What is the one album that has had the greatest impact on your life? Why?

Any musician would probably take forever to give an answer to this, there is just too much good music out there. I’d like to think that each album that would’ve had an impact on my life came at different phases. So maybe when I was 12, Hot Fuss by The Killers. I think this week, it’s LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver. I don’t have a real answer, and I don’t want to go through my library to try to give you a cool and obscure answer [either]. (laughs)

Who would you say has had the greatest influence on your style as an artist? Why and how so?

I don’t think I loyally follow a specific source of inspiration. I enjoy learning, taking bits and pieces out of everything, and trying to emulate that in my own craft. The artists I appreciate the most are those who keep breaking the barriers they set up for themselves, those who were known for one thing first, then do something else that’s just as good, if not better. Top of mind, though, right now: David Byrne, James Murphy, Pharrell, Mark Ronson, MJ Cole, and Busy P.

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What is one genre you’ve always wanted to explore further? Why?

Any form of dance music. I think being in a band shouldn’t shut you off from just sounding like a band. I mean, you don’t have to, but you shouldn’t be restricting yourself either. I DJ as much as I do shows with SOS. I love dance music, I love making people dance, and I want to do more of that in the foreseeable future. I think music has its genre-less state. People should be free to do whatever they want. It is ultimately an expression anyway. Do we always smile when we’re happy? Do we always yell when we’re mad? Nah. I think the same goes for music and how you want to present emotion or a feeling.

Which of your songs was the most challenging to complete? Why?

I think every new song presents a new challenge in writing, recording, and producing, but I think we put out most of everything we enjoyed making, so I guess it wasn’t so challenging, right? (laughs) I guess what I’m trying to say is that most of our work was done in such a fun and creative environment, so we didn’t notice the challenges, if that makes sense. Logistically though, it is much harder to make music as everyone gets older and life gets in the way. So a pro-tip might be [to use] a Google Calendar.

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What do you love most about what you do? What is your least favourite part of what you do?

I love being in the studio, tinkering with gear and making it work on a track. Exploring sound and seeing how it fits your narrative and having it work together has to be one of the most satisfying things about being able to produce your own stuff. Least favourite? Photoshoots. I’m a very awkward person in front of a camera, haha. Help. 

The term “indie” has transformed throughout the past few decades, used as both a genre to describe a style of rock and the scope/scale of an artist/band. How would you describe “indie” in your own words?

I think it’s still an umbrella term. It can be a genre, but it is also a method of working. I have been in an indie band for almost half of my life. We have been an indie working band for just as long. I don’t know, it’s not really important to me. I think we can move past labelling things with umbrella terms in 2022 if it could be avoided. Or maybe not even think about it. It’s music!

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You’ve recently moved to La Union and even opened up your own indie record label and recording studio, Bavarian Records Studio. What has the experience been like producing and recording music away from Manila? What are the new opportunities and challenges you have encountered as a result?

It has been great—I mean, I had never owned a music studio before. Like a new business, it’s a learning process! I definitely have more fun making music here than anywhere else, and I can only hope to share the experience with friends and other artists.

Compare the experience of writing and producing your own music to writing and producing music for other artists. What do you find most exciting and most difficult about writing and producing for others?

I have fun putting myself in other people’s shoes when collaborating with others. It’s like, Wow, your problems are now my problems for the next few hours. Lately, I try not to write about my experiences for SOS but I’ve been taking mental notes every time a friend tells me what’s going on in their life.  

If you had the opportunity to collaborate with any artist, local or international, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Local: Sandwich/Pedicab, Ena Mori, Zild.

International: Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker, Disclosure.

Why not?

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What is your favourite new find as of late?

The "Damaged Goods" (originally by Gang of Four) cover of IDLES, and this remix of "My Humps" by Joshwa. (laughs)

What excites you most about the local music scene at the moment? How do you hope the industry will change in the next ten years, and what needs to happen for us to get there?

I love that the music scene is re-emerging from the pandemic a little more eager and more critical. People have been producing their own shows and making their own things happen. People have raised door charges, and that means it can make performing music more sustainable for artists. I think all artists should see the value of their art and time. I think artists should focus on getting their music out of Manila and to the different cities of the Philippines. 

How can we better support and empower our local Filipino artists?

Buy merch! Buy whatever they sell. Go to their shows. Have a good pulse on the local music and art scene. If you're a fan of something, and you buy their stuff that allows them to make more art—music videos, promos, photoshoots, etc., they all cost money. But it's hard to take from talent fees to produce more stuff, that's why some people make merch or produce their own shows so that the money goes around. Every time you buy a tote bag from an artist, it probably goes into their marketing budget. Well, at least I think that's how SOS works.  

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