Radio Republic: Living in a Small World

"And it’s the same thing, sadly, with our society as a whole here in the Philippines: we are prisoners to our own ties, our own connections. And this interconnection comes with its own inertia. The longer you stay in it, the more that you do not want to rock the boat, the more things stay as they are."

Read more at http://www.radiorepublic.ph/living-in-a-small-world/

From Radio Republic: Empty Boots at the Gate

Archiving articles from my Radio Republic column, Drinking Coffee as the World Goes By:

"But this, the issue of gatekeepers, is something people should think about. When we say gatekeepers, we’re talking about people or entities whom we trust to be the ones to tell us what good music is. Be it Casey Kasem, Francis Reyes, or any other DJ or music figure that we consider has a finger on the pulse of whatever music scene they’re in, they are gatekeepers. They steer us to what’s new, what’s happening, and what is, presumably, the Next Big Thing."

Read more at https://www.radiorepublic.ph/empty-boots-at-the-gate/

From Radio Republic: Out and Loud

Archiving articles from my Radio Republic column, Drinking Coffee as the World Goes By:

"Every time I hear the phrase “He’s okay, even if he’s gay” and all the permutations of that statement, it simply shows that gay is not okay. You don’t have to kill us to say that there is gay discrimination. You just have to make a distinction of us versus them."Read more at https://www.radiorepublic.ph/out-and-loud-music-and-being-gay/

From Radio Republic: Generations

Archiving articles from my column in Radio Republic, Drinking Coffee as the World Goes By:

"But the coming of the Internet screwed with the formula. While in the past you could get along on album sales, that’s now more of a cost to be shouldered, rather than a profit center; finding your own way to sell merch or set up gigs for yourself is the name of the game, as is using internet social media and broadcast platforms in a cost-efficient manner."

Read more at https://www.radiorepublic.ph/generations/

From Radio Republic: Trying to do Something Right

From my column in Radio Republic, Drinking Coffee as the World Goes By:

"I say all that because the danger of the internet, of having all this information readily available, is that we sometimes take for granted that most of this information is true. The fact is, this overabundance of information should make us even more suspicious. Even if research makes a person feel lazy, when it comes to inserting ideas into our heads, we should really be more careful."

Read more at https://www.radiorepublic.ph/trying-to-do-something-right/

What Lies Beneath

Observing the social media reaction-fest over what appear to be extra-judicial killings of suspected drug users and pushers here in the Philippines has, arguably, brought out the best and the worst in many people.

On one side, some people are simply reacting by saying that the ends do justify the means. On the other hand, you also have many people screaming bloody murder, particularly since due process isn’t being observed.

Behind all this, I feel, is a basic misunderstanding of the problem. It’s not about drugs. It’s about why people need drugs in the first place.

Needs and wants, supply and demand

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of bringing the issue down to poverty, for the reason that poverty is also seen as a convenient excuse for committing crimes. However, that’s just one side of the coin. It’s also true that poverty can drive one to desperate measures – such as crime.

And that interminable daily grind, that constant battle for survival, it serves as an open door to drug use. With little or no “good things” in life, it isn't surprising many of the poor decide to use illegal drugs, if only to escape their dreary life.

It does not excuse, however, their eventual giving in to the addiction, the eventual descent into crime and violence that many of them go through to feed their habit.

And as for the rich who are hooked on drugs, it’s even more complicated, and less of a sympathetic issue; after all, it is much harder to understand despair and ennui when the person suffering it is, essentially, well-off.

Whatever the case may be, the point is: something is wrong, and it isn’t just about illegal drugs or the people who are part of the criminal ecosystem for it.

It’s about addressing poverty, job opportunities, and fostering a culture where illegal drug use can be seen as a symptom of larger issues. It’s about seeing drug users not as victims, but as people who need to be rehabilitated, rather than jailed or killed (of course, this assumes that they have not done any crime that is beyond redemption).

