Gee, masyadong marami na akong nai-po-post, rest muna ako.

hehehehe

I was SO frustrated when my first article came out, that I decided to look for the original manuscript and decided to send it to a new online rock mag called ALTERCATION. They published the article in its entirety, no editing, and because of that I decided to write for them on a regular basis. And it means nothing to me that I don't get paid for it, as long as I keep my dignity.
So tonight, I'm planning to write about Admit One.
Hah!

The Sweet Sensibilities of Being Sugar Free

by weed & indio (contributors)
Altercation
February - March 2003

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Sh*t!" That was what stared at me through the computer's monitor at 4:40 am. I had been a member of Sugar Free's mailing list and as I sat there, unblinking, I saw that it was front guy, Ebe Dancel, who had posted the message. It seems that the Sandman had denied him of sleep, with some assistance from the fact that 17 hours and 20 minutes later his band would be launching a delayed debut album, aptly entitled -Sa Wakas-. Yup, Insomnia would probably be the least of his problems.

The year 1996 found Sky Church clawing its way up the local rock scene, impressing a crowd drenched in Oasis and Rivermaya chords. Later, even more bands appeared, mostly under the rap-metal banner. All carried the same armalite-drumming, identical growls, monotonous riffs and nondescript grooves; the scene deliriously became a humdrum. Inevitably, more bands followed, all bent on ripping off Korn, Rage Against the Machine and Deftones, all, notwithstanding their number, completely devoid of distinction and all became monotonous after a three-week CD ear-check.

Naturally, one would tend to look for something that breaks the conventional, so the search was on for fresh sounds that would not prove to be bland. Everyone was on the lookout for something capable of conveying brains and emotions. Different acts came out, including Imago, Itchyworms, Twisted Halo, the Pin-up Girls, the Happy Meals, etc.

It just so happened that Sugar Free was in the horizon when the searchlights were turned on. The crowd lent a critical ear to this not so-new band, and jaws began to drop. A couple of years more - precisely last January 25 - that horizon became a stage and the searchlights metamorphosed into spotlights as they launched their debut album. The band worked up a storm to a crowd that made the venue, Freedom Bar, busting at the seams, with more people outside, clamoring to see the band perform. And jaws have not stopped dropping ever since.

Sugar Free features the diverse talents of Ebe Dancel on vocals and guitars, Jal Taguibao on bass, and Mitch Singson on drums. Their lovely, lovely manager, unofficial band member and friend, Anne Arraya, is omnipresent, making sure that the band runs perfectly, like a well-oiled set of cogs come performance.

But first, the semantics: after searching for a suitable name for the band, surprisingly, it was Jal's mom who suggested the name. "'Yung mom ko kasi diabetic. Makes sense din kasi 'yung tunog ng kanta masaya, tapos 'yung lyrics malungkot. Parang irony, kaya Sugar Free." Cool mom, eh?

It had started more than three years ago, with Jal's old band, Session Road. Ebe had been a friend of that band and when his own group disbanded, Sugar Free was born, with Session Road members plus Ebe. Eventually, Jal left Session Road and continued on with the new band, which included former bandmates Chavi and Dennis who handled the keyboards and the drums.

"Tapos naging swak nang si Mitch na 'yung pumalo." They met him during a Sunday Grabe Sunday anniversary gig, where he was playing for his other band, the power pop flavored Ciudad. Soon after, a demo tape was made, and who would have thought that a copy of it would make its way to the hands of Rico Blanco? It was apparently through Ebe's older brother, Vin (frontman of local indie deities, Twisted Halo) that it did. "Medyo nagustuhan." Jal grins. And while the rest of the band played on, Blanco experimented on the sounds, working on the feedback and distortions. But it was during that time that he had set on Rivermaya's reformation and the release of their album, Tuloy Ang Ligaya. With these eating up most of his time, he failed to attend gigs and so he slowly drifted off. And, as what is being put down on the book of Pinoy rock history, that's how the three-piece came to be.

