Another Reading List Technological progress – from the Printing Press to the BitTorrent protocol – is what essentially drives cultural development and social change, what makes it possible to share ideas, embrace expressions, improve inventions and correct the works of the past. Human history is the history of copying, and the entirely defensive and desperate … Continue reading
A Reading List There is a fundamental “dirtiness,” an impurity, in disco and pop music precisely because of their contradictory nature, their capacity and willingness to be used in alternative and subversive ways, and this partly accounts for the bias against these uncontrollable musical forms. The art held up as most superior according to highbrow … Continue reading
We’ve placed the entire onus of changing-with-the-times on musicians, but why can’t the educational, cultural and governmental institutions that support the arts adapt as well, extending the same opportunities to those whose music provides the soundtrack to our lives? If they don’t, Darwinism will probably ensure that only the musical entrepreneurs survive. I can’t say … Continue reading
I don’t think we really intended to do it, but Rakenrol showed that making music was all just a phase. I mean, you can’t really be like Ely or Pepe Smith and dedicate your whole life to it…It becomes a story you tell your grandchildren. But then, at the time, it meant the world to … Continue reading
From Moody’s column, Swinging Modern Sounds, on The Rumpus If we look back to the ’80s and the introduction of the CD, we’ll see that technologists have a knack for creating solutions to problems that don’t exist for everyone, just an initial subset. I’m not convinced that, at the time, the recording industry was seriously … Continue reading
You can make it without the help of a major label. And if you’re that serious, you can make it a business. You can make money out of playing music. We Talked About Guns ‘N Roses Nu Metal and other unstable categories Feeling safe in your own little niche NU 107’s In the Raw A sustainable … Continue reading
We have pretty much dug our grave, and we’re lying in it! It’s our niche! Anyone who comes close to us, parang, “Ah, classic rock? Parang Razorback.” But at least we’ve put a peg on that. We’ve captured it—not by force, just by sheer luck. So do you consider that iconic? I’ll just throw that … Continue reading
“I think musicians should always be on the lookout for opportunities to see beautiful things at any minute, and be able to write them down, and remember.” We Discussed Social Services for the Entertainment Sector The late greats (Susan Fernandez, Edgar Avenir, Roger Herrera) Exploring other genres Noontime shows in corpse paint What’s wrong with … Continue reading
“Hear it is” is a series of interviews with musicians, transcribed here as oral histories. We talk about what they do and what they’ve done, and what has changed since they started making music. Discussed An older sister who played the piano A father who liked getting lost around Manila from time to time Radio … Continue reading
“Hear it is” is a series of interviews with musicians, transcribed here as oral histories. We talk about what they do and what they’ve done, and what has changed since they started making music. We Discussed Fathers and 70s-era piracy “Default singers” and emotional truths The trepidation that comes with creative output going public “These … Continue reading
The Peripheral Universe 