The Thirty-first of a Dozen Verses

(September 2005)

. Photo taken on September 27, 2005, in Woods Creek Subdivision in Toutes Aides, Manitoba, where Uncle Renyboy purchased a small lot on which he will build a Summer cottage

Another series of short poems of three eight-syllable lines (8-8-8) with the rhyme pattern a, b, a.

“Lagi akong kinikilig
T’wing ikaw ay kapiling ko.
Nakatutunaw, ’yong titig.”

“Kailan ba ang uwi mo?
Ako’y sabik na sabik na.
Honey, ha, pasalubong ko.”

“Samyo mo’y nakalalasing,
Pirmi akong ’nilulutang.
Ikaw ay walang kahambing.”

“Bakit hindi mo salatin
Ang pagitan ng hita ko?
H’wag ka nang magpaumanhin.”

“Kailan ka kaya muling
Sasakay ng eroplano
At lalapag sa ’king píling?”

“Di mapawi pagkainip,
’ko’y laging may hanap-hanap;
Balisâ ’gang panaginip.”

“Ako sa ’yo’y nanggigigil;
Alindog mo’y nasa isip.
Kaylan ko ’yan mapipisil.”

“Sa t’wina ikaw ay kausap,
Tenga’y nag-iinit, pero
Palaging bitín ang saráp.”

“Kahit hindi umuulan,
Ako’y laging nabábasà.
Ano kaya ang dahilan?”

“Sige na, isigaw mo pa—
Malakas! Paulit-ulit
—’gang ako’y mapahilata.”

“Ang sarap ng iyong bibig—
Ubod ng dulas at init.
Tuloy, hita'y namimitig.”

“Ang lambot ng iyong palad,
Daig mo pa ang babae.
Ikaw ay walang katulad.”

"I, too" versus "Me, too"

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I received a comment from a friend of mine concerning my blog entry entitled "I, too!"

She said:

Eh paano kung may isang nagsabing, "He told me he loved me." Tapos, sagot nu'ng isa, "Me, too," meaning, "He told me he loved me, too." Eh di mali ang "I, too"?

[What then if someone said, "He told me he loved me." Then, another one uttered, "Me, too," meaning, "He told me he loved me, too." Wouldn't this make "Me, too" correct in this occurrence, renderring "I, too" grammatically incorrect?]

My reply:

I also considered that, but I edited that portion out because I thought "Me, too" in that occurrence is rarely used anyway; but since you brought it up, here's the portion about it:

To reiterate, "Me, too" is grammatically incorrect when and if used in a subjective case.

Although rarely used, "Me, too" may also stand alone grammatically correct if and when it occurs in an objective case, as in the example you gave:

Noreen: "He told me he loved me."
Kessa: "Me, too." (which is the complete utterance of "He told me he loved me, too.")

In that case, the use of "Me, too" is grammatically correct.

Therefore, the grammatical correctness of "I, too" or "Me, too" depends on its occurrence in a sentence—

When occurring in the subject, as in a subjective case, "I, too" is the correct phrase to use.
When occurring in the predicate as an object, as in an objective case, "Me, too" it is.

"Butterflies" by Half Life Half Death

The Metamorphosis of "Butterflies"

... .
Download an MP3 copy of "Butterflies" here.
Read more about Half Life Half Death here.

Photograph taken in April 1995 at the backyard of our former residence in Carmel Subdivision, Project 6, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Butterflies" is included in my band Half Life Half Death's one-and-only solo album, Pymyth Prahn (1995, VIVA Records / Neo label). This is the song most beloved not only by all of us members of the band but also by many people who have had the chance to listen to it either at any of our live performances in the past or on their cassette or CD players.

I don't know the exact reason many people were enthralled by "Butterflies"; perhaps because of the wonderful, violin-sounding guitar tracks that complemented the seemingly jaded vocal parts, the combination of which resulted in a melancholic mood of the song. So, how did "Butterflies" come about?

OVUM
The year was 1993, Half Life Half Death was in a lackluster stage—primarily because each member was busy with his/her own professional work/job and also because the Philippine music scene during the period was dominated by Grunge-influenced bands.

Despite being represented by the presence of bands like The Cranberries ("Dreams," "Linger," "Ode to My Family"), The Cure ("Friday, I'm in Love," "High," "Letter to Elise"), New Order ("Regret"), Toad the Wet Sprocket ("All I Want"), New Wave music was silently lurking in the scene's shadows.

Half Life Half Death was less active during that period, save for a few small-venue and get-together gigs.

One early morning after breakfast, while on a sleepover at our rhythm guitarist Pet's house in Sucat, Parañaque, Metro Manila, I took my pen and journal to jot down a few phrases which suddenly popped up in my mind. Intending to compose a poem, I wrote the following verses:

The sky is cool
Cool as your eyes
Rainbow smiles
Butterflies

I believe that these lovely lines were inspired by my fondness for the book Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus (©1972), my copy of which I have been reading occasionally since discovering it in the late '80s.

Pet saw what I was writing; he got his acoustic guitar and strummed some chords.

Strum...strum...strum... Along the strums I began to hum as I went on adding some more lines to the poem...

