My Favorite Sins

Birthday roses from Drew (Barrymore)

2011-11-02T00:38:00.003+08:00

So yes it was my birthday. I got the birthday package present from heaven. Then I got another one. This time a bunch of roses from a certain Drew Barrymore (well that's what the card said). She's funny that's why I like her.

An invitation to talk about Artist Ko in Singapore

2011-11-01T15:38:00.000+08:00

On Oct 6, early morning, I received a message from my mother via mobile phone. She said ,"Everyday I thank God for giving my children wonderful blessings. But today I ask God one that's specially for you... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON! ;)".

Yes she winked with a smile.

I know my mother. She feels alienated from modern technology more so with digital. But she sent me a wink and she smiled. It must've been an effort for her. I replied ,"Thank you, ma. I love you."

Later that same day, I received a package from the ASEAN-Japan Centre via Overseas Courier Service (OCS). It was an invitation to participate in the 2nd ASEAN-Japan Forum on the Development of Content Industry : "Creation, Commercialization, and Protection of Digital Contents". I am to speak and represent my country, The Philippines, among neighbors in Asia - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar (excerpt of that letter below).

What can I say? My mother's a wonder woman.

"Music In Your Business"

2011-10-26T19:08:00.000+08:00

RSVP : Songwriter's forum and fun night

2011-10-25T15:43:00.000+08:00

If you received this invitation notice from Artist Ko in your Facebook or email, it means we're expecting you to be there at The Outpost on Friday, Oct 28, 2011.

FILSCAP comes to Cebu for "Music In Your Business" forum

2011-10-23T06:48:00.000+08:00

Finally here it is.

The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu Provincial Office, will be holding a forum dubbed as "Music In Your Business" happening this Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 starting 8AM until 12noon at the Marriott Hotel.

FILSCAP President Noel Cabangon
(photo taken from Facebook)

Topics include:

Music Copyright
Speaker : ACCRA Lawyer / Ateneo Law Professor Atty. Antonio Ray Ortiguera
A discussion on the rights of music copyright owners over the use of their works and the licenses that should be secured by business owners who intend to use copyrighted music in their business or events.

Copyright Societies
Speaker : CISAC Regional Director for Asia-Pacific Mr. KT Ang
This topic covers the collective management of copyright by copyright societies.

Licensing Operations of FILSCAP
Speaker : FILSCAP General Manager Debra Ann P. Gaite
FILSCAP shall talk about how they license, collect and distribute royalties from public performances of copyrighted musical works.

Social Value of Music
Speaker : FILSCAP Trustee/Socio-Cultural Committee Member/Composer Gary Granada
A topic that defines the socio-cultural value of playing music to the public in events or establishments.

"Music In Your Business" is in partnership with the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), Artists and Musicians Marketing Cooperative (ARTIST KO), and the Creative Cebu Council, Inc.

In the evening will be a solidarity meetup for the local songwriters at The Outpost. It's going to be fun.

Dear songwriters

2011-10-16T11:53:00.002+08:00

For years I dream of a "music industry" for Cebu. To dream is easy. To embark on the mission is another grand story to partake.

There are limitations to this grand plan. But the potential is also considerably strong.

I'm writing this blog to invite the songwriters in Cebu to a get-together on October 28, 2011 at 7PM. The event is sponsored by FILSCAP. It's one of the initial steps. We're moving forward in setting up the infrastructure for Cebu's music scene to flourish. But we cannot do this alone. We need you. Yes, you, musical storytellers, to make this happen.

The venue shall be announced soon. When we do, I wish to see you there.

A 'Kismet' wedding (for Grae and Bayet)

2011-10-02T15:08:00.000+08:00

Grae is one of my Aikido senseis. I haven't attended the sessions for a time now with the daunting and gruesome tasks abound my current job. He is also one of those dependable people I can talk sense to - a fellow board member of Artist Ko as well.

He rang some time in July (or was it June) for a couple of very momentous favor.

First he invited me to his wedding slated in September. Then he asked if I could sing 'Kismet' on that day for him and his bride. Oh really?

Amidst my very hectic schedule, I admittedly got so flattered that I couldn't say no... more so to a very good friend.

If you haven't heard this song yet, turned out to be very appropriate I realized. I'm a wedding singer now (hahaha and I must admit it was fun).

Kismet by Zafra

So here I am, staring at the "stars" feeling like I'm falling in love too :) too bad I don't have the video.

Spending that time again / With the mem'ries from June to September
Downtime, your heart is breaking / Like glass it shattered
Then one day he came along / He started painting colors
But he doesn't know that you cared

The UNcreative Cebu

2011-08-28T07:13:00.000+08:00

I believe that for Creative Cebu to move forward, it's also equally important that the org must challenge itself from within. To question an existing status quo. To sort and identify the barriers. And more importantly, to acknowledge the value of accepting what makes an UN-creative Cebu.

WIPO, IPOPHIL, DTI, Cebu Chamber of Commerce, and Creative Cebu recently sponsored an event called National High Level Forum on Innovation and the Creative Industries Ecosystems. Branding, evolving business models, and the use of intellectual property as its utility belt were the prevalent agenda. Insightful it was, yes. Very informative. Grandly inspiring. I'm writing this entry as an attempt to document the experience and knowledge I've savored in that 2-day forum.

My favorite topics were those presented by Brandon Rawson (1st Act, Silicon Valley, USA), Jason Potts (ARC Centre, Brisbane, Australia), Jay Aldeguer (The Islands Group, Cebu, Philippines), and Kenneth Cobonpue exhibiting all his grand offerings to the world.

Jason Potts speaking on customized music business model

And then there was the thought provoking semi-lecture on branding by Mr. Junie del Mundo (CEO, Management Association of the Philippines, Manila). I'm sure there were other speakers that were equally mind-moving but I missed it due to a pre-scheduled separate appointment (had to leave for a couple of hours and came back).

Bullet pointing all that has transpired, these are the key notes identified in a creative community that caught my fancy:

The need to experiment and consequently support it
Customized music business model per region
The empirical ratio between opportunities versus challenges
The empirical ratio between risks versus rewards
The proposed action to rebrand the Philippines (and Cebu as a creative hub)
The need to draft and enforce applicable policies (whatever this may mean to artists and entrepreneurs alike)
And the ironic impact of the use of intellectual property (yes I knew there was a downside to this but couldn't put my finger on it until this forum)

I waited for somebody to scale the above a little bit down and bring forth subjects such as:

The need to provide more avenues on financial support especially in the experimental phase of creativity where only a few listen, vision-share, and pay attention to
The need to make meaning first - branding via the basic needs on food, clothing, shelter, and transportation
That creativity should include science and engineering ergo not limited to music and arts alone
Is there an existing policy that supports this?

Nobody did.

So I braved in and expressed (and hopefully contributed) some ideas and opinions. Here they are;

The government should be more aware of "existing experiments" going on around them. Unless they figure out a way to tap in these potential resources and fund them, these efforts could end up flourishing elsewhere.
Branding Cebu is asking what makes it special.
"Puso" or hanging rice should be proudly served in hotels and restaurants.
In this tropical country, designers could come up with a better idea of a formal attire than the preferred western suit.
Houses should be designed with natural ventilation and less air-conditioning necessities, and that low cost houses should mean affordable and functional rather than inadequately cheap.
Unless the highest ranking official of every government agency is able to take the jeepney everyday to work, the problem of traffic will only get worse. Traffic is caused by inefficient public transport resulting to more people buying more cars resulting to more private cars congesting the roads. Road widening is not the answer.
Local government offices should assert on a paperless system of business permit application. One effective office with an efficient system should be enough.

Learning happens when you acknowledge that there is still more to understand. You can never learn enough. And you cannot learn if what you believe is that you know everything.

The same principle applies. Creativity happens when we learn about what makes an uncreative Cebu.

CC-OBB

2011-07-11T08:03:00.004+08:00

And here's the Creative Cebu OBB with music by Urbandub courtesy of Sonic Shape Records.

Adversity + Passion = Creativity

2011-07-10T08:06:00.004+08:00

On one media interview, I was asked, "Can creativity really contribute to economic growth?

In fact, I've been asked many times of these types and many were challenging to expound. I must admit I'm penchant for thought-provoking conversations. I wish I have all the answers. Sadly I don't.

But here's an AVP from the recently concluded Creative Industries Summit featuring yours truly with other sector chairmen of Creative Cebu and front liner DTI Provincial Director Nelia Navarro sharing their views as well.

Music bed are instrumental edits by Sheila and the Insects "The Disco Machine" and "Maude" courtesy of ICO Music Publishing and Merchandising.

Video directed by Zen Pastoriza (Camp Cebu).

A Creative Industries Summit in Cebu

2011-06-28T08:28:00.006+08:00

I just got a number of photo document summary from the 1st Creative Industries Summit captioned by DTI-Cebu Provincial Office Hope Melgar. The event was held in Cebu City Sports Complex in Cebu Business Park on June 21, 2011.

Photos courtesy of DTI Cebu.

Creative Cebu Council VP and ARTIST KO Chairman Ian Zafra delivering the Invocation (a Cebuano poem prayer written by Maam Linda Alburo) with guitar accompaniment by Gumer Entero Jr. of the ARTIST KO Cebu - Artists & Musicians Marketing Cooperative

Council President Zen Pastoriza speaking on the topic: Creative Cebu and the Creative Cebu Council

Council President Zen Pastoriza, Council Treasurer Buck Sia, DTI-Cebu Provincial Director Nelia Navarro, and Trustee Bien Fernandez., Jr. lounge on the centerstage sofa as they watch the video on Creative Cebu. Shown on-screen is Maam Linda Alburo being interviewed on her thoughts about the Literary Arts sector in Cebu

Council President Pastoriza expounding on the value of creativity as the economic spark for Cebu, and introducing the Creative Cebu video put together by Campaigns Cebu

President Zen Pastoriza and Treasurer Buck Sia raffle off limited edition Creative Cebu T-shirts for the lucky members in the audience.

Left to Right: Buck Sia (Treasurer, Creative Cebu Council), Lorenzo Templonuevo (Master of Ceremonies & Moderator of the Summit, and Knowledge Management Specialist, GIZ-SMEDSEP), Marivic Aguilar (DTI-Cebu), Miriam Bacalso (Senior Regional Coordinator for Central Visayas, GIZ), DTI-Cebu PD Nelia Navarro, CBM 2011 Chairman Nonoy Espeleta, Arkeofilms co-founder and resident producer/director Joel Ruiz (Summit speaker), Hope Melgar (DTI-Cebu), Zen Pastoriza (President, Creative Cebu Council)

Council Trustee Bien Fernandez Jr. poses with CCCI President Consul Sammy Chioson, former CCCI President Joe Ng, CBM Promo & Publicity Chairperson Lilu Alino, and some Summit participants

Joel Ruiz and the CAMP-Cebu team

How to pull off a POP Shoppe gig

2011-05-10T22:00:00.003+08:00

Let me tell you a story about a gig in Manila that I played solo and came very sooooo unprepared. It was an Orange And Lemons tribute night for POP Shoppe, a regular monthly production organized by Lilystars Records at Route 196.

Well actually I went to Manila for several reasons. First was to file some papers for a traffic violation I've committed many years back for driving in EDSA without a seatbelt on (yep I've been quietly driving without a license in Cebu mwahahaha).

The second stop was to watch supposed concert of The Killers. Yes, that concert that got cancelled. This was in January 2010. And for the record, I'm still not happy about the ticket refund.

And since I'll be in Manila for several days, might as well get some fun.

Upon finalizing my flight schedule, I've decided to call my friends at Lilystars and asked if I could play in their gigs. Tonet and Lui were very accommodating. They booked me 3 or was it 4 gigs. Hahaha... I didn't realize I had enough guts to present myself as a singer/performer to them.

And so, the concert got cancelled, fixed my MMDA mess, and ended up at Tonet's place cramming up for the night's gig.

I had to memorize the chords and the words to 'Hey Please'. Tough. Seriously. It was a tough job for me. I love lyrics and words but memorization is not much my thing. I always almost flunk history classes back in school.

And so hours passed. I had to keep myself away from distractions just to keep the words in. Hours passed again until gig time. The crowd was warm and enticing. The beer was cold. So many people. I was having fun. And this is exactly what a gig should be - fun.

So I did. I simply let the audience sing the lines. And this is how I pulled off that one POP Shoppe gig.

I cheated pretty well, huh?

