Guilty Pleasures

 

After a stressful (yet fulfilling) week of facilitating a recollection and retreat to the High School students of Laguna State Polytechnic University last week, I decided to unwind and enjoy ‘the fruit of my labor’ yesterday.

I usually spend my paycheck, honorarium, salary, and stipend on just two things: Books and CDs/records. And here are the stuff that I purchased yesterday to add up to my colection:

The Sherlockian (Graham Moore)

I got addicted to Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes after rediscovering it through the BBC series Sherlock. The American version starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law is quite okay but the TV series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman made me love the character more. Or shall I say, it made me to be obsessed on Sherlock’s character (my Facebook timeline cover and my Tumblr display photo is Sherlock as portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.)

I first saw this book sometime last January during the time when the second season of Sherlock has just finished. I was looking for good books (read: window shopping) at National Book Store in SM Calamba when I saw this at the new arrival section. Hungry for a new Sherlock material (because the third season is scheduled to premiere on 2013), I decided to download an electronic copy of the book. But because it’s a pain in my eyes to read in front of the computer (I have no tablet nor an eBook reader) and I want a tangible, smelly book, I decided to save some of my earnings and buy this one.

Because I still have books that are scheduled to be read first, I have not yet taken it out from the plastic packaging. But I promise to make a review after I read it.

A Question of Heroes (Nick Joaquin)

I came across this book here on Tumblr. My good Tumblr buddies/idols Sir Nik (@iwriteasiwrite), Sir Kim (@ellobofilipino), Tita Marj (@margoism), Joseph (@brownmonkeytheory), and Myts (@marinjabin) either discuss this book or make this as a reference on their posts. I got curious especially when I learned that this book contains historical accounts/facts which are not discussed in school and it gives a different angle on how we view our heroes.

History is my favorite subject from Elementary to College (even though I suffered from teachers who did not teach history well).  I have been always fascinated with the stories of the past and how it continue to affect and shape the future. But I have been fed with the history of Zaide, Agoncillo, and Constantino in College so, according to what I have learned here, I have a biased and limited approach to history. (It’s funny to think that I have learned more about Philippine history after graduating from College by reading blogs and posts here on Tumblr.) 

I have painstakingly searched for this book for months here in the Laguna-Batangas area but to no avail. But I got my chance yesterday. This is one of the only two copies available on the bookstore (and this has a better condition compared to the other).

Simply put, this is Philippine History which was not taught to us in School.

Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-ibig (Ebe Dancel)

Five months after Sugarfree broke up, its front man and chief songwriter Ebe Dancel released his debut album as a solo artist with the title Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-ibig.

But my excitement for the album instantly fade away. It was the height of my, uhm, personal financial crisis. I cannot buy his 350-peso limited edition 2-CD debut album. Yeah, poor me.  I could have just illegally downloaded the songs then but no. I do not want to rob my favorite artist. I do not want to steal from the great man who created the anthems of my College years. Just as I supported his former band by buying their original albums, I must also give my full support for Ebe as a solo artist.

Painful as it was, I just let the months pass by without owning his album. But it was worth the wait. And my money. I have been listening to this album all day and trust me, this will not fail you.

________

I can be described by the Tagalog phrase mababaw ang kaligayahan. I don’t usually buy clothes, gadgets, food, and throw a party at an exclusive club (bitch please) whenever I get my pay check. It always go to books and records. And beer. And coffee. Or a good book over a cup of coffee/bottle of beer with a good music on the background.

I believe that books and music are terapheutic and they will teach you even after you finish school. The good things about reading books and listening to good music have  been repeatedly written and preached in the past. And I won’t dig any further.

Yeah, money can’t buy you happiness. But it can help you own great books and good music which is almost the same, right? Invest on it. And make it a habit.

So the next time you ask me what gift do I want for any (special) occasion, here, you already have a clue.

Nah, I’m just kidding.

But you can take it seriously.

Vaya con Dios!

Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Documentary

“Sila lang ang bandang hindi Hari ng Sablay” - Robert Javier, Musician, Producer, and Sound Engineer

It was January 7 of last year when I first heard the sad news. It came from atweet from Sugarfree’s frontman, Ebe Dancel. He will leave his band. During that time, it was still unclear if the band is breaking up or its two remaining members, Kaka Quisumbing and Jal Tuguibao, will continue being a Sugarfree minus Ebe.

It was later confirmed in the succeeding days that Ebe Dancel would pursue asolo career and Kaka and Jal would do their own stuff. Sugarfree’s last weeks as a band were spent by doing farewell gigs on different bars and schools.

