towards an
Investigation,” in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, ed. David Richter
(Boston: St. Martin’s, 1998), 1490.
State Apparatus in the 1970s Philippines. In knowing these two aspects of society, this study
now aims to answer the question: How did music challenge Martial Law hegemony?
The correlation between music and culture proves to us how a nation’s identity can
possibly be influenced by music. This kind of influence that oral traditions have on national
identity may be dated back to the epics and hymns of Filipino literature history. Reynaldo Ileto’s
book, Pasyon and Revolution, explores the relationship between the Pasyon; a mode of Catholic
prayer and song, and how it was greatly influenced by the context of repressed Filipinos under
Spanish rule – all geared towards the Philippine Revolution.
However, music in the Martial Law creates a new dimension for this relationship. The
medium has changed – music at that time was highly secular and was not disguised under the
cloak of religion, unlike the mentioned epics. Instead, it was a more direct and nationalistic
approach to the emotions and created camaraderie among masses. In order to explain this
thought fully, this study examined two songs written and popularized in the Martial Law Era:
Joey Pepe Smith’s “Ang Himig Natin,” and Freddie Aguilar’s “Bayan Ko.”
Joey “Pepe” Smith
Joseph Willaim Feliciano “Pepe” Smith was the heart and soul of Juan de la Cruz band.
Many people of his time believed that he was Philippine rock personified.50 He was born in 1947
of an American father and a Filipina mother. As a child, he always listened to US Armed Forces
radio – mostly dominated by American musicians. Then, he went to Manila to study after his
parents separated. In Manila, he learned about rock & roll and broke into the scene by making
his way, starting from the bottom51.

50
51
Ibid., 120.
His “Ang Himig Natin” was more of a simple, rock & roll, popular song – it was an
anthem of its time. It was released in 1973, which was a turbulent time for Philippine politics.
This was the same year when the 1973 Constitution was passed, which cloaked Marcos’
dictatorship under the guise of legality.52 Ruling elitism was at its height, as the masses
continued to endure subordination. The music did not stop playing, though – 1973 was a
hallmark for Filipino Rock & Roll classics as Joey Pepe Smith, along with his flagship Juan de la
Cruz Band, released “Ang Himig Natin” – a defining moment for Philippine music.
“Ang Himig Natin” was a call for Filipinos to come together (“Ang himig natin/ Ay
inyong awitin/ Upang tayo’y magsama-sama/ Sa langit na puno ng pag-asa”). Its slow-paced
half-time backbeat manifested a certain anguished atmosphere of losing hope. Its words and
harmony, simple yet powerful, made it an easy song to sing. Easy-listening songs like this allow
the audience to participate more in terms of turning the song into an anthem. Chord structures
were not complex; in short, this song was simple yet powerful. Both the technical and lyrical
aspects of the song collaborate in order to drive the song to popularity and a shared sentiment for
majority of the Filipinos under Martial Law.
The song “Ang Himig Natin” unifies the Filipino masses in an indirect approach to
political turmoil. It does not explicitly scream anger towards the Philippine government; rather it
is simply an attempt to bring the masses together in hoping for better days. In return, Joey Pepe
Smith responds to the call of unity with his song “Ang Himig Natin.”
Freddie Aguilar

52
Rigoberto D. Tiglao, “The Consolidation of the Dictatorship,” in Dictatorship and Revolution:
Roots of People’s Power, ed. Aurpra Javate De-Dios, Petronilo Bn. Daroy, and Lorna Kalaw-Tirol (Metro
Manila: Conspectus Foundation Incorporated, 1988), 29.
On the other hand, Freddie Aguilar took on a more power-ballad approach to his music.
The father of Generation X musician Megan Aguilar, writing music was not even a political
exercise for him – he started with the song “Anak,” which gained nationwide recognition for its
lyrical prowess and catchy music. “Anak” is a song about his experience of having a child in the
Philippines. Felipe de Leon Jr., a Filipino music aficionado, even notes how Anak had similar
qualities to the pasyon, which made it so easy for the masses to identify with.53 Freddie Aguilar’s
musical journey went on to 1986, as he released “Bayan Ko” – a straightforward call to oust the
Marcos regime.54
1986 was defined by the Filipinos’ accumulated anger from the past years of dictatorship.
It was a time of revolution, especially after the death of Ninoy Aquino, who fought for the
opposition until 1983. The hegemony was a prevailing sense of subordination by the government
and at the same time a call for revolutionary response and change. In this sense, music had
answered the call through the power of protest.
“Bayan Ko” was everyman’s hymn against the Marcos regime. Its catchphrase, “Ibon
mang may layang lumipad/ Kulungin mo at umiiyak” is until present-day, known for the many
references it has acquired. Almost every footage of the People Power uses it; pertaining to its
powerful message and influence in the Filipino people. More importantly, the masses identified
with the meanings of the song, and somehow its collective power had brought people together in
chanting its chorus in the People Power Revolution.
Reflecting the clutches of Martial Law era’s hegemony, “Bayan Ko’s” lyrics are filled
with imagery that change from an ideal state to one that is in peril; from “Lupain ng ginto’t

53
2002), 186.
54
Ibid., 187.
bulaklak/ Pag-ibig nasa kanyang palad/ Nag-alay ng ganda’t dilag,” to “Bayan ko, binihag ka/
Nasadlak sa dusa.” The shift from images from beauty to hostility paints a picture of how
Martial Law has affected Philippine society. The song, then, goes into resolution as the chorus
ends with “Aking adhika/ Makita ka’ng sakdal laya,” suggesting change for the good of the
country.
Western influence
The music of Juan de la Cruz band and most of their fellow artists was influenced by a
movement in Western music called punk. Punk, more often than not, was the way musicians
expressed their distaste for government. Themes such as anarchy, radical change, and skepticism
are observed as the usual concepts of punk music and lyrics.55 Their music, made usually out of
three or four power-chords (an easier way to play major/minor chords) per song, is a statement in
itself – that punk music does not rely heavily on articulation, but on loud delivery. Likewise,
Pepe Smith and other proprietors of ‘70s and 80’s Philippine music adopted this approach to the
convergence of music and politics. Ironically, though, Pepe Smith’s punk influences are least
evident in “Ang Himig Natin.” The song is mellow, as compared to most of his other songs
which are strictly punk, such as “Titser’s Enemy No. 1,” “Laki Sa Layaw,” and “Kahit Anong
Mangyari.”
Other music from folk and power ballad genres were also initiated by Western solo artists
ranging from Bob Dylan to Jon Bon Jovi. Their lyric-driven style of songwriting appealed to the
emotional side of music. This allowed them to write more personal but nonetheless politically-
grounded lyrics. The combination of both results to the music of Freddie Agular, and the
crooners of his time such as Heber Bartolome.

55
Ryan Cooper, “Political Punk Bands,” About.com: Punk Music, [news on-line]; available from
http://punkmusic.about.com/od/punk101/tp/politipunklist.htm; Internet; accessed 23 September 2009.
Conclusion
Truly, music has provided the People Power not necessarily with catalysts of revolution
and change, but pegs and benchmarks for cooperation and identity. Music, as a response to the
overwhelming hegemony of the Martial Law era, had become a vehicle for upheavals against a
long-term struggle. It is important to note that the contributions of music from this era are
regarded as the classics of Original Philippine Music, creating a foundation for Philippine
music’s identity. As soon as Marcos’ dictatorship ended, so did the spirit of ‘70s-‘80s music,
giving way to a new breed of younger artists in the 1990s.
Original Philippine Music in the 1990s
This section focuses on Philippine music in the 1990s. It will evaluate Original Philippine
music’s coming to terms with the end of Martial Law, the rise of music commercialism, and
Western influence. It is noticeable that more factors played roles in the formation of 1990s
Philippine music. In order to understand 1990s OPM, this study will focus on three defining
bands: Eraserheads for their youth-centric themes, Rivermaya for their romantic ballads, and
Parokya ni Edgar for their affinity to Philippine culture, and contextualize their music in the
study of 1990s OPM.
Political climate in the 1990s
It is important to note that the end of masses’ subordination ushered in an enormous
freedom to the Filipino people. Cory Aquino became president right after the Marcos regime
ended; thus a new set of ideologies, were about to face the Filipino people. The hegemony was
remodeled – the government gave more to the people, and in turn, the masses were less agitated.
Aquino’s term was defined as transitional, from dictatorship back to democracy.56 Accounts
about Cory Aquino’s administration point out that she was one of the very few incorruptible
leaders of the Philippines.57
Fidel V. Ramos, before his presidency, was known for his diligence and fidelity.58 In
spite of this, he ran an office defined by three events, all of them crises. First was his attempt to
amend the 1987 Constitution with its political and economic provisions. Second was a financial
crisis caused by the implosion of Thai Baht. The third and final event was the 1998 presidential
elections, wherein Joseph Estrada was deemed his successor.59
A crucial event in the history of Philippine politics happened in the ‘90s – the ousting of
president Joseph Estrada. The demise of his administration was attributed mostly to graft and
corruption, with accusations sprouting from physical evidence regarding his ill-gotten wealth.
Armando Doronilla, a collection of essays entitled Between Fires, offers fifteen different
outlooks on how to analyze the events that led to the fall of the Estrada administration. It
describes Estrada’s regime as a reign of a misleading personality. All of this added to the
Philippines’ widespread poverty and corruption – altogether leading to People Power 2 and his
impeachment.60

56
Corazon Aquino, The Aquino Administration: Record and Legacy (1986-1992) (Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1992), 347.
57
John Greenwald, Jay Branegan, and Nelly Sindayen, “The Philippines Cory, Coups, and
Corruption,” TIME.Com, 15 January 1990 [news on-line]; available from http://www.time
.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,969186,00.html; Internet; accessed 17 September 2009.
58
W Scott Thompson, Frederico M. Macaranas, Democracy and Discipline: Fidel V. Ramos and
His Philippine Presidency (Espana, Manila: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2006), 225.
59
Ibid., 199.
60
Armando Doronilla, “Introduction: The Specter of the Politics of Mass Mobilization,” in
Between Fires: Fifteen Perspectives on the Estrada Crisis (Pasig City: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2001).
1990s music: defining Philippine culture
If in the 1970s-1980s, Filipinos reached common ground on what to fight for, 1990s
ushered in self-exploration. An identity crisis was starting to form in the midst of the Philippine
nation. Juan de la Cruz and Freddie Aguilar set the tone of nationalism in the 1970s-1980s. It
was in doubt whether the continuity of these sentiments would last, due to the rise of music
commercialism. What was underground and independent then, started to blip under the radar of
major record labels.
The end of the Marcos regime brought back the Philippines’ reputation of having the
freest sectors of mass media in Asia.61 Not only was this true for newspapers and the print
industry – it also allowed the music industry to cultivate. This freedom gave way for Philippine
musicians to explore the identity of Philippine music.
As the same batch of musicians from the ‘80s (including APO Hiking Society, Joey
Ayala, etc.) still continued their careers in the ‘90s, the music industry was slowly being
dominated by younger people. The youth was crucial to the success of ‘90s music – not only
because they were consumers of the music industry, but also because they themselves set the
standards for music. The 1990s music scene gave birth to a new genre – Philippine hip-hop.
Francis Magalona, Philippine hip-hop legend, set the tone for his genre with songs such as “Mga
Kababayan Ko.” Along his career, he discovered Andrew E., another Philippine hip-hop pioneer
known for his sense of humor. It became known in the ‘90s that hip-hop was also available in
Philippine music. In Philippine rock, bands such as Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni
Edgar reached their heyday. The ‘90s also gave birth to other sub-genres of rock, which will be
discussed later.