How to download Bethany's new single "Can't Say"

2011-05-08T00:03:00.003+08:00

Here's how CARTONATA works. After buying a shirt from Bethany (design below), ask for the CARTONATA code card. It contains a unique code and instructions on how to get the band's music free. Actually you'll get 2 songs, not just one.

It should say something like this:

Go to http://cartonata.com and type in the code (no buttons here so think like an Apple user).

Make sure you type it correctly. You only get to use the code once. Type in the code and press enter.

Then the system will ask for your email address. Type in your email and press enter.

Then check your email. Bethany's music should be delivered to your inbox (right click on image below and open new tab to view email delivery sample). Check your spam folder also just in case.

Voila!!! You GOT music. Yoohoooo!

You might want to check out music merch from Happy Days and Deanery, as well as bonus track from LA band Hellogoodbye also.

CARTONATA works

2011-05-03T21:53:00.001+08:00

Nothing satisfies more than seeing something that started from a continuous idea and finally coming to view. CARTONATA's free music download is working. Here's a sample view of all downloads so far (right click and open new tab to see jpg file on your browser).

Deanery says...

2011-04-17T10:03:00.004+08:00

"Why sell if you can give. Why buy if it's free? Buy only what you need. The want is free."

That's what CARTONATA also stands for. Cebuano indie pop group Deanery believes in that too.

So tell me... if someone gives you this band's single, would you take it? Yes? Would you want to have it if it was free? Maybe, yes, maybe. If someone sells you this band's single as download, would you buy it?

Errr...

So answer me this... what's better than never?

What's Better Than Never by Deanery

'Rochelle'

2011-04-13T20:50:00.000+08:00

It's obviously a girl's name. It's also a fictional film from the television show Seinfeld. In Illinois, it's a name of a town.

In this blog, 'Rochelle' is the latest single of Happy Days, a Cebuano geek rock group. The band's been keeping the song in their personal players until CARTONATA.

Have a date with 'Rochelle' for P350 only at Hareld & Gumer's merchline.

Here's a sampler.

Rochelle by HAPPY DAYS

God vs. Science

2011-04-12T15:08:00.002+08:00

I have a favorite aunt. We call her tita Tootsie. Apart from it being her nickname, I suppose it fits her personality appropriately if "tootsie" is to become a word that describes "light, bubbly, and funny". She's married to a jew. She's now back in the US and the only way I get news from her is via her insightful emails.

Today I got to read her latest. I find it very interesting and if you're the type that values faith, this should be interesting to you too. Read on.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely '

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one.. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'

'So who created them ?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not.'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? '

' Yes.

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'
'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so.. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God.. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

If you read it all the way through and had a smile on your face when you finished, mail to your friends and family with the title 'God vs. Science'

The student was Albert Einstein.

Albert Einstein wrote a book titled 'God vs. Science' in 1921.

The first CARTONATA artist

2011-04-11T08:13:00.038+08:00

I was supposed to play 3 gigs with The Camerawalls one fine weekend in Feb. The first was on the 11th at the Mellow Mangrove in Iloilo, the 2nd was in San Beda College on the 12th with Pupil, and 3rd was slated in Muntinlupa Bilibid on the 13th. The 2nd was canceled the last minute and the 3rd never got confirmed.

I could've decided on changing my flight schedule and head back to Cebu. But there are just things I felt I can't explain and at that time and my intuition hinted otherwise.

Talk about blessings in disguise, that accidental trip happened for a reason.

I spent that weekend in Lilystars Records headquarters in P. Tuazon st., Cubao. Clem and I talked and he pitched in the idea of releasing Hellogoodbye's "Would It Kill You" album in the Philippines.

To make the long story short, Lilystars launched Hellogoodbye's CD on Apr2 in Route196 including a bonus track called 'Not Ever Coming Home'. The song is exclusively available for Philippines release at CARTONATA.

Pre-recorded video of Hellogoodbye for the "Would It Kill You?" album launch in Route 196 on April2.

Talk Music Talk : Music Publishing

2011-04-10T08:08:00.005+08:00

I'll be doing a music talk about music publishing. If you're interested, RSVP me in Facebook or meet me in Artist Ko gigs. It's free but the facility is small hence seats are limited only. Maybe between 10 and 15 persons only. So I'm doing this one session at a time.

Venue's at the UP CebuinIT TBI facility (see map below).

Introducing CARTONATA

2011-04-08T08:43:00.050+08:00

So yes sharing music is epidemic.

Since people are now sharing them, why not embrace it. Then I thought a redesigned music business platform could do just that.

About two years ago, Artist Ko member Lucille (Palot) Umali at one time focused on helping me design a logo. The name's CARTONATA.

The logo and name was registered for trademark
in the Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 13, 2011 at 2:08PM
with application no. 42011710005.

What it does is to allow free music download whenever you buy something that is useful to you. When that something bears the logo, it means you'll get a code with it. And yesterday was a blessed day. I got the approval notice from the Intellectual Property Office for its trademark. Bless me. Bless me. Things are moving forward as planned.

But this is as far as I can say for now. There's too many things CARTONATA in my hands

Cheers! Music should be free.

Hellogoodbye + Lilystars Records = Would It Kill You (Philippines release)

2011-03-23T10:03:00.056+08:00

The first time I heard about Hellogoodbye was from Tonet of Lilystars Records. That was about July or August 2010 over YM chat. She'd let me watch their YouTube video. It wasn't difficult for them to make me like their music. Soon, I've developed the habit of starting my iTunes by listening to their upcoming release.

Hellogoodbye is an indie power pop band that originated in Huntington Beach, California. In September of 2010, they came to the Philippines to promote their latest album "Would It Kill You?" released under their own label Wasted Summer Records.

Press fast forward to Feb 13, 2011 in Tonet's house. Clem and I had a good talk about the band. About their wish to get their CD released in the Philippines. About their wish to get released by an indie label. About their aversion to signing up with major labels. And about their wish to get to their Filipino fans through Lilystars Records.

Good talk it was. I somehow got so engaged and so involved. Told him I'm working on a new project I call CARTONATA. Clem is a good soul and mind to talk with and we got things rolled in for a spin.

But this will be another story to write about.

No they're not dumb

2011-03-19T08:23:00.007+08:00

Decisions are made based on the amount of information presented to you. And more often you'll find out how much of that essential information was lacking or needed based from the results of that decision.

If the information isn't ripe, complete, or satisfied, then there is a high possibility of wrong assumptions.

I've met a lot of agents from companies who always fall short of intuitiveness and pro-activeness. Probably because they pretend too much that they know enough. No they don't. I wish I could say they're dumb but they're not. Lazy maybe but not dumb.

So if you encounter people like these, it's either you replace them or reeducate them. That's where your leadership trait kicks in. The choice is yours.

Free music anyone?

2011-03-13T22:23:00.001+08:00

It's better to share, isn't it? Well yes receiving feels good but would you agree with me if I say giving is better?

Music's been one of the most shared art even back when the internet is still in its incubation stage. In the 70's and the 80's, you insert a tape in your cassette and wait until the first 3 notes of your favorite song starts spinning. You press record and voila! You got music.

Eventually the song grew in you and so you decided to buy the real stuff.

The 90's upgraded this with the CD. And so the electronics companies also invented digital burners. Voila! You got music!

Apple catches up later with the iPod. Who would've ever thought that you can actually carry a thousand albums with you into something that is as handy as a cigarette pack. Voila! You got music.

Then they invented the DRM to hopefully discourage piracy. It failed. Internet and satellite radios became another source of music. This is good except that if there is no internet or wifi, you got no music. Then there's TuneCore, Jingle Punks, YouLicense, Jango, and all other music avenues they can think of doing.

As far as I'm concerned, only Radiohead dared to do something different on 'In Rainbows'. Then other bands adapted the business model.

My question now is this... are these music companies doing the stuff they do in the attempt to control a playlist? Because it never really stopped the culture of sharing free music. And sharing is a natural human need.

Don't just satisfy

2011-03-10T08:28:00.038+08:00

Customer satisfaction is such an overrated statement. We all know that when a customer buys your product or hires your service, he/she either needs it or wants it and is already satisfied. But what's often done is failing to excite them.

A taxi driver should not assume that their passenger knows the route. He travels the road every minute every day and therefore should know the best route to a less congested traffic. The passenger is already satisfied with taking the cab. But the driver could induce excitement by simply asking which route he/she prefers to take. How simple could that be? And it only takes a few seconds to deliver and it doesn't cost him anything.

A government employee could excite a citizen by giving accurate procedures. The government can make a citizen even happier if it can reduce if not simplify the required documents to process. There is better and positive result if the government charges fees one-time on the same amount than charging on a per-document basis. This doesn't cost anything at all. What it needs is just to espouse trust.

A band can excite their fans by going to their table and talk with them after their gig. Their fans are already satisfied with the performance. But good conversations are priceless and can build more fans via word-of-mouth (fans would tell their friends that you sat beside them over beer). This doesn't cost the band at all.

So don't just satisfy. Learn to excite so they will talk more about you. It goes a long a way.

The extra mile

2011-03-07T08:13:00.076+08:00

"That's not my job."

"I didn't do it."

"It's your job now not mine."

"Not my business."

"I'm busy."

"Oh, I forgot."

We hear these comments in the workplace. Many times. And these are the main reasons why customers, clients, and even friends hate you. Because you failed to assure them of your role and responsibility.

But the truth is that what the customers really want to know is if you are doing something about it regardless of when or how you will deliver (of course they want it asap but there's no such thing really).

If your document didn't get to the destination, don't blame the postal service yet. If you made a mistake on the price, don't say it's his/her fault. Do the extra mile. Re-educate yourself of how the process went. Then report. I've done it. The customer understood and even advised a better method. Trust and loyalty was built even stronger.

So instead of saying any of the above, excite them. Say,"Yes, ma'am it's in my to-do list." Or ,"I'll be back with an answer in a day or two." Do not rub off your role from them. Keep the loyalty in. It's priceless.

More importantly, don't say you're busy... because we all are.

Between time, cost, and quality

2011-03-06T14:17:00.000+08:00

Decisions are made not because you are brave and bold. They're made because you believe you know enough to decide on such. Bravery, like confidence, is the consequence of good knowledge, positive attitude, reputation, and insight.

However, decisions are often initiated and anchored on cost first, then time, and quality is ranked last before a "balance" is met. But is it really?

Well yes balance should be met. But how do you know how much your idea would cost you and when it is acceptable to the target audience?

At the first inception of your grand idea, you never think about time and cost, correct? All that matters to you at that time is how to make the idea happen and work. That effort of thinking is non-quantifiable. Yet many managers still attempt to measure them.

You only get to appreciate quality over time. Don't forget creativity. If you have it, cost shouldn't be much of an issue.

Non-quantifiables for non-quantifiables. Quality decisions are made from good knowledge, positive attitude, reputation, and insight. Quality comes first. Balance it later.

What are you?

2011-03-06T13:08:00.000+08:00

Are you a doer? A planner? Or both?

If you are a doer, do you do things just for the sake of doing it or have you invested the time to understand its meaning. Did you really see the big picture? Or you're just in it because it's cool?

If you are a planner, do you plan for just one deadline? Or do you plan for a long term perspective?

Many of us have great ideas. But not all knows enough to run the start up.

Many of us have great skills. But not every skilled person is hyperactive. More often, it's easier to get lazy.

Many of us love to jump in the boat when the engine's up and ready to go. But not many are patient to wait during its planning and risk-taking stages.

Not many are planners. And sadly not many are true doers.

So what are you?

Make meaning first

2011-03-03T06:03:00.001+08:00

I believe every person has something valuable to do that could benefit many. I also believe that every person gets that itch to share what he or she has. What sets it apart is when and how it becomes valuable to many. Not all, just many.

Topping the charts used to be a measure of status quo. Respect used to be based on rank or position or prestigious titles. People salute you when you have it.

Thank God things have changed.

Nowadays, respect is more transparently visible from doing things that many can benefit from. You don't have to be the CEO or a high ranking person in an organization. It helps though. You get a good leverage there. But what's more important and really matters is what good you've done for many.

Make meaning first. Reward always comes after. Of course there's always a question of when.

There's a new film school in Cebu

2011-02-04T10:18:00.030+08:00

Russian-American Misha Anissimov had been working so hard for more than a year. And this week, his hard work has paid-off.

In his Facebook page, he wrote, "It's Official ! University of San Carlos-Cebu President gives final APPROVAL for the new BFA Cinema Program within the Fine Arts Department! The Philippines' second University based film school is now official ! Lots of work to be done..."

USC's new BFA Cinema Program is the 2nd in the Philippines. UP-Dilliman had it first.