I was fortunate to watch one of their farewell gigs (which, unfortunately, my first time to watch them live) when they performed at the UPLB Feb Fair last February 17. 2011 (Technically, it was already February 18 when they performed). It was a ‘going back home’ performance for Ebe who was an alumnus of UP Rural High School. Together with hundreds of fans, I jumped to their opening song Kung Ayaw Mo na Sa Akin, I joined the crowd in singing Mariposa, and I screamed when they played the crowd-favorite Hari ng Sablay. It was a beautiful night of celebrating the music of Sugarfree. I went home that night with a smile, thankful for having watched Sugarfree live before they part ways; but with a heavy heart because the gentlemen who made the anthems of my College years, would play together for the last time in a few weeks’ time.

And so the inevitable happened. On March 1, 2011, at the Eastwood Central Plaza, Sugarfree bade goodbye to their fans with the farewell concert, Paalam Pilipinas. I was not able to attend the concert but thanks to Jam 88.3 (who played an important role to stage this one) who aired the concert live, I felt that I was also there, drenched in the ran, singing, and shedding a tear for my heroes. 

During the entire concert, I stayed in my room, headset plugged to my ears, shutting the world. I also have a small piece of paper and a pen, scribbling the title of the songs from their set list. I did not let the other members of the household see me on the verge of tears. I sang. I cried. I smiled. After singing their last song Burnout, I told myself that’s it, we have lost another legend. Maybe because the members are too burned out and they need to rest. We never knew the exact reason of their breakup. It just happened. But at least, unlike others, they formally said goodbye. But as in all ending, there is a new beginning. Life must go on.

On August 1, 2011, five months after the farewell concert, Ebe Dancel released his debut album as a solo artist entitled Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-ibig. And as for the two (2) remaining members, Jal Tuguibao continued his studies while Kaka Quisumbing did his own stuff. I am hoping that the remaining two would resurface on the music scene but that thing is yet to happen.

From time to time, whenever I feel reminiscing the good old days, I still listen to Sugarfree. I have almost forgotten the farewell concert but not their music. I have almost forgotten the pain of my heroes’ breakup. It has been almost a year and Ebe is achieving great heights as a solo artist.

Earlier yesterday, while browsing the news feed of Facebook, I saw a post fromAtTheWomb.com. the music hub of pelicola.tv, about the premiere of a documentary about Sugarfree’s farewell concert. And to add to my excitement, the premiere was yesterday (though they didn’t put the exact time). During the past months, I have resorted to the videos on YouTube to watch Paalam Pilipinas. But I told myself, there must be someone who documented the whole event. It must be shown for the benefit of thousands (or millions) of Sugarfree fans out there. I patiently waited (to the point of repeatedly refreshing the website) until they finally put up the videos at around 10:20 in the evening. And it was worth the wait.

Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Documentary, tells about the final moments of Sugarfree as a band - from the band members’ respective houses, to the soundcheck, to the events backstage before the concert, and up to the emotional final song Burnout. This is a documentary featuring how the band broke up and not why the band broke up.

The documentary is divided into four parts. The first part shows Ebe Dancel and Kaka Quisumbing at the start of the day. Kaka shares his experience on the band’s farewell tour while Ebe shows his preparations for the final show. The second part shows the soundcheck and Jal Tuguibao giving his thoughts on the band’s breakup. The third part shows Jal at his home and what his parents have to say about Sugarfree. It also shows the what was really happening backstage while the crowd was waiting for the concert. The fourth, and probably the most emotional part, shows Quark Henares giving introduction before the start of the concert (and the emotional happenings backstage) and the band’s final performance, Burnout.

I watched the documentary twice last night and the emotions I felt during the first time that I watched it was the same, if not more intense, than the first. It’s as if watching over a beloved on his deathbed. It’s as if seeing the love of your life for the last time. It’s as if losing a member of your family.

What moved me most, as what I have written above, was the last part. Though not the whole concert was shown in the film, it captured the emotional performance of the group. It also showed an emotional Ebe Dancel when he left the stage after the concert. But what broke my heart most (Spoiler alert!) were the lines ‘They were immediately ushered out of the stage after the concert. They parted ways as soon as they were brought to their separate exit points. There was no after party’. With that, I broke into tears.

