Hmmmm... there's no better bait than flamebait.
Popcorn, anyone?
Interesting subject this thing about originality because if you really think about it, rock isn't originally filipino, it's mostly a caucasian thing. Same with hiphop which we can say is originally african american so it probably shouldn't fit the profile of what a filipino recording should sound like. Even classical music should then be suspect since Mozart, Beethoven, Tsaikovsky and their ilk were so unkind to bestow their musings upon us. So what exactly should an ORIGINAL FILIPINO RECORDING sound like if we were to REMOVE ALL EXTERNAL INFLUENCES? Strangely enough, gamelans and kulintang come to mind, which is a bit ironic since gamelan music is primarily an indonesian thing.
Unfortunately, we didn't invent recording technology. They did, and for that I am thankful. Sure, all these foreign engineers developed all the techniques and gear needed to make a successful recording, and rightly so, since they were doing it while we, as a race, were fighting among ourselves over who should lead our country during our first taste of independence. Oh look! We're fighting among ourselves RIGHT NOW! I think we would get much further ahead if we stop all this crab mentality.
With the global mentality today, there is no way we can make music that hasn't been externally influenced, either through arranging or through technology. Even our very own kundiman must have been influenced by the spaniards in some way 400 years ago. The best thing that we CAN do is develop our own sound, our own style. The japanese have done it and are succeeding; our own music is also somehow being appreciated by people and races who are NOT filipino, so there. At least we're getting somewhere, albeit somewhat slowly with all this infighting.
Ok... rant over. Popcorn's all popped... all I need is some soda or better yet, brewski. Hey Mikey! Got any Samuel Adams in your neck of the woods? What's on HBO?