Their first single, "Telepono," gave the band recognition as a newbie in the rock scene, it graduated from NU 107's In The Raw, a program that features unsigned bands, and entered regular airplay. As of writing, their second single, "Mariposa," is hot item, recently occupying the second notch, and making its way to the top in a blitzkrieg of some sort, on NU 107's Midnight Countdown, while on the more mainstream charts of RX 93.1's Countdown Top Seven, the 17th spot shelters "Telepono".

Sugar Free has played on numerous NU 107 events, gigs and is a recent addition on Admit One Productions, along with Twisted Halo, Fatal Posporos and Dicta License, and in a lot of bars, including Freedom Bar, Mayric's and KAFE. They released their second single, "Mariposa," which is earning the band distinction and credibility as artists.

They were recently tagged by critics as the next Eraserheads, mainly because of how they play around their sounds. By first listen, you tend to agree, further prodding elicits some Rivermaya flavors and deeper probing reveals some sounds identified with old school musicians that would do as well as make your old maid aunt blush. Jal enumerates Sting, Corduroy, the James Taylor Quartet and hiphop and triphop music by Massive Attack and Portishead as his influences. "Sa local, eye-opener talaga sa 'kin 'yung Sandwich." He pronounces and then follows up, "'Yun talaga ang first influence ko." Ebe, on the other hand, names U2, the Carpenters, Kenny Rogers, Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra as his influences. "I like the 'Heads (The Eraserheads, now called Cambio), even after I joined them." he smiles. While Mitch sums up the Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Weezer, Popsicle and Possum Dixon as the bands who affected how he plays.

However, as a whole, the band's common influences are The Police, The Eraserheads, Teeth and Sting. Obviously, the band's taste is an amalgam of styles that they thankfully did not entirely Incorporate into their music, something that has been called cloning. This is a very good thing because by doing so, one is automatically qualified as a bastard rip-off.

From their first gig ever (the Full Moon Party, Baguio) and their first Manila gig (the soft reopening of Freedom Bar) through the several lineup changes, up to the present, the members had to adapt to the changes, and the pressures that came with being a three piece. "Challenging maging three piece, to come up with an enormous amount of sound na hindi butas sa frequencies," Jal elucidates, and then adds, "We try to make things work out despite being only three in the band, and at the same time as individual musicians, we try to maximize the space that is allotted for each element of music; 'yung bass, 'yung gitara, 'yung boses, 'yung drums." And in terms of interpersonal relationships, it is fairly easy to say that it is low maintenance, since there are only three people to rule out decisions, and when the situations start to get a little more heated between two members, there's always one to intercede.

The album was mixed and produced by Ebe, Jal, studio wizard Angee Rozul and, although he did have some sort of detachment with the band, Rico Blanco. Big names who appeared in the album to lend their musical talents are Rico Blanco, Mike Elgar, Aia de Leon and Jugs Jugueta and are people who are under Viva Records' wing, because Sugar Free was still with Viva when those tracks were recorded. Indeed, if you look at the credits in the album's inlay you'd read the pronouncement, "Recorded at Tracks Studios from June 2001 to August 2002 (tagal 'no?)" It took that long?

The reason why they had shifted gears and rolled toward EMI's direction was because it offered a better deal. Ebe recalls, "We signed up with Viva with the promise na mas maaga 'yung release ng album. E hindi nag-materialize, so we had to jump ship."

The album was delayed for two years, and the truth was that the members had almost reached the aggravating point of giving up on the whole prospect of ever releasing an album, or as Ebe places it, "Basura na, e." Expressionless, he starts after a fraction of a sigh, "The delay of the album was never our fault, meron akong nabasa sa internet na 'because of the inefficiency of the band…'" as if cueing Jal to elaborate, "We were always in the studio when we needed to be there. After n'on nasapawan na kami ng ibang artists, at mahirap nang magpa-schedule." And, as if Ebe could not hear him, he continues in the same drawl "…well, I'd like to meet the person who wrote that, I'll give him a copy of the album," and he stares momentarily at something. Not a twitter from the shy and uncommunicative Mitch.

