ITCHYWORMS: PURE EFFORT, PURE MUSIC AND PURELY "SELF-TITLED"

They're back again for another taste of musical success. Just like any other music minded hunks scampering concert platforms, the group's effort is enshrined on their album dubbed “Self-titled.” The logic of their musicianship and industry is evident by more than just a decade of string bends and drum rolls. Self-titled is Itchyworms' fifth full-length album after they have piled up some signed and an independently released albums. Nonetheless, there are more to them than meets our auditory fibers. Being taught by experiences and a decade of existence, they exude traces of pure effort for their career growth, pure music for their releases and a purely “Self-titled” at this juncture.

Few recap of their releases since the dawn of their career. They've release five albums namely: Little Monsters Under Your Bed, And The Worm Jumped Over The Moon, Noontime Show, Repackaged Noontime Show, Self-Titled. One of which is independently released, without a major label attachment. Repackaged Noontime Show is released with commercial hit enclosure. All in different recording titles. From Viva, Neo, Univerasal and Sony-BMG.

The band is presently manned by Jugs Jugueta (on guitars and vocals), Jazz Nicolas (on drums, keyboards, percussion and vocals), Chino Singson (on guitars and vocals) and Kelvin Yu (on basses and vocals).

Their hit song “Kabataang Pinoy” was used as a backgrounder of the Teen Edition of the franchised reality show Pinoy Big Brother. And it hauls much publicity because of its obvious exposure by one of the Philippines media giants. Besides “Akin Ka Na Lang” and “Salapi” are receptive to some other companies producing major products. The songs bagged few giant companies for endorsements. Thus, they're riding rockets of fame and wealth.

Yet another digitally mastered hit are now to take Itchyworms to a level up. Let's take a few of them here as we have taken them unto hours of pictorial and interview sessions. Nonetheless as stress by Chino, the groups guitars and vocals, the recording took them a fairly six months including song jotting, arrangement, pre-production. Jugs, the bands guitars and a 12-string bender and also a vocal, seconded “before kasi sa previous album namin, yung mga songs na isinulat namin, matagal na naming tinutogtog live before namin i-record. Itong mga nangyari dito nag-record kami right after naming maisulat at mai-arrange ang kanta. So karamihan ng mga songs sa album never pa naming nala-live nung nirecord namin.” “Steady Lang Tayo” took the most time in recording because of the additional technicalities. Chino ripped-in, “kasi may string section yun, may trumpet din. Marami s'yang layer.”

Jazz, speculated with the group, “... Ito siguro yung album na satisfied kami sa over-all sound quality, sa songs.” He added, “mahirap pero masarap. Kasi kami rin yung nag-produce nung album, kaya self-titled s'ya.” A direct connection between the album's tittle and its workmanship is now being asserted.

Despite the album's English badge, the album is Tagalog in its totality. Nevertheless, it's coincidental and not a conscious effort to bring up all Tagalog hit. It's roughly Tag-lish lyrically. The Police band took part in the influences of the band, Chino states, “bago namin ni-record yun, pumunta silang tatlo sa Singapore para manood ng The Police reunion concert.” Jazz adds up, “kasi matagal na naming gusto silang mapanood. Lahat kami fans ng The Police, so, may songs din na medyo 80's yung flavor nya.”

The albums conceptual appearance that looks like the guys are on shopping spree was cleared-out by Kelvin, the groups bassist and vocals, “Kasi kung makita mo yung produkto sa supermarket, hmm, Itchyworms. Katulad ng “Self-titled” parang brand namin lahat yan.” Then Jugs butts-in, “kasi sell-out kami eh, saka, subconciously, pini-persuade namin kayo na kunin kaming endorser sa lahat ng mga produkto nyo (laughter).”

"... Ito siguro yung album na satisfied kami sa over-all sound quality, sa songs.Mahirap pero masarap. Kasi kami rin yung nag-produce nung album, kaya self-titled s'ya.”

Deals with recording were clarified as meeting both ends with them and the recording labels. “(Laughs) ano lang yun, paglipat namin from Universal to Sony-BMG, it was a niche of career move that would benefit everyone involve,” according to Chino. Kelvin asserts, “saka, one album deal lang naman talaga yung deal namin with Universal Records and both parties chose not to renew the former contract.” For Jugs, “artistic move namin yun para hindi sila maka-compile ng greatest hits, kaya pa-iba-iba yung label namin.” The band measures to stay long in Sony-BMG because of the favor the recording company endowed them.

One of the boys admits the great difference of their presentation now. Wherein, one admits that they are searing hot on their musical agility. Chino's line of thought was focused on the albums evolutionary constructiveness, the album's creative differences but the same qualitative measures. Kelvin thought, that gaps in between albums are crucial in its quality worthiness.

Jugs states, “yung unang album namin na release sya 2001. Yung “Noontime Show” 2005 sya lumabas. So parang may three to four year na pagitan. Then itong pinakabago, 2008. Medyo matagal-tagal din, pero yun nga malaking tulong sya sa musicianship sa aming lahat.” Chino explains the technical promotion of the album, “mahirap din kasi, let's say every year ka maglabas ng album. Syempre life-span ng album mo one year para i-promote yan. Mag aa-out of town ka lahat, so 'di ka rin makakasulat ng maayos kasi on the road kayo. Kasi nakapagsimula kaming makapagsulat, noong hindi na kami nagpopromote ng 'Noontime Show' eh.”