The challenge, the real outrage is not only that extrajudicial killings are happening, but that we have to fix the very roots of our society. And even if it sounds impossible to do, we have to try. Otherwise, the divide between “bleeding hearts” and “pragmatists” will grow ever wider, and the chasm in between will be filled with dead bodies.

Before anyone asks: I am myself overwhelmed with the enormity of the idea of where to begin. But we have to stop arguing on the level of the drug trade. We must start doing something about the human condition that allows such a thing to exist.





 


Photo originally from this image

The Seven Wishes for OPM, Amended.

Click here for our Facebook site. I'm the bassist. Left-most.

A friend, Vin, linked an article on Facebook. It was about someone's Seven Wishes for OPM. As I read through it, I realized that I had a very different set of wishes. Here are those wishes, and I hope they come true.

1) I wish people would stop obsessing on the traditional ideas of "ORIGINAL" in OPM. Get over it. If it's an original song that takes from popular tropes and types of the day, then it's Filipino as long as it's made by one. Covers? Well, that's a matter of taste. Youtube? Why not? If you don't like it, then go somewhere else. The rule is: never take away from anyone who is trying. That's just a subtle sort of arrogance.

2) Songs start with the writing process. Some people think it may be easy to write, but it really is both a talent and a skill - natural and learned. However it may be, it pays to keep on writing. Didn't get the last song right? Put the lyrics, chords and melody in your library - you never know when the right pieces will come along. And if they don't, take that song as a lesson on what could be improved. Listen to people who diss you with a grain of salt - and pick up the good stuff. The negativity, just leave it behind.

3) Don't blame the kids for not going to the gigs. Face it, it's a new paradigm for kids these days. The best thing to do is to adapt to this reality. Make sure you do have online content - and through that, encourage them to come to the gigs. Learn merchandising, too.

4) Forget the hometown heroes. Just listen to good music, wherever it comes from. Regionality is great, but only if it's worth it. That way, if you do get into the music, you won't have those blinders on, either.

5) If you're in a band, always go for self-improvement. Even if you did get famous on three chords and a microphone, it pays to learn how to play better, write better and perform better. On a selfish note, you'll get damn good at impressing people. On a non-selfish note, you'll end up being a better draw and money's worth for your fans. Both are GOOD.

6) It's good to move on from the classics, but never forget why they're classics in the first place. Yes, I know we're all tried of hearing the 'Heads, Wolfgang, Razorback and Juan dela Cruz songs prepetually being covered, but there's a flip side to it: listen to these songs, figure out why they're the classics, use those lessons to do things your way.

7) Don't wish for someone to save the decade. Just wish that more people will get into music. That more people will love music. That more people will pick up instruments. Forget about saving music, just go out and play.

* originally posted in my Facebook account

Children of Darkness

The taxi I rode in had a broken front door lock. I was seated in the back, ready to retire to my apartment for the day.

Near the Pioneer/Guadalupe area, a street kid opens the front door. His partner was ready at the other door, holding what I clearly saw to be an icepick.

I told the driver not to get out. I managed to close the front passenger door from my end. Luckily, Driver's door was locked, same with the passenger left rear door. I had locked my door also.

The icepick-carrying boy shot me a look that clearly communicated his hatred of anyone who had more than he did, his hatred for being given the sort of life he had. He snarled like an animal and ran into the oncoming traffic, to disappear into the night.

There can be no mercy for such a lost soul.

If you think I'm being mean, think of it this way: No matter how hard life gets, there is always a choice. and that look the child gave me was not of one who had no choice - it was of one who embraced the darkness freely.

And it isn't just happening there. I have a friend who was almost seriously injured by a knife stabbing last week...in the Katipunan area, as he was going home. The ones who ambushed him were the street children there, the very same ones who hang around the McDonald's and all the nice restaurants. They turned on people who would have helped them had they asked for it, people who would never have asked for anything back.

We can blame it on the erosion of social values, on the dismal economy or even on the inherent flaws of the capitalist system. But all that pales in comparison to that look the boy gave me.