61
2002), 164.
The 1980s paved the way for 1990s in various ways. At the dawn of the 1980s was
commercial success. Major record labels reformed the Philippine music industry by
acknowledging that there was talent in the underground scene, aside from the typical crooners
(with the likes of Ariel Rivera) that they have signed. The Philippine entertainment industry
realized that there was an audience not only for Philippine music, but for Philippine alternative
music in particular. In order to explain the industry’s change of target, this project goes into
Philippine music’s transition from 1980s-1990s.
The Philippine music industry did not see potential in the underground scene, until it
occurred to them that the USA started to acknowledge the growing audiences of underground
movements in their music industry. The Grunge movement in the USA, from its humble garage-
band beginnings, invaded major record labels in the ‘90s. With this happening, it meant that the
mainstream audience began to be more accepting of underground acts. The Philippines also went
through the same phenomenon, scouting for talents in the underground from bars such as Club
Dredd, Red Rocks, and Mayrics. These bars were homes to eventual rising stars such as the
Eraserheads.
Much can be said about the rapid growth of Philippine music from the ‘70s to the ‘90s,
but a striking observation is the change in themes. From being nationalistic, the lyrics of OPM
transitioned from patriotic ideals to self-serving ideals and experiences. This approach to rock
music, according to Lawrence Gossberg, allows the musician to possess a style, and maintain
her/his own identity through music – especially for the youth.62 True enough, majority of
uprising Philippine musicians in the 1990s belonged to a young age group of 20’s-30’s, as

62
Lawrence Gossenberg, Dancing In Spite of Myself: Essays on Popular Culture (Durham &
London: Duke University Press, 1997), 86.
compared to the 1970s and 1980s, which was largely made of musicians aged 30’s-40’s. In turn,
this affinity to the youth created a marketing phenomenon in the 1990s.
Nonetheless, the commercial success of Philippine music allowed OPM to emerge in
Philippine popular culture. This will be discussed further in the study of three defining bands of
the 1990s – Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar.
The Eraserheads
In 1989, Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro, and Buddy Zabala – four
teenagers who were dorm mates from UP Diliman, decided to form a band. Buendia named it
after the David Lynch cult movie – the Eraserheads.63 They landed average gigs once in a while,
until they were acknowledged as regulars in Club Dredd. Their first recording was in 1993, for
ultraelectromagneticpop!64 The release of said album was a commercial success, skyrocketing
the Eraserheads’ career.65 The Eraserheads were well known for their relevant songs in the 90s.
Their music is reminiscent of the lifestyle of Philippine youth in the 90s.
For example, their song “Julie Tearjerky” made a reference to a popular culture trend,
video gaming. The lyrics of the song specifically mentioned video game elements, such as
“Super strategy guide,” a text which leads a gamer to waypoints and strategies on how to finish a
game, and “It’s a Final Fantasy,” a game franchise from SquareSoft which reached its heyday in
the 90s with their seventh installment. The lyrics to this song were not video game-centric – it
juxtaposes video games with a girl named “Julie Tearjerky,” who seemed as a character
distanced from the persona’s realm, as the persona claims in the first line that she is “On the
phone.”

63
64
Ibid., 105.
65
Ibid., 106.
The ingenious mixture of alternative rock from Western influences and Filipino youth
culture allowed the Eraserheads to somehow create their own sound. This distinct characteristic
carried on in their later works, such as “Maskara,” and “Superproxy.” “Maskara,” a fast-paced
rock song known for its simple yet effective chord progressions, was a song about hiding one’s
identity in the face of problems: “Kung may problema ka/ Magsuot ng maskara/ Takpan mo ang
iyong mata/ Buong mundo’y mag-iiba.” “Superproxy,” on the other hand, was ahead of its time.
It was one of the first few alternative songs with the rhyme and meter of a hip-hop song, but with
the vocal melodies of a pop song. “Superproxy” was a song of escapism; replacing one’s self
with a “Superproxy,” when tired with her/his problems (“Sawa ka na ba/ Sa mga hassle sa
buhay mo/ Tamad ka na ba’ng mag-isip para sa sarili?... ‘Wag na’ng mag-atubili/ Gumamit na
ng Superproxy”). These two songs from the Eraserheads were somehow tied to the growing
identity crisis of Filipino youth. The Eraserheads, as it seemed, were suggesting escapism as a
solution to the problem.
“Overdrive,” from their album “Cutterpillow,” was a song of redundant lyrics, showing
immature repetitiveness. It goes, “Magda-drive ako hanggang Baguio/ Magda-drive ako
hanggang Batangas/ Tapos magsi-swimming do’n sa beach.” The persona in the lyrics
maintained enthusiasm, wanting to learn how to drive so s/he can get away from the everyday.
The chorus, “Gusto ko matuto mag-drive,” is hopeful, but futile as the persona claims: “Kahit na
wala akong kotse/ Kahit na walang lisensya.” This song captures the youth’s adamant desires to
escape responsibility, but unable to do so because of legal and financial constrains.
The Eraserheads ended their career in 2001 due to personal conflicts among themselves.
In spite of this, their legendary music lives on. Music critics still consider the Eraserheads as one
of the most influential bands in Philippine music history.

Rivermaya
Rivermaya, on the other hand, was the more romantic counterpart of Eraserheads. It was
in 1994 when senior members Bamboo Manalac, Nathan Azarcon, Rico Blanco, Perfecto De
Castro, and Mark Escueta gathered together to form Rivermaya.66 By this time, the underground
scene was gaining recognition. Rivermaya’s music was centered on themes of romance and love.
Romanticism was evident in ’90s music as bands such as Rivermaya released songs about
romantic endeavors. Regardless of whether these aspirations were hopeless or successful,
Rivermaya’s songs defined their generation’s emotional side, empowering Philippine youth
through turning romanticism from a personal idea to a cultural one by making the appreciation of
their music a shared experience. This was done through the mass consumption of their music.
Rivermaya captured the heart of Philippine youth in the ‘90s and wrote it in song. Having this in
mind, Rivermaya pioneered melodic rock in Philippine music.
This was seen in one of their first singles, “Adik Sa’yo,” comparing the persona’s
obsession with her/his pursuit to an addiction. The lyrics were: “Sa umaga’t sa gabi sa/ Bawa’t
minutong lumilipas/ Hinahanap-hanap kita.” What was alarming about this song was its bridge,
which was a statement delivered in spoken-word, seemingly taking on a stalker’s voice. Lines
such as “Sa school, sa flag ceremony/ Hanggang uwian araw-araw,” made this song relevant to
a huge number of listeners in their audience, which is composed of students.
Also, Rivermaya was relevant to the Philippine culture. Their song “Himala” captured
the Filipino people’s affinity with religion. The lyrics, “Himala/ Kasalanan ba’ng/ Humingi ako
sa langit ng/ Isang himala,” added a religious dimension to their music. “Himala” was a

66
“History & Milestones,” Rivermaya.net, [news on-line]; available from
http://www.rivermaya.net; Internet; accessed 23 September 2009.
certified hit, combining religion with romance. These two characteristics were both facets of
Philippine culture, made relevant by Rivermaya.
“214,” a ballad written in the persona of a lover, was a popular song that exaggeratedly
described love (“Everything won’t last/ I’ll be by your side”). It starts with a hook played in the
classical piano. The notes from this hook are superb, due to its flawless progression. The first
line of the song, “Am I real,” was characteristic of the persona’s experience as something surreal.
More importantly, the song “241” was acknowledged for its melodies, reminiscent of ballads
from the 80s and early 90s.
“Kisapmata,” one of Rivermaya’s melodic pop songs, was about the fickle, ever-
changing aspect of a relationship. It compares a lover’s fast-paced turn of events to the blink of
an eye, singing: “O kay bilis naman maglaho ng pag-ibig mo sinta/ Daig mo pa’ng isang
kisapmata.” This song relies on its standard, common time backbeat and ordinary dynamics,
while the vocals are melody-driven. Dumbfounded, the persona tries to comprehend the “game”
of love in song through its metaphors.
Finally, Rivermaya also had one anthem song in the 1990s – “Panahon Na Naman.” It
was about a season of love being a felt experience not just to a couple exclusively, but to a whole
culture. “Masdang maigi ang mga mata ng mga tao/ Nakasilip ang isang bagong saya,”
captures the image of a love-filled season. Moreover, Rivermaya challenges its listeners by
saying “Gumising ka/ Tara na,” bringing people together to an experience of love and romance.
Parokya ni Edgar
Unlike the former bands mentioned, Parokya ni Edgar was highly influenced by recent
Philippine music. Formed in Ateneo de Manila High School circa 1993,67 Parokya ni Edgar had
one characteristic in common with an old Philippine music group, APO Hiking Society – humor.
Later in their career, they would re-make APO Hiking Society’s classic, “Pumapatak Na Naman
Ang Ulan.” Comedy was the specialty of Parokya ni Edgar, along with many references to
Philippine culture. They are referred to today as “Ang Banda Ng Bayan,” translated as “Band of
the Country,” because of the strong theme of Philippine culture in their music. The music of
Parokya ni Edgar was oftentimes comic, but still deeply-rooted in the Philippine context and
culture.
One of their 1999 releases, “Picha Pie,” was a mock re-make of the popular 90s karaoke
song “I Will Survive.” A notable characteristic of this song, aside from its witty re-writing of the
music on electric guitars, was the language used. It was a mockery of the Philippine masses’
limited capabilities with the English language. The lyrics went: “As first I was afraid/ To eat a
picha pie/ Kept thinking this is not a good/ This is a picha pie…” (sic).
Another famous parody of Parokya ni Edgar was “Trip.” It was loosely based on the
Radiohead hit “Creep,” a ‘90s anthem from the West about being weird, different, and outcast.
Instead, Parokya ni Edgar’s song “Trip” was about a certain “Shaolin House” and siopao, a
Filipino favorite from Chinese cuisine.
Being deeply-rooted in the Philippine culture, the band Parokya ni Edgar had its way of
citing certain Philippine traditions and contextualizing them into the 90s, thus making them
relevant. Two examples of such would be their songs “Harana” and “Simbang Gabi.”