Good times for a good change. It's good to have people like Misha. But this is just the beginning. The fun has just begun.

Tapping music in the IT industry

2011-02-04T08:03:00.048+08:00

Since the conception of Artist Ko, I already had the intention of tapping into the IT industry for digital music distribution. In the process of doing, I had developed an idea on how it should happen and vividly it unfolded itself as months passed.

At first it was just a vision... then this opportunity came.

Recently I attended 2 meetups on Tech Talk and there I met Glenda Arreza, the managing director of UP Cebu-DOST TBI Program. I was 15 minutes early, sat beside her (I didn't know who she was until we started talking), and after awhile, I realized that she's the political support I was looking for.

TBI stands for Technology Business Incubator. And the program aims to nurture technology-based start-ups by giving them the knowledge and skills to succeed. I mentioned that I have one. Divine intervention perhaps?

So the day after, my business partner and I went to her office and discussed more about this project idea. She gave us the application requirements. We exchanged emails. The TBI steering committee requested additional information and asked for clarifications. Three days later, our business proposal got approved.

Today is our kick-off date. My partner and I will be attending free seminars to make this business idea work. We'll also enjoy a one-on-one consultation with experienced entrepreneurs.

My vision is slowly shaping up. This will be an exciting time for the music scene.

Dear HSBC

2011-02-03T15:03:00.003+08:00

I was charged recently with a penalty for not being able to pay for my bills last December. So I checked my e-statement records and didn't find any notification sent to my email at all.

First off, I've subscribed to HSBC's e-statement system because it's supposed to notify your customers (I'm one of them) of the next scheduled billing statement. Usually the bill would be available within 24 hours from the notification date. Well last December I didn't get any.

While it is fairly correct to say that I could've mindfully kept track of the billing cycle and voluntarily logged in to the system myself to verify. But then that defeats the purpose of this automated system, doesn't it?

So yes I was charged and I sent you an email about this concern. A representative responded and I replied back detailing the issue. Then a rep from your collections department called to clarify further.

I appreciate the effort you've made. I really do. However, I think HSBC still has a lot of stuff to improve. So I though I'd list them down below:

HSBC has 3 customer service numbers. What's frustrating is that these numbers work exclusively for different telecom networks. For example the toll-free 1-800 is exclusive for PLDT subscribers only. I'm pretty sure there's a corporate reason behind this but you could've built stronger loyalty from customers by just having one that efficiently works for all. HSBC is an international company. I'm sure you are capable of simplifying this for us.
I always pay on time. But I had past experience with HSBC sending me notifications for an overdue payment. And you've always been punctual and assertive on this. So if you are punctual on this task, what's keeping you from delivering an e-statement on time?
You blocked my card upon knowing about this issue. Why do you have to do that?
You asked me to pay the minimum amount. I refused because I do not wish to go to your paying station twice a month. I got other more important things to do than resolving an issue that isn't mine. So I decided to pay the whole amount. My concern is not about the amount. It's the principle of delivering it right and earning loyalty from customers like me.
Your customer service and your collection department reps always made calls in the afternoons when I'm at my most busiest time of the day. Please be sensitive about other people's time. Call me in the evening, that time when I'm at my relaxed mood - when everything's getting cool metaphorically and literally speaking.

So dear HSBC, does your customer service really work? Tell me.

Midweek Music Plus Guidelines

2011-02-01T08:18:00.000+08:00

Many are asking. So here it is.

General
1. Call time is always an hour before the show. Usually it's 8:30PM.

Who gets to play first?
1. First band to complete gets to choose preferred slot. Always be on time.
2. Mint performers usually play 2nd or 3rd.

Qualifications:
1. Online presence is a must.
2. At least 3 complete mp3 recordings uploaded online (more is always better).
3. A good band photo is a must.
4. Must be successively active in the local music scene for at least a year.

2nd round of stories from the visual intellects

2011-01-29T10:58:00.004+08:00

Haven't heard or seen Seph for a long time. It's good to know that he's busy prepping up for the 2nd round of the Visual Design Conference this coming Feb 12. If you haven't gone to the 1st, you should be in this forum this time.

The venue is at SM Cinema 2, that's in North Reclamation Area, Cebu City. You know where that is.

Expect awesome speakers. Some are good friends of mine. Teaser's nice too. It says a lot already.

Good work Seph.

Urbandub's credibility

2011-01-26T11:15:00.002+08:00

If you don't use it, you'll lose it.

I like this mantra. It's discretely strong and straight to the point. Any endeavor needs to embrace this principle to get to where it wants to go.

Urbandub is probably the only Cebuano band I know who got just the right amount of consistency to make this just right and therefore has strongly built their credibility outside Cebu. I have high respect for them. They've gone so far since their 'Birth' album. They've opened numerous international acts. And on Feb 12, they're doing it again with Deftones.

Word has it that they're going on a US tour next year. Talk about advanced planning. A milestone I must say if this happens.

If you don't use it, you'll lose it.

What could've been Artist Ko

2011-01-22T08:13:00.003+08:00

In the early days of Cebu's music scene, particularly the post-Local Ground era, a group of artists and musicians attempted to put together an organization. I remember several meetings held for this purpose. We did a couple of bayanihan-based concert projects held in Zapatera elementary school, Sikatuna st.

The org was initially called Indie Culture but sadly didn't flourish. Yet the name and the idea inspired me to set up a small record label.

Right click the image doc below, select 'copy image location' and view it in another window or tab to read the content. I was part of this group (my name's on the doc below). Looking back, this is an Artist Ko prototype.

Thanks to good friend Julius Uy for this saving this piece of history.

To compare is to kill your craft

2011-01-21T20:02:00.046+08:00

Have you ever tried not comparing yourself with anyone?

I asked this because more often than not, we normally say ,"I want to be like (insert the name of the person you look up to here)". But hey, you can't be like them.

You can't be like Imogen Heap. You can't be like John Lennon. You can't be like Oprah. You can't be like Jay Leno. You can't be like Ely Buendia. You can't be like APO Hiking Society. You can't be like Weezer. You can't be like Morrissey. You can't be like Ninoy Aquino.

They worked hard way ahead of you, sweat and tears and some even cost them their life... while you haven't yet. Didn't you notice that when you compare yourself, there is also this feeling of dissatisfaction inside? Because deep down you know you just can't be like them. And then some even die doing it (not literally).

Think about it.

But hey, you can still be the best of what you can be.

Write your own story. Dream your own drama. Design your own art. Build your own name. How do you want people to know you? Brand yourself.

Instead of saying ,"I want to be like (again insert the name of the person you look up to here)", try saying "I want to achieve the success level they've achieved." It may be a steeper challenge but at least you can build your name and reputation much clearer this way.

Be your own you. Don't compare.

Memorization supposedly made easy with SpellDial

2011-01-21T06:38:00.002+08:00

We often ignore this but we call a friend by first scanning our phonebook starting with the first letter of the name. For example my name. And then we get sort down that list to find Ian Zafra.

That's simply because we're all identified by our names and not by our phone numbers. It's easier to find McDonald's or Jollibee's delivery number by their brand names rather than the number itself.

Albert Padin invented SpellDial to do just that.

I RSVP'd weeks back for tech talk meet up seat in IT Park yesterday and was lucky to have met this 22 year old genius. Well yes many websites similarly have this type of service such as Zyb. But most of these sites only provide storage of names in your phonebook and that you have to type or sync in all the numbers from your phone. Something more like importing data. That's time consuming.

But what if one of your contacts lost their phone? What if one of your friends is hiding from an ex-boyfriend and changed her number? What if your friend added or changed network.

SpellDial's sales pitch empowers phone number owners to update their numbers themselves. Effectively, if one of your contacts change numbers, assuming your contacts use this service, you can still contact them without you knowing the update.

The logic is very simple and the functionality is very easy to use. It's a function of self-branding.

However, there are still areas for improvement. One of which is the ability to acknowledge duplication of names. For example, there could be several Ian Zafra's in the Philippines and in the world. The system only recognizes the first to register that name (so I did mine soonest I got home).

Second area of improvement is that it can only work via an internet connection. Your ordinary phone cannot avail of this (yet). But if you an iPhone, you can type in my name, for example and call me even without knowing my number. Just like how the Yellow Pages work.

This is could be helpful for businesses but this is also scary as you are somewhat publicized.

I can name several areas for improvement but these are I think the more important functions that should be prioritized. Facebook did a good job on the exclusivity measures.

Being original is not about originality anymore

2011-01-17T15:43:00.000+08:00

"We're different."

Yeah right.

But are you really?

It's not accurate to claim that you are different and therefore original, especially when you disclose your source. Keep in mind that everybody wants to be different. It follows that everybody has the itch to claim that they're original.

The rules of intellectual property says otherwise. You cannot claim an idea that it's yours. Period. An idea always comes from a source... be it from a problem that requires a new approach to creative solutions or simply out of vanity.

You cannot patent, trademark, or copyright an idea. What you can claim however is the actual product to which your idea is manifested from.

Levi's did not claim that they invented the jeans. But they can claim about the design quality of the jeans that they make. Apple did not claim that they invented laptops. But they can claim they invented the best design functionality of a laptop in the world. The Beatles did not claim that they invented British pop music. But they can claim ownership of their sound recordings.

So next time when you say something about your music, your art, or your product, don't say it's original because it's different. No. Because today, no one really cares so much. It's more about the how without divulging the source than the what.

And chances are every single thing is different from the other already.

Cream of the crap (about judging band contests)

2011-01-16T08:48:00.144+08:00

Several times I've been invited to judge in band competitions. Personally, and I must say that this is the least of the things I enjoy doing.

First off, who on earth could master the patience to spend time watching a pool of reckless unmindful bands? I thought to myself ,"not me." Second is that band competitions do not really validate how good the band is. Because there are so many genres to consider. And then there's the cranky sound system. Not to mention members that keep on turning their backs from the audience. You're not playing for yourselves, guys.

And if the judges don't like you or your music, no matter how technically good your band is, you lose.

Judging a band competition to me is like watching the cream of the crap. But then again maybe I'm wrong.

Last Friday, I was again invited as one of the judges in Republika ng TM/Globe Astigfest's band competition. There were 5 rock bands vying for the P50,000 grand prize. Now that's a lot of money for a start up group.

I rated the first finalist, D.O.F. perfect for cohesiveness and timing. But because they sound and look just like all other bands I've seen (wearing shirts like the stage is home), I have to drop them off from originality and band image.

Black Thumb, a female fronted "experimental" band got my two naturally-colored thumbs up. I'm particular about packaging. While their music is niche, their cohesiveness was good. Presentation was good too. If only the vocalist did something with her hair to catch everybody's fancy, I could've rated them more. And oh (this goes to the band), please don't claim you're experimental... because every band is.

Green Berries, the third finalist was an all female rock group. There's not many around here. They're not cohesive at all. They sound messy - either the speakers are uncooperative or they just didn't care. No bass in the spectrum and the guitars don't blend. But one very important thing I like about this group was their level of confidence in interacting with the audience. They did this very well. I had fun... GB made me laugh so I gave them a total score of 83% (I think).

The 4th band, M.R.P.D. had the right blend of confidence, timing, sonic chemistry, and stage presentation. I'm all for original songs. Okay they're initially impressive in that respect. But I've seen and heard this type of act before. There are just too many of them. So I dropped their originality off the scale.

And then there's Dance With Me Kris. The 5th in the crop.

Dance With Me Kris

They're good. No they're really good that it makes me wonder why they're still joining contests up to this time when they should be recording in the studio already. So I wrote on my score sheet - "too good too join a band contest." Of course, they bagged the prize.

I woke up the next day realizing that selecting the best from the cream of the crap saves me time in looking for for new bands in the net too.

Wonggoys signed up for ICO Music too

2011-01-15T10:25:00.001+08:00

Did I mention that Wonggoys are awesome? I think I did.

So I was in Starbucks, IT Park sitting with the Wong brothers. We signed the music publishing contract with ICO Music on the 8th of January, 2011. It wasn't just a signing session though. It was a meet and greet with the band's manager Mrs. Wong.

Bethany's Quibranza brothers signed up for ICO Music

2011-01-15T10:02:00.002+08:00

Times are a-changin' they say.

The old business model of the music industry was that if you are an artist, you get help from a record company. If you are a songwriter, your supposed best friend in the business should be the music publisher. If you are both, then I advise you learn how to read and interpret contracts.

But times are a-changin'.

Today, bands can mobilize as their own independent record company. In the industry lingo, it's called vanity label.

