AFTERIMAGE, LOOKING A PLACE UNDER THE SUN

The glorious return of the band that cast indelible footprints on the OPM shores is like the rebirth of a phoenix from the ashes – new life, inventiveness and success! One in million opportunity, we've once again invited them on cozy couch enjoying pizza 'n cola and popping up their ever mature musical idealism. The group welcomes their new members Gereon which plays the string bends on guitars and Gibby on drum rolls.

With the same familiar members; Wency on song pennings and vocals. Arnold on black and white keys of the keyboards and Niño on bass. Right on the crux of the matter is their new album heralding their coming back to the music scene. Let's take a closer look at it!

They've just made so much innovation now as they dance with the tingling tunes of techonology. Arnold testefied, “the difference is that technology change through the use and it has allowed a lot of people to record in their homes with the same quality that big studios used to have. So, that was limited to big studios before. But now, just Wency's studio, in his house. In that sense, we were more flexible in the recording process. We would record some parts in the studio and then the rest in Wency studio, specially the guitars. So, Wency was able to do a lot of editing and experimenting with the sound. It's a big help when it comes to flexibility and the creative process is there. The flow of the creativity wasn't hampered.”

Much were done with technology which made Wency told us about the running time of the recording process, “It took us around eight months, or eight to nine months to finish the album.” Well, I guess you have a fair time for a worth-noting album and musical pieces. Technicalities are the optimum and gift we could be thankful of. The brainier side for songwriting deals with not only time at that but a great deal of brain cells and forty-winks. Is it really the matter with the guys? “I think sa songwriting process yung iba may mga prepared na sila in hand,” Wency told us. Gereon speaks for the first time, “may mga old songs, may mga new songs.” And Arnold, “actually, sa album isa lang yung nadagdag eh,” with Gibby breaking the ice, “yung iba galing na sa baul (laughs), naisulat na.”

For the new members like Gibby, it's a matter of getting ahead of what you are looking for in life, taking the chance and taking the advantage somehow. He expressed, “two months ako ahead nag-audition. Hindi naman ako naghintay.”While Wency said that they've chosen between Wendel of Pupil and Gereon, which Gereon got the throne for guitars.

When it comes to their musical tandem, creativity tells a lot. A little direction from the pioneering members and go jingling all the way. Arnold said, “inirect pa rin kami, pero nagpag-experimentohan din naman yung sound, particularly sa gitara. Ayon, may mga ideas din na idinadagdag sila sa akin”

The 'inquisitions' getting tougher, I mean it's getting more serious, especially when you're ask about why you're doing things that you're obviously doing right now. Say, what are the factors did you consider in going back to the band scene. Arnold butts-in with a little 'hallow' on his head, “well number one, what I mean is just write. Help write. And I guess a sort of mission.” Wency tells his part as a long-time pilot of the band, and it's really maturely deeper in tone with a bit you won't expect he would said, “without Afterimage hindi naman siguro ako magiging artist. Hmm, hindi naman ako musician na musician eh. Wala naman akong ibang alam tugtugin na maayos (laughts), hindi naman ako magaling gumitara, 'di naman ako magaling magpiano. Marunong lang kong magsulat, marunong lang akong kumanta ng kunti. Alam mo hanggang ngayon nagtataka pa rin ako kung paano ako bumagsak sa ganitong klase ng trabaho.”

And the band must have lost patience telling us in chorus how did they have changed as artists, “more experience!” Nonetheless, other members give leeway for their second thoughts. Like when Arnold said, “siguro, iba na yung focus. Ibig kung sabihin yung fucos ko, ay kailangan ako yun pinakamagaling na keyboard player, ngayun gusto ko lang maganda ang tunog ng buong band. It's more of ano na eh, for the song. Let's say yung playing ng keyboard, playing ng base, it's for the song. Kumbaga yung ikagaganda ng kanta, hindi yung, oi talagang ang dami mong gagawin para mapansin, let's say yung base or whatever, the keyboard or the guitar.” Wency on the other hand give a nice finishing thoughts, “were past that age of trying to prove ourselves. I guess were mature now.”