67
“Parokya ni Edgar Biography,” Parokyaniedgar.net, [news on-line]; available from
http://parokyaniedgar.net; Internet; accessed 23 September 2009.
“Harana,” an acoustic song that plays on a minimal number of chords, revives the old
Philippine tradition of serenading. The lyrics, “Uso pa ba ang harana?/… Sino ba ‘tong/
Mukhang gagong/ Nagkandarapa sa pagkanta…/ Meron pa’ng dalang/ mga rosas/ suot nama’y/
maong na kupas,” highlighted the tradition of serenading as an irrelevant activity, but sweet
nonetheless.
Despite the negative connotations of binge drinking, “Inuman Na” was one of Parokya ni
Edgar’s best songs in the ‘90s.“Inuman Na” was about coming together and forgetting about
worries in the spirit of drinking: “Tama na ‘yan, inuman na/ Hoy pare ko, tumagay ka/
Nananabik na lalamunan/ Naghihintay nag-aabang.” The music video of this song was, indeed,
a coming together – it featured famous popular culture icons in the Philippines such as the
character Yosi Balasi (an anti-smoking campaign) and German Moreno (more popularly known
as Kuya Germs of DATS Entertainment). The song ends in a chant, “La-la-la-la-la-la-lasing,”
as a chorus of seemingly drunk people sing along.
Western influence
Much of the Western influence in the Eraserheads’ music can be heard in in their album
“Cutterpillow.” The LP, composed of 17 cuts, exhibits the characteristics of the Eraserheads’
music subtly shaped by Western trends. Songs such as “Poorman’s Grave” and “Cutterpillow”
were reminiscent of Western blues from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, with the likes of Bob Dylan.
“Poorman’s Grave,” a song that paints the portrait of a struggling middle-class man, operated on
the pentatonic blues scale – the standard music scale for blues music, which originated in the
West. “Cutterpillow’s” use of a harmonica as the lead instrument sounded similar to Bob
Dylan’s music. Blues, after all, is considered as one of the forefathers of rock & roll.68

68
David McCarthy, The Golden Age of Rock (London: The Apple Press, 1990), 8.
Nonetheless, “Cutterpillow” was dubbed by critics as one of Philippine music’s finest records,
containing the Eraserheads’ hit singles “Overdrive,” “Superproxy,” “Huwag Mo Nang
Itanong,” “Fine Time,” and the famous “Ang Huling El Bimbo.”
Western influence in Rivermaya’s music is mostly brought about by the technicalities in
their music. With their guitars tuned to standard E, songs are easily catchy and vocally doable.
This made their music click. Also, their reliance on half-time and down-tempo beats instead of
double-time up-tempo beats offered a relaxed, melody-centric kind of music. Queen, a ‘70s band
from London, wrote ballads such as “Love of My Life” and “Is This The World We Created?”
which are examples of such songs. Rivermaya also wrote some of their songs in English. The
band’s UK influences were carried out all the more in the departure of Bamboo Manalac, as Rico
Blanco took the leadership duties and was heavily influenced by Coldplay and U2.
Parokya ni Edgar’s lyrics were Filipino in nature, but their music was also influenced by
Western music’s technical aspects. Their chord progressions and structures were loosely based
on American songwriting. The tuning of their guitar to standard E made their songs heavily rely
on standard, major chord progressions – a trend of Western pop music influence. Also, the
songwriting structures that Parokya ni Edgar undertook (especially in their earlier years)
followed Western standards. An example of which is their very first song “Buloy.” It captures
the story of a man named Buloy in a linear motion; following the standard way of storytelling in
the structure of the song’s lyrics, but still subscribed to the standard verse-chorus-verse structure.
Other movements in ‘90s OPM
Developments in ‘90s OPM were not only obvious in the careers of the Eraserheads,
Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar. A music sub-culture known as metal also grew in the 90s.
Wolfgang, more commonly known as a cono-rock band, was highly likened to the Western metal
band Metallica. Basti Artadi, Wolfgang’s vocalist, was usually compared to Kirk Hammet of
Metallica because of their similar voices. Wolfgang had in them a Western feel, with their chord
progressions and scales loosely based on Western metal bands.
A growing sub-genre of metal was also considered to begin in the 90s. In the Philippines,
nu-metal was considered a growing force. This movement started with the birth of bands such as
Greyhoundz, Slapshock, and ChicoScience (now known as Chicosci). These bands were
acknowledged for mixing metal music and rap vocal styles. This style was known to begin in the
U.S. with bands such as Limp Bizkit, Korn, and later on, KidRock. Despite their success in
breaking new music grounds, Greyhoundz, Slasphock, and ChicoScience had less commercial
success as compared to the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar due to their strong
lyrics, indiscriminate use of vulgar language, and their hardcore culture.
As it was mentioned earlier, the rise of Philippine hip-hop also occurred in the 1990s.
Acts such as Francis Magalona, Andrew E., Death Threat, and Blackdyak created a culture of
hip-hop in Philippine music. Although their rhymes, meters, and styles were highly influenced
by Western artists, their music was still Filipino due to their language and themes.
Continuities and Discontinuities
The transition between the ‘80s to the ‘90s was characterized by its continuing focus on
Philippine culture. Despite the growing trends of commercialism in the ‘90s, the bands discussed
earlier still had an affinity for Philippine culture. On the other hand, nationalism was seldom the
theme of ‘90s music. Instead, Philippine identity was manifested through their youthful culture
and adoption of old traditions, turning them into more relative subjects (case in point: Parokya ni
Edgar’s similarities with APO Hiking Society).

The musical styles and genres also continued throughout these decades. It was out of this
continuity that OPM was born into Philippine culture. These decades have set the standards for
OPM, and these said standards still apply to OPM today. On the other hand, it cannot be helped
that foreign genres and styles have influenced Philippine musicians. These said genres and styles
will be the focus of Contemporary Philippine Music, as discussed in Chapter III.
Recapitulation
Philippine music in the 1970s and 1980s somehow laid the groundwork for the new batch
of musicians of the 1990s. Despite their relative lack of freedom, ‘70s and ‘80s musicians found
their way around the felt subordination due to the Martial Law era. This gave birth to the identity
of Philippine music as nationalistic and driving force for change, taking punk music’s attitude
from the West and making it their own by singing about political turmoil and change.
As the next decade was ushering in, commercialism in music reached its height. Major
record labels signed bands from the independent music scene, allowing them to garner more
exposure. The Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar were three pillars of 90s music,
each of them important to their own respect. The Eraserheads was the voice of the Philippine
youth of the 90s, Rivermaya was known for their talent in romantic ballads, and Parokya ni
Edgar made humorous music mashed with elements of Philippine culture.
To conclude, 1990s OPM was characterized mainly by three aspects: simple, Western-
influenced music, references to Philippine culture, and lyrics that identify with the Philippine
masses. The musical development of ‘90s musicians was shaped by the Western grunge trend of
using simple chord progressions and melodic vocals. The lyrics of 90s OPM were grounded on
Philippine culture, as seen in their constant references to traditions and activities from the
everyday Filipino lifestyles. Lastly, this combination allowed 90s Philippine music to garner
commercial success due to how the masses were able to relate to it.
CHAPTER III
CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE MUSIC
Introduction
First, it is important to note that the term Contemporary Philippine Music was arbitrarily
chosen by me. I chose the word contemporary with the help of Ms. Guevara, because of its
implications of the present-time. By Contemporary Philippine Music, I mean Philippine music
made in the 2000s decade that are heavily inclined to foreign ideas through their discriminate use
of the English language, musical techniques that prescribe to modern Western influences, and
recognized by foreign audiences through contemporary means of communication.
The reason why I separated Contemporary Philippine Music from Original Philippine
music was because there were certain distinct characteristics that both categories of Philippine
music did not share. This chapter aims to discuss Contemporary Philippine Music in light of
Philippine music’s growth in the 2000s decade. Moreover, the difference does not only lie in the
music’s technical characteristics whatsoever – it is also in the growth of the target audience, the
industry, and how Philippine music plays its role in the theory of hegemony. If my discussion of
OPM relied heavily on Raymond Williams’ views of hegemony, this chapter anchors its theories
on Edward Said’s Orientalism.
This chapter aims to discuss Contemporary Philippine Music in this order: first, by
describing the political context of the 2000s decade. This entails an examination of the
prosumerism trend in the 2000s and how it affected the music industry. Then, this chapter will
discuss how the Internet, when turned into a commodity in the 2000s, also affected the music
scene. After discussing factors that changed the music industry, this chapter will cite bands that
have contributed to the Contemporary Philippine Music scene.
Context of Contemporary Philippine Music
Political climate
In 2001, another People Power Revolution was held in the EDSA Shrine. Thousands of
people gathered to fight for justice as President Joseph Estrada was accused of graft and
corruption. As his impeachment trials were held, the opposition found the hearings unfair and
started the revolution. Estrada was ousted in January 2001, and was succeeded by his Vice
President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Despite high hopes for the new administration, GMA’s office was also clouded by
scandals – the most famous one being the “Hello Garci” scandal, which revealed to the public
that the 2004 elections which put GMA back to presidency, was rigged. Macapagal-Arroyo’s
presidential career is coming to an end in the 2010 elections.
In the 2000s decade, some musicians have gone back to the ways of ‘80s Philippine
music by making their art once again socially active. For example, RockEd Philippines, a non-
government organization launched in 2005, created a roster of musicians and artists to raise
social awareness in their respective fields. Their roster includes a good number of well-known
bands such as the members of Terno Recordings (Radioactive Sago Project, Up Dharma Down,
etc). Their biggest annual event, Rock The Riles, is a seven-venue concert simultaneously
happening in different Metro Rail Transit stations across Metro Manila. Rock The Riles happens
every first Sunday of December to commemorate Human Rights Day. Its main goal is to raise
awareness of the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations.

Also, warnings of climate change clouded the Philippines in the 2000s decade. Reports
from NASA69 have cited that the Philippines is one of the countries that would be most affected
by climate change. Despite these warnings, the government has failed to take precautionary
measures, as seen in the amount of damage the country suffered in 2009.
In October 2009, Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) hit Northern Luzon and alarmed majority of
the Filipinos in NCR. Due to government’s lack of reliability, the private sector provided relief
goods for the victims and used the Internet to disseminate news and information. Radio stations
opened their lines for SOS messages and relief operation updates. Jam 88.3’s RockEd Radio host
Gang Badoy relayed information on air for almost 24 hours for seven days. Also, Jam 88.3 came
up with Project Ondoy, which opened their radio station to all musicians who desired to play on
air in order to raise awareness from their respective areas. My band, Don’t Forget, Clementine,
was a part of this project.
The political climate of the 2000s did not affect music as much as it did in the past
decades. Rather, changes in the global market and the rise of the Internet were the two factors
that altered the course of Philippine music.
Prosumerism in the 2000s
In the 2000s, professional devices were also easily made available to the masses. A
branch of consumerism, dubbed prosumerism by experts, conjoins the concept of the person as a
consumer and a producer or professional at the same time.70 Michael Quinion of World Wide
Words defines prosumerism as a term that

69
"AFP: Climate change could devastate Philippines: NASA scientists," AFP.COM, [news on-
line]; available from http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i22WUnqj4fH0nhefrF
GUVC45kbSQ; Internet; accessed 25 November 2009.
70
Stephanie Syjuco, “PROSUMERISM: social networking = free labor?,” anti-factory, [news on-
line]; available from http://www.stephaniesyjuco.com/antifactory/blog/2007/04/
…describes a purchaser of technical equipment who wants to obtain goods of a better
quality than consumer items, but can’t afford professional items (older terms for goods of
this intermediate quality are semi-professional and industrial quality). Here, the word is a
blend of professional and consumer. Prosumers of this sort are famed for their
enthusiasm for new products and their tolerance of flaws and, from the marketing point
of view, have much in common with early adopters. This usage is common among those
selling video equipment, digital cameras, and similar goods (and the examples below
illustrate this sense). Some manufacturers treat the SOHO (Small Office, Home Office)
market as being much the same thing.71
This movement has allowed for Do-It-Yourself activities to gain popularity in the 2000s. For
example, YouTube videos are dominated by homemade videos from everyday consumers. This
project focuses on how prosumerism has affected music-making in the 2000s.
For example, music recording devices such as the Line 6 UX1 are readily available in
major music stores such as Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music in the United States. These stores
have corresponding websites where any user can order these devices and have them shipped to
their houses. In the Philippines, PhilMusic.Com, a message board open to all Internet users is a
market where users can buy, sell, and trade their equipment.
Home recordings for music have been on the rise in the 2000s decade. Typecast, a band
from Laguna City, started out with one home-recorded album (Last Time, also independently
released) and gained fame as their music was recognized in Manila. As soon as prosumerism
made home recording available to the masses, a new sub-culture called “indie” (short for
independent) has grown. Members of this sub-culture are film, music, art, and culture enthusiasts
who appreciate works, or are the artists themselves, free from major record labels and
corporations.

