Dong Abay

1993, when I was majoring in Film and Audio Visual Communications at UP diliman I had this college mate who belonged to a cinematography class as an elective to the myriad of electives in mass communication. If I got it right, it was a class under Fine Arts Professor Enrique.

We'd usually hang out at the Mass comm steps (film side) sucking on our winston reds. We were just casual acquaintances--he'd talk about the US bases, alternative cinema, U2 and the Clash. I'd just listen to his narratives, like it was just any conversation between a speaker and his disinterested audience. But I liked the guy simply because he wasn't mayabang. Everyday that sem, we'd just hang out for about 10-15 minutes ... talk nonsense and smoke.

One day, he invites me to watch his band perform. Wow, this character has a band? Uhhmm he likes U2 and The Clash....old school music. During that time, anything that didn't sound like Pearl jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Jane's Addiction or the Smashing Pumpkins wasn't worth listening to. To me music should sound like grunge-bar none. I was wrong.

Naturally I said yes, but didn't bother go. I had a band of my own, a cover band whom I thought was the greatest band on earth. I thought we sounded good and that we could be famous doing grunge gucci handbags covers.

Again, I was wrong.

Two months around February of 1994, me and a couple of FA students went to the UP fair to see the different "indie" bands perform...The e-heads were already taking off and phreaking afterimage was a radio staple. Towards one of the sets, a band came up onstage and did the best motherfucking punk- alterna rock rendition of songs that were both catchy, socially conscious and poetic at the same time. The vocalist was frenetic, crazy and passionate. And yes, the songs were all original and done in filipino. damn. Sheer Genius, that I even felt that this band was even better than the eraserheads (later I learned that we can't compare the two).

But the thing that blew me away most was that I recognized the vocalist. Shit, it's Mr. Clash...it's Mr. Winston Reds...Dong Abay... the dude that I'd hang out with and make tambay.

Dong Abay from the famous band YANO. The band that ushered in together with the e-heads the rennaisance in philippine musicscape. The band--that changed pinoy rock as we knew it. From then on the rest was History and I was an instant fan. I followed YANO as they gigged from 70's Bistro, to DREDD to Mayrics and UP. It was a great year, and it was also a great time to be alive!!!

1996 was the last that I heard of YANO in their sophomore album. I had already graduated from the university and had to deal with the corporate world just to earn a living. The musicscape had changed with grunge dying it's natural death and the boy band, spice girls britney era was malignantly creeping in...the e-heads were at their height..dangerously veering into extinction as Rivermaya waited in the wings for the torch to be passed.

YANO was never to be heard of. And so was Dong Abay...oh well maybe the dude got tired of making music...maybe, he like me had been siphoned by this thing called corporate sewage.

2002...I saw PIPOL and I saw the legend that was Dong Abay and the depression he went through...I pitied the guy, but my respect for him grew to immense proportions. He was totally revivified with his new band PAN. Instantly, I bought my copy at Nella Sarabia's UP shopping center outlet.

PAN was a classic. This was like a second coming of sorts, even better. Here you can see the pure genius that is Dong Abay...poetry, simplicity, inspiration, passion. This was unadulterated fertile pinoy music in it's purest form. To date, I only admire and respect two songwriters these past 3 decades...Gary Granada and Dong Abay.

PAN's Parnaso ng Payaso was like Led Zeps sophomore album. It was like The Who's Quadrophenia-atmospheric and organic that every ditty grows on you like ear candy. You never get tired listening to it. The album closes with an optimistic, yet reassuring note that Dong Abay will indeed be here to stay.

Present

A month ago, while sampling the new Red Hot Chilli Peppers album at Tower I saw what perhaps would be another happy moment in my music life. I saw FLIPINO... and a familiar name attached to the album sleeve. This time, a self named band that becomes a fitting tribute to the best surviving pinoy rock songwriter of all time. I couldn't review the album as I am still in the process of letting it grow on me. My initial listen confirms the genius that is Dong...the songs are much simpler, less layered, lesser instruments...much tamed and less angsty. But the fight is still there. Fists clenched but this time more cultivated and settled.

One of these days...I wish to see Dong Abay perform live. In the meantime, I have included one of his love songs "DYAD" in my soon to be wife's wedding site.

Dong, mabuhay ka! You deserve to be a national artist, pare.

As I am not worthy to do a decent review, please refer to these sites:

http://micomicolet.livejournal.com/160713.html

http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/01/06/I2006010653260.html

This is Dong Abay's Official site:

http://dongabay.blogdrive.com

Btw guys check out the comments below....he he, sumagot ang idol ko! Yehey!