There they soar high in the skies
The only hope for flowers now to bloom
You're the only reason for my existence
So fly, fly me high with all your love and persistence

"That would be the chorus," Pet said with an excited look in his eyes.

After several hours of singing, strumming, and cutting words and lines from the lyric to fit the measure, we finished a new song I initially called "Butterflies die in silence." I eventually dropped the "die in silence" because, at that time, I usually preferred one-word titles. Given the chance to travel back in that specific moment, I would revert the song's title to the original, which to me now has an introspectively darker and more melancholic effect.

April 21, 1991, Pet and I and the rest of Half Life Half Death; first ever gig at Club Dredd on Timog Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

CATERPILLAR
On the next band practice, Pet and I presented the song to the rest of the band. As always, Rain, our lead guitarist, brought home a cassette-recorded copy of what Pet and I were able to compose. After a few days, during the next jam—Rain amazed us all with the stellar guitar sounds that he was able to weave, to complement the sadness of the song. Ramil, on the other hand, made his presence felt by concocting a haunting bass intro, which eventually became the song's memorable backdrop. For his part, Bimbo succeeded in complementing Ramil's basslines by weaving a tom-tom-based drumbeats.

After we had finished arranging "Butterflies" and two more compositions, "Alimango" and "A Feast in Pastel Castle," we excitedly planned for the studio recording of the songs.

Rain, Bimbo, I, and Ramil: Half Life Half Death gig, in 1995, at Mayric's on España Avenue in Manila City, Metro Manila

We finally recorded the songs at Greenhills Sound Studio in San Juan, Metro Manila. I could very well remember the childlike smiles on our faces when we finally got to listen to the final mixed copy of the songs. "This is it!" I remember myself uttering to Pet.

We submitted copies of the songs to DWLA 105.1, a now-defunct FM radio station based in Metro Manila that supported local Alternative bands by playing their independently released recordings and interviewing them on-air.

CHRYSALIS
LA 105 first played "Butterflies" in 1994. To our surprise, it got a fairly positive reaction from many listeners, amidst the domination of songs with Filipino lyrics during the decade.

In retrospect, "Butterflies" and "Alimango"—aside from our version of Sharon Cuneta / George Canseco's "High School (Life)," which perfectly defined our band's history—were really the songs that gave Half Life Half Death the chance to return into and soar again amidst the highly competitive Alternative-Music scene of the Nineties. We formed in 1987, but by the early '90s we were already jaded and hopeless of ever going on. So, the opportunity LA 105 gave our band in the '90s was really a turning point for all of us.

Half Life Half Death at yet another gig at Mayric's in 1995; with our former female vocalist Carol Pobre joining us to sing "High School (Life)"; Carol was 1st Runner-up in that year's Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant.

Perhaps if not for the airplay of our songs on LA 105, we would have disbanded much earlier without having the chance to contribute at least an album to Philippine music history. Despite failing to achieve what many Philippine bands before and after us had achieved, I am still glad: My band Half Life Half Death left the scene but not without leaving a legacy of songs—obscure or popular these songs might be.

The Catalyst
The book I used as a springboard in writing "Butterflies," Hope for the Flowers is the tale of the caterpillars Stripe and Yellow, who yearn for something more from life than eating leafs and growing bigger. They get caught up in a 'caterpillar pillar,' a squirming mass of bodies, each determined to reach a top so far away it can't be seen. Finally disillusioned, they discover that the way for caterpillars to find their particular 'more'—who they really are—is to enweave themselves in cocoons eventually to emerge as beautiful butterflies.

I wrote "Butterflies" for a dear friend of mine, Quelle Gutierrez.

Butterflies

lyric: aLfie vera mella
music: mella, de Jesus, Paggao, Aznar, Ballesteros


The sky is blue

The sky is cool
Cool as your eyes
Rainbow smiles
Butterflies

The prairie's soft
Soft as your skin
Fuchsia dreams
Butterflies

There they soar high in the sky
The only hope for flowers now to bloom
You're the only reason for my existence
So fly, fly me high with all your love and persistence

siahl frettåb, o'lieh
Butterflies die in silence

Sweet caress touching dreams
Far away they may seem
Gentle strokes of your wings
Seven-eleven, heaven

There they soar high in the purple skies
The only hope for flowers now to bloom
You're the only reason for my existence
Fly high, butterfly, against all resistance

Now fly...

Blue is the sky
The sky is your eyes
Smiling rainbows
Butterflies
Blushing dreams
Touch me to sleep
Transcend me
Away from here

There they soar high in the sky like dreams
The only hope for dreamers now to fly away
You're the only reason for my very existence
Fly high, fly me high with all your love and persistence

Fly...with all your love and persistence
Fly...against all resistance

Credits
vocals / sound effects: aLfie vera mella
lead guitars / keyboards / backing vocals: Rainald "Rain" Paggao
rhythm guitars / backing vocals: Ruperto "Pet" de Jesus
bass / backing vocals: Ramil Aznar
drums / percussion: Robert "Bimbo" Ballesteros
female's voice: Caroline "Carol" Pobre
child's voice: Jade de Jesus (Pet's nephew)

from the album Pymyth Prahn, 1995, Viva Records / Neo label
Executive Producer: Jett Pangan
Record Producers: Half Life Half Death, Francis Reyes, and Jim Sarthou
Sound Engineer: Jim Sarthou
Recorded in late 1994 at JR Studios, Makati City, Metro Manila

I, too!