Out of the goodness of his heart, even if it did mean extra labor on his part, Angee Rozul practically forced Ebe to work on the album once more during his free time. And with the fact that it was one of the country's foremost sound engineers who had been supporting and believing in them, their mindset eventually picked up, and the band started anew, with an enthusiastic attitude. Meaning: it is very possible that if it weren't for Angee Rozul, Sugar Free wouldn't be anywhere near being accessible to the masses. Kudos to him!

Sugar Free is one of the millions of bastard children of pop and rock, incorporating both the former's fun attitude and the latter's seriously technical instrumentation, and there are no finer points to be taken from both genres. Ebe declares, "We're too rock to be pop, and too pop to be rock." Although it does sound like one of those worn-out phrases accompanied by "for lack of a better term," but can this be so? Apparently yes, as evidenced by the softness of the lyrics entwined with the rock-ish treatment of their music, which are simply reminiscent of 60s rock. And although most of Ebe's lyrical themes revolve around the overused (or abused) four-letter word, L-O-V-E, it is merely easy to give the chief lyricist's talent credit, as explained by Jal, "'Yung maganda, sa palagay ko, hindi dahil kabanda ko si Ebe," he defensively juts out, "pero 'yung mga sa tingin mong pinka-normal na pangyayari sa buhay ng tao. 'yung inaakala mong mundane, hindi cliché 'yung pagkaka-capture at hindi metaphorical." Very well said.

As it stands, it has always been Ebe's talent to write very personal, heartfelt and honest lyrical composition, which is why it's no surprise that listeners have some sort of attachment with the songs. It was as if they were written during his down points, and he wants to share it with you, and he does it very effectively. His choice of words are exactly what you would use in confiding to your best friend, or even to your most significant other, so the songs are even more seething and dragging you to the same emotional level he was in, making the songs feel very personal and everybody's story. Take "Unang Araw" as an example, with lines like, "Nasanay lang sigurong wala ka/'di ko inakalang p'wede kang mawala" you can never go wrong, surely it'll drive you into a sentimental frenzy; and if you don't feel even the slightest stab to the chest, you're either very dense or, very dead. And it is because of this why I believe that all the songs could be anyone's anthem, or at least fleeting remnants of yesterday's last song syndrome.

The songs in -Sa Wakas- are stories imaginatively weaved into catchy tunes and beats, like pure emotions given a voice, and a superb band to back it up. The album open with "Burnout," which according to Ebe, is the first song they created as Sugar Free. It deals with the attempts to adapt to the changes between a couple, subtle and imperceptible, as they may seem. And there are no better way to open an album, for it draws you closer and you suddenly get the retaliating feeling of wanting to finish the entire project. "Hintay" then follows, and talks on the paranoia of being left alone by your loved one leaving you, it is deadly apparent on the lines, "Nawawala kapag di hinawakan / Dudulas kapag di iningatan." "Mundong Malungkot" is a slow track, and tragic as it may sound, if you look deeply into it's gut you'll find that it's also matted with concern, true love and all the cheesy stuff old songs are made of. Although, there's the not-so-nice rough line. "D'yan ka lang, dahil sa labas/Umuulan ng dugo at luha," but Ebe's powerful voice seems to smoothen it out, making it sound rather melodious as ever.

And then there's also "Taguan," a fun ditty that will surely make you press the REPEAT button on your CD player. It traces the story of a clandestine relationship with a bizarre twist, and as the song progresses, you'll find out just how absurd their disposition really is. Written and sung by Jal, it sounded as though it was something that the Itchyworms could have done, but then there's the boogie feel to it that could, might as well prove just how talented and open-minded Jal is.