Today, you can build a fan base on your own. This has been proven with the success of Urbandub.

Bands can run their own publishing machinery. But then that seriously and I mean seriously entails another scope of work. And artists in general prefer to skip the nitty gritty stuff especially with the copyright and other legal jargon.

So to seriously think about how your band can accomplish at least for a start certain level of success, it's important to get your music publishing arrangements done first. That's what I do with ICO.

Last Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, the Quibranza brothers Luis, Angelo, and Paolo, the songwriters of the band Bethany signed up all their musical compositions with ICO Music Publishing. My role is to administer the copyrights of their music as well as represent the authors in licensing their music for use. That's just about it.

The rest... well, if you're a songwriter, let's meet and talk. I'll explain what else I do.

How to present a problem

2011-01-10T08:43:00.000+08:00

It's easier to criticize. It's easier to shut down. It's easier to quit. It's easier to bad mouth. It's easier to complain. These are just some of the obvious reactions people do when they feel inconvenient or see problems coming.

But haven't you noticed? These traits never get you anywhere near anything worth anyone's time. In fact, you may even find yourself moving in the wrong direction, attracting the wrong people, and then end up realizing you haven't done anything that benefits anyone at all.

Problems are windows for improvement. More often however, it's difficult to view it this way. It takes a remarkable mind and heart to acknowledge such occasions as opportunities. If you don't belong in this category of people... practice being one.

Better yet, try this.

Next time you see a problem, the next time you feel that a proposition seems not possible to happen, don't just rant or complain about it. Present the problem with probable scenarios and propose solutions.

Try and practice this approach for this year.

Your worst foot is still your best foot

2011-01-09T08:23:00.000+08:00

Everybody seemed to be more engaged in taking the good stuff in. Like veering focus in putting your best foot forward. On the other hand, most of us are appalled at the thought of failing... of getting our worst foot out.

And I'm not surprised to know that not many understands the essential benefits of doing or thinking the opposite.

Entrepreneurs have a different way of thinking. They often take the opposite route. If someone says this can't be done, they test it. This is not to be confused with ego. It's about learning and understanding why it is so.

Take for example Cebu Pacific's advanced promos. The idea of cutting down the price of tickets translates to passing the ridiculously expensive cost of advertising to word-of-mouth on the consumers.

When the stocks are down, the wise investors buy more shares instead of retracting.

Wonggoys professed that 'Kalayan', a track from their album, was the least liked material. Cattski braved in for the challenge, took it as the first song to work on. Her goal was not really to prove them wrong but to improve the unappealing.

My point is that when you only focus on admiring the best foot, you're also missing out the opportunity to make a difference. Yet if you take a little effort in seeing the worst foot in a good way, there is no reason why you cannot like the best side of it. Like seeing a problem as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Risk is good. Taking the opposite path is good. And only a few can see it this way. This is good too.

Damn that mysterious Beatle chord

2011-01-08T20:38:00.001+08:00

I stumbled upon this very interesting article about that famous Beatle song "A Hard Day's Night" and a mysterious chord in the intro that to the normal ear sounds like... chaaaaaaang!

According to Dalhousie mathematician Jason Brown, the chord used in the intro is actually a combination of guitar chords and... guess what? A piano.

Well I need to make this clear that I never realized this Beatle chord had been troublesome to millions of guitarists all over the world for 40 years until now.

Here are the facts:

The frequencies didn’t match the instruments on the song. Because George (Harrison) played a 12-string Rickenbacker, John played his 6 string, Paul had his bass and a 5th Beatle. Tadaaaa! Yep. George Martin, the band's manager played the piano on the record - the combination accounted for the "problematic" frequencies.

Brown figured out the chords. George Harrison played a2, a3, d3, d4, g3, g4, c4, and another c4 on the 12 string guitar. Paul McCartney played a d3 on his bass; producer George Martin was playing d3, f3, d5, g5, and e6 on the piano, while Lennon played a loud c5 on his six-string guitar.

Whatever this means.

Case solved.

Lucifer is not a devil

2011-01-07T08:08:00.001+08:00

Really. He's not. Or is 'she'?

Photo from Wikipedia: Lucifer (Le génie du mal) by Guillaume Geefs (Cathedral of St. Paul, Liège, Belgium)

The name Lucifer is an English derivative from the Latin words lucem ferre meaning the light-bearer. Gary Zukav explains more.

In his book The Seat of the Soul, Lucifer's character was dissected as the "giver of light". The fallen angel's purpose was meant as a challenger of souls, to help us in deciding choices between resistance (to temptation) and giving in to others' "power".

Souls as he defined them are illuminations of love in our inner being. The amount of love we have and give is manifested by its brightness. And because the soul's sole purpose is to love and only to love, the illumination it projects depends on every person's interaction with the physical.

In application, this means that if one was born, raised, and immersed in a community of bribery, deceit, lies, skepticism, and all other unfavorable events, the soul darkens. The opposite is that if one's physical orientation to the world is moved with motivation and encouragement, the soul brightens. Thus the term "enlightened".

Lucifer's role in our lives is therefore important. At times when we feel seduced to do the things our conscience forbids us, the light-giver is actually at work allowing us to do the choosing between good and bad. We get to choose between giving in or giving up.

In the musical words of Ursula, the Disney octo-maid seawitch , "Poor unfortunate souls... in pain, in need".

At the end of the day it's important to be cautious to choose and work with the right people.

On music retail : free or fee?

2011-01-06T10:08:00.000+08:00

It's been a long debate between big labels and indie artists since Napster days. There should be a smart way to get this through. I thought I'd pass this on to you.

Let me know what you think.

If music downloads were priced ridiculously cheap, would you opt to pay for it in support of the musicians/artists or would you still insist on free music download?

If you say you'd pay for the music, do you mean:

supporting your favorite band? (yes or no)
or supporting the musicians and artists in general? (yes or no)

If you say you'd pay for the music, how much would you pay for it?

If you say you'd still go for free music downloads, why do you prefer it this way?

I need your valuable honest opinion. Copy paste the questions and post it in the comment boxes with your replies. Or PM me. There are no right or wrong answers.

Go and make your music stand out

2011-01-05T08:03:00.001+08:00

In November last year, I was invited to speak about music production, music publishing, and online music distribution. The event was Ad Camp 11.0 : Social Media Marketing held in Davao City organized by the University of the Philippines Visayas, College of Management.

Photo taken at Eden Nature Park, Davao City by Sham Leonora

At the end of my presentation was the usual open forum where students are encouraged to throw in questions. Many questions were raised and I had to muster every inch I know to throw the right answers back at them. Because they asked the right questions. I didn't expect them to be that accurate. But they are intellectuals.

I recall one question was thrown in, "How do you make your music stand out?"

A very curious yet common theme in fact. So common that for a moment I caught myself unable to dissect for the right ticket.

There are a thousand and one ways to skin a cat.

If one is patient enough to count the ways maybe success can just be right under one's nose. Unfortunately, cats according to some only have 9 lives, reducing the option from 1001 to 992 (okay I'm just trying to be funny).

Observing around, many bands almost sound the same. For a time, most of them scream in the middle of a song. This I can't seem to digest what they're trying to convey here. And it didn't have anything to do with my age.

Many start with slow intros and builds up to heavy riffs and "powerful" drum beats. I can deal with this. Then some vocalists sing on "forced voice quality" trying to sound like Vedder, Stapp, or Weiland - at least by how it sounded to me.

Nothing wrong with this. It's just that if you have a band and you hope to get people to listen to your music, consider these as symptoms to becoming like them. You're not really making a difference and you're not telling a new story. Ergo, you don't stand out.

See? When Urbandub's music significantly gained massive attention, almost every band I know seemed like they wanted to sound like them. When the E-heads got hype, all of a sudden the rest of the band population sounded like "Pare Ko". When Slapshock was king, bands mimicked screaming at the top of their lungs.

Scary thing is that they probably were not aware of this. You don't believe me? Take some time to meet with them, interview them and ask them if they find their music comparable to the above mentioned. Chances are they'd give you a defensive 'no' backed by a supporting background of how their music transpired.

Because it's easier to take the safer route and play what is deemed "acceptable."

But when you copy and your goal is to stand out, you fail.

Making your music stand out is a bit challenging especially if you're part of a band or musical group yourself. I suppose it's because one has to be "vain" somewhat to make things work - of course not in all instances.

So how do you make your band's music stand out?

If all other bands are doing emo, rehash - do something else. A derivative perhaps. If all other bands are doing reggae and you dig "the joint" too, experiment under this blend but mix it with other music types. Death reggae perhaps (trying to be funny again)?

Do not do what other bands are doing. If you can, do not listen to any music in the radio. Instead listen to anything off your comfort zone. Play from your heart. Music is an extension of one's personality - see if you can bring that creative character in you.

This may not be an absolute advise but it's worth considering and trying out.

Midweek Music Plus FAQs

2011-01-04T10:08:00.000+08:00

We've updated. Here it is.

1. What is Midweek Music Plus?
Midweek Music Plus is a derivative project that was originally conceived as Midweek Sessions and launched at the Artist's Dais Music Gallery, Manros Plaza on May 10, 2000. Its incidental purpose was to sign up local bands in the light of building a community of musicians writing original music. Its impact inspired and motivated more bands to pursue in the same direction.

2. Who can play at Midweek Music Plus?
Musicians/artists, solo or group, are always welcome at Midweek Music Plus. Just prepare at least 5 original songs.

3. How can my band audition for Midweek Music Plus?
Auditions are not necessary. Artist Ko has a research team to check on bands that are active both offline and online. We watch you gigs and we check your websites. Simply upload at least 3 original tracks online, post a good band photo, and write a good profile of yourself or your band. We will contact you.

4. Who to contact?
For now, you may get in touch with us at Facebook.

4. Does Midweek Music Plus have any preferred music genre?
No we don't.

5. Why is Midweek Music Plus advocating more on original music?
We believe that ideas and personal stories are what make things move. Music being an effective marketing tool in storytelling is a good way to do it because original songs say a lot about you and me.

6. Does my band get paid performing?
Yes we have honorariums for the regular performers. In a bigger picture, Midweek Music Plus is managed by Artist Ko and its members. Click here for more details about the us.

What is a copyright infringement?

2011-01-03T08:03:00.007+08:00

Protest forums and blogs had been built page after page. It was on the national TV news. The majority of music fans were disappointed. But whatever criticisms made by the public, the song went on to reap its success. Now that it’s not a major buzz anymore, I decided to take a stand on this issue.

Orange and Lemons (photo source: http://fr.babelsound.com/orange-and-lemons)

Despite the prevailing issues that circulated among new wave fans on the claim that the hit single “Pinoy Ako”, the Pinoy Big Brother soundtrack by Orange And Lemons is an obvious “copy” of “Chandelier” by The Care, the fact remains that it soared the charts and became a huge phenomenal hit in the Philippines.

First off, I’d like to point out that this is in no way defending ONL between those who initiated the dispute. The general question I’d like to raise here is if it was an infringement? In my attempt to base my points of view on facts instead of subscribing to some envious new wave group’s criticisms, I am writing this article in the hope of explaining on the context of copyright infringement.

Copyright infringement is when a copyrighted work is being performed, broadcasted in public, uploaded for online distribution without authorization from its owner and with no fees paid as required by law.

For any lawyer or other rightful entity to prove that there is infringement, there must be a substantial evidence to prove that the songwriter supposedly guilty of infringement had access to the original copyrighted work being made. This is the first basis.

To cite an example, a political candidate running for a position in the government in May 2007 used Insoy Niñal’s song “Prinsipal” as an official election campaign jingle. The Cebuano composer confided that there was no permission initiated. What made it worse was that the lyrics were altered to fit the candidate’s campaign platform.

By definition, this is a clear case of infringement and the political candidate and his campaign representatives are guilty. In this incident, there are actually two unlawful act made. The unauthorized use of the song for an election campaign is one. Then there’s the underlying issue of the misrepresentation of the copyrighted material because when Insoy wrote “Prinsipal”, it was not intended for political use.

Insoy Niñal
Photo by Archie Uy (Tumblr.com)

The other unauthorized use is the alteration of the lyrics. The music law protects both the music and the lyrics and therefore any alteration of either or both components of a song, if not granted by its owners, is a copyright infringement.

Call it a rip-off if you may as that’s what everybody thinks. But I believe the issue was and still is an opinion of the masses. Ergo, it’s neither right or wrong.