.
"Have you noticed it?" asked a friend of mine.

"Noticed what?" I replied.

"Remember, the grammatical blunder we used to talk about? The use of 'Me, too,' instead of 'I, too.'"

"Of course!"

"When are you going to write about it on your blog site? I've been waiting for it for the longest time."

Well, yeah, I think I already wrote about it in the past. Also, I have already thought of blogging about this but seemed always to forget about it. This is nothing enormous, actually. But, thanks for reminding me.

To many others, it may even be too trivial, not a big deal. But to someone like me who has the penchant (and now, the luxury of time) to dwell on even the most trivial of things, I won't let this pass without expressing my judgment on it.

My friend and I are pertaining to a grammatical blunder, which we consider one of, if not the most widely used and tolerated grammatical error in the English language.

We're talking about the use of "Me, too" instead of "I, too."

This grammatical error is a "cousin" of the grammatical error "Me and my friends" when used as the subject of a sentence.

To illustrate:

Incorrect: "Me and my friends are watching a movie later."
Should be: "My friends and I are watching a movie later."
.
...because the personal pronoun me should be used only in the objective case; while I in the subjective case. And, the location of the personal pronouns in the sample sentences above is in the subject part; therefore, the use of me as a part of the subject of a sentence (as in the first sentence above) is incorrect.

And, this applies also to "Me, too."
.
"Me, too" is incorrect because the 'case' of the personal pronoun used in this sentence should be subjective; therefore, I instead of me should have been used; as in, "I, too."
.
Actually, "I, too" (or the blunder "Me, too") is simply a contraction of a sentence as in the example below:
.
Arianne to Mommy: "I want to go with you."
Kevin, who also wanted to go with Mommy: "Me, too!"
.
Kevin's utterance is actually a contraction of "Mommy, me, too, want to go with you"; this is grammatically incorrect because he should have used the subjective case of the personal pronoun, which is I.
.
Therefore:
.
Arianne: "[Mommy,] I want to go with you."
Kevin: "I, too!" (or to complete the utterance, "Mommy, I, too, want to go with you."

Half Forgotten Songs

.
Finally I found a way to share with all of you the songs of my erstwhile band Half Life Half Death. As soon as I figure out how to upload MP3s of the songs I'll have these downloadable for free.

For the meantime, listen to the songs by clicking THIS.

A Half Remembered, Half Forgotten Filipino Band

Ruperto "Pet" de Jesus (rhythm guitars / backing vocals), Roberto "Bimbo" Ballesteros (drums), Rainald Paggao (lead guitars), Ramil Michael Aznar (bass), aLfie "eLf" vera mella (vocals / effects / mascot) (1995)

Once again, I'm introducing to all of you my beloved band, Half Life Half Death, which was in activity from 1988 to 2003, the year I left the Philippines for Canada. Since its inception, the band had had various members but the constant of whom until its demise were Rain Paggao (our main melody-maker) and yours truly.

In 1995 Half Life Half Death finally got to fulfill our longtime dream--to be able commercially to record and release our debut album, Pymyth Prahn, under Viva Records' Neo label. From this album rose a few underground-concert favorites which included "Butterflies," the song that best captured the sound and image of Half Life Half Death.

Many of our friends and fans had always wondered why we never took off higher than we reached back in the '90s despite the uniqueness and individuality of our band, and the positive raves which we were earning from people as well as fellow bands who knew us, like The Dawn, Mere Mercy, Alamid, Eraserheads, Introvoys, and Sugar Hiccup.

The answer is, I don't know as well.

Perhaps, we were not prepared for something greater than we could ever manage. Perhaps we were afraid of popularity, which we believed might have derailed us from each of our own professions. Or maybe, the listening public were not ready for our kind of music. Or perhaps, we lacked the determination. Oh, well. Whatever the reason, it no longer matters now.

Summing everything up, I believe that we had achieved more than what we actually wished for. And all those are more than enough laurels in our hearts.

In 2003 my bandmate Ramil made a music video of our song "Butterflies," which I have long been itching to share with all of you. Finally I found a way to upload the video on my blog site. Please take time to watch and listen to it.

Also, check out Half Life Half Death on Wikipedia.

The Thirtieth of a Dozen Verses

(September 2005)
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The front- and back cover of one of the poetry anthologies I recently finished, Four Seasons in Canada (and Other Leafs of Poetry, 2003–2005), which I hope gets published in the near future

Another series of short poems of three eight-syllable lines (8-8-8) with the rhyme pattern a, b, a.

Ampait ng ampalaya,
(Di ko tuloy paborito)
Kahit pa babád sa sukà.

Sabi nila, ang kamatis,
Bukod sa masustans’ya, ay
Nagpapakinis ng kutis.

Ang sarap ng pritong talóng,
Lalo’t sawsawan ay sukà
Na may kasamang bagoong.