ALBUM TALKS

Let's talk about your album (present). How does it differ from your previous recordings?
When people listen to it, parang meron. Siguro emotions na dumadaan doon sa banda during that time, yun yung nag-uunite sa banda. So, medyo nagiging in tune yung mga lumalabas na ideas. (Wency) Basically, the guitar sound ni Gereon it will sound like lumang Afterimage. Tapus noong madagdag tong mukong na to (laughs), medyo nagkaroon ng bagong direksyon.
(Arnold) Saka with regards to technology, mas nakapag-experiment kami, kasi before laging limited yung sa time. Like what we did with this album, let's say for me, yung base saka yung drums ni-record namin sa studio talaga. Then afterwards nilipat lahat noong tracks kina Wency for the guitars, vocals at iba pang mga instruments. Tapus after two to three weeks maririnig ko yung tracks magugulat na lang ako, kasi di kami nagkikita. Nagkikita na lang kami when we arrange the song. Pag aariglohin na kung saan yung bagsakan, kung saan yung choruses, yung intro kung ano ang gagawin. Pero the recording process, minsan lang kami nagkikita eh. So, after say two to three weeks narinig ko yung kanta, magugulat ako, amg dami ng mga gitara (laughts) ang dami ng mga keyboards. Kumbaga, yung time talaga for each musicians, nasusulit kasi hindi lahat nandun all the time for the recording.
(Gibby) Or for me, may ibang parts na nilagay sa end na naisip namin na, oi bagay pala to sa simula. Puede mo sya i-edit through the computer ipapatch mo lang sya sa harap.
(Arnold) Ang nangyari, si Wency he was using his engineering chops carve-out the sound of the album.

How are you as a song writer?
(Arnold) Meron akong pinapakinggan. Pero I don't think na it directly influencing me.
(Wency) I guess we've talked already that point already na hindi na natinb kailangan ng influence. Kung ano na yung lumalabas, atin na talaga yun.
(Arnold) Pero collectively lahat nong mga napakinggan ko all my years as a musician, yun yung lumalabas ngayon.
(Wency) Actually, yun yung gusto kong malaman, pakinggan yung album, if you think there is a song that reminds you of something else, gusto ko malaman kung naririnig yung influence sa akin ng mga artist na pinakikinggan namin.

How are pressured guys coming up with this album?
(Wency) We didn't really put pressure in the sense that we need to achieved this king of success. Hindi, the pressure that we put on ourselves is to make a good album, which is what we've been doing since the start.
(Wency) Siguro isa pang pressure is itong dalawang bago, hindi pa naman sila stable. To be really honest I need to work, they need to work. Kailangan nilang kumita kasi ako si Arnold si Niño more settled na kami sa buhay namin. Silang dalawa kailangan naming dalhin sa isang place na maging settled din sila. So, isa yung pressure sa amin.

As a songwriter how did you motivate yourselves in coming up with these new songs?
(Wency) The way I write is when a song comes along, when an idea comes along, I just kept pursuing and trying out different things. There is no particular stimulus that would elicit the song writing. Basta kung ano lang yung dumating. Sometimes, in rare cases the deadline would motivate in finishing the songs.

What can fans look forward in this new album?
(Arnold) New songs (laughters). Well, it's still Afterimage somewhat. Yung mga tunog namin before, you'll still get that somewhat, pero nag bago na rin. So kialangan mo i-expect nila na kahit papaano, nagbabago naman kami.
(Wency) There is something familiar with the song, but at the same time, there is something new.

Can you sense you brought in a lot of different influences on the new album?
(Arnold) Ang hirap eh.
(Wency) Ako ang gusto ko lang ma-establish, kahit 'di namin maabot yung mga naabot namin before, ang gusto ko lang talaga at the moment is to be able to establish ourselves again as a visible band na makapag-show kami consistently for the two years.

If you have to describe your sound in five words, more or less what would it be?
[Wency] (Laughters) The only way to describe the album daw , is for it being positive.
Are their songs in particular that you are really proud of writing?
(Wency) Patalim. Gusto ko yung pagkakaword together.

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THE 1ST OPM SONGHITS MUSIC AWARDS

The long wait is over! It is done. The 1st OPM Songhits Music Awards has done a leap of faith with its maiden voyage on the OPM shores with apt and willing individuals paddling it to reach it's noble destination, to acknowledge and honor music heroes and heroins of our country the way we wanted them to be.