Misrepresentation is a huge issue and in fact, when songs are made as commercial jingles, ad agencies convince publishers and songwriters by offering to pay a hefty sum of money. Or at least they used to. This being the usual and logically the appropriate approach, is the price the advertisers have to practically pay to the copyright owners understanding that both parties know that the song in question is valuable to the product being promoted.

The second type of infringement is the unauthorized use of substantial portions of a copyrighted work. Earlier, I cited “Pinoy Ako” being once the favorite subject of scrutiny and criticism among new wave fans debating that the hit song is identical to that pre-existing European track.

As I attempt to explain infringement and the application it served to this dispute, it is of my interest to present examples of situations in the hope of displaying a comprehensive perspective of this issue.

Another note is that the songs were managed by different record companies.

“Pinoy Ako” vs “Chandelier”

The copyright law was conceived to protect the songwriters and music publisher’s rights to a song but not to judge who owns what. No matter how solid and obvious the claim is as in the case of the dispute between “Pinoy Ako” and “Chandelier”, the only way to prove that both songs are the same or identical is to present each of the song’s music sheets in court.

The second proof of evidence is to present music sheets, a certified proof of evidence. that there was an infringement or that the European song was copied. Another solid proof of evidence is if there is proof of access to the copyrighted work (as I mentioned earlier). Even if the issue caught the national media’s attention and no matter how massive the protest of this issue was among new wave fanatics, the last word on the judgment of copyright infringement still lies in court.

Copyright, though it may sound simple in theory can be complicated when applied to actual situations. Many gray areas arise and this becomes a venue to manipulate the facts and evidences. In court it’s not what you know but what your lawyer can do with what you know to win a case.

To conclude, of both types of infringement and their respective examples that I presented here, the political candidate is, without any doubt and stating the obvious, is guilty of infringement. In the second case, the “Pinoy Ako” issue that raised national attention is still but a public opinion and unless a music sheet and a substantial proof of evidence that access to “Chandelier” is presented confidently in court, there is probably no infringement made.

The story of the Wonggoys

2011-01-02T08:13:00.010+08:00

I know for a fact that Cattski Espina knows good talent when she hears one. But sharp as she is, she almost missed this one... almost. She wrote in her blog, and I quote, "I’ve heard about them way before that one dinner meeting that started it all. I knew they were talented, I just didn’t know they were REALLY talented."

Wonggoys is a music trio of brothers - Gabriel, William, and Kyle .
The group's moniker, sounding obviously like onggoy, Filipino word for monkey, is a reinvention of their Chinese surname Wong.

My Wonggoy story begins at The Outpost boathouse area one evening working with my laptop on a weak wifi signal. This was sometime January 2010. I was working on a square bamboo table and beside me to the right were two young couples. The lady was geek pretty and from the looks of it, they seemed to look romantically involved somehow. The guy introduced himself and asked about ways to get a gig.

At first glance I almost mistook him for an old friend who owns DaVinci Pizza. In seconds I figured he just looked like him. His name is Gabe. We had a long good talk. Then after a while I veered my focus back to my laptop and worked again.

Then a month ago, Cattski asked me to draft a music publishing contract for a group called Wonggoys. The name stuck. I was sure I heard the name somewhere. Ah yes, my nephew Gio mentioned them, that they perform in his high school events and they had a huge fanbase. To me, it sounded like it was just another band story. I heard this often times before.

Back to the cat, she said she's signing them up for 22 Tango Records and needs a publisher from the back end. It was meant to be a lazy Sunday for me but after I listened to the songs she emailed, I had to change priority. In other words I got hooked and jumped on the drafts.

That was a month ago. And guess what? My head still spins on their music especially on "Chase The Girl Or Rule The World", my personal favorite from their debut album I’m Not Sure What To Say But I’ll Say It Anyway.

22 Tango invited me to guest in her Dec 22 show at The Outpost. I saw Gabe again. He was still with the geeky chick only this time without glasses. Cattski arrived and introduced me to him. I said we've met. Then she said he's Gabe, a Wonggoy.

Bang! There's the connection.

Impressed by their mp3's, I waited for their turn to come on stage. They brought session musicians with them. They played. They're good. No, that's an understatement. These young lads can really write, sing, and perform.

The cat hit a gold mine. And she did excellent work as the creative producer for Wonggoy's album - a producership debut she declares outside her Cattski career. Altogether, if she purrs this out right, she can make quality pop music for Cebu come alive again.

Kudos. Congratulations. I'm now looking forward to see and hear more of Wonggoys this year.

What to say and what not to say

2011-01-01T08:03:00.068+08:00

This is cliche but we all want to start the new year right. In my self-proclaimed obligation to continuously reset stubborn thinkers, my first blog entry for 2011 are three basic guidelines in communication.

Using the word "problem".
Instead of saying "the problem is..." or "I have a problem with..." and so on, practice using "issue" or "concern". It gives a better perspective for ease in challenges. There's a significant impact between saying "the project is problematic and that it's buggy" and "the project still has bug issues." While the first example gives you that heavy feeling that it cannot be solved, the latter feels like you're getting closer to a solution.

"We are not doing this for the money."
C'mon. Get real. Even charity institutions do things for the money. Saying this only makes you sound arrogant, funny, and stupid (pardon me for saying this but it's true). I'd rather believe you when you say, "we're not doing this for profit". But if you can avoid saying both, better. Be cautious about what you should say because whether your business is non-profit or not, money is essential for its sustainability.

"I don't expect to get rich with this."
I heard this once and I heard it again so many times. This is another statement that needs to be corrected. Getting rich is about getting more than what you need. Making money is about sustainability. If you make more than what you need, treat it as a bonus for doing things right. You deserve it.

Bottomline is don't be defensive about what you do or what you wish to achieve. Be clear about your goals. If you need to make money then declare it. But say it appropriately - this is art too. Chances are you will get better respect from people around your circle for simply stating clearly what's in your head.

Be honest but don't be angry.

Happy New Year Artist Ko!

2010-12-31T23:08:00.001+08:00

Dearest members,

Here's to say farewell to 2010 and a warm welcome to 2011, another promising new year ahead of us. I'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to all of you who have contributed in making this organization strong and cohesive despite the odds. I'm sure there will be another set of challenges to embark.

Allow me to recount the blessings and the good works we have set for this year.

January - Matahum nga Cebu Sinulog Concert
March - Cattski Ten
June - MOVE! A Marketing & Financial Education Seminar
July - Shoot Up : A Video Production Workshop; Artist Ko's CDA Registration approved
October - Artist Ko's BIR Registration approved
November - Artist Ko's BIR Tax Exemption approved
December - RCTV Anniversary featuring 'Matahum Nga Cebu'

And today marks the date of Artist Ko's domain name approval www.artistko.com.

You are the driving force in setting achievements for Cebu's arts and music community. With that said, I'm proud to have you in this group. May we have more good things to achieve next year. See you on the 2nd of January, 2011.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and God bless :)

Sincerely,

Ian Zafra
Chairman, Artist Ko

Ideas more becoming an important core of the new age

2010-12-28T08:53:00.083+08:00

This statement is not new. In fact, it's been in our lives for ages. Ideas, even the bad ones, are the reason, if not the only reason why we continually thrive to exist.

If an idea is good, people talk and it spreads bringing other people in. If an idea is bad, people still talk about it and wait... some would wait until a solution is out. It's a vicious cycle. And it's wonderful.

Cebu on the other hand is relatively backward in terms of ideas for progress and developments. Solutions to traffic are always directed to widening of roads instead of improving the public transport systems. Architecture is unchallenged and boring. And we have a culture of young English speaking wannabes impressing people with their broken twangs (I'm actually one of them but I'm not young).

My partial theory of this "stoneage" culture is this:

Between the 14th and 17th century, the Renaissance era, Europe produced the world's great philosophers, scientists, artists, and artisans giving birth to concepts on humanism, art, science, religion, and self-awareness. The Catholic Church on the other hand was busy stopping this cultural movement from propagating. Of all the countries in Europe, it was only in Spain that the Church succeeded, preventing people from presenting ideas - impeding them to think.

Translating how the Church's political influence and its insecurity impacted the world, countries colonized by Spain had no global recognition up until recently. The Philippines was colonized in the 16th century. We are in this roster.

But we can still change that. We now know that ideas are valuable and therefore important. Intellectual property is important too not only because it's obligatory to one's brand in business but because it protects the creation and gives the creator a reason to build a reputation around it. Not many fully understands its value and merits.

To disclose and discuss an idea is one thing. To put it into action is a totally different shift. At this point in time, only a few can get it done. And then fewer can make it through. Certainly it won't be the cynics.

It won't work

2010-12-27T09:21:00.002+08:00

Who said so?

I heard it from a station manager whose radio program was supposed to promote original songs from local bands. At that time, I was encouraging local bands to write and play original songs in gigs. Today if you're a band in Cebu without original songs, you don't matter and you don't exist. And guess what? The radio station closed down. Original music thrived.

My insurance agent discouraged me from investing in stock trading. It's either she lost an investment in stock trading (which I doubt she even tried it once) or she just wants my money to fatten up her sales portfolio. Show me your track record first before you tell me what to do.

A businessman who owns and runs a shop of Apple products told me my new idea won't work. Just recently I presented the same idea to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) and they liked it so much they want to get me started quick.

Many times more often I hear skeptics say things I think they don't even know much about. I don't claim to know so much but at least I try to encourage instead. If there's any new idea brought on the table, I'd ask questions. Answers lead to more questions that lead better and clearer answers.

The next time you hear someone tell you it won't work, cover your ears, shut him up, and risk it. I know for a fact that risk takers always learn and they always win.

The making of the 'Flowerfish' record

2010-12-26T09:30:00.005+08:00

I've learned that part of the creative process is also to move away from the creative circle from where the collaboration is brewed up. But Flowerfish wasn't like anything close to that.

Flowerfish was the time we had the momentum speeding up fast. To me, it's still the best creative sessions Sheila and the Insects ever had. It was the most inspiring moment of the band. Everything happened like there were countless music petals hovering above us and all it waited was for us to pick some and play.

Even the album cover's perfect. During one of Bisoy's commercial photo shoot, a kid had the chance to play with an underwater digital camera and went diving in the pool with it. Nice approach for an album cover concept, huh?

Collaborative ideas : music + fashion + photo + multimedia

2010-12-25T11:09:00.003+08:00

This banner is placed strategically in a webpage and links to its action page.

The action page displays (in flash) a stream of artists and one of its pages would look like this:

Video has been watched by clicking on "interview image". After the video (45-60 sec), viral marketing page appears:

Promotions and marketing pitch:
1. Artists wear designer clothes and this line is sold in the band's webpage.
2. Viral marketing
3. iTunes

Standing up for what we believe in

2010-12-10T08:27:00.001+08:00

It's been a while since my last blog. And while everybody's having fun, I was in my state of earnestness (I still am) - planning things out on what I'm supposed to do next. Part of this was an email I sent to all the members of Artist Ko. I'm publishing it here.

Dear members,

Word has it that some members are bothered by criticisms about the name Artist Ko. That it is not appropriate. That artists should not brag about being an artist and so on.

I'm not a bit surprised that criticisms happen. Critics exist.

Whatever name was put out, we'd still get criticized. We should not be concerned about this negative light.

Let us be open to criticisms, listen to them. But let us be reminded also not to be concerned about what people think. We all stood up for what we love doing - film, music, photography, or what have we. We say we are film makers, musicians, photographers... even when we have not gone to school for it. How is that any different from saying that what we do is art. How is that any different from saying "artist ko".

Critics exist. Let them.

Because the more they criticize, the more illuminated we become. Then without them knowing it, they put us in a better position to be visible.

Criticizing our name is like criticizing your parents for the names they gave you. So let us not be bothered by this trivial matter. The name Sheila and the Insects used to get unfavorable comments from my friends back then but we believed in our music and stood up for it. We believed that the name could work and it did work. At the end it was the band's music that defined the name.

Critics exist. Let them critics talk about us. In fact, we need them.

While they do that (maybe it's their art too), let us focus our minds and efforts on the good and positive output we can achieve. Let our works define what Artist Ko's name is about. We are still in our baby steps so I seek everyone to be strong with our stand as we are definitely growing. Critics cannot argue with that.

So dear members... let us remain proud of this and keep saying "Artist Ko".

Respectfully,

Ian Zafra
Chairman
Artist Ko

A rare pollenated weekend

2010-08-02T12:04:00.041+08:00

Anything that is rare must be special.

Sheila and the Insects regrouped early last year under a condition that our commitment must give more priority to family, dayjob, and other businesses that help pay the bills. We still wanted to write and play music. But we are also grounded by reality.