Sawsáwan ko sa nilagá—
Talóng na may súka’t bawang
At nilagang kalabasa.

Magbalat ka ng sibuyas
Sa t’wing ika’y naiiyak,
Nang problema mo’y lumipas.

Nagsasayaw’ng mga dahon,
Sa awi’t himig ng hangin.
Lumilipas ang panahon.

Kumulimlim na ang araw,
Nar’yan na ang dapithapon.
Búkas—aking natatanaw.

Naku, malamig na naman.
Tag-yeló’y nagbabanta na—
Muli nang mararanasan.

Ano iyang nakasalang?
Hmm, amoy asim-sampalok!
“Ano pa? E di, sinigang.”

Gusto ko’ng burong labanos,
Kahit ito’y amoy-utot.
Teka, di ko na maubos.

Dati, ayoko ng gulay
Kahit ito’y masustans’ya’t
Nagpapahaba ng buhay.

Bakit naputol ang tulay?
Di pa ’ko nakatatawid.
Hay, bakit ganyan ang buhay?


Archive
The First
The Second
The Third
The Fourth
The Fifth
The Sixth
The Seventh
The Eighth
The Ninth
The Tenth
The Eleventh
The Dozenth
The Thirteenth
The Fourteenth
The Fifteenth
The Sixteenth
The Seventeenth
The Eighteenth
The Nineteenth
The Twentieth
The Twenty-first
The Twenty-second
The Twenty-third
The Twenty-fourth
The Twenty-fifth
The Twenty-sixth
The Twenty-seventh
The Twenty-eighth
The Twenty-ninth

My New Shoes, as simple as that for now...

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My new pair of shoes—a Protocol mocha-marble leather—which I bought last week at the Sears in Garden City Shopping Centre—originally priced at C$49.99, but was on sale for only C$29.99.

The Twenty-ninth of a Dozen Verses

(September 2005)
....
Another series of short poems of three eight-syllable lines (8-8-8) with the rhyme pattern a, b, a.

...
Ganda! Paruparong putî—
Dumapo ru’n sa bulaklak.
Tuloy, ako’y napangiti.

Marikit ang kanyang pakpak.
Sa hardin, siya ang reyna
At tagahatid ng galák.

H’wag mong tapakan ang hígad,
Di s’ya masamang insekto.
’yaan mo s’yang makalipad.

Dati, nu’ng ako’y ’sang muntì,
Madalas kami sa parang,
Naghuhuli ng tutubí.

Hindi lahat ng ahas ay
Nanunuklaw’t nanlilingkis;
Di lahat nakamamatay.

Bumili sila ng aso;
Ang lahi nito’y labrador.
Mapakagat nga si anó!

Kung ako’y isang gagamba,
Kayo’y aking sasaputan
Nang di kayo makahinga.

Kung ako’y isang bubuyog,
Kayo’y aking tutusukin.
Mata n’yo lang ang di lamóg.

Kung ako ay isang lamok,
Dugo n’yo ay uubusin
Hanggang sa kayo’y malugmok.

Kung ako ay isang sawá,
Kayo’y aking lilingkisin
Hanggang butó ay mapigâ.

Walang magawa si Molay—
Inasnan n’ya ang bulate;
Tuloy, bigla ’tong nangisay.

Sa wakas! Nakatikim din
Ng pritong salagubang, na
Binabad sa suka’t asin.


Archive
The First
The Second
The Third
The Fourth
The Fifth
The Sixth
The Seventh
The Eighth
The Ninth
The Tenth
The Eleventh
The Dozenth
The Thirteenth
The Fourteenth
The Fifteenth
The Sixteenth
The Seventeenth
The Eighteenth
The Nineteenth
The Twentieth
The Twenty-first
The Twenty-second
The Twenty-third
The Twenty-fourth
The Twenty-fifth
The Twenty-sixth
The Twenty-seventh
The Twenty-eighth

I Turn to Music and Poetry

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I've a new links section below, "cool music sites (MP3 galore)." This is dedicated especially to other music buffs like me. Visit these sites regularly and let them treat you with free MP3s of obscure Alternative Rock bands, particularly those which release their albums either independently or under minor record labels.

Since discovering "New Wave" music in 1983, courtesy of my cousins and uncles and their friends, I have become an ardent enthusiast and supporter of the genre. More than that, my musical knowledge and preferrence expanded. I listen now to other genres as well: Metal, Pop, Folk, Classical, Punk Rock, Ska....

My having been in bands, Half Life Half Death and Dream Kitchen, helped me keep myself updated; add to that the connections I've made with a great number of equally musical souls, bands, friends, mere listeners before and now. All of such wonderful entertainers, musicians, and audience continue to deepen my love for music.

I, too, have began sharing my passion for music not only by writing about it but more so by featuring bands regularly on this blog site and by including links to sites which offer downloadable MP3s of their music.

Music is, indeed, the language of the soul. It surpasses English (or any other language for that matter) as the universal communicator of ideas and emotions.

Perhaps you have been noticing that my recent entries are about music. Well, the chief reasons I'm able to maintain my sanity despite my continual homesickness and yearning to return home are Music and Poetry.