And when you thought the beat is definitely up and even hope that it does stay that way, everything slows down as we hear "Fade Away." It opens with a very common but often overlooked question, "Don't you ever wonder / Where all your happy thoughts have gone?" something that could be out of a soap opera, but then the chorus approaches "When we move to the left, then we move to the right" and apparently snatches that thought away from you, and instead humorously makes you think of those aerobic song, you know, the one where the vocals tell you just which arm or leg to move.

"Unang Araw" sure feels like a story about a person who has just woken up a day after a sudden and unexpected breakup, swift but painful nonetheless. "Telepono," on the other hand, talks about the relationship that, tragically, only existed through the telephone's fiber optic lines and the samba essence go so well with the song's entirety. "Tummy Ache" sounds so dragging, almost boring, despite that, I find that it's quality does not really lie on the tune, but with the supple texture, and Jal's melancholic voice does blend in with Ebe's gloomy guitar, setting Mitch's firm drumbeats as a steady backdrop, as characterized with British alternative bands, making this track sound like Coldplay featuring Jal Taguibao on Vocals. Other notable tracks are "Allan's Song," "Insomya" and "Los Baños," all of which are very good testimonies to establish Sugar Free as the next big thing with a sound that has a deep reference to our immediate past.

As mentioned, Sugar Free is being compared to the Eraserheads and, in terms of the band's staying power, for their own sake, I do hope they surpass that. However, Ebe has a practical idea, "P'wede kaming mabuwag bukas," even Mitch smiled as a form agreement. "…basta, habang nagwo-work 'yung relasyon ng banda, at nawo-work out pa namin 'yung issues, tatagal ang Sugar Free." Jal surmises. And besides, the revolutionary idealistic view today is do whatever you enjoy doing, play your songs even if no one is evidently listening, as long as you know in your heart that there's someone out there who is singing along and bobbing his head and tapping his feet along.

Ebe manages to string together a couple of meaningful words, with a wave of sincerity flooding his face "It's either you like us or you don't, that's what Sugar Free is all about."

This is the first article I got published....but they mutilated my article; some sentences were deleted without thinking about their purpose, details were omitted and some sentences appeared, and I don't even remembering writing them.
And I think, to any writer, that is a big insult. If they did not like my work, they should've just asked me to rehash the whole damn thing. Or I would've have been acceptable if they just rejected it.

Plus, Sugar Free specifically asked me to please include in the article their manager's contacts and the mailing list's address, something I did but they disregarded entirely.
And most important is that this was co-penned with my best friend, Wacko NATIVIDAD, but they got his surname wrong....TRINIDAD?
Sheesh!

A Sugar Free diet

By Luis Anthony Oliveros
Manila Times
Ferbruary 18, 2003

THE year 1996 found Sky Church clawing its way up the local rock scene, scaring and wowing a crowd that adored the Eraserheads, Oasis and Rivermaya. By the end of the second millennium, however, the monotonous sound of rap-metal bands left fans yawning. Naturally, one would tend to look for something that breaks the conventional, so everyone was on the lookout for something with brains and excitement. Different acts came out, including Imago, Itchy Worms, and Twisted Halo, among others.

It just so happened that Sugar Free was in the horizon when the searchlights were turned on. The crowd lent a critical ear to this not so-new band, and jaws began to drop. If 2002 brought the demise of the Eraserheads; the year that followed carried the launch of Sugar Free’s two-year delayed debut album. It happened last January when the searchlights metamorphosed into spotlights of the Freedom Bar, and the band worked up a storm to a crowd that made the venue busting at the seams.

Sugar Free features the diverse talents of Ebe Dancel on vocals and guitars, Jal Taguibao on bass, and Mitch Singson on drums. Their lovely manager, unofficial band member and friend, Anne Arraya, is omnipresent, making sure that the band runs perfectly like a well-oiled set of cogs come performance.

But first, the semantics: after searching for a suitable name for the band, surprisingly, it was Jal’s mom who suggested the name. “My mom is diabetic. Makes sense because the music is upbeat but the lyrics are sad. It’s kinda ironic. Hence, the name Sugar Free.” Cool mom, eh?

