December 20,1987. MV Doña Paz was on its way to Manila carrying more than 4000 passengers. The ship’s capacity was only for 1000+ passengers but because it’s the holiday season, they allowed more than the ship’s capacity. MV Doña Paz collided with an oil cargo ship called Vector leaving more than 4000 passengers dead and only 24 survivors. Sulpicio Lines denied (and is still denying) that MV Doña Paz was overloaded with passengers because according to their manifesto, only about a thousand were listed there. Read the rest of this entry »

With the recent death of the former president, many of us did not know that she had an interview about her husband Ninoy Aquino months ago. It was supposed to be in preparation for the 25th anniversary of Ninoy’s death on August 21. This project was a collaboration of the Benigno Aquino Jr. Foundation and Unitel Productions as a tribute to the late hero of democracy.
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Duster (from left: Myrene Academia, Katwo Puertollano, Ristalle Bautista and Kris Gorra-Dancel)
Photo by Karla Redor

I got the chance witness the shoot of Duster’s “Gucci Gang” video shoot last August 5 at Club Dredd, Eastwood. It was a good time because that day was declared a special non-working holiday due to Cory Aquino’s burial. Well, I already paid my respects when there was a funeral procession in Ayala Ave. Even though it was supposed to be a free day for me, apparently it wasn’t because my day was packed with activities such as food tasting at a Mexican resto, this video shoot and the Nine Inch Nails concert. Read the rest of this entry »

I would not forget how Sugarfree’s melodramatic lyrics have become the music of my wounding heart when I was young. Yeah, yeah, it’s emo right? But everybody undergoes through that phase. I did not even realize that it’s been a decade since Sugarfree existed. Does this mean I’m aging? Shux.

Anyway, Sugarfree is back with fresh new sounds and a 10th year anniversary concert. Isn’t that interesting? They have just recently released an album entitled “Mornings and Airports”. Another interesting thing about this album is that Chino David and Anjo Inacay of Silent Sanctuary (strings) and Richie Gonzaga of Corporate Lo Fi (Trumpet) guested in some tracks in the album.

The current single is “Hay Buhay”. I first heard that song performed live last January (during the Rock Bosch gig) and now I believe it’s being played in major radio stations (the only thing I’m sure of is that it’s being played at NU 107). The album will be launched on August 19 at Saguijo. Read the rest of this entry »

Trent Reznor is a rock god.

Even though it’s been long time since the height of their rock and roll stardom, Nine Inch Nails is still worth listening to. Nothing has changed, they just looked older but the music is still the same. Industrial rock at its finest.

Weeks before the concert, I prepped up by listening to some NIN songs. If you’re following me in Twitter, you’ll notice I blip NIN songs .

I was there with my girlfriend Karla at the patron area of the Araneta Coliseum waiting for the show to start. The whole Araneta Coliseum was like a convention of Pinoy rock artists and enthusiasts. It’s like Saguijo but it’s much bigger. Lots of familiar faces from the band scene were there. I can’t help but see them because we’re at the patron area and they’re just right in front of us (VIP area). Read the rest of this entry »

(Photo from Perf de Castro’s website)

For the kids these days, you might have not know Perf de Castro so now is the best time to get to know him in a different way. Perf de Castro used to be with mainstream rock bands such as Backdraft, Tri-Axis, Rivermaya (for their first album) and Wolfgang. He also sessioned for Francis M in his album, ”Freeman”, Nonoy Zuniga, Gary V, Orient Pearl and many others. This guy really has a one hell of a talent and now he’s into classical guitar performances. I remembered him while he was with Rivermaya and also performing with Francis M.

My grade school friend Chili told me that he’s back and will be doing series of shows here in Manila and Cebu to show Filipinos of his classical guitar talent. He’s one of the Philippines’ guitar geniuses and must be appreciated. Read the rest of this entry »

(Cory doll)

Last August 1, former President Cory Aquino died due to cardiac respiratory arrest at the Makati Medical Center. It was already expected because she was already suffering colon cancer but I didn’t realize that it would be this early.

I watched Kris Aquino’s show, “The Buzz” (i.e. the Kris Aquino show – I rarely heard Boy Abunda’s voice all throughout the duration of the show) and listened to Kris’ narration of the memoir she wrote during the last month of her mom’s life. It made me teary-eyed and because Kris narrated it in such a way that you will feel like you were really there. I must say that she is a good memoirist. Read the rest of this entry »