A single song is potent enough to transcend me into a magical world.

One verse stirs my mind to think a thousand ideas. I get lost. I feel bliss. I feel loved.

Songs are my lullabies.

My pen is my magic wand.

Keep on fluttering by to share the magic with me while it's brilliant.

A Taste of Rock music from Eastern (and Central) Europe (2)

Part Two
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Here's the second leg of my adventure into the Rock music of various Eastern and Central European countries. I would have featured more than I had had, but the unavailability on the Internet of the music (MP3s) of most of the bands I discovered prevented me to pursue them. As I've said in my previous post, no amount of flowery description can encapsulate the melodies a single song possesses; for, music appreciation, after all, is almost always a personal and subjective experience. Because of this, listing bands whose music we could not sample would be useless after all.

I would like to give special acknowledgment to the Web site nostalgia.com which contains thousands of free MP3s of Yugoslav artists.

%%% Armenian Rock %%%
* The Republic of Armenia (capital, Yerevan) is a country between Black Sea and Caspian Sea, a neighbor of Turkey and Iran. It used to be a state of the Soviet Union until 1991, when it gained its independence brought about by the latter's dissolution.

@ System of a Down (formed in the late '90s) - Although, they originated in California, USA, the band may still be considered a representative of Armenian Rock mainly because all of its members are of Armenian ancestry. They set themselves apart from their co-genres by infusing Armenian Folk flavor in their music, as well as by employing various East Asian instruments like mandolin, sitar, and 12-string classical guitars. System of a Down's first eponymous album was released in 1998, but they were able to achieve commercial success with their second release, Toxicity, particularly with the songs "Chop Suey!," "Aerials," and "Toxicity." In 2004, the band recorded two albums, Mezmerize (released in May 2005) and Hypnotize (to be released this coming November). A few weeks ago, I saw on TV the video of the current single "Question!," which caught my fancy chiefly because of its obvious Classical influences. [Classical is another music genre I love.]

%%% Bosnian Rock %%%
* Bosnia and Herzegovina (capital, Saravejo) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. It used to be a constituent republic of the former Yugoslavia.

@ Bijelo Dugme ('White Button') - formed in the early '70s in Saravejo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They were able to record nine albums in the period 1973 to 1989. The band reunited early this year but only for a number of concerts. Many Yugoslav artists regard Bijelo Dugme as a Rock icon. Listening to their songs reminded me of '70s-popular Classic Rock bands like The Scorpions, Queen, and even Deep Purple.

You may download dozens of Bijelo Dugme songs here!

My recommended tracks are the following:

"Glavni junak jedne knjige"
"Ima neka tajna veza"
"Selma"
"Top"

@ Crvena Jabuka ('Red Apple') originally formed in the late '80s in Saravejo but, in the '90s, has relocated to Zagreb, Croatia, because of the war. According to references, the band cites The Beatles as one of their major influences. I like their music particularly because of the clean, crispy, and polished sound of the guitar tracks.

You may download dozens of songs here.

My recommended tracks are the following:

"Sanjati," "Opet sam sam," and "Stari moj."

@ Plavi Orkestar - Formed in 1983 in Saravejo, their music is a mix of '60s Rock n' Roll à la The Monkees and The Hollies and '80s Pop Metal with a style reminiscent of early Bon Jovi.
You may download dozens of MP3s here.

My recommended tracks are the following:

"Azra"
"Bestija"
"Goodbye, Teens"
"Mangup"

%%% Croatian Rock %%%

* The Republic of Croatia (capital, Zagreb) is a country bordering the Mediterranean, Central Europe, and the Balkans. It used to be a constituent republic of the former Yugoslavia until 1991, when it finally gained its independence.

@ Parni Valjak ('Steamroller') - A Pop Rock band formed in the '70s in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia; still active to this day, Parni Valjak released its latest album, Pretežno Sunčano, in 2003. Its music reminds me of Classic Rock bands popular in the '70s, like The Eagles and Kansas and even a little bit of early Van Halen.

You may download dozens of MP3s here.

I recommend the following tracks:

"Aandjeli se dosadjuju"

"Romansa"
"Stranica dnevnika"
"Ugasi me"

@ Prljavo Kazalište ('Dirty Theater') was formed in 1977 in Zagreb. Its last album is Radio Dubrava (2003). I fancied their music chiefly because of the presence of violin tracks. Listening to their songs reminds me of Hootie & the Blowfish and, at times, even Bruce Springsteen.

You may download dozens of MP3s here.

I recommended the following tracks, particularly songs no. 3 and 5:

"Ako tre i nekoga"
"Bye, Bye"
"Kise jesenje" [accompanied by an orchestra]
"Korak po korak"
"Lupi petama" [accompanied by an orchestra]

%%% Serbian Rock %%%
* The Republic of Serbia (capital, Belgrade) is a republic in southeastern Europe which, in 2003, was united with Montenegro. Both republics were once parts of the former Yugoslavia, whose constituent republics (Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) began to secede in 1992. In 2003, it formed a union with the Republic of Montenegro. These two former Yugoslav republics are known now as the Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

@ Electricni Orgazam started in 1980 as a Punk Rock band. As its career progressed, it developed into an Alternative Rock band with a style reminiscent of bands like Gin Blossoms, The Plimsouls, and Toad the Wet Sprocket.