prosumerism-social-networking-free.html; Internet; accessed 02 November 2009.
71
Michael Quinion, "World Wide Words: Prosumer," World Wide Words, [news on-line];
available from http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-pro4.htm; Internet; accessed 25
November 2009.
Since then, indie bands and musicians have proven that they do not need help from
multinational corporations and major record labels to make their music. Even internationally-
renowned bands severed their ties with major record labels due to suffocating deals and business
matters getting out of hand. An example of which was the Smashing Pumpkins, which released
their sixth studio album Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music for free, as a
statement against their former record label. The album was self-produced and recorded by Billy
Corgan, the band’s frontman. Another example was Trent Reznor, the founder of Nine Inch
Nails, who also quit his major record label deal because of business matters. Reznor pioneered
Internet-releasing albums for free when he released Ghosts I-IV in 2008. The same year,
Radiohead followed with In Rainbows, also available for free downloading in their website.
These contemporary marketing models were followed by many of their listeners and
musicians alike. Since recording devices, music instruments, and production tools were
affordable and available to the everyday consumer, the indie scene peaked in the 2000s. But this
happened also because the Internet also offered musicians and listeners free reign over social
networking.
The rise of the Internet
According to experts, the conception of the Internet dates back to 1957, when the USA
established the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).72 The establishment focused on
networking in its earliest days, trying to figure out how to connect nodes cross-country. By 1992,
the Internet was made public.73 Since then, the many developments in the Internet, including
styles of programming, social networking, and advertisement have proven technological

72
Dave Kristula, "The History of the Internet," [news on-line]; available from
http://davesite.com/webstation/net-history4.shtml; Internet; accessed 02 November 2009.
73
Ibid.
advancement to be a commodity, paving way to the information age. Information dissemination
was a staple characteristic of the Internet, making knowledge spread like wildfire in a small
amount of time. Wikipedia.org, for example, is an open-source encyclopedia website where users
can freely add or subtract any information they want about any article.
Moreover, the Internet vastly improved in the social networking department over the past
decade. Websites such as Friendster, Hipster, Facebook, and YouTube have allowed Internet
users to connect with ease, making it possible for information to spread in great speed.
In the music scene, MySpace.com helped independent artists by allowing them to spread
their works worldwide for free. The band Typecast, for example, is best known for their
MySpace.com popularity. Through uploading songs in MySpace.com, musicians are able to
share their music for free, thus gaining more exposure. MysSpace.com, also a social networking
site, allows its musicians to interact with fans through private messaging and posting comments
on their pages. Other similar music-oriented sites are PureVolume.com, and
Amp.ChannelV.com, which is especially made for Asian artists. OdysseyLive.net, a Philippines-
based music networking site, was recently launched in the late 2000s to cater to Philippine
artists.
Despite its advantages, the Internet has also created problems for musicians. In the year
2000, Metallica, an American rock band, sued Napster – a software that allowed Internet users to
share music for free, authored by students.74 Metallica strongly believed that they were being
exploited because their music could be accessed by Internet users without having to pay for their
albums. They sued Napster over two violations, namely: copyright infringement, and unlawful

74
Christopher Jones, "Metallica Rips Napster," WIRED.com, [news on-line]; available from
http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2000/04/35670; Internet; accessed 03 November 2009.
use of digital audio interface devices.75 Since then, the Recording Industry Association of
America has been strict with Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing software and programs that operate
on the same level. Recently, the development of Torrent technology has raised piracy awareness
among many major record labels and legal firms. Torrents, like P2P software, distribute free
media. Unlike P2P software, though, torrents have better quality control through filtering dummy
files and faster download speeds.76 A torrent website, ThePirateBay.org, recently lost against
RIAA in a court case over copyright infringement.
Globalization and Orientalism
First of all, it is important to note that Orientalism is a theory that studies the relations
between two geographical entities: the East and West.77 In a nutshell, Edward Said argues that
the Orient is acting according to the Occident, which dictates as the ruling hegemony.78 Despite
critics saying that Orientalism is Euro-centric and cannot be applied to all cases in point, it is still
a cultural theory that is relevant to contemporary issues, including the changes in the history of
Philippine music.
It is evident that majority of Philippine music is influenced by Western ideas. For
example, according to my timeline, Original Philippine Music started in the ’70s and ’80s. The
music that came from this decade was dominated by punk rock acts such as Joey Pepe Smith.
Punk rock, in itself, is a Western subculture that focuses on nonconformity and going against the

75
Ibid.
76
Paul Gil, "Torrents 101: The Basics of How Bittorrents Work," About.com: Internet For
Beginners, [news on-line]; available from http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/peersharing/a/
torrenthandbook.htm; Internet; accessed 03 November 2009.
77
78
Ibid., 1280
flow. This relationship between Eastern and Western music – one being dominated by the other,
has continued to present day. As a matter of fact, Said’s claim that there is “very little resistance
on the Orient’s part”79 is still proven to be true, as seen in the scheme of music internationally.
If Original Philippine Music in the ’90s was slightly influenced by the West,
Contemporary Philippine Music is largely dominated by Western ideas of music. For example,
the new subgenres and trends in Western music such as the indie scene, emotional, and
experimental music are easily adopted by Philippine musicians. Taking a closer look into
Contemporary Philippine Music, its choice of discriminately using the English language in itself
is a strong manifestation of the domination of Western ideas.
In the context of this project, the influence that Western ideas has over the Orient is not
limited to music. It carries over to the process of making music – such as ideas and themes and
lyric writing, and the process of recording music. This influence also manifests itself through the
effects of prosumerism and the Internet. As musicians, we believe that by default, music and
recording equipment from the West are better than any of what we have in Asia. Social
networking and music sharing websites that are based in America are also favored over our very
own, such as Odysseylive.net.
The downside of this relationship is that it takes colonialism to a more subtle,
contemporary level. It strengthens the West’s domination over the East through conformity and
to some extent, flattery. Also, it shows dependence of musical thought on Western ideas, thus a
deeper, intellectual sense of colonialism. Moreover, it disregards Philippine music’s long-before
identity stemming from its ethnic roots as a valid source of inspirations for Contemporary

79
Ibid., 1281
Philippine Music. Therefore, it appears as if all of Contemporary Philippine Music’s ideas,
themes, and creative outputs are borrowed from the West.
On the upside, the Philippine music culture has been following the footsteps of its
Western counterparts – so much so that it is a possible reason why Contemporary Philippine
Music is recognized by Western audiences more easily today than in the past decades. The
relationship of domination and subordination between West and East was used to Philippine
music’s advantage, making Contemporary Philippine Music raise its standards accordingly.
Thus, music from the Philippines was easily acceptable to a more international crowd. Examples
of this phenomenon will be discussed in the following section.
In effect, globalization, prosumerism, and the rise of the Internet have shaped the course
of Philippine music as advantages for local musicians.
Contemporary Philippine Music
The 2000s music scene
Although the 2000s scene is best known for propagating change in Philippine music’s
image, OPM was still known to be a strong force. Bands such as Itchyworms and Sugarfree were
still hailed as chart-toppers, making Contemporary Philippine Music an alternative genre (but
important nonetheless).
Sugarfree was reminiscent of the Eraserheads largely due to Ebe Dancel’s vocal style,
always likened to Ely Buendia’s. The measures of Sugarfree’s talent did not end in their
recordings, it was their live performances that set them apart. Based on my own experience of
watching them live, there was never a time when Ebe Dancel followed his lyrics and vocal
melodies on record whenever he would play live. He would play around with what has been cast
in stone, in turn making their live shows a more exciting experience. Sugarfree’s lyrics are
effective because of their use of the Filipino language and their affinity to contemporary
Philippine culture. An example of this kind of work of theirs would be their song “Dear Kuya,”
about the persona whose brother left the country to earn a living. It is a musical commentary on
the rising number of overseas workers, saying “Kuya, ‘pag may kumausap sa’yo, galingan mo
mag-ingles/ Galingan mo, kuya.” The song also shows the ever-welcoming Filipino family,
always there for each other: “Nasa’n ka man ngayon/ Ano ma’ng oras may kailangan/ Tawag ka
lang sa amin/ At parang nandito ka na rin, kuya.”
Itchyworms, on the other hand, was one of the very first bands in the Ateneo Musicans’
Pool roster. They started as independent artists, making their way to the music industry. What
made the Itchyworms special was their affinity to the Filipino youth. Their songs such as “Beer”
(“Ano ba talaga’ng mas gusto ko/ Ang beer na ‘to o ang pag-ibig mo?”) and “Akin Ka Na
Lang” (“Akin ka na lang/ Iingatan ko ang puso mo/ At wala na’ng hihigit pa sa’yo… ‘Di naman
sa sinisiraan ko ang pangit na ‘yan”) are commentaries of youthful, almost juvenile themes that
garnered much appreciation from the Philippine audience. Amidst all of this, the Itchyworms
showed their socially-relevant side in their album Noontime Show. The compilation’s last cut,
“Production Number,” was a 12-minute long opus with lyrics being a satirical commentary of the
Philippine masses’ addiction to the media and television: “Mag-production number tayo kahit
hindi bagay/ Pagsamahin ang mga baguhan ‘dun sa mga sanay/ Magkunwari tayo na walang
sumasablay/ Dahil lahat tayo’y kumakantang sabay-sabay.”
Music Manila-centric no more
In the prior decades, popular Philippine music was largely located in Manila’s urban
sectors. But as Internet connections were made available to the majority of private sectors – not
only in Luzon but also in Mindanao, music from southern regions of the country found their way
to penetrate the Philippines’ capital city. Hailing from Cebu City was Urbandub, and from
Laguna was Typecast. It is evident that both of these bands were inclined to using the English
language, and their styles of music are different from OPM’s. That being said, they are the
proprietors of Contemporary Philippine Music, and paved way to many other bands from all
parts of the country to rise, such as Faspitch (Cebu), Imbue No Kudos (Olongapo), Rugis
(Lucena), and many more.
Urbandub
Urbandub started as a reggae band in the early 2000s as a reggae, beach music-based
band. In their second album Influence, the song “Sailing” proved this to be true – about the many
activities one can do in the beach (“Motion in the ocean/ Let’s go all the way.”) A follow-up to
this beach song was their track “Life Is Easy” from their latest album Under Southern Lights. It
was, once again, about the steady, relaxed life in the beach (“Feel the water go through my
empty hands/ ‘Cuz the day is fine/ No troubles in my mind…”). As their career progressed,
Urbandub seemed to find their comfort zones in the emo genre, lyrically driven and with music
(guitar work and beats alike) influenced by trending American emo bands such as Thursday. In
their third album Embrace, tracks such as “Frailty” and “First of Summer” were known for their
emotional lyrics such as “This bottle is bringing me down/ No comfort for me in this town,” and
“We’re giving it up/ And just a little more/ This heartfelt leap, I surrender/ Arms raised tonight,”
respectively.
As they continued to spread their music online and live with the help of Sonic Boom
Productions, they were discovered and appreciated by many listeners in the United States and
around Asia. In November 2009, they were invited to play in Singapore, with Angulo (Manila)
as their opening act. Urbandub also had the privilege to play in Baybeats, a music festival in
Singapore, in 2007. Some time in 2009, they are also slated to tour the United States along with
Typecast.
Typecast
Typecast is an emo band from Laguna City. They made their Manila debut in 2006,
releasing a music video for their song “Another Minute Until Ten” that aimed to raise awareness
regarding teenage suicides. Once they found air time in Manila-based radio stations, they also
started to upload their music on the Internet, and were shortly discovered by Sonic Boom
Productions. They are popularly known in the Internet as the pioneers of Myspace.com and
Purevolume.com’s usage in the Philippines – both music networking sites that allow worldwide
access to a user’s music recordings.
Like Urbandub, Typecast’s music is also lyrically-driven through its choice of dark,
emotional words, and use of the English language and Western themes. Their song, “The Boston
Drama,” off their third studio album Every Moss and Cobweb, is a good example of these
characteristics. The chorus, “Would you come back in a heartbeat?/ Don’t be confused of what a
great thing we can be/ Take a walk at the same street/ And can you tell me what Boston is like/
Without me?” But, Typecast’s music is more emotional than Urbandub, due to Steve Badiola’s
heavy usage of falsetto vocal melodies, and the guitar work’s less-intricate riffs, giving a more
dimmed and cold feeling to the music. Typecast’s music is highly influenced by American emo
bands such as Dashboard Confessional and Copeland.
Currently, Typecast is recording their fourth album – far away from their emo sound,
they have focused on the post-hardcore subgenre, heavily influenced by Underoath, As I Lay
Dying, Glassjaw, among others from the United States. They are booked to perform in Hong
Kong on the 28th of November, and to accompany Urbandub in the USA tour.
In other parts of Asia, such trends are also helping expose talented bands. Over the
semestral break, I had the opportunity to meet A Vacant Affair, a post-hardcore band from
Singapore, who visited Manila under the care of Sonic Boom Productions.
Tonight We Sleep
Tonight We Sleep is a Manila-based band. Three of its members are currently in college:
Paolo Owyong (drums) and Ton Vegel de Dios (guitars) are both from Ateneo de Manila
University, while Rex Ferriols (bass) is from University of the Philippines. Their eldest member,
Argee Guerrero (vocals), graduated De La Salle University in 2007. Tonight We Sleep was
formed when all of its members were studying in Ateneo de Manila High School. They were
linked from their former bands, BIT and Hansom, both regulars in variety shows and small-time
high school gigs. Sharing the same interests, they decided to form Tonight We Sleep in
December 2007. Their major influences are New Found Glory and Fight Star, both emo-punk
bands from America.
In July 2008, they were named as the second band in the Mary Moon Productions roster,
the first being Kuwago. Mary Moon Productions is an independent group of events organizers
catering to the music, theater, and film enthusiasts in the student-level target market. A few
months after their addition to the roster, Tonight We Sleep started to record an album. Their
compositions, written in chronological order of which was completed first, are: “Tonight We
Sleep,” “Gabrielle,” “Angels Leave in November,” “Superman (The Side You Never See),”
“Everything On Hold, He, The Anchor,” “Enough,” and “Pulling You Down.” Most of these
songs were written by Paolo Owyong and Argee Guerrero.

