CHAMP AND CHINO - SHARES BOTH-SIDES STORIES & THEIR MUSICAL TANDEM

It's been with pleasure working with bands having several men standing tall at the forefront of the admiring sea of humanity. We've been sneak-picking at their music-studded lifestyle years after years, face to face, skin to skin and heart to heart till the bear essentials of their thoughts and senses blow you mind.

At this point your OPM authority would like to single out certain hunky to comely figure of the rock band industry, no other than Champ Lui Pio of the band Hale. Nonetheless, it would be a “buy one take one” issue. Will have to take a shot on his other brother, Chino Pio. It's a back-to-back of musical prowess as well as brotherhood.


ON THE RECORD

As the ball keeps rolling we've given them a seat on our record to pull-up brainier write-ups and story to tell on our issue. Champ commenced on his brotherly role as the eldest “Of course, as a brother I am very proud and I know how he is, he's very reserved and now seeing him opening himself up is a huge deal for me and my family 'coz it means he's going out of his comfort zone, expressing himself more. It's a good thing.”

Chino on the other hand, recapitulates momentum in his life where he was given brotherly advice by his kuya, “Well advices? I would say he's given me a lot. So he's been in the industry a lot more than me so he has the experience. He just told me na just be yourself and try your best every time and always try to fit in that is very important.”

Well, with good advice great gift each my have given.

“Shot blocks sa basketball. Whenever we have free time we hangout and more than material things, as a brother, I'm there for him whenever he needs me. Whenever I go out of town, I make it a point that I give everyone a little something,” expresses Champ. Chino Delves deeper into his conciousness, “the gift of love and brotherhood. Since I own a clothing line sometimes kapag may bago binibigyan ko siya.”

When it comes to brotherly intimacy, Champ confess that his actually close to Chino despite being collegial to all of them. “Definitely Chino, the eldest may conflict kami lagi n'un. The youngest naman, the gap is too wide so I'm really close to Chino because we share the same passion which is music and sports so that's our common denominator, that's where we jive.” Chino stress, “si kuya Champ. Since we're guys and our age gap is very small we have the same interest so I guess you really can't deny na it's hard not to be close with him.”

They tend to be calmer as both of them took it hard to stress their wild-side story, “we both have a different side to what usually people see. Wala eh parehas kami. We tend to be crazy sometimes but then not too much. We go out of town. We go to the beach with friends that are where we loosen up. Siguro when we drink together it's gonna be a blast.” Chino further stressed, “we're good boys. I must say wala kaming ganyan.”

At this point the two of them might have a little disparity, such as partying or merry-going-around on free time. Champ explains his side, “well we're both highly sociable pero party-goer si Chino siguro mas marami siyang events na pinupuntahan. I'm very picky with the events I go to usually friends or very important events lang that's the only time I really go out. On a normal day, I just stay home or hangout with friends pero si Chino fashionista 'yan eh.” Chino justifies, “well I'm not gonna say party-goer. I go out a lot more than him. Well, before I really can't stay at home for one day pero ngayon since I'm always out because of work medyo I've learned to love the feeling of being at home. Sometimes I really want to go out with my friends, it's not really partying it's basically hanging out.”

Even just being tepsy, might might not even be on each one's vocabulary. “I'm a very happy person when I'm drunk. I usually want to share my positive feelings but I tend to over share sometimes. I usually say things I don't usually say when I'm normal so it's kinda dangerous for me when I get drunk,” (laughs) laughs Champ. Chino made it clear to, “we drink socially. Nakikisama kami sa mga tao when it comes to partying.”


MORE ON THEIR WILD-SIDE STORIES

Who’s the vainest between the two of you, like in what way?
Champ: Si Chino. I'm more laid back. I'm more hommy. Chino's more conscious on what he's wearing, how he presents himself. There's a borderline between vainest and hygienic. I think facial is okay since like phrophylaxis it's like cleaning your mouth. Sometimes kapag nagpa-facial ka, using facial wash is not enough. That's normal that's hygienic but when you say nagpapa-treatment walang gan'un sa amin. In terms of wearing clothes, si Chino mas maarte sa sinusuot. I'm more the type of person who usually prioritizes comfort over looks.
Chino: It depends. When it comes to clothes siguro me. When it comes to facial wash, shampoo that's him.

Describe the ideal future Mrs. Lui-Pio for Chino?
Champ: I don't see him getting married anytime soon but if he does get married the girl should share his beliefs in life religiouswise like spiritualwise and she loves going to the beach. I'm thinking of an outgoing person who loves the outdoor would be a good fit for him. Someone who's more like kailangan matapatan 'yung pagkalakwatsero niya.

Who uses the phone most?
Champ: Ako siguro because Chino's using prepaid. I'm the one who has three phones.
Chino: Definitely him. I don't usually call, I just text. Well, tumatawag ako pero not to the point na magtetelebabad ako. I'm not a phone person. I'd rather talk to you personally.