And so Sheila and the Insects rarely do gigs these days. But when we do, we aim to make it special.

Last Saturday in Saguijo was one of those. It turned out to be a splendid pollinating moment for us and I hope it felt the same for the fans.

Photo by Laurice Alaan

Special thanks to Hillary Isaac and JAM 88.3 for the perky morning talk, Philippine Daily Inquirer for the huge print feature (we didn't expect this and strangely made us worked harder for the show), to Marty Floro for posting her video footage of 'Maude' and 'Quick To Panic'.

Video by Marty Floro

Thanks to Paranoid City - great electronic-rock stuff you got mga bai. Thanks to the wonderful and warm people of Lilystars Records - Denise, Val, and of course Tonet, especially to The Camerawalls. Thanks bai Clem for the time and commitment. Of course, BIG BIG BIG BIG thanks to Ms. Kate Torralba for making our visit in Manila fun-filled. Never had a dull moment when she's around.

To those who went there, I hope you enjoyed the pollination as much as we did. Thank you very much for staying with us.

Video by Marty Floro

What Noynoy must know

2010-07-29T15:57:00.003+08:00

I met a foreigner retiree who used to work with the United Nations (UN) for 20 years or so. He would document real life stories from nation to nation of cultures, subcultures, lifestyles, and all other untold crimes of the underworld - son murdering his father on the spot, politicians on drugs and drug dealings, smuggling, child trafficking - you name it he's lensed it.

Of the stories he shared to me was about the daily plight of beggars in the streets of Manila and the organizations that are actually behind its modus.

We all know that the beggars are linked to a group of mafias. This is an old story and this is not a myth. What we don't know is that this group is somehow linked to the Congress. And he filmed this story too.

His job was to send documentaries to the UN. The org would then endorse it back to our administration. This is in the hope that the story would awaken the eyes of our leaders. This is in the hope that the documentaries could challenge the status quo. This is in the hope that it could evoke a change in the system.

Nothing happened.

And so the UN will have to wait until the next administration will grant their request. If nothing still happens then they will have to wait for the next again. And so the wait goes on.

I wonder if Noynoy knows about this. If he did already, then he knows where to start sweeping. Otherwise, his promise of eradicating poverty and corruption was probably just for the show.

By the way colorful designer clothes at the SONA was impressive.

Where have all our taxes gone?

2010-07-28T07:04:00.002+08:00

Recently, I was invited to a focus group discussion initiated by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). It was a forum that opened lids on issues of corruption. Particularly on how businessmen manage to survive through their daily dealings that apparently impact their operations.

Those who know me knows that I'm not so much interested in talks about politics. But I thought I'd share this. I hope it could lead to something better.

The latest statistics on the cost of corruption according to AIM's research revealed an estimated 20% of the Philippine budget that is lost to corruption every year.

This translates to the Philippines a high probable loss PhP 308.2 billion for the entire year or PhP 843 million each day. It's a lot of money and this is from a 2010 budget set at PhP 1.4 trillion this year. You can imagine how much money was lost in the past years.

But what could this huge amount of cash tell us?

It could've sheltered 3.6B families at 40sqm per house. It could've hired 1.6M teachers to public schools. It could've built 598 classrooms, or 102km farm-to-market roads, or 266K barangay health centers.

Tell me what you think about this.

The professional and the amateur

2010-07-18T17:33:00.003+08:00

A professional is patient. He knows when to listen and when to speak. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't burst out in public if he does get angry. He doesn't humiliate or embarass people in public. He says and choose the right words when he opens his mouth.

An amateur is the exact opposite.

A professional believes in the skills of an accountant, a project manager, and researchers. He hires them because he knows they can be an asset to his organization. He could admit that he's afraid of this risk but takes it anyway because the results are more valuable.

An amateur is afraid and is always afraid. He ends up doing everything by himself. He ends up trying to be everything to everyone.

The professional reads contracts, understands it and asks questions, even the seemingly stupid ones, if there are things that needs clarification. He believes in contracts because the agreement is clearly documented and sincerely binding. Nevermind that it's legal - it's a given.

An amateur, if there is ever a contract issued, would probably just read it (lazily). He could pretend he understands it. More often he is skeptical for stipulations that confuse him, gets angry at open discussions all for the wrong reasons. He may sign a contract but with trust issues.

A professional believes in the benefits of proper documentation and strong internal control. He would always demand for copies of it to ensure transparency of the agreement between parties.

An amateur care less about the leverage paperworks can bring him. He often has an aversion to procedures, guidelines, and policies. He hates it.

An amateur hates information overload. The pros love them. No wait. The pros do not think there is such a thing.

But good things have to start somewhere somehow. Perhaps one of the good things amateurs offer is that they don't do the things they're good at and the things they love doing for the money. They love their art so much that they do it for themselves and yes for art's sake. This holds true as long as reality doesn't bite yet.

This attitude allows them to explore their craft at their own pace, style, and imagination... without having to worry about appreciation. Good things happen from small passionate beginnings.

A Camerawall (again) at Baybeats 2010

2010-07-13T11:35:00.000+08:00

There's a big event happening on Aug 21, 2010 in Singapore and I happen to be part of it. No it's not an Insect gig. At Baybeats, I'll be a certified Camerawall.

It's the 2nd time I'll be playing with the band and just like how it was in May, I'm sure you and I will enjoy every bit of it. Only this time it's gonna be a lot better.

Oh and just to give a bit of info on what's going on behind the walls, Clem and I are taking steps on possible collaborations. How to go about it is still in the works but it's something I'm personally excited about. Something to look forward to. I'll try not to disappoint TCW fans if this pushes through. That's a promise.

Meantime let's wait... and while waiting, I hope to see you in Singapore.

Artist KO is finally legal... really

2010-07-13T02:16:00.002+08:00

Ok I must admit that this had been overhyped too much too often. But after a very long stretch of publicities, Artist KO has finally come to its fruition earning its mark from and by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) as a certified cooperative.

Whew!

Patience can be utterly frustrating but then again, anything that is difficult to achieve they say will always pay off. So ladies and gentlemen... here it is. The Artist KO certificate. So yes now we are absolutely legal.

Artist KO has an online team

2010-06-06T06:41:00.025+08:00

Late A.M. June 1, 2010 my inbox received an important update. It was from Artist KO's Vice Chairman Cattski Espina addressed to the Board of Directors informing that an online team is in place.

The initiative as explained, is to develop the coop's blog, complete with member profiles, updates on activities, all to set social media presence.

taken from my mobile phone

Last Friday, I had the chance to sit and talk with the team - Manna Alcaraz, Prince Gilig and Clarence Mongado (Jen Vega wasn't available). I'm so glad this is happening.

How to be a Camerawall

2010-06-05T01:42:00.010+08:00

I don't know really. Though I did become a Camerawall for day on May 15, 2010.

Spent hours cramming on TCW songs in the middle of a very hectic week including 'I Love You, Natalie' (not in video). Thanks to Lilystars Records especially to Val and Tonet for the markings of these beautiful vids.

Here it is at the CICC (Cebu International Convention Center). Rehearsal free.

Bamboo Jack is Chinese good

2010-05-14T00:13:00.006+08:00

There's a new dimsum fastfood restaurant in town and a couple of months ago I was tasked by Drawingboard Creative, a local ad agency, to produce a jingle for them. It's called Bamboo Jack and is set to open today May 14, 2010.

I had fun doing this.

Bamboo Jack (full version) by Ian Zafra

C
Bamboo Jack is Chinese good
G                         C
Chinese food, Chinese good
C
Bamboo Jack is Chinese good
Dm               G      C
Mey wei as what dimsum should
C
When I'm hungry I will eat
G                                C
Chinese food (that's) fun for me
C
Fresh and fast, like lightning flash
   Dm               G      C
To satisfy my craving

F                                                        C
Wanton, siomai, yanchao, lumpia shanghai, camto
                                   F
Steam rice, noodles, congee, buchi
            C
halo-halo, kua pao, and siopao
      F                          C
It's fresh, it's fast, so quick, so right
     Dm        G
Guo yin... (gong)

Instrumental:
Stanza chord pattern

F                         C
How I love my Chinese food
F                            C
Chinese as what dimsum should
                    F                      C
There's only one Chinese good in town
    Dm                                 G         C --      Bb
So come and spread the word around

Eb
Bamboo Jack is Chinese good
Bb                     Eb
Fresh and fast, quick and good
Eb
Bamboo Jack is Chinese good
Fm                       Bb         Eb
Chinese as what dimsum should
Eb
Fresh and fast is Bamboo Jack
Bb                    Eb
Bamboo Jack, Bamboo Jack
Eb
Bamboo Jack is Chinese food
Fm                       Bb         Eb
Mey wei as what dimsum should

Ab - Fm

Fm             Bb      Eb
Bamboo Jack is Chinese good

Blessings in disguise

2010-05-13T13:23:00.003+08:00

On a brighter note, things aren't really so bad.

The positive light is that if more people had not voted for Noynoy, the voters' ratio would've favored for Erap, the ever stubborn political clown in our ever schizophrenic political system. Imagine how things would be like.

Another blessing is that the stock market soared, gained so favorably in the past few days since the official announcement. It's true what the wise men say, "just count your blessings." I'm still counting.

Dear Noynoy

2010-05-11T08:41:00.007+08:00

Your dad assured us once that the Filipino is worth dying for. He stood up to it and died for all of us. His agenda was not to guarantee the eradication of poverty and corruption but instead showed the grandest of leadership.

Today, you could win. Your campaign's battlecry was to assure us that corruption and poverty will be eradicated. How arrogant and naive but I think corruption and poverty is a consequence of poor and selfish leadership. I wish you could show good leadership to us by delivering a clear platform of governance this time (which you failed to do during your campaign).

As a concerned citizen of this country speaking on behalf of my fellowmen, I say that what we Filipinos need is good and strong leadership just like your dad's. We don't need another set of pretentious promises. Personally it's BS to me. You are not your dad hence may not be as brilliant as him. Yet if you win maybe you can start proving your worth by working on delivering back the legacy and ideals your dad left to us.

Prove to us that you are a good leader, that you cannot be tainted and influenced by the crooks around you, and that you are what you wanted us to believe you are. Please refrain from tying up with the media and be more sincere of your service (remember back then that your sister's entertainment career was not favored by your family).

Good luck on your leadership role. Good luck to us all Filipinos who believed in Ninoy's (not Noynoy's) plight. I'm still hopeful though that things will be ok.

God bless us all.

Ideas that just might work

2010-05-10T23:10:00.001+08:00

Some ideas that need a lot of work and just might work.

1. Live recordings of poetry reading of Bathalad and stream it online.
2. Ringer for jeepney passengers so drivers can step on the brakes fairly on time and conductors wouldn't have to slam their hand and arms on the roof (this is just sooooo annoying).
3. A government sponsored website where people can upload ideas for public leaders to work on and people can discuss and even debate on its doability, timeline, cost, etc.
4. Record bands' live performance so that they can use it as reference for improvements.
5. A website that emails and prints presskits of bands and artists for publicity purposes.
6. Add a comic sector in Cebu's art and music community.
7. Have fans register in your band's mailing list in exchange for an email of free MP3's.
8. A government or public funded billboard published quarterly displaying a checklist of all the promises made by the President including new projects so that people can monitor how well our public servants are performing.

What else? Any more ideas anyone?

On corruption and poverty

2010-05-09T21:32:00.004+08:00

I don't think the poverty problem in the Philippines is caused by corruption. I think corruption is caused by the wrong leaders the Filipinos voted for in the past. Because majority of our fellow Filipinos failed to listen to their hearts on what they really need.

Instead they based their votes on popularity, surnames, and poll results among other superficial data. I strongly hope and pray this won't happen again. For many election times I've always based my vote on faith - on whom I believe was the candidate that could've made a good change regardless of whether he won or not. And I believe the Filipino voters are smarter this time around.

I think the solution to a better nation is not to give focus on the issue of corruption and poverty. I think the solution is to give focus on moving for the right leadership. But for all of us to get there, we must first to do our job well.

My conscience is clear. My intention is pure. I'll do my part. Tomorrow's my deadline.

Art is...

2010-05-08T21:40:00.009+08:00

How many times have we heard people say, "I'm not an artist" or "I don't know anything about art" or "I love art but art doesn't love me" or maybe just about anything to that effect.

Because art to many people is more often associated with aesthetics. Not so much about passion and skills but more on visuals and graphics. Sadly it's just a fraction of it.

The good news however is that art is just about anything and everything you do and see around you.

Wikipedia explains:

Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings.