I am no film nor movie expert but I can say that the cinematography was good. It captured (almost candidly, which was good, in my opinion) the emotion of the members and the music fans very well. I also have a problem with the audio on some parts but to sum it up, the documentary captured the essential - how Sugarfree said their goodbye to the fans and how the fans were affected - and influenced - by their legacy.

This documentary is a must-watch not only for the die-hard Sugarfree fans but also to those who are affected, in a way, by their songs. Even Ebe Dancel jokingly offered this concert to those who illegally downloaded their songs. It shows us how to properly say thank you and goodbye to the people who supported us and help us be put at the top.

I was lucky to grow up with the songs of Sugarfree. I was lucky to be influenced by their music. Their songs were my anthem of my college years - the period of my life when I was discovering my passion for music. Their songs were simple and honest. They touch the lives of their fans. and in my opinion, that is what a music or a song is all about.

Sugarfree may have gone but their music is what keeps them immortal.Listening to their music will help us bring to the happy memories of being a Hari ng Sablay, having a good time at Mariposa, reminiscing our Prom, singing the lullaby Tulog Na, and teling to someone, Huwag Ka nang Umiyak.

Maraming salamat Direk King Palisoc at sa bumubuo ng AtTheWomb.com sa dokumentaryong ito.

Maraming salamat Ebe Dancel, Jal Tuguibao, Kaka Quisumbing, at Mitch Singson sa musika at alaala.

Maraming salamat Sugarfree.

_________

Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Documentary - I know that you did not read this lengthy post so here’s the link of the documentary. Enjoy. Reminisce. And spread the word.

Elsewhere:

• Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Documentary - Blogger and music photographer Niña Sandejas writes about Paalam Pilipinas and her regret of not following the band as much as others did.
• Must Watch: Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Documentary (FHM.com.ph) - Director King Palisoc, in an interview with Gelo Gonzales, talks in detail about the documentary and the last days of Sugarfree.  
• Paalam Pilipinas: A Sugarfree Docmentary (Teaser) - A sneak peek of the documentary from AtTheWomb.com. Of course. 

"Muli"

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l1vNQM_EMA]

Eight months ago, I lamented Ebe Dancel’s departure on Sugarfree. His tweet came both as a surprise and a puzzle to all the Sugarfree fans. During that time, it was still uncertain if the band would still continue with its remaining members Jal Taguibao and Kaka Quisumbing or if Ebe Dancel would pursue a solo career.

Sugarfree is one of my favorite bands. They were with me during my struggling years as a student. Their songs were my theme songs of living, heartbreaks, and growing up. Their breakup would be like a loss of something special to me.

Fast forward to March 1, 2011, at the Eastwood Central Plaza, they finally bid us goodbye on their Paalam Pilipinas concert. That was the end of an era and at the same time, a beginning of something new for music fans.

Last August 1, five months after Sugarfree’s farewell concert, Ebe Dancel released Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-ibig, his debut album as a solo artist. For a limited period of time, the album is available on a 2-CD release.



The album’s carrier single is Muli. Personally, I love the music video’s catchy Source Code-ish concept and the lovely and beautiful leading lady. I don’t know if I am being subjective but I think Ebe’s latest single (together with his songIkaw ang Aking Tahanan on the Rock Rizal compilation) is different from other Sugarfree songs he made with Kaka, Mitch, and Jal. I have yet to listen to his album (Blame my personal financial crisis. And I don’t want to freakin’ illegally download the album.) so I might be wrong.

And yes, I am encouraging you to buy the original, most especially the works of our local artists. We do not want to see them selling kuwek kuwek for a living because they got bankrupt because of piracy. Let us buy the original so they can create good music. It’s justice and mutualism for cryin’ out loud! So let’s do our part, shall we?

We may never see the trio perform together again but with Ebe Dancel’sressurection on the music scene, I am optimistic that Kaka and Jal will do the same. I have repeatedly preached in the past that the band is bigger than any of its member. Ebe Dancel may be the chief songwriter of the trio but I think Jal and Kaka are also equally talented as Ebe. Kaka and Jal created the less popular but equally good tracks such as Martir, Patawad, Get Over It, Where do we Go?, and Form Factor .

Ebe Dancel has released his debut album and has returned to the music industry. I am still patiently waiting for my other heroes Kaka Quisumbing and Jal Taguibao to do the same.

And, I know this may sound impossible, but I want to see Sugarfree perform together again. Who knows? The Eraserheads reunion is said to be too impossible to make but it happened, right?

Ang gusto ko lamang ay muling makita sina Ebe, Jal, Kaka, at Mitch na tumutugtog sa isang entablado.

Muli.