It all started more than three years ago. Ebe had been friends with the band Session Road, which Jal used to play for. When Ebe’s own band disbanded, and Jal eventually left his, Sugar Free was born, originally with Session Road’s Chavil and Dennis handling the keyboards and drums.

They met Mitch during a gig in Manila’s rock Mecca, Mayric’s, where he was playing with the power pop-spiced Ciudad. Not long after, a demo tape was finished. Ebe’s brother, Vin (frontman of local indie deities Twisted Halo) was given a copy, which was passed on to Rico Blanco.

“I think he liked it,” Jal grins. Blanco jammed with them, experimenting on the sound with the feedback and different distortions. Blanco, however, was busy working on Rivermaya’s reformation and new album, Tuloy ang Ligaya. Consequently, he failed to make it to the gigs and he eventually drifted off. And, as what is being put down on the book of Pinoy rock history, that’s how the three-piece came to be.

Sugar Free’s first single, “Telepono,” gave the band recognition as a newbie. It debuted on In The Raw, NU 107’s program that features unsigned bands. They then entered the regular airplay. And as of writing, their second single, “Mariposa” is a hot item, recently occupying the second notch on NU 107’s Midnight Countdown.

They were recently tagged by critics as the next Eraserheads, mainly because of how they play around their sounds. The second time you listen and strains of Rivermaya become evident. Ultimately, however, you realize Sugar Free has a sound of its own. Jal enumerates Sting, Corduroy, the James Taylor Quartet as some of his influences. Ebe, on the other hand, names U2, the Carpenters, Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra as his. Mitch sums up the Foo Fighters, Weezer, Popsicle and Possum Dixon as the bands that inspire him.

The band is another bastard child, incorporating pop’s fun attitude and rock’s technical instrumentation; the vibrant lyrics entwine with the rockish treatment, a reminiscent of ’60s rock. Ebe writes personal and honest compositions. His lyrical themes revolve around love.

Jal explains that their take on everyday lives of people aren’t clichéd or metaphorical. Take “Unang Araw” as an example, with lines like, “Nasanay lang sigurong wala ka/di ko inakalang p’wede kang mawala” (got so used to not having you around/never knew you’d actually leave). Surely it’ll drive you into a sentimental frenzy; and if you don’t feel even a stab to the chest, you’re either very dense or very dead.”

They signed up with Viva Records with the promise of an early release date for the album, but it didn’t materialize. The album was delayed for two years. The truth was that the members almost reached the point of giving up on the prospect of ever releasing an album.

They had to shift gears and they shifted to EMI because it offered a better deal. Sound engineer Angee Rozul urged Ebe to work on the album once more. Finally, Sugarfree’s debut album Sa Wakas became a reality.

The tracks in Sa Wakas are stories imaginatively weaved into song, like pure emotion given a voice and a superb band to back it up. The album opens with “Burnout,” which sounds like an intellectual feel good song. Then there’s the boogie sounding “Lagoon,” an absurd ditty about illicit love that’ll keep you pressing the repeat button. The slow “Tummy Ache” impressively feels like Coldplay featuring Jal on vocals. Other notable tracks on the album are “Insomya,” “Los Baños,” “Hintay” and “Fadeaway,” all of which are testimonies to establish Sugar Free as the next big thing with a sound that references our immediate past.

“It’s either you like us or you don’t, that’s what Sugar Free is all about,” blurts out Ebe.

Not liking Sugar Free is not a crime. Ignoring them is perhaps preferable to disliking them. But if you do like them, cheer them on.

-- with reports by Wacko Trinidad

AdmitOne Productions

Nirvana Night
with performances by


Twisted Halo
Fatal Posporos
Dicta License
Sponge Cola
Electronica Manila
Soapdish
Chicosci

This is my first attempt at making a blogger.

Tonight I will be attending ADMIT ONE at Freedom Bar, Anonas, QC.




bwahahahahaha