You may download the following songs from the band's official Web site:

"Sex, droga, nasilje i strah" (Seks, Droga, Nasilje i Strah / Balkan Horor Rock, 1992)
"Da si tako jaka" (Zasto da Ne!, 1994)
"Kakav je to svet" (A um Bum, 1999)

Download here and there.

@ Šarlo Akrobata was a short-lived band formed around 1980 and splintered in 1982 into two new bands, Disciplina Kičme (eventually changed its name to Disciplin a Kitschme) and Ekatarina Velika. Fans of the band regard Šarlo Akrobata as one of the pioneers of Yugoslav Rock music. Their style of Punk reminded me of Dead Kennedys and Sex Pistols, with a sprinkle of Oi! and the "garage sound" of Grunge.

You may download from their official Web site the following songs:

"Ljubavna prica ['Love Story']"
"Niko kao ja"
"Rano izjutra ['Early in the Morning']"

Download here.

@ Disciplin a Kitschme - A band that rose, in 1982, from the ashes of Šarlo Akrobata. Initially known as Disciplina Kičme, the band is currently active. They recently released a new single, "Političari + virusi" (2005). Their music has an Industrial and funky flavor, at times reminiscent of Red Hot Chili Peppers at their funkiest and The Beastie Boys at their punkiest.

You may download the following songs from the band's official Web site:

"Evil Man"
"Have You Ever Heard of Any Other Rhythm?"
"I'm a Shape-shifter"
"That Is How It Should Be Done"
"Your Soul"

Download here and there.

@ Ekatarina Velika ('Catherine the Great'), also known as EKV, was the other band that came into being, in 1982, after the breakup of Šarlo Akrobata. The band's last studio album is Neko Nas Posmatra ("Somebody Is Watching Us") (1993). Its music is darker and more New Wave–sounding than that of its predecessor. There are moments when their song would begin coolly like The Church then build up into something energetic like The Alarm or even The Arcade Fire [Check out "Amerika"].

After patiently searching the Internet, I finally found a Web site which features MP3s of Ekatarina Velika. I recommend the following songs, many of which fascinated me chiefly because of the prominence of the keyboards, the lingering guitar melodies, and the use of backing vocals:

"7 dana ('7 Days')"
"Amerika"
"Krug ('Circles')"
"Neko nas posmatra ('Somebody Is Watching Us')"
"Oci boje meda ('Honey-Coloured Eyes')"
"Srce ('Heart')"
"Tonemo ('We're Sinking')"

Download here dozens of songs!

@ Partibrejkers were formed around 1982. They were one of the forerunners of the Yugoslav Punk Rock scene in the '80s. Their last album is Gramzivost i pohlepa, released in 2002. They uncannily reminded me of The Rolling Stones, mainly because the vocalist sounded like Mick Jagger singing in Serbian.

You may download their songs here.

I recommend the following tracks:

"Ako si"
"Generacija"
"Molitva"

@ Pekinska Patka was a Punk Rock band formed around 1980. Many Yugoslav Rock enthusiasts regard the band as one of the pioneers of Yugoslav Punk music, citing "Poderimo rock ('Let's Tear the Rock Apart')" as one of the songs which triggered the '80s Punk scene in the former Yugoslavia. [Read this.] Their brand of Punk Rock reminds me of The Circle Jerks, The Cockney Rejects, The Exploited, and The Vandals.

You may download eight Pekinska Patka songs here.

My recommended songs are the following:

"Apatija"
"Biti ruzan, pametan i mlad"
"Poderimo rock ('Let's Tear the Rock Apart')"

%%% Slovenian Rock %%%
* The Republic of Slovenia (capital, Ljubljana) is a country in southern Central Europe, a neighbor of Italy, Croatia, Hungary, and Austria. It was also part of the former Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1991, when it finally gained its independence.

@ Laibach - Formed in 1980 in the Slovenian town of Trbovlje, Laibach is German for Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital city. The band's music may be classified as Industrial, the type which may be put alongside those of bands like Kraftwerk, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and Machines of Loving Grace.

Unfortunately, I could not find any Web site which has free MP3s of Laibach, so I instead downloaded a number of songs through Limewire.com, a peer-sharing site. In case you're interested in doing the same, I recommend the following songs (all of which, however, are covers of classic bands):

"Life Is Life" (Opus)
"One after 909" (The Beatles)
"Sympathy for the Devil" (The Rolling Stones)
"The Final Countdown" (Europe)

@ Zablujena Generacija ('Stray Generation') - An Alternative/Punk Rock band formed in 1994 in the Slovenian town of Idrija. Listening to the music of this band reminded me of The Ramones (its main influence), Stiff Little Fingers, The Offspring, Rancid, Green Day, and Blink-182. The band's last album is Pop Idoli (2003).

Listen to a dozen Zablujena Generacija songs here.