Tonight We Sleep’s music is a range of emotional music, due to their lyrics, and
alternative punk. Riff-driven songs such as “Gabrielle” and “Angels Leave in November” are
reminiscent of New Found Glory and Fight Star’s head-banging, half-time instrumentals that
evoke emotion. Also, Guerrero and Vergel de Dios’ use of octaves in their chord progressions
(such as in “He, The Anchor”) provide the feeling of melancholy. Their frequent use of the 3/3
waltz time signature make their compositions sound depressed but energetic nonetheless.
Most of their songs, especially “Gabrielle” and “Angels Leave In November,” were
written about their friends, according to Owyong. “Gabrielle,” lamenting about a tragic
relationship (“I said I want to forget you/ Some wounds just never heal/ With a thorn for every
heart/ You punctured mine to seal the deal”) is known to be one of their oldest songs, thus
becoming an anthem for their fans. “Angels Leave In November,” on the other hand, is a song
about the persona loving someone from afar: “Don’t say that it’s done… Over the years I stood
up for you/ More than you’ll ever know/ But still, you let me go.” “Superman (The Side You
Never See)” is remarkably distinct from these songs, because it is a commentary about the life of
Clark Kent, the superhero, as seen in the TV series Smallville. It says, “How long will you stand
there waiting… When everyone needs me more than you/ How do I let go?” Owyong’s
songwriting is sometimes reliant in imagery, as seen in their song “He, The Anchor,” which
goes: “I can see your hands reaching through the waters/ I can’t stand watching you drown/ But I
can’t pull you out if you’re weighing yourself down/ Just let me breathe life into your tired
lungs/ I can think of a million ways/ To teach you how to swim/ So let go of him.”
According to Owyong, their album’s recording process has been a fruitful one. Half of
their drum tracks were recorded in Love One Another Studios, and the rest were recorded in the
Garcia residence, including guitar tracks and vocals. Their producers, Yael Yuzon (Sponge
Cola), Armo Armovit (formerly Rampqueen and Sponge Cola), and Yosef Garcia (formerly
Rampqueen), have said it themselves: “You only record a first album once, so we really want
you to acquire the sound you want.”
Despite the album being recorded in Yosef Garcia’s household, Owyong believes that it
is not a home recording, due to Garcia’s equipment and ability to maximize quality through his
knowledge in the field. The three producers, Yuzon, Garcia, and Armovit, have had experience
in dealing with major record labels in recordings. Their application of this knowledge has
allowed Tonight We Sleep to get a pristine sound.
Continuities and Discontinuities
Despite the fact that OPM is a continuing force in this decade, this study maintains that
Contemporary Philippine Music has taken over popular music. The linguistics of musicians has
transitioned from local to international as they chose to write songs with the English language.
Also, the theme of Philippine culture is hardly seen in any of the bands mentioned in this
chapter. Moreover, as these bands begin to create their own niche of contemporary artists,
Philippine identity is lost in their works. On the other hand, the influence of Western music
styles and genres continues. From the ‘70s until the present day, it is still evident that Philippine
music is influenced by Western ideas.
Recapitulation
Contemporary Philippine Music is music from the 2000s decade that discriminately uses
the English language, with musical styles influenced by subgenres developed post-‘90s in the
West, and has taken advantage of prosumerism and the rise of the Internet through using the said
concepts as tools for music exposure. Prosumerism made recording tools and music instruments
available to the masses, thus creating more opportunities for musicians. The Internet, on the
other hand, provided a new, wider audience for musicians. Although the political climate did not
affect Philippine music in the 2000s, global issues such as Millennium Development Goals
offered avenues for musicians to be socially active. Thus, Contemporary Philippine Music did
not operate on the domination and subordination inside the country. Orientalism, a larger scale of
hegemony, affected the growth of Philippine music through raising its standards.
In the 2000s, bands such as Urbandub and Typecast were chosen to tour the United States
due to their Internet popularity in the Western audience. These bands were both proprietors of
emotional, alternative music in the Philippines, and were models of Contemporary Philippine
Music to a wide number of amateur bands. A band inspired by these said musicians was Tonight
We Sleep – independently raised, and currently working on their debut album. In the next
chapter, the process of recording Grace, And Dragging Her Wings by Don’t Forget, Clementine,
an independent album, will be discussed in order to demonstrate the schemes of Contemporary
Philippine Music.
CHAPTER IV
DON’T FORGET, CLEMENTINE
Introduction
Don’t Forget, Clementine is a post-rock band that was formed in March, 2008. It is
composed of seven members in their early twenties, namely Paolo Owyong, Enzo Cabayan,
Argee Guerrero, Mike Oreta, Miguel de Quiros, Mark Alcantara, and I (See Figure 4.1). Owyong
and I decided to make form the band before summer 2008, as we shared the same enthusiasm for
instrumental, ambient music. We carefully drafted the rest of the members after writing two
songs (“Meet Me In Montauk” and “…And He Left With Everything He Came For”), realizing
that performing in a live setting was dull, considering that there were only two of us. Gaining the
affirmation of the rest of our band mates, we went on to writing three more songs, to be included
in our debut album, Grace, and Dragging Her Wings.
FIGURE 4.1
DON’T FORGET, CLEMENTINE
Photo credits: Nikki Isaac
The band Don’t Forget, Clementine plays post-rock music, meaning instrumental music
that focuses on ambience and does not rely heavily on words and lyrics. The term “rock” is still
included in the genre’s name because of post-rock’s usage of guitar effects and synthesizers
which were first found in rock, namely fuzz distortions, delays (both analog and digital),
whammies, and other pyrotechnics. What makes post-rock different is its form – instead of going
through the process of writing songs with lyrics, post-rock offers a brand of instrumental music
with the qualities of ambient rock but without depending on lyrics.80
As a whole, Don’t Forget, Clementine’s music influences are bands such as Explosions in
the Sky, This Will Destroy You, Mogwai, Mono, 65DaysofStatic, Hundred Year Storm, Toe, and
From Monument To Masses. As individuals, we listen to a wide range of music. Owyong,
Cabayan, and Guerrero share the same enthusiasm for hardcore and metal music. De Quiros is
influenced by piano rock bands such as Something Corporate, while Oreta listens mostly to
electronic music from The Postal Service, Owl City, and similar acts. I, on the other hand, am
greatly influenced by ‘90s alternative bands and guitarists such as Jonny Greenwood from
Radiohead and Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine.
I consider the post-rock movement in Manila a part of Contemporary Philippine Music
because of its recent activity. Currently, there are only two post-rock bands in Manila –
Encounters With A Yeti and Don’t Forget, Clementine. Both were founded recently and are
currently contributing to the Philippines’ independent music scene. As a Contemporary
Philippine Music movement, I decided to dedicate my project’s creative output to studying the
process of making an independent album.
That said, this chapter aims to first briefly discuss the history of post-rock from its
Western roots up to the formation of its Asian counterparts. Then, it will describe the post-rock

Simon Reynolds, untitled, TheWire.co.uk, [news on-line]; available from
80
http://web.archive.org/web/20011202075606/http://www.thewire.co.uk/out/1297_4.htm; Internet; accesse

23 November 2009.
scene today, both international and local. The rest of the chapter is dedicated to the production
process of Don’t Forget, Clementine’s album, Grace, And Dragging Her Wings, including the
plans for an album launch on December 12, 200.
Post-rock Music
Brief history of post-rock music
In the late ‘80s, the shoegaze movement started in the UK with The Jesus & Mary Chain.
This subgenre was known for their excessive use of the fuzz guitar effect, making loud noises.81
The term “shoegaze” was used to describe guitarists in shoegaze bands, because of their need to
always look at their shoes, in order to stomp from one effect pedal to another frequently.82
Basically, shoegaze music was governed by a tasteful kind of noise, mostly a mix of fuzz or
distortion and modulations.83 This brand of music was not driven by lyrics, it was driven by
noise.
After The Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine received good recognition as they
released their album Loveless. The record is considered as one of the greatest shoegaze albums
ever written, as popular musicians nowadays such as Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins
refer to the album as a major influence.84
The Jesus & Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, along with shoegaze bands from the
western hemisphere fronted the lines of shoegazing, as a new brand of music came about.

Olga Sladeckova, "Jesus and Mary Chain: Interview with Jim Reid Part 1," indiemusic.co.uk,
81
[news on-line]; available from http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSite

Pages/Article.aspx?id=2919; Internet; accessed 23 November 2009.
82 "Shoegaze Genre," allmusic.com, [news on-line]; available from http://www.allmusic.
com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:2680; Internet; accessed 23 November 2009.

83 Ibid.
84 Joe McGlinchey, "My Bloody Valentine," Furious.com, [news on-line]; available from
http://www.furious.com/perfect/mbv.html; Internet; accessed 23 November 2009.