Though Jazz and Jugs were the in the main penning of most songs, the group cooperates by co-writing some of the songs.

With the group's original compositions, they do still have and enjoy the aroma of other songs while in the progress of donning theirs.

Chino admits, 'lahat ng musikiro aminin man nila sa hindi, they have their own influences.” Jugs further states, “kahit sabihin namin na original kami, may pinanggalinggan pa rin yung music namin. Saka sa akin pagnakikinig ako ng ibang artists, while in the recording takes, nakakatulong sa akin yun. Na oi, pueding peg to. Hindi mo naman gagayahin na verbatim. Puede ko syang peg somewhere in the part of this song. Parang idea lang.” Each members duly listens to different songs and music which contributes to their recording when the time comes to do so. Nonetheless, the group placed Beatles in the middle of the line.

The group virtually never met restrictions creatively or financially as Chino says, actually ito yung album na walang restriction sa amink, kasi kaming apat lang ang nagdedecide ng lahat eh. Kaya sobrang natuwa kami sa Sony-BMG kasi pinabayaan kami talaga kung ano ang gusto namin. So, kumbaga pinabayaan nila talaga kami sa playground.”


TICK TACK TALK

Each and every ones favorite tracks in Self-titled?
Jazz: Ako favorite ko yung “Steady Lang Tayo” at yung “Para Sa Pinakamatangkad Na Tao Sa Buong Mundo.” Kasi yung “Para Sa Pinakamatangkad Na Tao Sa Buong Mudo” yun yung cover song namin. Kinover namin yung Lemon Chicken sa isang obscure na band noong 80's.
Kelvin: “Pataasan Ng Weewee” saka “Freak-Out, Baby” yung favorite ko. Yeah, as in weewee. Yung expression na pataasan ng ihi. Kayabangan, parang ganun. Feeling ko siguro parang yun yung songs sa album na kakaiba yung tunog kay sa ibang albums namin in the past.
Chino: Dalawa eh. Yung “Sino Ka Nga Ba” saka yung “Freak Out, Baby” Kasi sa buong album sila yung pinaka challenging na gawa namin ng gitar parts. Yung Freak Out narealize ko kong ano yung rason kung bakit gumawa sila ng sampler, tapus kung bakit naimbinto yung sampler kasi yung Sino Ka Nga Ba yung first time na nag slide ako sa album, nag slide guitar ako.

How easy it is or difficult in doing the album?
Chino: Madali na masaya in a way, pero mahirap mag-produce dahil walang nagsasabi na, “o okay na yan.” Kasi yun yung parang job ng producer eh. “O, okey na yan, let's move on to the next song,” walang nag sasabi ng ganyan.
Jugs: Pero in fairness sa Sony-BMG, kahit na over budgeted na kami at a certain point, nagbigay pa rin sila ng pera para tapusin namin yung project.
Kelvin: Ito gusto ko lang sabihin. Kasi mag pipay-off talaga. Parang you get what you pay for. Kaya kung naglabas ka ng capital, maganda yung finished products.

Next Single to come up?
Kelvin: Freak Out, Baby.

How about melodic patterns?
Jugs: Well, hindi na namin iniisip yun eh. Nilalagay na lang namin kung ano yung magandang pakinggan.'Di na namin iniisip kung ano yung pattern.
Chino: Tinatry namin lahat ng Idea.

How do you come up with the final verdict on a song and lineup?
Jugs: Pagnauubusan na ng budget (laughs). Hindi, parang ang naging rule of thumb namin sa pag say na, sarado na yung kantang yan' is pag lahat kaming apat masaya na close na yung song na yun. Parang yung sa Steady Lang Tayo. Parang isa yan sa pinakamatagal ginawa. At a certain point sabi namin parang kulang pa. So lagyan natin ng keyboards, lagyan natin ng strings, lagyan natin ng trumpet. It might sound excessive, Pero 'pag pinakinggan n'yo yung sounds nagwowork lahat, maganda yung songs.

Which songs in the album are you proud of writing?
Jugs: Ako paborito ko yung “Tuksyude!”
Chino: Ako track twelve, “Awitin Para Sa Mga Nagmumuni-muni.”Based on experience yung kantang yan eh.
Kelvin: Ako yung track eight, “Isang Al Frescong Takip-silim Sa Cafe Francois,” Jazz: Ako “Tuksyude! Tuksyude! Tuksyude!”Kasi doon na-eexpress yung totoong feelings ko eh (laughs).

How are you challenged in this new album compared to the previous?
Jugs: Noong na release kami from Universal Records, wala kaming budget. Pero sumalang na kami, kasi feeling namin oras na namin na mag-record eh. Tapus yung unang batch ng mga songs namin na-record na. Tapus pinarinig namin sa ibang recording label. Panggalawa yung Sony-BMG sa binigyan namin.
Chino: Na challenge kami, dahil nagsimula kaming mag-record na wala kaming label. So kung nagkataon na walang nag-pickup sa amin, magiging independent kami; na isang malaking sugal.

Looking back how did you grow as friends, musicians and band mates?
Chino: 'Di kami friends eh, magkaaway talaga kami lahat eh (laughs). Nag-grow kami horizontally, tumaba kami lahat.
Jugs: Wala na kaming choice kundi magsamasama together hanggang sa mamatay kami. Kasi ninong kami nang anak nya, ninong kami ng anak nya (poiting to fellow band mates). Wala na kaming choice (laughs).
Chino: Ang sagot dyan, hindi lang kami friends, we're family (boisterous laughs).

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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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