Pride of a generation
A decade back, the Filipino airwaves was dominated by foreign bands and musicians. The Eraserheads, Rivermaya, P.O.T. and the rest of the early 90’s Filipino bands had to compete with international acts such as the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, A1 and other overseas boy-bands alike. Though this was the situation then, our musicians, our bands pushed through and firmly stood their ground, showing that they can contest the foreign wave of music. Years have passed and now, the booming band scene in the Philippines is encouraging the formation of new bands, giving a new reputation for the then-folk-styled music to the now more-globally-competitive type of music, and giving the international recognition that Filipino musicians deserve.
The boom in the Philippines’s band scene is giving a new batch of aspiring musicians the chance to be a part of it. Since the 90’s, there has been a large increase in the number of bands in the Filipino band scene. Mainstream, Indie or even underground, it has seen its fair share of young bloods, making their way to nationwide, and even international stardom. These new bands aren’t limited to the typical genres. They’re even making their own brand of genre like the indie band “Up Dharma Down” that keeps defying the barriers of musical genres with their own brew of indefinable and uncategorized music style. Also popular in pioneering the new age of Filipino band music is the Rock and Soul band, “Sinosikat?” that’s making heads nod in time with their contra-tempo and old-school funk beats. The soft-core-electronica band, “Taken by cars” bridges the gap between club/disco or DJ mixed techno music and band music.
This new batch of musicians is also making headlines around the world like the band “Up Dharma Down”, after being featured in only if not, most read magazine in the world, TIME. “Urbandub”, a Cebu based band hat got to participate in the annual Bay beats festival in Singapore with fellow Filipino bands “Up Dharma Down”, “Kjuan” and “Typecast”. And who could forget “Rivermaya” for winning the “Favorite Artist Award” during the MTV ASIA Awards Bankok 2006 proving that Filipinos are globally competitive and deserve respect and the international spotlight.
Before the 90’s, Filipino music was tagged as usually mushy, melancholic, slow, non-innovative and is heavily influenced by the current western music. All that because most of our earlier musicians that got international recognition like Pilita Coralles, Ryan Cayabyab, Kuh Ledesma, Basil Valdez and Regine Velasquez were mostly ballad singers. Now, because of the new wave of musicians that we have, we definitely made a strong statement that Filipino musicians aren’t one trick ponies, that they also have their own distinct style of music that they themselves defined and are pioneering and that he what is now the Filipino band scene, is more globally competitive and unique in context.
This new scene, this Filipino band explosion is giving the Philippines an increase in the number of Filipino bands, is giving not only the bands but the Philippines as well an international recognition and the music scene a new reputation. Something to be truly proud of.
A decade back, the Filipino airwaves was dominated by foreign bands and musicians. The Eraserheads, Rivermaya, P.O.T. and the rest of the early 90’s Filipino bands had to compete with international acts such as the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, A1 and other overseas boy-bands alike. Though this was the situation then, our musicians, our bands pushed through and firmly stood their ground, showing that they can contest the foreign wave of music. Years have passed and now, the booming band scene in the Philippines is encouraging the formation of new bands, giving a new reputation for the then-folk-styled music to the now more-globally-competitive type of music, and giving the international recognition that Filipino musicians deserve.
The boom in the Philippines’s band scene is giving a new batch of aspiring musicians the chance to be a part of it. Since the 90’s, there has been a large increase in the number of bands in the Filipino band scene. Mainstream, Indie or even underground, it has seen its fair share of young bloods, making their way to nationwide, and even international stardom. These new bands aren’t limited to the typical genres. They’re even making their own brand of genre like the indie band “Up Dharma Down” that keeps defying the barriers of musical genres with their own brew of indefinable and uncategorized music style. Also popular in pioneering the new age of Filipino band music is the Rock and Soul band, “Sinosikat?” that’s making heads nod in time with their contra-tempo and old-school funk beats. The soft-core-electronica band, “Taken by cars” bridges the gap between club/disco or DJ mixed techno music and band music.
This new batch of musicians is also making headlines around the world like the band “Up Dharma Down”, after being featured in only if not, most read magazine in the world, TIME. “Urbandub”, a Cebu based band hat got to participate in the annual Bay beats festival in Singapore with fellow Filipino bands “Up Dharma Down”, “Kjuan” and “Typecast”. And who could forget “Rivermaya” for winning the “Favorite Artist Award” during the MTV ASIA Awards Bankok 2006 proving that Filipinos are globally competitive and deserve respect and the international spotlight.
Before the 90’s, Filipino music was tagged as usually mushy, melancholic, slow, non-innovative and is heavily influenced by the current western music. All that because most of our earlier musicians that got international recognition like Pilita Coralles, Ryan Cayabyab, Kuh Ledesma, Basil Valdez and Regine Velasquez were mostly ballad singers. Now, because of the new wave of musicians that we have, we definitely made a strong statement that Filipino musicians aren’t one trick ponies, that they also have their own distinct style of music that they themselves defined and are pioneering and that he what is now the Filipino band scene, is more globally competitive and unique in context.
This new scene, this Filipino band explosion is giving the Philippines an increase in the number of Filipino bands, is giving not only the bands but the Philippines as well an international recognition and the music scene a new reputation. Something to be truly proud of.
pati to..
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