Pinoy rock '70s classic now available on vinyl 44 years later

MANILA -- A long lost DZRJ classic, “In Love With You” by Phase Two -- a staple on their FM radio station rotation -- has finally seen the vinyl treatment 44 years later.

The song was written by Johnny Alegre who since those halcyon days of the 1970s made a name for himself as a jazz and world music musician. Among his bandmates then was noted guitarist Joey Puyat. Along with Sam Sen on bass, Uly Avante on drums, and Colby Calzada on keyboards, they recorded the song as Phase Two.

As Alegre tells it, “In late 1975 or early 1976, I auditioned a handful of songs to my bandmate, Joey Puyat, who was fishing for ideas to record. Joey chose ‘In Love With You’ as the right vehicle.”

The song was recorded in the now-defunct Cinema Audio recording studio in a matter of days and Alegre trooped over to DZRJ then located in Sta. Mesa and handed over the cassette recording to legendary disc jockey, Howling Dave. 

“Suffice to say, that the song was on heavy rotation simply because it blended with the spirit of the times,” explained Alegre of the breezy early staple of Pinoy rock. 

The band endeavored to get signed by a local record company but was ignored. The song, on the other hand, has taken a life of its own even decades later. “Many people to this day come up to me saying that 'In Love With You' was their theme song leading up to their raising a family. The thought of that is its own reward,” shared Alegre.

Alegre with his old cohort, Puyat, and occasional conspirator Kris Gorra-Dancel (of Fatal Posporos, Cambio, and Humanfolk) on vocals, Dennis Mabanta on bass and Paolo Manuel on drums, re-recorded the song as “#Hourglass” to breathe new life into the classic. The result is like an indie pop rock gem down to the DIY spirit.

“'In Love With You' is restructured, brought sonically forward to the new millennium with the best resources we could muster. I was not uncomfortable playing it again,” summed up Alegre.

The re-recording was undertaken right before the COVID-19 pandemic with the vinyl copies making it into the hands of Alegre right before the lockdown last March 11. 

This marks the first time that the song is available in any format whether physical (vinyl, cassette) or digital. 

The new version is on Side A of this seven-inch record release while the classic version is on Side B. Only 100 copies of this – on red vinyl to boot -- were pressed (in England) and are available for sale at P950. 

news.abs-cbn.com

WOLFGANG At The Full Moon! "Sandata" Premieres on MYX on Aug.2 at 11:59 PM!

BRACE YOURSELVES, PEOPLE!

The highly anticipated seventh album from Wolfgang rises on the horizon on Thursday, August 2nd, midnight, at the Full Moon.

“Sandata”, the first single from the album titled, “Ang Bagong Dugo sa Lumang Ugat”, premieres on radio and on MYX Music Channel at 11:59 pm, August 2.

“Ang Bagong Dugo” will be released in three parts, or “Kabanata”, in keeping with its theme -- the tale of our country as told through the saga of one family’s three generations. “It’s an ‘audio-nobela’,” explains Ramon Legaspi, chief architect of the band’s most iconic Tagalog songs. The album is written all in Filipino.

“Unang Kabanata” features four songs, including “Sandata”, which the band has taken on the road and already built up a cult following for it. “The response has been amazing,” said Basti Artadi, Wolfgang frontman. “People rock out and mosh to it, even when they’ve heard it for the first time.”

The idea for the album was hatched on one of the band’s overseas trips. It brings together for the first time in over seven years, Wolfgang’s explosive powers when working together in one studio, in this case, Loudbox, produced by Manuel Legarda. Previous album “Villains” was created by file-sharing across three continents and introduced fans to the vital chemistry added by drummer Francis Aquino, dubbed as “The Beast” for his pounding, drum-smashing rhythms.

The mythical “Ouroboros”, the snake eating its own tail, is the symbol for the “Bagong Dugo” album series. Reservations for the “Unang Kabanata” can be made through the Wolfgang hotlines, 0932.843.6811 / 0927.870.5637 / 0915.621.2189 now.

source: MYX

Karl Roy's final journey

MANILA, Philippines -- Pinoy rock icon Karl Roy, who passed away early Tuesday morning, March 13, was laid to rest Sunday.

After a mass early this afternoon at Mount Carmel church in New Manila Quezon City, Roy's ashes were brought to the family mausoleum at Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina at 5:30 PM.

Friends, fellow musicians, loved ones and fans celebrated Roy's last night at the small chapel of the church where an impromptu tribute concert took place outside.

Music artists including Cynthia Alenxander, Johnny Alegre, Dong Abay, Cookie Chua, Mike Villegas not to mention a "reunited" Kapatid -- Ira Cruz, Nathan Azarcon and J-Hoon Balbuena -- with Razorback frontman and younger brother Kevin Roy, provided the songs and sounds that evening.

Karl Joseph Gregory S. Roy, who fronted alternative rock bands Advent Call, P.O.T and later Kapatid, died from cardiac arrest due to complications brought about by pneumonia. He was 43.

Roy is an iconic figure in the Pinoy rock scene and became one of the purveyors of the emerging alternative music scene in the '90s.

source: interaksyon.com