Who has the worst handwriting? Champ: Si Chino.
Chino: Parehas lang kaming hindi maganda ang handwriting pero sabi niya mas magaling siyang mag-script so I'd have to attest to that but when it comes to the normal handwriting I do not considering if its all caps or script I guess I can compete with him. It's gonna be a tight race. (laughs)

Who is the best listener?
Champ: Ako 'yun kasi mas mature ako. Since my sister is in the States, technically, I'm the eldest at home so I voice out certain things that has to be done kapag may problems. So I usually take charge.
Chino: Definitely him not me. Siya 'yung magaling d'un hindi ako.

Who leaves the room in the biggest mess?
Champ: Chino. My room is very organized siya wala nakakalat 'yung mga damit sa kama.
Chino: ME! Medyo magulo ang kwarto ko. Kuya has the most organized room. I'm one of the extreme people 'coz if I don't clean my room its really gonna be messy but once I get the feeling na I wanna clean my room its gonna be really, really clean.

What do you find most frustrating about being in an entertainment business?
Champ: Why K-pop is invading the OPM household.
Chino: K-pop is okay 'coz they have a big market here but I'd prefer that our local market listen to OPM of course it's what we have, it's what we own but what can we do? They're a booming industry the K-pop things so hopefully we can adopt it here in the Philippines magkaroon tayo ng sarili nating P-pop.

How do you describe each other’s fashion statement?
Champ: I'm more beachy, hommy, laidback. Chino is more experimental with clothes.
Chino: Baduy siya ako hindi.(laughs) He's more laid back and comfortable ako well I can I say that I'm also comfortable with what I'm wearing but I'm more conscious with what I use when I go out so I've been like this every since. I'm more meticulous and fashionable definitely.

How do you know when one of you is in-love?
Champ: You don't see him at home.(laughs)
Chino: Naku kapag parating wala sa bahay ibig sabihin ay'un na y'un.

For Champ, how did you incorporate your music to Chino?
Chino usually updates me with the new trends in the music scene. He's the type of person who loves to research. I'm the one who likes to create so he's the one who updates me. He gives me new materials to listen to, to broaden my horizon. He doesn't play any instrument but he loves to listen. I think he has a good ear in music.

Chino, do you think you will be like Champ in the near future, say coming out an album?
Chino: Naku! Iyan ang pangarap ng daddy ko pero mukhang hindi mangyayari iyan. Dad, I'm sorry. I want to pero h'wag na nating pilitin pero hindi dapat.

Tell us your bonding moments without work?
Champ: Our bonding time is playing basketball once or twice a week. We watch games together like sports F1, MMA, basketball.
Chino: We usually play basketball together. Watch movies, TV. Go to the beach, the usual stuff brothers’ do.

Things we should know about about Chino?
Champ: Chino loves clothes. I think that is one of his passions. He's very passionate about basketball, about Bert Navinsky in particular and then he has a very good personality. He's very fun to be with especially when you're in the beach drinking.

What’s the most memorable movie/s that you’ve watched together?
Champ: Recently Avatar. The whole family watched Avatar in 3D sa IMAX at Mall of Asia.
Chino: Avatar sa IMAX. Me, my dad, my mom, my sis it was all our first time to watch in IMAX. Okay siya. It was a nice and great experience for the two of the whole family and us.

How do you handle when one of you is in bad mood?
Champ: Wala lang, we just ignore each other. Give each other space to cool down and then we talk. We know our place we don't just explode and rant so usually when someone's in a bad mood we're usually quiet or we just go to our own room and lock ourselves the whole day and when we go out its usually calm.
Chino: We usually talk about it. Ang mangyayari diyan is once the problem happens we usually give each other time first maybe a day or two days after that we talk. So alam mo 'yun para hindi na masyadong mainit ang ulo ng mga tao when everybody's calm down so it's better to talk that way less emotions with everyone and wala basically gan'un lang talaga. Whoever is at fault should say sorry and the other one forgives you.

Things that you usually fight when you were a kid?
Champ: Baketball. Before play station the NBI live or something. We usually have different teams so when we play playstation or watch TV whenever are teams are fitted against each other the conflict begins.
Chino: We don't usually fight when we're kids.

Share to us your fave songs to sing a long together?
Chino: May be listen together not sing together. I guess I can say na we sing it together in our own ways. Kapag kunwari nagplay na 'yung song wala ka ng magagawa mapapakanta ka na talaga. Coldplay, Death Club for Cutie those types of music or band.


CREDITS:

Words: ROLDAN A. ANCAJAS
Interviews: AYELSKI & ROLDAN A. ANCAJAS
Photographs: NIEL TAYAO
Pictorial Direction: AYELSKI
Makeup & Grooming: CHER NORAGA of Yuricka Salon

Especial thanks to: Pinoy Song Magazine

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