Song no. 2, "Upornika brez razloga," reminded me of Green Day's "Basketcase."
Songs no. 5 and no. 6, "Samer Hit 13" and "Moja Lisa" respectively, are my instant favorites—very melodic.

%%%
Listening to the music of countries whose cultures are very different from my own is a truly wonderful and enlightening experience. If there was a single nonmusical lesson I have learned from the researching process and from the very purpose of what I'm doing—that is, to be able to listen to the songs of artists from such countries—this must be it:

People, irrespective of race and beliefs, best express their sacred ideas and most heartfelt emotions through music, regardless what style or genre of music they choose.

"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music."—Albert Einstein (1879–1955)

Like me—my life has always been musical.


Archive
Classic Alternative Rock / New Wave music
Icelandic Alternative Rock music
Canadian Alternative Rock music
Russian Rock music
New Order connections
Music eclecticism
Dozen favorite artists
The humble beginnings of my band HLHD
My life has always been musical

The Twenty-eighth of a Dozen Verses

(August 2005 poems)
.

Photo taken on August 29, 2005, Monday, at the backyard of the house, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: I am my grandfather's barber as well.

Another series of short poems of three eight-syllable lines (8-8-8) with the rhyme pattern a, b, a.

...
Di s’ya lagi mapakali,
’dami kasing sumasakit.
Sa hirap, ako’y kasali.

Masakit ang aking ngipin,
Dámay tuloy pati ulo;
Ayaw akong patulugin.

S’ya ay laging inaantok,
Maya’t maya kung humikab.
Lagi rin s’yang sinisinok.

Haynaku, kasasabi lang,
Nakalimutan na agad.
Ang hirap ng gumugulang.

Mahirap daw ang mabuhay,
Bukambibig ng lolo ko,
’pag marami kang kaaway.

Pahingi nga ng panghalip;
Pagód na ang aking utak.
Sino sa aki’y sasagip?

Biglang sumilbato ang tren—
(Ako ay napabalikwas)
Parang puták ng inahen.

Palagi n’yang hinahanap,
Kanyang pitaka’t salamin.
Ako—hanap ko’y kausap.

Tinubuan ng tigyawat
Ang magkabila kong pisngi;
Pumangit ang aking balát.

Wala naman akong bálat,
Pero ba’t ako minalas?
Pasánin—ubod ng bigat.

Nalaglag kanyang pustiso,
Mabuti’t hindi nabasag;
Dagli-dagling pinulot ko.

Hindi pa rin n’ya matanggap
Na katawa’y mahina na.
Ako tuloy’ng naghihírap.


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The Twentieth
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The Twenty-third
The Twenty-fourth
The Twenty-fifth
The Twenty-sixth
The Twenty-seventh

A Taste of Rock music from Eastern Europe (1)

Part One
Russian Rock

Musically preoccupied as I always am, and inspired by my recent adventure at the Ukrainian church in Cook's Creek, Springfield, Manitoba, I thought of researching about the Rock music of Eastern European countries like Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

Internet technology, again, works wonders for those who have patience, unwavering passion for learning, and, of course, intense love for music.

I was able to come up with this list of relatively obscure but notable Rock artists from Eastern Europe. Of course, I wouldn't be content with just reading bits of information about these artists; I have to be able to listen to them as well. Luckily, MP3 copies of the music of such bands are also available on the Net. Even you can get to download some of them; just click the links I have made below.

Give these artists a chance to be heard.

A warning though: expect something different. That's inevitable, especially that many, if not most, Rock-music enthusiasts are used to the so-called Western style of Rock music. The great thing about listening to these bands is that, the listener is transcended into the cultural roots of the particular artist—which is understandable, of course, and in a good sense.

I limited the list to those artists whose music is readily downloadable on various Web sites. This way, we can not only learn about them but also listen to them as well. Because, no amount of flowery description can encapsulate the melodies possessed by a single song. For, music appreciation, after all, is almost always a personal and subjective experience.

@ Auktyon - a nine-man jazzy Rock band formed in 1983 which is still active to this day. Their last album, 'Eto Mama' (It's Mum), was released in 2002.

My recommended songs are the following:
"Bogi"
"Ptica ('Bird')"
"Glaza (Eyes)"
"Okhotnik (The Hunter)"

Download here and there.

@ Kino - a Rock group formed in 1981 in Leningrad, USSR, (now Saint Petersburg, Russia) by Viktor Tsoi, a highly regarded Russian Rock icon. The group disbanded in 1990 when Tsoi [in the picture, second person to the right] died in a terrible vehicular accident. Accordingly, Kino was one of the recognized pioneers of Russian Rock music, also especially respected for their politically motivated lyricism. .

My recommended songs are the following:
"The Idler" (from the debut album, 45, 1982)
"Aluminum Cucumbers" (45, 1982)
"Summer Will Soon Be Over" (The Black Album, 1990)
"Pine Tress on the Seashore" (The Black Album, 1990)
"We'll Take Action from Now On" (Kino in Movies, released in 2003)
"A Star called the Sun" (Kino in Movies, 2003)

*Download here.

