By Michelle Ciriacruz
Blues music sprung from the hopes and despair of the black people when, enslaved, they closed their eyes and let it all out, and the music transformed their soul into the stuff of musical legends. So I gathered from my talk with the 5-man blues-rock band Plug in front of 6Underground on C. Palanca Street in Makati as they killed time with me right before a gig.
Of course, they explained about blues in a slightly different way. But then I am simply giving in to something vocalist Emy said about what it is about blues that calls so to him,
“[Blues is when you] close your eyes and feel your music.
And since writing is my music, I closed my eyes as well and write what I feel.”
Plug is one of the five bands that participated in the creation of Blueskrieg*, a CD compilation of Pinoy blues-based music. Blueskrieg holds 15 tracks; three are by Plug: Byahero, Tumbling Down, and Blooze.
Guitarist Cheng composed the music while base player Jules and guitarists Rusty and Dan, including Emy collaborated on the lyrics.
Byahero, shared Cheng, is the importance of always moving, never stopping; Tumbling Down the Devil’s Game is about not having anyone else to blame but yourself, said Emy; while Blooze (a play on blues and booze) is about the shock of being “basted (rejected by a girl).”
This is what blues is all about, really—emotions and, contrary to popular belief, not just about being blue. Blues, the Plug members explained, is both comprehensive and particular. It could have an upbeat sound yet convey a story of tragedy and madness.
Depending on the musician’s treatment, blues styles could range from folk to rock to jazz to rnb. Much of the music we have now were actually inspired and influenced by blues, Emy pointed out, and blues the original must already have been transformed into a dozen dozen music genres.
Until, finally, blues landed on Pinoy shores, and Pinoy blues, as Plug plays it and as the other bands in Blueskrieg—Snakecharmer, Dahon, Firebottle, Plug and Kulukati—interpret it, was born.
Of course, said Cheng of Pinoy blues, “the music is adapted but sentiments are purely Pinoy.” The Pinoy music scene is more than ripe for a blues awakening, the band believes. “Madamdamin tayo,” they pointed out.
Blues is also very personal, the hallmark of a true blues musician. If you are into playing blues, you must learn everything you can about making the music your own, said Plug. The journey is long, which is why, for now, they play blues-rock.
Playing as a band since 1993, with Cheng and Dan joining in 1998, Plug strives to make their journey as intense as possible with frequent jamming, but taking it prudently as they could only give in to gigs an average of twice monthly because of day jobs.
Cheng is a graphic artist while the others are IT professionals. Emy is also a husband, as he insisted I make clear in my write-up.
Anyway, maybe someday, when they have closed their eyes long enough, or have gone deeper into the music than ever, the true blues within them would surface, and they could safely call themselves a pure blues band.
For now they rock, as I saw and heard later, in more ways than style and musical prowess. On stage, they took up their guitars; Emy his microphone, and played music as only people with blues in their soul could play—with eyes closed, letting the music take them, and expressing their hearts and soul out.
This is the track listing of Blueskrieg:
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Tumbling Down The Devil’s Game – Plug
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Byahero – Plug
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Blooze - Plug
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Zalman Knew – Snakecharmer
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My Slow Draggin’ Week – Snakecharmer
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Suklob – Snakecharmer
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Bakit Nagkaganito – Firebottle
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Di Na Lang Sana – Firebottle
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Kalbaryo – Firebottle
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Confronting The Devil – Dahon
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Monster Within Me – Dahon
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Lipad Pilip Lipad – Dahon
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Sa Gabi Sa Umaga – Kulukati
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Selda Katorse – Kulukati
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Taga Sa Bato - Kulukati
*Blueskrieg, literally means blues attack, is available at all Odyssey record stores. Released by Rebolusyon Rekords and distributed by Vicor Music in the Philippines.
About Michelle Ciriacruz: michelle (or silver) ciriacruz woke up to her true calling in life at Medical Observer (the country’s premier medical and health magazine; www.medobserver.com) for which she is forever grateful and honored. now she returns the favor by mentioning the good times she has had with her weird and wacky colleagues there every chance she gets. often described weird herself many times, michelle says the worst insult a person could get is to be thought of as common and ordinary, and the worst thing in life to be is someone who plays it safe all the time— (no heights or lows for such a person—just safe ground all the time). “If we expect magnificence from the universe, then we have to be magnificent ourselves in all our dealings—with friends, loved ones, and the practice of our values,” she says. her favorite quote is, “it is not the great things we do that matter, but the small things we do with great heart.” Currently, she is copywriting for Coastal Training Technologies (coastal.com), provider of quality training materials and melting pot of the cool and free-spirits..
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:42 pm
[…] Continue reading Pinoy Blues Music Very Much Alive in PLUG […]
March 27th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Plug and the other bands from blueskrieg will have a Bluesnight on Penguin Bar at Malate on March 31, 2007. Show starts at 10pm.
June 19th, 2007 at 10:44 am
lahat na pinoy na mahilig sa blues, email nyo ko. kwentuhan tayo. at gitarahan tayo.
blues forever!
email me at bodylusog@yahoo.com