Shoegaze transitioned to post-rock, as post-rock maintained the noise-driven quality of
shoegazing, only this time, it was accompanied by ambience, bigger walls of sound, and overly
minimal lyrics, if none at all.85 The difference between post-rock and shoegaze was post-rock’s
melodies and rhythms – post-rock music had more articulate note progressions, as opposed to
shoegaze’s minimalistic approach to chord progressions, making more room for noise.86
Post-rock gained wide recognition in the ‘90s as bands such as Talk Talk and Godspeed
You! Black Emperor introduced their music to the industry. In Glasgow, one of the most
influential post-rock bands formed in the ‘90s: Mogwai. Mogwai used their shoegaze roots as a
springboard to post-rock, even crafting their very own Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Fuzz/Distortion effect pedal.87 The said pedal is popular in the shoegaze and post-rock scene for
its inevitable, high-gain noises.
By the similarities in the music of Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Talk Talk,
and more recent post-rock bands such as Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You, post-
rock is defined as music that is driven by ambience through the use of a wide range of effects, a
larger sound stage determined by the number of instrumentalists (depending on the needs of a
band), a play on dynamics sometimes through synthesized textures or minimal guitar riffs,
unorthodox songwriting or composition through minimal or no use of lyrics at all, and
experimentalism through song structures, chord progressions, and time signatures.

Ibid. 85
Nitsuh Abebeh, "The Lost Generation," Pitchfork Media, [news on-line]; available from
86
http://samizdat.cc/shelf/documents/2005/07.11-lostGeneration/lostGeneration.pdf; Internet; accessed 23

November 2009.
87 Mr. Chaz, "BIG MUFF: History of the EHX Big Muff," Gear-vault.com, [news on-line];
available from http://www.gear-vault.com/big-muff-history-of-the-ehx-big-muff/; Internet; accessed 23

November 2009.
Post-rock Today
International bands
In the 2000 decade, the Western post-rock scene was largely dominated by bands such as
Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, (both from Texas) and From Monument To
Masses (San Francisco). Explosions in the Sky specializes in ambience through their ability to
create minimal yet emotive guitar riffs accompanied by a drummer with a superb sense of
dynamics. They also displayed their genius in songwriting and composition upon releasing their
EP entitled The Rescue, a continuous album made of eight tracks entitled “Day One” to “Day
Eight” respectively. They wrote the album while stranded on tour, capturing the eight days of
their struggle. On the other hand, This Will Destroy You is a post-rock band that capitalizes on
their use of guitar effects and beat samples. An example of their unique characteristic is the song
“The World Is Our _____,” which is a demonstration of their ability to swing from ambient,
delay-driven mellow guitar riffs to fuzzy head-banging chord progressions and beat
programming. From Monument To Masses brings a different kind of post-rock to the scene as
the band focuses on mathematical guitar riffs, with progressive drum beats and politically-
themed vocal samples. An example of which would be their song “From the Mountains to the
Prairies,” exhibiting these three characteristics.
In Japan, two important post-rock bands also formed in the 2000 decade. Toe is a post-
rock band that made a name for themselves through playing fluid, jazzy post-rock. Mono, on the
other hand, is a Japanese post-rock band that plays post-rock with a tinge of classical music.
Remarkable feats from these two bands are Toe’s release of their live DVD entitled “RGB,”
featuring their live performances from different venues with intimate audiences, and Mono’s
latest album, Hymn To The Immortal Wind, which captures their classical post-rock sound
through an enormous string section.
As post-rock gained its ground in the 2000s decade, the shoegaze scene was also alive in
the underground. Bands such as Silversun Pickups, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Ringo
Deathstarr continued to produce shoegaze music. Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins also
declared that his new upcoming album, entitled Kaleidoscope by Teargarden was going to be
psychedelic,88 which is also a characteristic of some early shoegaze bands.
Local bands
Unlike in the international scene, Manila’s post-rock and shoegaze scene started
relatively late. In the 2000s, Sleepwalk Circus and Encounters With A Yeti, both from Terno
Recordings, were formed. Sleepwalk Circus focuses their music on shoegaze, influenced by
Smashing Pumpkins. From Mobile Productions based in Parañaque, Wagyu is also a shoegaze
band but is anchored on blues and alternative music. Twin Lobster is borderline post-rock and
shoegaze, with their long instrumentals reminiscent of Toe’s music and use of vocals.
Encounters With A Yeti, on the other hand, is the counterpart of Explosions in the Sky in
Manila, due to their ambient music and excellent use of dynamics. Aside from Encounters With
A Yeti, my band, Don’t Forget, Clementine, is the only other post-rock band I know that
currently exists in Manila.

88
Billy Corgan, "New Smashing Pumpkins album," LiveJournal.com: Billy Corgan, [news on-
line]; available from http://billycorgan.livejournal.com/39767.html; Internet; accessed 23 November
2009.
The Production of Grace, and Dragging Her Wings
Pre-production
In order to obtain premium results in composition, we decided to hold a pre-production
session for all four songs in the album, except for the studio song “A Lullaby: From Opinion To
Faith.” The studio song will be explained later on. The pre-production stage of making the album
helped us finalize guitar, bass, synth, and drum riffs altogether by recording all songs – not
necessarily in optimized mix and master quality. This process allowed us, especially the
producers, to get a better feel of the songs on record. Nonetheless, we made sure that the quality
of the songs was not compromised, and open for scrutiny and inspection of minute details.
The pre-production started August 24, 2009. On that day, drum tracks were recorded at
Blueberri Jam Studios in Balara, Quezon City under the studio’s engineer, Duane Fernandez.
Our drummer, Mark Alcantara, recorded three songs (“Meet Me In Montauk,” “…And He Left
With Everything He Came For,” and “Waiting For Rain” in the span of two hours under the
supervision of my co-producer and the band’s guitarist, Paolo Owyong. After which, an
overnight session of recording all guitar, bass, and synth tracks for the three songs was held on
August 30, 2009 in the Owyong residence (See Figure 4.2).
FIGURE 4.2
DON’T FORGET, CLEMENTINE – PRE-PRODUCTION
Photo credits: Marvin Sayson

In recording the pre-production tracks, we hooked our guitars and synthesizers to a Korg
Zero8 Mixer, on to a Line 6 UX1 guitar interface. This equipment allowed our instruments’
signal to enter a Macbook clearly and with minimal deficiency. The pre-production recording
session ended at August 31, 2009.
What gave us problems in the pre-production phase was the mixing and mastering. Little
did we know that the Korg Zero8 Mixer added a hiss effect to all of our tracks, making it hard
for Owyong to mix and master the tracks altogether. Equalizer settings were shifted from one
variation to another, but the clarity we were looking for was hard to accomplish. A rule of thumb
in recording, whether at home or in the studio, is garbage in garbage out – meaning if one tracks
a noisy signal, no amount of tweaking and twitching of settings and effects is enough to morph
the signal into a clear one. This was a major compromise in our pre-production.
With this in mind, Owyong came out with his final mixes of two pre-production tracks:
“Meet Me In Montauk,” and “Waiting For Rain.” The third song, “…And He Left With
Everything He Came For,” was found to be too problematic because of its cluttering wide range
of dynamics. It is hard to deal with such problem in a small sound stage, especially a home
recording. Our guitar riffs seemed to be clashing with one another, and the sound stage was too
tight to make a riff audible enough to become a main attraction. As we came out with these two
tracks, we posted two 30-second teasers on our MySpace and Facebook pages to attract
supporters.
The fourth pre-production session was held on the 23rd of October. In this pre-production
session, only the drum tracks of our fourth song, “Airports,” was recorded. In the spirit of cutting
costs, we decided to track the drums in my house through a Behringer C-3 Condenser
Microphone, powered by a Behringer MIC100 Tube Ultragain (for 48 volts phantom power),
direct to the Line 6 UX1 Interface. Guitar, bass, and synthesizer tracks were not recorded for this
pre-production session because the composition of the said tracks was scheduled for the album
proper itself. That way, we were able to spend more time with the drum tracks of “Airports”
because it was a beat-driven song to begin with.
With four songs in the pre-production phase, Owyong and I decided that the fifth song,
“A Lullaby: From Opinion To Faith,” be a studio song. A song in an album that takes on a
different treatment in terms of playing and experimenting is regarded as a studio song. It is a
song that maximizes the free reign of recording that is not captured by playing live, like for
example, ambient sampling and more intricate usage of effect pedals and riffing. The total cost
of our pre-production was PhP800, which was for the drum tracks alone, considering that we
recorded everything else in the Owyong and Sayson residences.
Album proper
The album proper’s recording started October 19, 2009. Once again, we recorded drum
tracks in Blueberri Jam Studios. Mark Alcantara, the drummer, recorded his beats for four songs:
“Meet Me In Montauk,” “Airports,” “Waiting For Rain,” and “…And He Left With Everything
He Came For,” in the span of three hours. After which, we cleaned up the drum tracks in my
studio The House of M (See Figures 4.3 and 4.4). We used the 14-day trial of a Virtual Studio
Technology (VST) Plug-In Drumagoog, for drum triggers. Drum triggers are software plug-ins
that capture the frequencies of snare drums, rack toms, floor toms, and bass drums and replace
them with more articulate frequencies. In the span of five hours, at around 8:00pm, we finished
cleaning the drum tracks and started working on guitar tracks for Owyong and I. At around
3:00am of October 20, we decided to call it a day, finishing 30 percent of our guitar tracks for
the album.
FIGURE 4.3
THE HOUSE OF M
FIGURE 4.4
THE HOUSE OF M – CONTROL PANEL

Before tracking our other band members, Owyong and I, as co-producers, decided that
we must first lay all of our tracks. In doing so, we were able to set a vision of what we wanted
through our tracks, and the rest added their pieces to the puzzle accordingly. Next in line was
Argee Guerrero, who finished about 20 percent of his bass tracks on the night of October 22.
Then, it was Mike Oreta and Miguel de Quiros’ turn, who both recorded keyboards, synthesizer
pads, and piano software sounds. We decided that Oreta and de Quiros should record together for
a tighter synthesizer section on the record. On the weekend of October 24, I recorded live
samples of sounds, including the midnight rush in the Ortigas stretch outside my window, and
scratching vinyl. After which, Enzo Cabayan, our third guitarist, recorded 40 percent of his
tracks on October 27. The rest of everyone’s tracks were accomplished from the night of October
28 to the morning of October 29. With everything tracked (except for vocal samples), we
decided to give the album a rest before mixing and mastering. The vocal samples eventually
came along in the mixing and mastering phase.
The pre-production phase was of great help, making the album recording proper a
smoother process. It seemed as though we encountered all of the technical difficulties in the pre-
production. We knew what we wanted to do, and we had a better grasp of how to record an
album from my home studio by spending time with it in the pre-production phase.
Equipment
For the guitars, Owyong, Cabayan, and I used a Squier Telecaster, Gretsch Les Paul, and
Fender Standard Telecaster respectively. The dynamics of the three guitars was fitting for our
sound, considering the Telecaster’s natural thin twang complemented by the Les Paul’s smooth
low-end sounding big body. Guerrero, on the other hand, used a Fender Jazz Special. For the
synthesizers, Miguel de Quiros and Mike Oreta used an M-Audio Keyrig 25 MIDI Controller,
OKore Audio Interface, Korg MicroKontrol MIDI Controller, and a Korg Electribe EMX-1.
MIDI Controllers are physical instruments connected to computers that transmit MIDI
commands to software such as Ableton Live and Propellerhead Reason in order to synthesize
sounds.
The software we used for recording, mixing, and mastering was Apple GarageBand. The
software we used to program synthesizer sounds were Ableton Live 7, and Propellerhead
Reason. The equipment we used to record the instruments was a Line 6 UX1, an instrument
interface connected via USB to the Macbook. For the vocal and ambient samples, we used a
Behringer C-3 Condenser Microphone, powered by a Behringer MIC100 Tube Ultragain, which
was also connected to the UX1. Considering that all of this equipment was available in my home
studio, this was what allowed us to minimize costs.
The speakers used to evaluate the recordings were a Samson StudioDock USB Monitors.
These are 30-watt (15 on the left, 15 on the right) active-powered monitors that cover enough
frequencies for sound clarity, mixing. and mastering.
The following guitar effect pedals were used: Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler, Electro-
Harmonix Small Clone Chorus, MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay, Danelectro Cool Cat
Transparent Overdrive, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Fuzz/Distortion, Electro-Harmonix Little
Big Muff Fuzz/Distortion, Digitech Whammy IV, T.C. Electronics Nova Delay, Line 6 Verbzilla
Reverb, Boss DS-1 Distortion, MarkV Shredhead Distortion (boutique), Ibanez Bass Overdrive,
and SansAmp Bass Pre-amp (See Figure 4.5).

