http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/life/16339-alarming-sound.htmlAlarming sound Written by Totel V. De Jesus
Tuesday, 22 September 2009 21:35
WHAT is The Dawn without Francis Reyes? What would the sound be like with former original Rivermaya-Mulatto-True Faith lead guitarist Kenneth Ilagan and a little touch of the Raimund Marasigan?
It’s no secret anymore that Reyes has bolted or been asked to bolt out of the group before the launch of their latest all-original album, Sound the Alarm, their second under MCA Music Inc. after last year’s Latter Half of Day.
We’re still reeling from this turn of events, as Reyes had been with the group for about 14 years. And the funny thing was, as vocalist Jett Pangan told us, some people still viewed him as the new guy. Now that Reyes is gone, the burden—or honor—is on Ilagan’s shoulders.
Former Eraserheads bass player Buddy Zabala has been with the group since 2005, and it also took sometime for the “dawning” to take effect. Ilagan took over the beleaguered Reyes barely a couple of months before the launch of Sound the Alarm. There’s no question that Ilagan has a sound different from Teddy Diaz or Reyes, and that he’s a veteran in the six-string chores.
“He quickly picked up. Mastering the sound of The Dawn is no joke, man. We’ve just launched our 13th album late last year and before he came in, we were preparing for Sound the Alarm. Kenneth was able to learn our songs in so short a time. We had several people in mind but after he’d jammed with us on several occasions, we knew that he’s the right guy. Call it fate because he was ‘bandless’ when we asked him to join us,” Pangan told the BusinessMirror at Club Dredd before the album launch in Eastwood City.
We were there during the actual gig-launch of the newest album, the same rainy night that Imelda Marcos was seemingly washed off her immortal sins from the past at the now so-called Cultural Center of the Philippines when it celebrated its 40th year. Why 9/11? Why coinciding with the birthday of the late dictator and the eight anniversary of the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City?
Keneth Ilagan(top left) as the new lead guitarist. Still the most gorgeous enduring rock band, The Dawn launched(above) its 14th album on 9/11.
“I have no idea. I guess it’s a special date. If people asked us when we launched the album, it’s simple as saying ‘9/11’. At least for us, it’s something positive now because of Sound The Alarm,” Pangan said. The original plan was August 21, the same date commemorating the 26th anniversary of Ninoy Aquino’s assassination and the 21st anniversary of the murder of the founder and original band leader, the late, great Teddy Diaz. The venue was booked on that day.
Then again, with founding member-drummer Junboy Leonor and Pangan, The Dawn remains The Dawn. At least, despite the changes in band members, they didn’t change their name to something cute and school-boyish like Pupil, Sandwich or Markus Highway.
“Because The Dawn never left the scene, we’ve always been here,” Leonor wrote in the band’s ever-exciting and peaceful mailing list (
thedawnlist@yahoogroups.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).
True because, for sure, even if Leonor and Pangan had gotten a new name because of new band members, fans will always still request for their classic hits, like “Salamat,” “Enveloped Ideas,” “Iisang Bangka” and “Tulad ng Dati.” Never mind the first two, which were composed by Diaz, but the rest had the signature Reyes licks, leads and riffs.
So going back to the question: How would the sound of The Dawn change?
When Zabala came in, despite Mon Legaspi’s one-album stint, technically he filled in the bigger shoes of original bassist-turned-haciendero Carlos Balcells, sobrasaliente. As attested by Club Dredd founders Robbie Sunico and Patrick Reidenbach in an interview for a men’s magazine, Zabala has always been the most serious musician among the four members of the ’Heads, in terms of improving one’s craft. Marasigan will always be the most prolific and diverse, while Ely Buendia is undeniably the hitmaker, but Zabala has always been the resident virtuoso-instrumentalist and music arranger.
Meanwhile, Marasigan and another devoted fan-cum-record producer Ariz Guinto heavily contributed to the album. Marasigan produced five tracks, while the rest was by Guinto, who also contributed a rock ballad, “As I Do.” Cowritten with Pangan, it sounds like The Dawn from its Beyond the Bend years. “It’s very New Wave, it’s like us in the late 1980s,” said Pangan. It’s so ’80s even the tone of Pangan’s voice sounded like he’s back wearing makeup and shoulder pads, as were the fashion dictates of the time. It’s our personal favorite anyway.
Marasigan also helped in the music arrangement, especially the songs written by Zabala, which totaled to six, including the title track “Sound the Alarm.” Another personal favorite is “Lumulubog,” which sounds—and do pardon us—very Sandwich. Just for the heavy-guitar intro alone makes me think of Marasigan jumping onstage. “That actually happened when we were recording it in the studio. Raims jammed with us and he was jumping all over the place,” Pangan revealed.
Two more Zabala collaborations with Pangan, “Where Have You Been” and “Tuloy-Tuloy” are potential hits that could be used for beer commercials or movie soundtracks like in the good ol’ days.
Leonor recounted, “Buddy’s songs were very difficult to perform live on real instrument [drums, guitar or bass]. He wasn’t aware of its complexity because he wrote the songs via music software and not through a real instrument. After struggling on the songs for weeks, Raimund comes in and fixes the songs in one afternoon. Raimund enforced changes quickly and efficiently. Definitely something new for the The Dawn!” Indeed, definitely nothing like a long-time former bandmate sprinkling the final ingredients.
Two original members of The Dawn plus two original members of the Pinoy Fab Four plus Ilagan’s unique sound, what we got is a masterpiece.
When younger groups like Bamboo, Pupil, Parokya ni Edgar, Sugarfree and even Sandwich hogged the limelight on separate occasions, The Dawn happily sat back and were relaxed to be known as the kuyas, the members content in being known as the enduring, “but still gorgeous” rock band in Pinoy music history.
But now it’s a different story. Sound more alarms because the once reigning No. 1 band in the land is back to reclaim its throne.
Pangan humbly said, “Thank you, but The Dawn has always been a band that never set its sight on being No. 1. Because once we do that, we’re opening ourselves to a lot of frustrations. We feel lucky if we get more gigs. We’re happy with that.”
