Someone wrote in and called me an “asshole” this week which is par for the course.
At least it’s better than saying, I’m just sitting around scratching my arse/ass.
What brought about this urgent need for name-calling?
Put it down to passion and patriotism mixed with some misguided rage.
All this had to do with a post I had written about “American Idol” finalist Jessica Sanchez- a Filipina- and hoping that her “save” on the show where she will probably be the Runner Up- might have people taking a serious look at the abundance of talent in the Philippines and how it’s not some old-fashioned music market for washed-up American balladeers and covers band that play for “minimum wage” throughout Asia.
Also- and mentor/record producer Jimmy Iovine brought about this after listening to the 16-year-old Miss Sanchez singing an Etta James classic- that the country is not one filled with copyists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjw57lx5bJw
Hopefully, the penchant for America to embrace copyists and then quickly letting go of them, ended with Charice, that precocious little hobbit who floored the likes of Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres. On a different note, what the hell happened to Ellen’s big deal record label called ElevenEleven and why was her “first signing” – Michael Greyson Chance- performing in malls around Asia?
Getting back to the original subject, there is a thriving music scene happening in the Philippines.
However, unlike how what happens in Vegas must stay in Vegas, this music cannot and should stay in the Philippines.
A few years ago, bands like Kamikaze, Hale, Rivermaya and, especially, Bamboo and its very good lead singer should have made it outside of the country- but they didn’t.
I was at EMI’s Regional Office when we decided to get behind Bam and Bamboo who had recorded some new tracks in English.
Rivermaya were with Warner, but, at least OUR efforts to even get our teams in other markets to bring Bamboo out for promo trip never happened.
Why? The reversed prejudice of Asians- and Asian music executives- and who are still scared/hesitant about the “Made In The Philippines” music label.
Years earlier when with Universal Music, the same thing happened with a then-young Regine Velasquez and where the knob who signed her up deciding to “whiten” her album cover, “whiten” her in music videos and trying to pass her off as looking like every other Chinese singer around at the time.
Now, “Mr. Asshole” might disagree with me and, if so, bring it on, baby, and then tell me your solution?
My solution, hopefully, is that the success of Jessica Sanchez will means looking and listening to the NEW music being created in the Philippines with new eyes and ears.
And on this subject, I leave you with this video by Bea, the drummer of the all-girl band from the Philippines- General Luna.
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