FIGURE 4.5
DON’T FORGET, CLEMENTINE EQUIPMENT
Album title and wrap-up
The album title, Grace, And Dragging Her Wings, was originally a title I gave to one of
Owyong’s songs. Realizing that he did not want to continue writing the song anymore, I
reckoned that the title fit the album because of its psychological states. Originally, we wanted to
name the album Bipolar, but since it was first used by the local band UpDharmaDown for their
second album, we did not mind scrapping the idea. Grace, And Dragging Her Wings was our
best option, because of its two-part wording (See Appendix C for CD).
The album recording was finished by November 11, 2009. The mixing and mastering
process, done by Owyong, was continuous – starting from our first recording session in October
29, until November 17. The final date also included the finalized album art by Carina Santos and
Paulina Ortega . The album art, composed of Santos’ photography and Ortega’s use of vectored
images was produced under the supervision of Owyong and I. The treatment was minimal but
emotionally provoking, with only titles of our songs in the booklet (See Appendix D for album
inlay).
Album and song concepts
The album begins with a sound byte of a highway. As the synthesizers fade in, “Meet Me
In Montauk’s” first hook is Owyong’s guitar riff. Inspired by “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind,” our first song’s guitar riffs, drowned in delay to create an emotional ambience, are
repetitive and reminiscent of the said movie’s scenery and color. The digital beats in 1:14 were
programmed by Owyong. The third movement of the song, considered a “verse,” features Juliann
Savard reciting a stanza of Alexander Pope’s poem that goes: “How happy is the blameless
vestal’s lot/ The world forgetting by the world forgot/ Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind/
Each prayer accepted, each wish resigned.” As drum beat breaks down, soft guitar plucking
ensues and brings the song to a climax. The song reaches its peak as an odd-timed riff is
repeated, and on the latter end of the riff, I used the Digitech Whammy IV to make a screaming
sound from my guitar. The song goes back to its mild roots as Owyong enters once again with a
mellow riff, and later on accompanied by Mike Oreta on synths and my guitar’s second-voicing.
Feedback goes on, and “Airports” follows.
“Airpots” is a song that I wrote about the feeling of being in an airport. My familiarity
with the subject paid off, considering that I am in an airport every year, not knowing if I should
be happy that I am seeing my family once again because they live America, or sad because I am
leaving my friends behind. The song starts a melancholy guitar plucking riff. The drums enter, as
the song takes a good, flying mood. At 2:09, Owyong’s guitar enters with a riff on overdrive,
then the song goes back to its flying mood. This flying mood is mostly carried by the phasing
sound of the Line 6 DL4. Then, the third movement of the song is a droning repetition of the first
movement, but this time, with the whole band involved. Cabayan’s palm-muted chugging riff,
reminiscent of his hardcore influences such as Deftones and Norma Jean, bridges this movement
to the next: a standard 3-4 beat, operating on a melancholy chord progression. When the song
hits 4:42, the effect of the song changes as Oreta’s synthesizers create an alienating feeling, and
my guitar riff pans from left to right ear. The next movement is governed by Alcantara’s odd
time signature, shifting from a 6-count riff to a 5-count riff. The song ends with another standard
3-4 time signature, then a bittersweet resolve care of Owyong’s lead guitar riff.
“Waiting For Rain” enters as Oreta’s lullaby-esque synthesizers introduces the song.
Owyong starts with his first riff on a 110 beats per minute tempo, then everyone enters as the
song dives into 135 beats per minute. “Waiting For Rain,” unlike any of our other songs, has
only one chord progression throughout the whole song. Nonetheless, Owyong adds octaves of
F#, making the song sound more textured and less boring. The beat breaks halfway through the
first movement for a four-count breather, and continues with its four-chord barrage until the
bridge. The bridge is led by Cabayan’s repetitive riff, then Oreta’s synthesizer oscillates,
bringing the song back to its climactic nature. In the last movement, our hardcore and alternative
influences are present through the Cabayan and Owyong’s delivery, and a big wall of sound – an
ensemble of the same chords by Guerrero, Oreta, de Quiros, and I. The song ends with feedback
and weird noises as it transitions to the next song.

“…And He Left With Everything He Came For” was composed by Owyong. The title
explains the song – it is about leaving with a sense of satisfaction. It starts with Owyong’s guitar
riff, sweet and heavy on the delay. I accompany him later on in this first movement, making our
guitars sound like a man and woman conversing sweetly through our carefully-picked notes. The
rest of the band enters as the song establishes its warmth through Guerrero’s melodic bass lines,
especially at 1:57. The song drops its tempo down to 110 beats per minute as de Quiros enters
with a piano solo, then Oreta provides a synthesized organ pad to accompany my two-chord
guitar plucking. Owyong and the rest of the band enters once again as Alcantara’s marching
snare-inspired drum riff leaves the listener with a feeling of satisfaction. The song goes back to
its normal 130 beats per minute tempo. Here is where another climax ensues; Owyong plays his
lead riff as Cabayan and I provide heavy rhythm parts. My fuzzy, distorted guitar riff was mostly
inspired by the works of Billy Corgan in Smashing Pumpkins. The song once again breaks down,
but this time, clean parts are interspersed with heavy riffing. At last, the song ends with another
climactic movement with me on the lead, and Cabayan’s punk riffs. The ending is a three-note
repetition, signifying a perfect way to end something with a good feeling. The song fades out,
and the last track of “Grace, and Dragging Her Wings” enters with the sample of a backwards-
spinning vinyl record.
“A Lullaby: From Opinion to Faith” is our only studio song. It is the longest cut in the
record, clocking in a little over 9 minutes. Inspired by Gabriel Marcel’s essay “From Opinion to
Faith,” Owyong and I composed this song with the ending of our album in mind. It starts with a
minimal beat which I programmed, governed by a delay effect. Owyong volume-swells his way
into the song, creating a dreamy, ethereal mood. This is followed through by me and Guerrero.
At 2:11, Oreta speaks as the persona, saying: “In this dream, I was crossing a river.” After which,
de Quiros enters into a piano solo, inspired by Smashing Pumpkins’ record, “Mellon Collie and
the Infinite Sadness.” De Quiros’ riffs are melancholic, but the next movement, care of Oreta’s
beat samples, breathes life back into the song. Cabayan accompanies Oreta’s beat samples with
his bittersweet guitar riff and Guerrero’s melodic bass lines. The song goes back to its dream
state as Owyong plays his main riff with my varying beat samples and Guerrero’s rhythmic bass
line. A lull follows this movement, with my minimal note progression influenced by the band
Explosions in the Sky. As Owyong enters once again, Oreta’s voiceover, as the persona, speaks:
“Feeling the crevices, taking my time/ Realizing that counting on you is like counting stars/ As
the gravitational pull grabs me by the hand/ Grace met me at the shore/ Going home, you see the
world backwards/ Every sound is a story/ Every hymn is a state/ This one is like drowning, from
opinion to faith.” The song climaxes with a sad wake-up call, with an alarm clock sound in the
end. A woman (voiceover by Juliann Savard), in the end, says: “Open your eyes.”
The whole of Grace, and Dragging Her Wings clocks in a total of 35 minutes, with a
total of five songs. Normally, five songs on a record constitute an EP (Extended Play), but based
on the run time, album quality, and production value of this record, we decided to release it as a
full-length album instead.
Total cost of an independent production
Our total expenditure for recording the album was a measly PhP1,200. This sum was only
used to record the drum tracks. The rest of the other tracks were recorded in my studio, The
House of M. The rest of the allocated budget, PhP22,000, went to the album’s re-production of
250 copies. The total cost of this whole process was PhP24,000, (including pre-production)
which is relatively cheap, yet the quality we acquired through tedious mixing and mastering and
the use professional-grade equipment was ace. Considering that we are selling the albums at
PhP250 per copy, if sold out, our total profit is PhP38,500. The number of copies needed to be
sold in order to break even is 96.
Album release
The album will be released on December 12, 2009. With the help of Mary Moon
Productions, we have confirmed the availability of 6Underground Bar, located in Ortigas Center
Pasig City. We tried our best to get a venue in between the northern and southern parts of Metro
Manila due to the wide geographical range of our listeners. Shoegaze bands Wagyu and Twin
Lobster will be playing, along with the post-rock band Encounters With A Yeti, who will open
for our set. Entrance costs PhP350 with a copy of the album, while PhP150 gets an audience
member in without the album. (See Figure 4.6)
FIGURE 4.6
DEPARTURES – POSTER
Photo credits: Carina Santos
The Album in Light of Contemporary Philippine Music