It was feral. It wasn't just about survival, but also about revenge, vengeance, whatever you would call it. To hurt back for being hurt, but with such a pleasure to it that there is no room left for sympathy.

Now, I am home. Normally, since I live in a gated apartment community, all of us who live here open our doors to let the night air come in. Tonight, my door is locked. It's not because I am scared, but because the truth is, there are more animals out there in the streets now, and it pays to be cautious.


I used to believe in the seduction of darkness, of the innocent being trapped into a life of evil. Now I know: for some there is no trap, only the loving comfort of finally leaving the hardships of being human, and becoming well and truly evil.

The Cost of Free Music

Read up on a thread in Philmusic, where I saw some people justify downloading music. Now, I know that these days, no one is innocent - myself included. But before you find ways to justify the institutional fault or sin, at least be aware of what you do contribute to.

Kung hindi kayo bibili ng paid download or CD/album - in other words, libre/pirata lang gusto ninyo, huwag na rin kayo umangal kumbakit puro mga sa tingin ninyo ay walang kwentang banda ang sumisikat. Huwag rin kayo umangal tungkol sa nangyayari na yung mga magagaling na banda, minsan lang maglabas ng album, o naglalaho na lang na parang bula.

Huwag na rin kayo magsabi ng "sayang" sa mga magagaling na nagbabanda na nag quit dahil wala
silang pambili ng gatas para sa anak nila. At huwag na rin kayo umangal kung ang mga paborito ninyong musikero o banda, eh sa tingin niyo nag-sellout o kumuha ng trabaho na nakakabawas sa oras sa tamang pagbabanda.

Huwag rin kayo umangal kung bakit sa live niyo lang napapakinggan ang mga ibang magagaling na banda, pero hindi naman bumibisita kung nasaan kayo. Huwag na rin kayo umangal na bakit parang nawawala sa praktis ang mga ibang banda - mahal rin ang praktis time sa studio kapag gusto mo pulido talaga ang tugtugan.

Kasi, di ba, mahal ang bayaran ang music nila. Mas importante yung mga expenses niyo di ba? Eh di pwes, huwag na rin kayo umangal sa lahat ng nangyayari ngayon, kasi kahit ang musikero, kailangan rin kumain, kailangan rin mag asikaso ng pamilya, kailangan rin gumastos para gumaling pa sila sa tugtog o mag-maintain man lang ng tamang gamit. Kung kahit naghihirap na ang musikero, gusto pa rin niya mag porsige, gagawa siya ng paraan, pero sigurado, nakatanggal ito sa oras para sa music at banda lang talaga.

Huwag na kayo bumili ng CD or paid download, pero huwag rin kayo umangal-angal. Okay ba?
Hindi na po "industriya" ang pinag-uusapan, kundi ang sitwasyon na dahil nga mahilig ang tao sa libre, mas lalong nahihirapan ang maraming banda (lalo na sa indie; ano pakialam ng international major label bands sa ganito, eh nakakatugtog sila sa malaking mga stadium na limpak-limpak ang bayad sa isang ticket, minsan may major brand endorsements pa) na makapagsabi na kaya nila makabuhay ng sarili nila sa pamamagitan ng ginagawa nila at suporta ng tao sa kanila.

Wala sanang magagalit, open thread naman po ito, at opinion ko lang naman ang sinabi ko.

Translation:
If you won't pay for a CD album or downloaded music, don't complain if you think no-talent bands and performers are getting more popular. Don't complain either why the really good bands either come out with albums sparingly or simply disappear from the radar.

Don't say that it's a waste if a good musician quits because he has to keep on bringing food to his kids. Don't complain if your favorite musician or band "sells out" or gets a day job that will have an impact on their time to devote to the band.

Don't complain if there are bands you can only hear live, or if they don't visit your area as you think they should. Don't complain if some bands also fall out of musical shape due to lack of practice - practice studio time costs money too, and a lot of time is needed to sharpen skills and playing.