@ Leningrad - a Ska band formed in the late '90s in Saint Petersburg (former Leningrad) that became famous (and infamous) because of the vulgar lyrics of their songs. Listening to some of their songs reminded me of the British '80s-formed Ska band Fun Boy Three.

My recommended songs are the following:
"Blyadi"
"Common Everybody"
"Davay-davay"
"Pidarasy"
"Rezinoviy Muzhik"

*Download here.

@ Mumiy Troll - a Pop / Rock group formed in the early '80s in Vladivostok; many Russian music enthusiasts regard the band as the pioneer of a genre they call 'Rockopops' (a combination of the Rock and Pop styles of music).

My recommended songs are the following, all of which came from their latest album, Sliyanie i Pogloschenie (2005):

(song no. 03) "Банзай"
(song no. 08) "Такбываетнеслучайно"

*Download here.

@ Nogu Svelo - a Rock group formed in the early '90s; known for the childish humor of their music; I especially liked this band because of the well-arranged and complicated instrumentation of their songs.

My recommended songs include the following:

"Baby" (from Хару Мамбуру, 1993)
"Teenager Semenov" (Хару Мамбуру, 1993)
"Christmas Lullaby" (Сибирская любовь, 1995)
"Demoralization of Love" (Сибирская любовь, 1995)
"Ave Maria" (from Каллы, 2000)
"Кукла" (from Каллы, 2000)

Download here.

@ Red Elvises - a Rockabilly-style group that started in the mid-'90s in California, USA, most of whose members are of Russian descent. Their music is very guitar-based, in a style reminiscent of the '60s-popular instrumental band The Ventures, with a tinge of Punk ethos.

Songs that amused and fascinated me include the following:
"Ballad of Elvis and Priscilla" (Grooving to the Moscow Beat, 1996)
"Pilorama" (Rokenrol, 2002)
"Surfing in Siberia" (Surfing in Siberia, 1997) [instrumental]
"Scorchi Chorniye" (Grooving to the Moscow Beat, 1996)
"Sex in Paradise" (Welcome to the Freakshow, 2001)

Download here.

@ Smyslovye Gallucinacii (in English, "Semantic Hallucinations"; the band is also called Gliuki, for short, meaning "glitches in your brain") - formed in 1989 in Yekaterinburg; the music of this band may be classified as Synthpop, for the prominence of the keyboards/synthesizers as well as for the keyboard-sounding guitar melodies.

My recommended songs include the following:
.....from the 2003 album, Обратная сторона Земли
(song no. 3) "Чужое небо"
(song no. 4) "Напролом"
(song no. 7) "Mope" [my instant favorite]
......from the 2001 album, Лед-9
(song no. 1) "Сети"
......from the 2000 album, 3000
(song no. 11) "DJ'и сходят с ума"

Download here.

@ t.A.T.u. - Perhaps one of, if not the most internationally popular Russian act today; the duo broke through commercially in 2003 with the success of a triumvirate of singles: "All the Things She Said," "Not Gonna Get Us," and a commendable cover of The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?" t.A.T.u. will be releasing next month its second English album, Dangerous and Moving.

t.A.T.u.'s debut album, 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane (2002)—both the English and the Russian versions—are available for download on their official Web site.

Download here.

%%%

Russia, or the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world. It covers a vast area of Europe and Asia. It was the dominant republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), or Union Soviet, until the union's dissolution in 1991. Russia is now an independent country, just like the rest of its former co-republics.

%%%

Archive

Classic Alternative Rock / New Wave music / Icelandic Alternative Rock music / New Order connections / Music eclecticism / Dozen favorite artists / My life has always been musical / The humble beginnings of my band HLHD / Canadian Alternative Rock music

The Twenty-seventh of a Dozen Verses

(August 2005 poems)
.

Photo taken on January 3, 2005, at Maple Green Elementary in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Another series of short poems of three eight-syllable lines (8-8-8) with the rhyme pattern a, b, a.

Ang tingkad ng sikat-araw!
Pahiram nga ng sombrero.
Ako ay biglang nauhaw.

Di na ’ko napapapikit
T’wing tititig sa liwanag
Na nanggagaling sa langit.

May biglang umalingawngaw
Dito sa ’king kalooban.
Puso’y nagkulay-balanghaw.

Nagkálat ang kaalaman!
Penge ng sandok at mangkok,
Baka ako’y maubusan.

Para kang burong labanos,
Maamoy pero masarap.
Kelan kita mauubos?

Sawa na ’kong mag-alaga;
Ubos na ang pasens’ya ko.
Gusto ko nang makalaya.

Hindi n’yo ko masisisi
Kung ako’y nagsasawa na.
‘ higpit ng pagkakatali!

At sumabog ang bulkan…bam!
Sa loob ng aking dibdib;
Nang bigla s’yang magpaalam.

’sa na lang ’yang alaalang
May ngiting binabalikan—
Mga dati kong hinirang.

Mabuti na lang talaga’t
Sa buhay ko’y bumalik ka.
Napawi lahat ng bigát.

Hamo, di ka magsisisi
Sa pagpili mo sa akin,
O mahal kong binibini.

Niña, bunso kong kapatid,
Sa altar ng simbahan ay
Sabay tayong ihahatid.


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