Grace, And Dragging Her Wings is proven to be a Contemporary Philippine Music
record, keeping in mind that we have used prosumerism and the Internet to our advantage.
Through prosumerism, we have acquired professional-level equipment to record in the comforts
of my home studio, and through the Internet, we have learned tips and tricks on how to mix and
master via free tutorials and lessons. Globalization has also worked to our advantage through the
West’s major influence in our music.
Our use of prosumerism has helped us cut costs through making available professional-
grade equipment. Through the use of the Line 6 UX1 and guitar effect pedals that are affordable
to the consumer, we have utilized many avenues to save money. These products, although mostly
available in the USA, can also be purchased through buy-and-sell in the Philippines.
Nonetheless, prosumerism has revealed to us new ways of cost-cutting and making independent
records through its affordability.
The Internet has taught us many lessons through free tutorials and skill-honing websites.
Not only this, it has also allowed us to promote our music freely across the world. This facet of
the Internet has helped us make our music known, thus opening more avenues for profit in the
album release. This recognition has also heightened our spirits, knowing that people from around
the world appreciate our music. The Internet’s effect on today’s music is truly remarkable, as
seen in my band’s experience.
Globalization has also worked to our advantage. If it were not for us knowing about post-
rock from UK and USA, it is highly probable that we would not know where and how to start a
post-rock band. Our influences, mostly Western, have guided us along the way through
inspiration. My only worry is that this process affirms Western domination over Asia and the
Philippines, but such insecurity is cured through a greater sense of identity, as a band. We are
proud to say that we are the second post-rock band in Manila, and we would want to world to
know that we can also do what our Western counterparts have been doing for the past years.
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings
This section will wrap up the entire project through providing a recapitulation of
objectives and accomplishments. After which, a section will be dedicated to conclude the project,
and cite recommendations for stakeholders and further study.
Overview of the project
The main objective of this project was to define Contemporary Philippine Music through
the example of my band, Don’t Forget, Clementine. In order to do so, a brief timeline of
Philippine music history was first attained through gathering research data from various books
and online sources. Not only did this project cite a blow-by-blow account of bands and artists
from their respective eras, it also included an analysis of music from different decades, namely
the ’70s-’80s era and the ’90s Philippine music scenes respectively. After which, the production
process of my band’s album was discussed, including an in-depth analysis of the songs, a
summary of our expenditures, and details of the album’s launch.
Summary of findings and accomplishments
For the ’70s-’80s era, Original Philippine Music was a reaction to the restraining
hegemony of its time. The Marcos regime provided a suffocating environment not only for artists
but also for the common Filipino at that time, thus allowing musicians to express their concerns
and issues through their art. The theory used to explain this was Raymond Williams’ views on
hegemony.
Moving on to the ’90s, Original Philippine Music reached new heights of its commercial
success through themes such as youth empowerment, the Filipino culture, and romance. The
flagship bands of this time were Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar; all three of
them contributing to the history of Philippine music in their own different ways, as mentioned.
As important as these characteristics of Original Philippine Music in the ’90s, it was also stated
in this project that Philippine music was highly influenced by Western ideas in music and lyric-
writing. This observation segues to the project’s discussion of Contemporary Philippine Music.
In the 2000s decade, a new breed of Philippine musicians formed. These musicians, such
as Urbandub and Typecast, have certain characteristics in common: their discriminate use of the
English language, technically-adept musicality influenced by Western music of their time, and
broader target audience that reached international shores. This kind of music, as I call it
Contemporary Philippine Music, was brought about through the rise of prosumerism and the
internet. With these two forces of change, Philippine music has reached out to a wider audience,
and has gained recognition in other parts of the world, more importantly, USA. Edward Said’s
Orientalism was used to explain this phenomenon, stating that such relationship of domination
and subordination between the Eastern and Western hemispheres of music has been put to good
use by these Philippine musicians.
After an analytical discussion of Contemporary Philippine Music, this project went
deeper into explaining how this new movement worked through the production of my band’s
album, Don’t Forget, Clementine.
First, what contended Don’t Forget, Clementine as a Contemporary Philippine Music
band was its genre, post-rock. Post-rock is a movement that started in the West. It has not been
able to penetrate the Philippines, considering that there are only two post-rock bands in the
country, namely Encounters With A Yeti, and my band. It is a fresh genre from the roots of
shoegaze music. Post-rock music does not necessarily include vocals and lyrics on their songs,
but Encounters With A Yeti and my band both use the English language in titling our
compositions.
The album, entitled Grace, And Dragging Her Wings, was a self-produced release,
independent from any major record label tie-in. Prosumerism enabled our band to record high-
quality music through making available professional recording tools such as the Line 6 UX1
guitar interface. The internet, on the other hand, helped us promote our endeavor through social
networking sites. The cost for the whole recording was a measly PhP1,200.
That being said, the project was a success in explaining what Contemporary Philippine
music is. Moreover, it was able to explain how the movements of Philippine music, from the
’70s to the ‘00s, have led to the rise of Contemporary Philippine music.
Conclusions
Concluding the theoretical framework
First, my use of theories from sociology (hegemony) and cultural studies (Orientalism)
has allowed for this project to explain the growth of Philippine music in an outward motion.
From the theory of hegemony operating in our country in the time of Martial Law, domination
and subordination grew to an international scale in the context of Orientalism. What is striking,
actually, is not the motion of this theory – it is the way it has affected Philippine music.
Orientalism, on paper, seems to be a theory that works to the advantage of the Occident.
But, this project has proven that the theory of Orientalism may also be used for the good of
Asian countries, let alone the Philippines. Our music culture has benefited from the West’s
influence by utilizing their techniques in making our own music. Not only this - the availability
of their products has been fruitfully used by musicians in the Philippines, especially my band,
Don’t Forget, Clementine.
Reflections and significance of the project
In creating the project’s output, it dawned upon me how easy a musician’s life is today,
as compared to before. The availability of professional tools and tutorials over the internet has
truly helped our band produce our first album. Also, working with non-lyrical music creates
more avenues for a band to truly express technical details and create their own ambience. This
new branch of music, post-rock, truly offers a new brand of listening to music.
Also, realizing that I belong to the breed of Contemporary Philippine musicians, I am
honored to be able to write and create an output about this era in Philippine music history.
Hopefully, in light of the movements of Philippine music history, I have made a mark by
offering a significant project to the lack of material written about Philippine music. As a
musician myself, I hope I was able to inspire students to work on academic projects and studies
of the same type, that encourage both formal writing and creative outputs for Philippine music’s
growing history.
Recommendations for Musicians in the Contemporary Philippine Music Era
The independent record industry is flourishing, all thanks to the growth of Philippine
music. With our music culture’s background, I have high hopes that independent music in the
Philippines will continue to spread, as this project has aimed to encourage the said movement.
The costs of independent recording are relatively low, but with the right kind of gear and
production experience, one can make a high-quality sound recording in the comforts of her/his
home.
All of this being said, nowadays, it is not necessary for a band to strike a deal with a
major record label in order for their music to be heard. Popular belief would tell any musician
that signing a deal with a major record label concretizes a band’s name by making recording and
managerial processes much easier, but there are downsides to this path. I myself have discovered
that major record labels only share a small percentage of album sales to the recording artist
themselves.
I encourage musicians from this decade on to utilize their independence. With the rise of
prosumerism and the internet, there are various ways for creativity not to be stifled, and for an
artist to be pure – without the pressures of major record deals. I wish for this project's
methodology to serve as a manual for aspiring producers and home recording enthusiasts alike.
Recommendations for Further Study
For future reference, it must be noted that anyone who wants to research about Philippine
music must exert extra effort in finding sources, because of the lack of literature written about
the matter. Despite its interesting stories and history, Philippine music does not have a canon of
literature. Eric Caruncho’s articles are most helpful.
In writing a paper about Philippine music, I also recommend that the researcher garner as
many connections in the industry as possible. Also, I recommend participant observation
activities, such as going to concerts, etc. This helps the researcher experience her study. More
importantly, it is highly recommended because these events are opportunities to meet Philippine
musicians themselves.
I would like to recommend the Philippine independent music industry as a topic for
further studies. A great deal of musicians in the Philippine music industry today are
independently raised, but there are also downsides to this. An example would be the cluttering of
our music industry; with too many bands on the rise, there is only a few space left for
commercial success. A study about the independent music industry in the Philippines should be
able to complement this project as a more in-depth analysis of the industry’s current situation.
The effect of contemporary lyric-writing also captured my attention while working on
this project. I noticed how the writing styles from different eras were different, possibly
according to context. How does this affect the listener? Does it instill an emotion of fear? Anger?
Happiness? I would like to recommend the topic of the causes of Contemporary Music’s lyrics
on its audience. It is possible that these effects also stem from the music’s treatment – heavy
distortions, flangers, and digital delays. This has been a topic of some films. For example, in
High Fidelity, John Cusack’s character (an owner of a vinyl store) expresses his sentiments about
the issue through the question: Am I listening to pop music because I am miserable? Or am I
miserable because I am listening to pop music?”
In light of the rise of many bands and subgenres in the Contemporary Philippine Music
scene, I recommend the study of today’s Baroque Pop. In Canada, Broken Social Scene started a
Baroque Pop trend. Currently, in the Philippines, we only have two bands which employ a
Baroque Pop sound, namely Arigato! Hato, and Ang Bandang Shirley. A research that focuses
on answering what Baroque Pop is, and how it has been incorporated to our culture should be
helpful in understanding the whole of Contemporary Philippine Music.
Lastly, I would like to encourage anyone who wants to research on Philippine music to
focus on its current trends, especially the mass crowd of concerts today. The masses in
Philippine music today are composed of teenagers and adolescents who have one thing in
common – they always wear black. Some of these teenagers bring placards with the word
“ANARCHY” to free concerts. This phenomenon, among others, is a disturbing effect. A study
regarding the origins of this effect would be highly appreciated, in order for musicians to
understand the implications of their music to the youth today.

APPENDIX A
MUSIC OBSERVATION GUIDE
Cases to be studied
1. 1970s Philippine Music – Freddie Aguilar, Juan de la Cruz Band, Joey Pepe Smith
2. Original Philippine Music (1990s) – Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Parokya ni Edgar
3. Contemporary Philippine Music (2000s) – Typecast, Urbandub, and Don’t Forget,
Clementine
Aspects of music to be analyzed
1. Chord progressions
2. Guitar tuning
3. Language of lyrics
4. Themes of lyrics
5. Genre
APPENDIX B
MUSIC OBSERVATION GUIDE FOR CREATIVE OUTPUT
Cases to be studied
1. Meet Me In Montauk
2. Airports
3. Waiting For Rain
4. …And He Left With Everything He Came For
5. A Lullaby: From Opinion To Faith
Aspects of music to be analyzed
1. Parts of the song per movement
2. Guitar tuning
3. Treatment – guitar effects, synthesizer effects, drum beat time signatures
4. Themes of title
5. How the song belongs to the album

APPENDIX C
GRACE, AND DRAGGING HER WINGS CD

APPENDIX D
GRACE, AND DRAGGING HER WINGS ALBUM ART

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Contemporary Philippine Music (Updated)

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What are some of the characteristics and influences of Original Philippine Music (OPM)?

What are some of the characteristics and influences of Original Philippine Music (OPM)?

How has technology and globalization affected contemporary Philippine music?

How has technology and globalization affected contemporary Philippine music?

CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE MUSIC:

A CREATIVE PROJECT ON A NEW MOVEMENT

OF MUSIC IN THE PHILIPPINES

A Senior Seminar Paper

The Interdisciplinary Studies Department

Ateneo de Manila University

Of the Requirements of the Course

Marvin Joseph D. Sayson

Background of the Study

music identified with the masses.

Contemporary Philippine Music, was characterized by major tweaks in music technicality.

Benefits of Philippine music

genre’s distinctiveness as a part of Philippine identity.

Shortly thereafter, OPM was on the rise.

Problems of Original Philippine Music

problematic, if not controversial.

Philippine music: Contemporary Philippine Music.

Focus of the Project

As mentioned earlier, Contemporary Philippine Music has been creating new

In light of the above, this project aimed to:

music history and music theory.

OPM and Contemporary Philippine Music.

3. Explain the movement of Contemporary Philippine Music through theories of hegemony

(Raymond Williams) and Orientalism (Edward Said).

example of Contemporary Philippine Music.

Significance of the Project

Philippine music, but members of sociological circles as well.

realize Contemporary Philippine Music in an academic context.

ushering in the collaboration of music and technology.

Lastly, as an active contributor to the movement of Contemporary Philippine Music, I am

contextualized in Orientalism and theories on hegemony.

(television, film, radio, and publishing).4

Philippines being an oriental nation.

realities of their time.6

demonstrated in the creative output of this project will be focused on post-rock.

Review of Related Literature

canonical in their own disciplines.

Philippine Music History

operated in the seventies.

timeframes and trends of the said decades.

of OPM in the 1990s, from an assortment of journalists’ different perspectives.

Sources on Cultural Studies

Readings on Popular Culture, edited by Soledad Reyes, is an anthology of essays about

Marxism and Literature by Raymond Williams provides a more cultural perspective on

Theoretical Framework as the micro study of Filipino music.

This theory will be discussed further in the next section.

dynamics of these relationships further.

Contemporary Philippine Music’s situation and context is properly framed.

Although the traditional concept of hegemony was elaborated by Antonio Gramsci,

beyond culture.18 Hegemony, he says, is “a realized complex of experiences, relationships, and

music in the Philippines seemed to be a response to democracy and freedom of speech,

composed of nations collaborating with one another.

successful global imposition of American culture, in which the economic success of US

This domination of the American culture is attributed to their successful capitalization of

in terms of economy, but in terms of culture.

Contemporary Philippine Music’s response to such phenomenon will be discussed.