The 1st OPM Songhits Music Awards is a collaboration of six distinctive song magazines published monthly by Interview Magazines, Inc. under the publishing cradle of the BUY and SELL group of publications. They are respectively, TOP 40, PINOY, BANDA, MOST WANTED HITS, MOST REQUESTED SONGS and CLASSICS.

These song magazines took the same ship to bring home the bacon for our beloved artists and musicians of whom we are indebted for their graciousness and undying support to keep us alive and kicking. Through them we took our humble pride and dedicated worth coupled with uncompromising commitment through musical alliance with our local talents, with a share of foreign as well. The awards night gave our artists and musicians foretastes of high esteem and morale that worth more than just the hefty pages of our song magazines. Our press factor dangles far beyond what the facts and faces we inscribe in our song magazines, we walk an extra mile instead. One way of saying, there is more in the pages than usually meet the eyes.

Everybody is indulged in the nostalgia in this award-giving event. It's a one hot night at the Robinsons Galleria last December 5 of 2007 as the theater, respectively, Cinema 5 was filled with brilliant musical geniuses to redeem their token of praise as well as to give us a nice blow of music and entertainment.

The night's event was piloted by two known gentlemen of the Philippine music industry, the Asia's pop idol Christian Bautista and the vocal frontman of the band Kjwan Mark Abaya.

As the night keeps rolling, Cueshe commenced by hitting us with their most coveted songs in medley with the smashing hit singles “Walang Yamang(mas hihigit sa'yo).” Their celebrated song jives with their winning night as “Best Movie Soundtrack.”

Rivermaya pushes the night hotter with the medley songs packed in their new album “Bagong Liwanag.” The light's even newer and brighter when they bring home their token of recognition as the “Brand Awardee for Pinoy Song Magazine.”

Besides being a grand star dreamer and a big night winner, Yeng Constantino flattered this event with her ever wanted hit singles “Hawak Kamay.” She indeed held her hands high as she holds her trophies with elation as “Best New Artist,” “Breakthrough Artist” and as “Brand Awardee for Top 40 Song Magazine.”

The R&B princess (not mentioning the presence of the R&B prince of the Philippines, JR) of the Philippines Kyla is majestic with her song rendered to us “Love Will Lead You Back,” while Pupil with the Rock Icon Ely Buendia intensifies the fever with the hit singles “Sala” in their sophomore album “Wildlife.”

The most awaited duet of all times, Christian Bautista and Rachelle Ann Go never failed the audiences teasing anticipation as they sang “Pag-ibig nga kaya” holding each other’s hands like true lovers suppose to be doing.

Mark Bautista must have broke the audiences’ night till he sings soulfully his hit singles “Break It To Me Gently” and give us a level-up for that night. While Ronnie Liang just got a vivid smile that night with his song “Ngiti” which keeps us smiling the night despite the pressure and exhausting event.

Silent Sanctuary gets even with their rendition of “Ikaw Lamang” danced by their classical instruments such as the violin and the cello. It's a big hit night for the silent sanctuary as they form part of the applause. 6Cyclemind on the other hand redefined the night with their “Magsasaya,” a first single on their album “Fiesta.” Its fiesta even more holding their trophy as “Brand Awardee for Most Wanted Hits.” Itchyworms rocks the night and made it more romantic with their song “Love Team.” Same is true with Sugarfree who sweetens this prestigious event with their new single “Nangangawit.”

Callalily upholds the climax of the evening as they were one of the most wanted bands by youngsters below, not mentioning the confetti showers though! It's their medley of their singles “Magbalik,” “Stars” “Sanctuary” and “Pasan” that allows the night to be concluded to a lofty end.

Other performances that have completed the night's repertoire were Chicosci, Craeons, Hale, Join The Club, Miguel Escueta and others. However, one of the most coveted bands must have missed the night as well as their fans. Sponge Cola just got a musical appointment for Dubai, nonetheless they won't turn their back without something for us. A video shot was given leeway to the big screen of the Cinema, quoting Yael and his colleagues thanking and vowing for the awards as “Brand Awardee for Pinoy Song Magazine” and their vocal Yael Yuzon as “Best Male Vocalist.”

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