Highlight on including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings.

I think art is the result of the ideas and passion done simply because of the love for doing something you care for. I believe each of us has a thing or two or even more of those. And I mean anything.

So if you love coffee, your art would probably be in making different types of coffee from flavors to colors to design and even to the way it is sipped and savored. If you love sex your art might be to spice up your personal Kamasutra. If you love ideas, you're probably an entrepreneur. If you are a lawyer, your art could be in redesigning contracts to best fit the commoner. Writers coin new words. Bloggers blog to put life on uninteresting stories and make them interesting

And so...

We are all artists.

And therefore I don't believe artists are only for the skilled or the chosen few. I believe we all have something we are passionate about. We just don't see it or acknowledge it or refuse to believe it's right under our noses.

Art to me is more than just aesthetics and tangibility.

Thanking should be easy

2010-05-03T23:07:00.001+08:00

Not many people know how to return a soothing compliment. And then I found this blog. A thank you note everyday to just about anything isn't something anyone does naturally. This author does. Imagine if there was more of us sharing that disposition.

I like this.

Because art works

2010-03-07T09:09:00.002+08:00

At the end of an almost boring Saturday (yesterday), Artist KO's strategic planning intercourse (Alex did a great job for us) has set a clearer view of things to come for 2010. Congratulations to the Board of Directors, officers and to all of Artist KO members. We are moving forward simply because art works.

Ten on March 20

2010-03-05T07:50:00.002+08:00

Ten years is a tough trail to follow.

Dear Artist KO Directors and Officers

2010-03-04T07:41:00.005+08:00

The Artist KO community will be holding its first strategic planning session on March 6, 2010 in Capitol Site, Cebu. The activity is aimed at laying the groundwork for the cooperative and setting its goals for this year and onwards, as well as determining the direction that our community wants to take.

What this activity means to us is a better understanding of Artist KO’s role in developing a community of musicians and artists. A community where each of one of us may participate and contribute to the best of his/her abilities and skills.

How can we develop this thrust of community-building? What is it that enables us to be the best at what we do? The answers to these questions are easy enough to guess: It takes our passion and our innate pursuit of perfection to make Artist KO work.

This pursuit of perfection is what allows us to rise above the crowd. Regular, average people would ignore details - the necessary work of getting into the nitty-gritty, of making sure that even the tiniest detail is perfect. Artists are not regular people. We, at Artist KO, should be able to embrace details.

Yet we are often lulled by our own hubris and we often fail to see purpose in the details. Without purpose, the details become a dissonance; a distraction. The pursuit of perfection is in the details.

So, as we take this first step, we ask for your support and prayers. Artist KO is about us and the members. It’s taking all of our passion and our pursuit for that most perfect note and strokes, to allow our separate rhythms blend into a most beauteous canvas of harmony.

Moving forward.

Sincerely,

Ian Zafra

Chairman, Artist KO

Enter the dragons

2010-03-04T07:05:00.003+08:00

Good friend Sarah Lumang sent me these links to YouTube. It's a new reality show called Dragon's Den where budding entrepreneurs are set to lobby their cause for an investor's bid. A must see for risk takers.

The idea of an umbrella vending machine was interesting. This collection begins at the 3rd segment (1st video below) up until the 6th (3rd), the last being the most thrilling.

Jacqueline Novogratz on linchpin

2010-03-03T07:45:00.000+08:00

Linchpins are people with good souls. Some if not most of them have already trudged to becoming essentially pure in their intentions. Jacqueline Novogratz explains that in about a minute or so. I thought this is useful to such organizations as Artist KO. Enjoy the short vid. I did.

Jacqueline Novogratz is founder and CEO of Acumen Fund (acumenfund.org) a fast-growing non-profit that is pioneering the idea of patient capital. Acumen funds entrepreneurs that build significant for-profit companies that do business with the poorest people in the world.

MuSic + Alex Uypuanco + Short 56

2010-03-02T07:20:00.001+08:00

This month's MuSic + is 'Short 56' for Mint and independent playwright and stage actor Alex Uypuanco. We will set the mood this Wednesday as he introduces his passion and his way of telling a story. This is exciting.

*for those reading from Facebook, please click on 'View Original Post' below.

Spelled with an 'M' and an 'S'

2010-03-01T22:03:00.001+08:00

Old concept plus curiosity plus questions plus questions plus propositions plus more questions equals proposed solutions. Creative solutions.

Creativity could mean a lot of things. Most often it could mean innovative (re)packaging. Innovative repackaging gets attention. Attention is good. It means you did something right.

We are doing something new for Midweek Sessions. We call it Midweek MuSic Plus. The 'plus' stands for a merger with other disciplines in the art scene. It's also about letting these creative people speak. Let them show and flaunt their works, be it recent or past. It's about sharing their stories of how they learned to love their craft.

Stripped down, MuSic Plus or 'MuSic +' is really about artists sharing their stories to everyone what they do. And it's spelled with a capital 'M' and 'S'.

Funny yet useful inventions

2010-02-28T22:28:00.000+08:00

Though Readers' Digest's print department's closed for good, I still get an endless supply of fun reads via their online subscription. And this one just made me laugh.

*for those reading from Facebook, please click on 'View Original Post' below.

Matahum Nga Artist KO

2010-02-28T19:03:00.002+08:00

It's a hectic time. Whether it's a good thing or a bad one, all I care about is the growing friendship and community between creative individuals, business related or otherwise, and more importantly the fun ride. Despite the hitches, I love every minute of it.

Yes I've been busy and almost half of it was (is) spent on Artist KO. Here's an AVP of what has partially transpired during my blogging absence.

Just like Herbie's rhythm

2010-01-17T00:25:00.008+08:00

It's easy to say what needs to be done. It's easy to talk about the things we want to do. It's easy to imagine how things should be like when all things start happening. What's challenging is how to get it started, when the right moment would be, and more importantly who gets it done first.

This video of the interplay between the legendary jazz icon Herbie Hancock and his old musician buddies drummer Harvey Mason and bassist Marcus Miller explains very much the same principles behind how moments can freely take its form without confusing anyone. It's always a beautiful experience to be creatively involved.

Launching 'Matahum Nga Cebu'

2010-01-15T00:06:00.000+08:00

It's the first time this song will ever be played live. I hope this won't be the last so I'm writing the chords down just in case.

Intro: G/B - C - D - Em (3x)

G - D/F# - Bm - Em

G/B C D - Em

Langit akong namat-an

G/B C D - Em

Dinhi sa yutang natawhan ko

G/B C D Em

Pagkaanindot sa pinalangga ko

G/B - C - D - Em

nga Cebu

G/B C D - Em

Pagkatahum sa hulagway

G/B C D - Em

Sa gipangandoy ko'ng kalipay

G/B C

Sa tanang panahon

D Em Esus E7

Bisan asa karon, ipasigarbo ko...

Chorus:

A E

Matahum nga Cebu, mauswagong Cebu

Bm D

Tubod ning mga damgo ko

A E

Mabaghoong Cebu, mamugnaong Cebu

Bm D

Ikaw da ang kalipay ko

F#m E/G#

Imong kaanyag, awiton ko

Bm B/D# E

Adlaw, gabii, Cebu isinggit ko

CM7 FM7 BbM7 E7

Cebu... Cebu...

Am F

Miabot na gayud ang imong panahon

Dm G E

Karon ang higayon...

(Chorus chord pattern)

Panggaon ta, awiton ta...

Matahum nga Cebu, mauswagong Cebu

Mabaghoong Cebu, mamugnaong Cebu

Matahum nga Cebu, mauswagong Cebu

Tubod ning mga damgo ko

Mabaghoong Cebu, mamugnaong Cebu

Ikaw da ang paglaum ko

MuSic + Apiong + Stars In View

2010-01-06T18:18:00.001+08:00

So as I was saying... Midweek Sessions will try something off the music circle but closely within the circuit.

Performing for us tonight are: PG18 (after their long hiatus... glad to hear and see you guys again), Rescue A Hero, Bethany, One Man Down, and the first 'Plus', MS mint artist of the month Stars In View.

And the second 'Plus' is BITE mag's camipulator Apiong Bagares (Yes him and I made that term up ok?). I had a chat with him this morning. He said he'll share his story about what inspires (and inspired) him, his passion, and talk about his collage of small pictures, 247 pieces of them.

Hey! It's MuSic +. It should be interesting. Let's get inspired shall we?

MuSic + (plus)

2010-01-05T13:35:00.002+08:00

I thought of running a generic title for Midweek Sessions this time this year. Instead of monthly themes like in the last couple of years, I thought of narrowing it down to one main idea.

I'd like to call it Music Plus.

The idea is really simple.

This should reduce the time to think about monthly concepts that translates the effort to poster designs and subtitles while allowing more focus on the artists' work instead. The time saved can be spent on research for substance.

What Music Plus is will hopefully be a showcase of interdisciplinaries on top of the music itself. One show would invite a photographer, another would have a graphic designer, then another date would have a journalist, and so on. Each artist will show their works and tell their stories big and small.

So there. I thought Music Plus should be a platform to be updated on what's going on in the scene up this close.

See you tomorrow for its first leg.

Just in case

2010-01-01T06:00:00.006+08:00

I thought I'd start by sharing a couple of things I hope to do in the next 12 months of this year long journey. What I do may not have anything to do with you personally. Yet I'd still like to share what I've done in 2009 in case you'd come to build your own unique and special story this year to which people like myself might be involved in.

Just in case. So here it goes...

July 2009, ICO Music Publishing and Merchandising was registered in DTI. A couple of weeks later (and by stroke of luck), an old friend asked if I could design audio beds for her clients. To cut the chase, three projects were closed - 2 from NatGeo and 1 for Pocket Laser iPhone app (video below). Aside from this work-for-hire project, ICO Music has built a healthy catalog in a span of 3 months.

On Sep 10, Artist KO marketing cooperative was officially formed. I personally submitted the application for registration to CDA on Dec 2009. Getting the people to sign the documents was a fun ride. My sincerest and heartfelt thanks for making it happen - Cattski (Dir), Atty. Elmido (Dir), Sandy Kiamko (Dir), Ysai Perez (Dir), Vince Yap (Treasurer), Chai Fonacier (Secretary), Cilee Kuizon, Atty. Landicho, Kaloy Uypuanco, Jay Young, Jad Bantug, Jude Gitamondoc, Randy Su, Lui Castillo, Rommel Tuico, Insoy Niñal, and Aldwin Rondina.

With this community of artists and musicians, I'm sure there'll be plenty of things to do and smile about in the many years to come.

2010 here we go! This will be our year!

2009-12-31T12:01:00.000+08:00

...And I won't forget the way you held me up when I was down and I won't forget the way you said, "Darling I love you" / You gave me faith to go on...

This will be a year of Tiger strength. Show those fangs and bring out more of that shining smile :) it's gonna be a good rock 'n' roll journey again. A better yearlong gig in fact.

The warmth of your smile / smile for me, little one / and this will be our year / took a long time to come

You don't have to worry / all your worried days are gone / this will be our year / took a long time to come

SATI and the Sonic Boom 3

2009-12-29T09:04:00.002+08:00

This gig was a personal best highlight for me this year. Thank you (yes you), including the heart breakers and the risk takers, the critics and the believers, to Lemerson (whoever you are now) and to those that stayed... you still made 2009 meaningful. More importantly, thank you to 'Charles', you who posted this video. This won't be the last.

The Current Setting (2009)

2009-12-28T00:01:00.003+08:00

So what can we do with the only things we have? Despite the rough and rocky hurdles, 2009 still proved to be a productive incident to me personally and to those in the same circle I'm with.

Rock bottom isn't really that bad. As soon as you realize you're there, it should be enough to cue a rebound. I did. And what came out from my personal "cave" was a bowl of ideas, not always the best and good ones but mostly comprehensive enough to work with. A couple of those are now in the plate.

The apparent first is Artist KO, the marketing cooperative that was officially recognized on Sep 10 at the pre-membership education seminar of CDA.

Artists in the creative industry are mostly freelancers and hobbyists. Most of these creative talents are less client oriented, they prefer to work and serve only for themselves. Most of them have diverse profile (a musician is also an engineer, a photographer is also a nurse, a songwriter is also a journalist and a philanthropist, and so on). Cebu has no strong institutions for the arts (music in particular) to support the skills and talent (yet).

These are obvious perennial problems.

The concept of a coop was inspired from the above issues and concerns.

The 2nd by-product is ICO Music Publishing and Merchandising, the company I've initially set up and launched 3 studio productions this year - 'Matahum Nga Cebu', 'Kismet', and 'Frantic Static'.

