The Back Catalog

I play guitars for this band called The Strangeness. And I tell you, we don't just sing about drugged fantasies about baby jesus, we're fun people to hang out too! Well, there's the occasional drama but, fuck it.. We are fun as fuck!

But before that, I played in these bands :

1. Spaghetti Carnage (2005) - 2 months after knowing how to play a few chords on the guitar, I dragged my classmates who are likewise inexperienced with their instruments. The name was just random shit me and Alvin (bassist) thought. I liked Cheese too much so I thought that my band should have a food as it's name too. Alvin liked Slapshock too much so, his band should have a "harsh sounding" name, I don't even know. We covered RHCP songs back then, pretty funny stuff.

We were in high school. Kids. We thought we're gonna get big. That's the bad thing about high school bands, they always think they're gonna get big. We even converted our bassist's garage into a rehearsal space. Bought air-conditioning, sound proofing, a fucking drumset, and all that mumbo-jumbo. We were good friends, but girls fucked us up. 

I won’t tell you what happened, but I think all of us in the band regretted that shit.

2. The Vishual (2006) - All I did after Spaghetti Carnage broke up, was to play the whole discography of  Coheed and Cambria, over and over again. I really hoped I can magically have an afro and hit high notes while playing God Send Conspirator. Oh god, I really wanted a Gibson Explorer (I still do). I remember Friendster was the fucking shit back then. So I searched members through Coheed and Cambria fan groups. Lurking, hoping some good guys replies. Someone did. 

After a couple of days organizing a rehearsal session, we went through it. And it was glorious. I felt like I was Claudio Sanchez... on the guitar parts. It was Tanya who was singing. I hated her voice. But the instrument section was thick as fuck, so I was fine by it.

We got a chance to play our first gig on this crappy show, by a shitfest production, on some crappy bar at Mandaluyong. Guess what? The fucking vocalist and drummer didn't come.  We later found out they fucked in a motel. Then after a couple of months (9), they had a daughter. Fuck.

3. Oh Man! Oh God! part 1 (2008) - I was into Screamo/Emotive Hardcore (I don't fucking care what people call it now). Met Maria on R.com (umm, fuck that website?) when I posted a list of bands I currently listen to, and he complimented that post. Thinking about it now, it was merely basic bands that were in there. I don't know.

He then introduced me to Francis through YM, and it was good. We became good friends, online. Around that time, I was fiddling with FL studio and I was obsessed with it. I decided to start an internet band, just for laughs, but I was having hard time naming it. So these guys showed me this clip and it was all golden. After a couple of months with a couple of songs, I played a show. Again in a show by a shitty production in, the now defunct, Cuerdas Bar. 

I was with my Laptop that ran my beats, and I had my Strat. People did not get it, but I'm fine. Ordered one beer and watched a band cover Paramore, then I went home. After a couple of months of searching for members online, I forgot how, but I met Tinton(which later on became TLC's AWOL drummer) and his friend Jay. They played my songs, they sucked. But hey, members!

After a couple of rehearsals, I kicked out Jay and brought in Mikko, Ping and Ray. That was the line up for a couple of months, until...

4. Cicada Chorus (2008) - While I was fixing Oh Man! Oh God!, I was brewing something up with my friend Ramon. A metal band, and we will cover Bring Me the Horizon songs. Just because he looks like fucking Oli Sykes (BMTH vocalist).

Sad part about this band is that, it was built upon that idea I fed Ramon. You see, he was a normal guy who listens to Taking Back Sunday and shitty Alesana. And around that time, I was into BMTH. I let him listen to it because I really thought he looked like the vocalist. Suddenly, he was obsessed and he wanted to form a band. I'm fine by it.

He then introduced me to Matt. Cool guy and a sick drummer. The three of us rehearsed together 'til I grew tired of Ramon's laziness. I said, "Fuck this shit, Matt! Join my other band!" He hesitated a little; he was a nursing student after all, for god's sakes. But he gave in a little later

5. Oh Man! Oh God! part 2 (2009 - 2011) - I kicked Tonton out because he sucked and he didn't had time for the band(and he was into jesus) and dragged Matt in. Everything changed. Drastically changed. Our sound changed, song writing changed, the aggressiveness and technicality of our songs changed. It was an amazing leap from crap shit to goddamn amazing.

It was really fast and after 2 years of being the most enthusiastic member of them all, I grew tired. 

For some reason, I didn't like what we're doing anymore. Our sound that time was too, pretentious, I may say. I grew tired with the formula. I grew tired with the dead crowd we perform at. I grew tired with all the people around the band. But I do love the people in it. I love the songs we made. But I can't go on anymore.

It's really a shame that we have to part ways.

Me and Mikko quit last April. They asked me if they can keep the name, I said that they can keep everything. I don't need the credit; they deserve what they worked for. I mean, that's the only thing I could give for leaving them behind. But I know they can do it, they're good people and great musicians.

All of this has no sense at all.

I need to sleep.