Buying music is expensive, right? And your expenses are definitely more important. But don't complain about all the things happening in the music scene today, because, really, musicians need to eat, take care of their families and loved ones, and they need to spend money on their music to get better, if only to maintain their equipment. If, after all this, the musician still wants to make a go of it, he or she will find a way, but you bet that way will still cut into time that could have been spent for the band and the music.

Don't buy CD's or pay for downloaded music - but don't complain, okay?

It's not just the "industry" we're talking about here, but rather that many people now want stuff for free. But this affects many bands (and we're not talking about major labels bands, but more of the indies; international major label bands have those big "stadium" or so concerts and their expensive tickets, and some even have brand endorsement deals), in that they cannot make a living from the music and the support of their fans.

I hope no one gets too angry at this - this is just an opinion, and I'm entitled to it.

Additional:
Just thinking about it a bit more: people can always argue that the changing face of music retail (re: iTunes and all) may render the point moot...I agree! But the question is...before it becomes moot, how much more "blood" will be spilled?

Free Fridays - The White Collar Education Trap

I'm a writer and editor by trade. And I mostly work on Internet-based projects. I guess you could say that I'm a "white-collar" worker. When I was working in SM as a Marketing Officer, you could say that I was white-collar, officially.

But is being white-collar - that is, "professional" level in education, skill, experience and abilities - good for everyone? I seriously don't think so.

It's a weakness of Philippine society, that parents want their children to have an education aimed at snagging a white-collar job. The fact is, in order for the Philippines to move forward, we have to realize that the educational system we have should be two-tiered: one for creating administrative officers, and one for skilled laborers - and we're talking here "able to use modern technology."

Meditations
The idea came to me as I was thinking of how I wished that my alma mater's grade school and high school had excellent "shop" classes. I now think of how useful proper basic carpentry, electrical, electronic and metal working skills would have been to me. I'm still one of the "handymen" in my circle of friends, but I wonder how it could have been if I experienced good shop teachers. For all we know, maybe my real skill wasn't in writing and editing, but in craftsman-level work in those areas (or is that artisan-level?).

In any case, it brought up a point in my mind. This sort of skill is what the country needs, in order to modernize the industrial sector. We need truly skilled workers. But no, Filipino families make it a point so say that that sort of work is just about as bad as actually being an unskilled labourer on the factory floor.

Feudal?
Perhaps part of it still is linked to our feudal background, which equates a good education with a rise in social rank. But this sort of thinking is coming under fire these days, thanks to the fact that many educational institutions in the country - the worst being the public schools - have become little more than epic failures in providing children with what their parents are hoping is an education for a better life as they see it.

There, too, is the primitive view of the blue-collar job - there is no separation between the skilled and unskilled.

The Philippines, it seems, still operates on the idea of Masters and Servants.

School Business
There's also the matter of schools themselves. Rather than providing a good education, many schools are simply providing for the wants (not the needs) of the students - more specifically, the student's parents. Although you can't blame them for wanting better "futures" for their children, but at the same time, they should be aware that when you have a limited job pool, only the top schools would get their people in, in general.

Add to that the fact that many schools in the Philippines are coming out with sub-par students, and you have a recipe for a disaster.

Self-defeating cycle
As one generation fails, so do they transfer their aspirations to the next. There's nothing wrong with them wanting their children to have better lives, but the frustrations are there, and this will practically force their ambitions on their children. That never bodes well. Children will go to college courses they hate, in schools that have dubious success rates for their graduates, leading to another generation of people who failed at what they studied for, settling for lower jobs...and starting it all up again.

Breaking tradition
I seriously think that the Filipino has to look deep into their cultural attitudes about education. Heck, even I don't know where to start, as the solution would probably take three generations and a serious, concerted and prolonged effort to change how we as a country train ourselves, our workforce and our children for a proper future.

In the end, perhaps I see it as a trap because I can see all these people who are suffering from our imbalanced and increasingly inefficient and ineffective educational system.

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