The art and music scene have done great works this year. They are results of a karmic obligation that stemmed from persistent endeavors.

Cattski, after her SMSV album launch in March and a painful band breakup, managed to rise up at her best delivering fresh ditties in her 'Live Demos' series. She's also ascended 22 Tango Records, her vanity label into signing new artists.

'Kismet' and a couple of other musical works collaborated in an art exhibit of Lucille Umali.

Fellow musician Insoy Niñal conducted a workshop in songwriting, music video production, and guitar, all espousing creativity.

It's overwhelming how much we have done. Good times for a good change. About time we put more of that entrepreneurial mindset into the picture.

What could be an appropriate business platform that could embrace the above strength and limitations? What could empower artists and musicians to be part of a modern business model and make it work?

Next year should be a better one. The art and music scene will be healthier.

Here's where the story ends (and starts again)

2009-12-27T00:58:00.000+08:00

I'd like to believe that there are only two things you can do when you get (emotionally) lost. It's either you pause, think about the right questions, ask them at the right moment, and start taking small strides forward.

Or resume in dwelling on the idea of feeling lost and unloved.

The latter is easy. Feelings don't need gravity to wallow down in self pity and pathetic attention. That's why anyone can do that. It's sickening.

The former however is mature yet very difficult because it requires you to connect deep down. Gravity can be felt at first but once the right moment is felt, it can be understood. This hurts at first but it's necessary.

2009 started unfriendly to most of us - at least to those in the circle I know. And then there were calamities and the death of a former Malacañang leader. But we all managed to rise up.

It's not what we have that make things well, but what we can do to rebuild the only things we have left. Bitterness ends here and now.

The wits behind the songs and the stories behind the writers

2009-12-21T23:10:00.001+08:00

I like Wednesdays because it brings that feeling of being done halfway. It's the middle of the week. To some it could mean (plus and minus) 50% complete of the to-do list. It's the day to assess whether to go fast or slow with the tasks at hand.

Cebuano songwriters productively use this time too.

The management of The Outpost recently decided to pass on the task of managing its songwriter's night to ARTIST KO. A couple of weeks back was the coop's first gig with Jude Gitamondoc hosting the show. Last week was Aldwin Rondina's round. It's my turn this week.

For those who may be interested to host let us know. Artist KO's Songwriter's Night is not exclusive for the coop members only. We welcome all songwriters in Cebu. The cause is to build a songwriters' community so songwriters may learn more from each other's work all in the name of sharing. Songwriter's night will be running every Wednesday except on the 1st week (Midweek Sessions).

Artist Ko membership FAQs

2009-12-17T10:40:00.001+08:00

How do I become a member?

Membership is acquired by shares offered in ARTIST KO affiliated productions and services. A pre-membership education seminar is also required as mandated by the 2008 Cooperative Code of the Philippines.

How are shares acquired?

Participating in ARTIST KO affiliated productions and services, entitles you for membership. A scheduled performance is equivalent to shares offered within a range value. Shares may also be acquired by paying outright for non-performing artists (photographers, graphic artists, and the likes).

How are my shares invested?

Your shares shall be invested in small to large scale projects. Projects imbibe the cooperative’s business platform and may not necessarily have to be music related.

What is a share?

A share is an asset offered by ARTIST KO to a member. One (1) share is valued at P100.

Why is membership important?

As a cooperative, ARTIST KO is run by its members. It is aimed on money making ventures. As it imbibes equity and espouses creative business ventures, its success lies in the members’ cooperation and patronage.

Are there any range as to how many shares I may own?

A member needs to initially fulfill a paid up share capital of P1000 and a lifetime membership fee of P500. This provision may be amended with consensus and legal advice. The maximum number of shares a member can put up is mandated by the 2008 Cooperative Code of the Philippines which is not more than 10% of the minimum subscribed capital.

How may I benefit from this membership?

ARTIST KO invests on income generating projects using your shares. Income from these projects shall be remitted to ARTIST KO members as dividends.    ARTIST KO membership is primarily for artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs.

What projects can the cooperative support?

Ideas for projects are unlimited. On the outset, project proposals that are presented to the board. Its criteria for approval must be able to outline its potential to earn income for himself/herself and ARTIST KO.

What are the requirements for a project proposal to get approved?

A project proposal must be income generating. However, projects may not necessarily be music related.

What I like about 'Frantic Static'

2009-12-14T23:09:00.005+08:00

Apart from it being a song with a catchy tune, it starts with the best 3 lines I've heard written by a Cebuano composer to date.

It goes... "Sometimes it makes me wonder / Why I still end up hooked on someone like you / Oh and things, they go wrong at the right moment..." Intelligent isn't it? I say this because this composition of words succeeded in pointing out a very profound statement yet weaved in a way every soul in us can relate to.

Another line I love best in the song is the chorus that goes... "Come dance with me one more time before I abandon your love..." So vengeful yet so sweet.

The rest is obviously about unleashing over a blinded love relationship for the last time. At least from how I understand the story.

I congratulate Undercover Grasshoppers for a successful launch online. I know a good band when I see one. They're one of those and they've moved up fast.

A funny truth about trademarks, copyrights, and patent

2009-12-08T09:03:00.000+08:00

When you're in love, don't wallow in the thought of the possibility of losing that special someone. Instead focus your effort on generosity.

Share anything that can lift your relationship up instead.

Think of things that make both of you laugh, smile, and enjoy every moment. Bad moments come and are often beyond control. But the more focused you are in giving, the better things will turn out to be.

Anyhow I'm not any love guru. What I just said is simply a comparative to an assumed notion about the possibility of losing an idea to another's advantage.

The funny truth is that no body can own an idea. And another funny truth is, the more you give your idea out, the better it becomes. It's called brainstorming. And the third funny truth is no idea is a bad idea. It just needs good timing and the right opportunity.

Seth explains in layman's term about ideas and its relationship to trademark, copyright, and patent. If you get my drift, you'll understand why I chose generosity in relationships as an example.

'Kismet My Version' is a videoke contest

2009-12-08T08:25:00.002+08:00

I want to look back to wonderful memories such as this and say ."I've done something outrageous." And 22 Tango Records thought of this. Well it's Cattski's... her mind at work. She seems to never run out of things to think about. I think this videoke event is a really good idea

Have fun making your own videos.

Here's the mechanics (drafted by Cattski and reposted from Squidoo):

1) If you're...

A girl...

A boy...

If you're both (uhm that didn't sound right...hahaha!) or if you want to sing with a partner, sing the duet version.

2) Use your web cam, phone cam or any type of video device and FILM YOURSELF (or ask someone to do it for you) while you sing Kismet with the VIDEOKE/MINUS ONE YouTube vids below. Make sure you have a working pair of computer speakers so the accompaniment will be picked up by your PC's microphone! (This has been done before by a lot of people, I'm sure you can figure this out). Be creative. Come up with your own style, apply gimmicks etc, you're free to do whatever you want, but please we beg you, don't go naked!

3) Upload your own Kismet video on YouTube, Facebook and send a link or PM Cattski on Facebook via www.facebook.com/cattski.espina, www.facebook.com/CATTSKI, or you can email the YouTube link to cattskiespina@yahoo.com. You may also tweet her.

4) Deadline of submission is December 11. The winner gets an entire Kismet Merchandise (CD, shirt and journal) and will sing his, her or their version of Kismet together with the band (Zafra or Cattski) on December 12 for the KISMET MY VERSION LIVE at the Outpost.

Cheers!

The plight of Midweek Sessions

2009-12-07T06:16:00.080+08:00

On and off, Midweek Sessions has been around for 9 years now since May 2000. I'm happy to say that today, this production has partially fulfilled its purpose. It has somewhat started the trail in unifying a community of songwriters in a small scale - be it band members, solo artists, or simply composers.

In fact, I remember Randy Su saying something about being so delighted to witness how healthy and happy we artists and musicians are at the recent Midweek Sessions Christmas get together (see photo).

If I remember it well, back then, bands were always asked by sponsors to play familiar songs (I sound like a broken CD, don't I?). "Familiar" is synonymous to Top 40 hit songs. In other words, cover songs. To me, it was a shorthand statement for ,"Stop being creative and let's make money fast."

Maybe I was overly and obsessively passionate about making things right that I took a personal rally against this issue. This included a blind item I wrote titled "Rock 'n' Roll Woes" sometime in November 2001. It was published in a popular local daily (the article was acknowledged in PG18's CD sleeve).

Yes it was me. I wrote that.

I apologize for those who got directly offended. I must also apologize for those who got accused. I didn't mean to do that to any of you.

Wait. No. I don't owe anyone an apology. It was all for a good cause. And if I had not done that, the music scene wouldn't be this healthy at all.

Not that I'm being messianic and I'm sure there are those that did their part too. It was all for a good cause. I was aware that Cattski was one of those who championed for this cause too. Then there was Micmic Demeterio, Insoy, Budoy and everybody else who, after all the peaceful plights, survived up to this day in this little and only community of musicians we have.

And so, I thought deep down, it would be a swell time to hold a small Christmas get-together this year for this little midweek gig. Something we haven't done yet and so we did. Something to be thankful for and return the smiles and laughters to those who stayed with us.

Thank you for all those who came, partied, and laughed with us. It was a memorable time. Special thanks to Remugs Fuel of Happy Days for doing a good job and managing the production.

More power to all of us at Midweek Sessions.

More power to our cooperative Artist Ko.

22 Tango Records announces

2009-12-06T18:27:00.000+08:00

Good friends Cattski and Anne Muntuerto is up for something and it's a good one. The word is tango. Music is their business. And their philosophy is anchored on collaborations.

The name is 22 Tango Records. It stands for two to tango. It also stands for two as in plural, just the minimum number for collaborations. It stands for partnership. It stands for so many other things good.

Read their public announcement.

Frantic Static : Cilee and her ch'i

2009-12-06T11:29:00.010+08:00

I first met Cilee Kuizon, Undercover Grasshoppers' frontwoman and main songwriter, at Midweek Sessions in July 30, 2008. She was with a band called Misnomer. I only found them in MySpace while researching for new artists.

At the time I don't recall anything special in them yet. The band name was a bit off and negative too somewhat. At that time at least.

But if the band was a house and if I was to believe in Chinese superstition, I'd still say there was a fair amount of ch'i in there. Except that Misnomer didn't take off and I haven't heard from them since then.

A year after, Cilee sent a text message saying she has a new band. My personal hopper story began when they asked if I'd be interested to work with them for 2 songs. Of course how could I say no? So for several weeks I sat with them in rehearsals. The rest of the story was a refreshing canvass of discoveries of new music for me.

On behalf of the community breathing in Cebu's music scene, I am very proud to announce the official debut of her new band. The band that's getting a lot of good attention in the local circuit lately. A band popularly known as Undercover Grasshoppers (UCGH). Cilee's band.

This December, UCGH debuts in the local music scene as certified rock 'n' rollers with the release of their first singe 'Frantic Static'. The track is a studio release, recorded at Backyard Project Studio, and will be available for sharing via SoundCloud and Facebook.

On a personal note, I had so much fun working with the Hoppers. I learned so many new things. It was an opportunity to apply old studio tricks. I tried new ideas as well.

Drummer Vince Yap is one fine timekeeper. Warner Sala knew what bass notes to play. Ongkii Sayson, had some interesting ideas worth trying - maybe the rest in the next sessions. And Cilee? She's probably the most talked about personality in the music scene today. Great talent.

Congratulations UCGH for a job well done.

To the fans, the release is Dec. 13 at 6AM at the ICO Music page. Do share.

Verbatim from Rico Blanco

2009-12-01T10:19:00.003+08:00

A message of concern from Rico Blanco via text message received at 07:55:22pm, 30 Nov 2009. I thought I'd share this...

"Dear friends. I made a song to help families affected by the typhoons & I'm inviting u to PLEASE download the mp3 or ringback tone & by doing so, donate 2 rebuild efforts. I'm waiving all my royalties, the full amount of which will be donated on your behalf. For ringback, just txt VB349 to 2332 (Globe), BANGON to 2728 (Smart), GETSONG5330637 to 2728 (Sun). For mp3 download, txt BANGON to 5677. The music vid is at: http://ricoblanco.com.ph/bangon.

Pls pls pls CONTINUE helping our countrymen. Its far from over... God bless you."

We love surprises don't we?

2009-11-30T22:41:00.004+08:00

I didn't expect this to happen. Great crowd. Cattski knows. One good fateful evening. Thanks Goth.