FROM the emergence of disco and heavy rock in the 1970s, to the gangster rappers and catchy pop tunes of the 1990s, and finally ending up in the present millennium with a melting pot of genres and heart-thumping electronic dance music, the one thing that remains consistent in musical trends is its inconsistency.
In the long list of bright one-hit wonders that hit the charts over the years, many have flickered out. However, there are some timeless tunes, the classics, which will never go out of style. Just like how the classic Filipino rock scene is still very much ready to rock the hearts of hardcore fans even 40 years later.
Leading legends of Pinoy rock will reunite once again onstage for Legends Rock!, a timeless celebration of the golden era in the local rock scene that goes onstage tonight at 8 at the Hard Rock Café in Makati City.
The show will bring back Mike Hanopol and Wally Gonzalez of iconic band Juan de la Cruz, Resty Fabunan of the ever-popular Maria Cafra band, and Rene Garcia of the legendary purveyor of the so-called Manila Sound, Hotdogs. Along with the band Ammo, balikbayan singer Jo Awayan will be performing and hosting the show. Legends Rock! will also be introducing the young newcomer singer, Mugen Terazona.
“This is a good opportunity for fans to be able to listen to the music we made that people usually do not hear anymore,” Resty Fabunan said during a news conference held at Gerry’s Grill in Silver City, Pasig.
Garcia, who formed the Hotdogs with his brother Dennis alongside Tito del Rosario, producing such hits as “Manila Manila” and “Bongga Ka Day,” said it would be special playing side-by-side once again with the rock legends he respects.
“It’s a concert where musicians are really good with their guitars and they have been practicing their craft for years,” Garcia said, whose band rose to musical fame with their first album, Unang Kagat (1974), and became a major influence in the “Manila Sound”. “We are doing this concert out of love for music.” Tickets for the show are priced at P950 and P1,500 (for orchestra section), both inclusive of one drink.
BLAST FROM SONGS PAST
Formed in 1968, Juan de la Cruz quickly became pioneers of Pinoy rock. In December 1970, the band was praised for headlining the Antipolo Rock Festival, the first open field rock festival in the Philippines. A year later, their rise to stardom soon led them to release their first album, Up in Arms.
Juan de la Cruz, responsible for the classics “Laki sa Layaw (Jeproks)” and “Balong Malalim”, among many others, reinvented itself later on as a power trio composed of Mike Hanopol, Joey “Pepe” Smith and Wally Gonzalez, quickly becoming the premier rock band of the Philippines. Hanopol, the band’s bassist, produced 20 albums during his career as a musician, three of which became gold while another three won Aliw Awards. The OPM icon, who has been teaching Judaism for more than a decade, is also set to be ordained as the first Filipino rabbi in 2016.
Meanwhile, Resty Fabunan, the leader of the band Maria Cafra, has been compared several times to the late legendary American guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Some of the legendary songs under the band’s belt are “Kumusta Mga Kaibigan,” “Buhay Gapo” and “Exodus”
Produced by Bing Palad Apolinario and Willie Rodriguez, Legends Rock! is presented by Listening In Syle, Power Dimension Inc., Via Mare, Vaniderm, Café Gredients, Javita Coffee, Jim Beam, Jetti and Yek Yeu.