I discovered while still living in the USA in the late 1970s that Filipinos are excellent singers, dancers and performers! The house band of my favorite music club in Huntsville, Alabama was all Filipinos and I was blown away how they could sing and perform every single song as good, if not better, as the original singer and bands. Fast Forward to the years 2000-2009, when I was an expat English teacher, and I was not shocked that every 5 Star Hotel in the large to midsize cities of China had a Filipino band.
Freddie Aguilar, in the cover photo of this article, is a Filipino Icon on the music scene! I had the pleasure of seeing Freddie perform at Bodega in Quezon City in 1991. His 1979 international hit, “Child,” known as “Anak” in Tagalog, put him on the music charts in many different countries from Asia to Europe to North America during that year. He is still performing his brand of folk rock music to this very day! You can catch him live in Metro Manila almost every week.
During my many trips to the Philippines for 3 decades and while living here the past 4 years, I am never shortchanged with my love of music and the availability of enjoying live band performances. Yes, I also love singing! For a few hundred US Dollars, I bought and set up my own sound system and home karaoke system that has thousands of songs to sing. Singing is one of our favorite pastimes within my family and we also enjoy listening to the fabulous local bands.
Which Music Do You Like?
Unless you are into hard core Country & Western Music, you will not be disappointed in the type of music you can listen to in the Philippines or sing on most public or private karaoke systems. However, I was recently very surprised to see some old American Country & Western songs in Daday’s Karaoke Bar in Bacolod City. Does Merle Haggard ring a bell? What about Buck Owens?
The Philippines has many local music bands that cover almost the complete genre of music, including folk, rock, hip hop, reggae, Latino, heavy metal, punk, rap, dance, jazz, easy listening and tribal. Yep, I have heard them all at one time or another! I first heard the Filipino Sabor Latino Band in the early 90s when they were performing songs from the “Mambo Kings” soundtrack at a bar in Makati and today, they are pretty famous in the Philippines for their sound.
An article about Music in the Philippines would not be complete without mentioning RJ Jacinto, The Father of Philippine Rock n Roll! I first heard RJ way back in 1987 when he had returned from exile during the Marcos years. RJ designs his own guitars and while they won’t allow you to pick them up and play right off the bat, they are internationally acclaimed. Think of a Les Paul and a Fender Jazzmaster and you will have an RJ Guitar. RJ cranks out the old time Rock n Roll weekly with his band in several upscale hotel lounges in Metro Manila and he has his own syndicated TV Show on Dream Satellite and Skycable. When was the last time you heard the song, “Twist and Shout?” RJ is still raking out the songs on his guitar and his lead female singer will belt out some songs by the Pointer Sisters, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and others to throw in some update variety dance songs that are not traditional Rock n Roll.
No matter what shape your music mind is in, you will find music in the Philippines to put the beat in your feet. Hey, did I ever tell ya that the first time I danced in public with a beautiful young lady was in Manila in 1986? True story!
I am a music fanatic and as I mentioned, I love singing! One of my favorite pastimes in the Philippines is singing karaoke and I had a lot of practice to get pretty good, I might add. Pearl Jam, Ray Charles, CCR, Van Morrison, Simply Red, Rolling Stones, Steve Miller Band, The Beatles and Metallica are just a few of the performer’s songs that I really enjoy covering.
It really is more fun in the Philippines and I think it is the Land of Song and Dance!
The Philippines has tons of good musicians. The best stay home and make a good living in Manila, but hotel clubs in the Middle East and Asia are full of Filipino artists not quite good enough to make a living at home where the competition is nothing other than fierce. Still, something’s not quite because few Filipino artists pick up world wide audiences and even he locally famous play to much smaller venues than do less than world-class artists who pass through on their way home from Japan or Korea. Alan Lindo (apl de ap) and Bruno Mars are international media stars with Filipino roots and are hugely popular in the Philippines. What I don’t get is why Filipinos with the same level of talent are not as popular at home or promoted well enough to make it on the international scene.
Thank you much for your comment, Gordon. The music business is tough everywhere. I was involved in the Outlaw Music scene in Nashville,Tennessee in the late 70s and I never figured it out! Guys who were a lot better than the ones who made it never got the recognition they deserved.The Philippines is no different. It just takes being in the right place at the right time and most importantly, high level promotional connections.In the Philippines, it often takes money to be promoted, which many do not have. Makes no sense but that is the way it is here many times.
Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in 2007 and he is from Metro Manila. He made it.
We had friends in China who were members of Filipino bands and their pay in 2005 was $1,000 per month, free lodging, food, medical and an air ticket back home at the end of their contract. They were doing better than their countrymen back home playing in the hotels and bars, which often catered to foreigners.
I personally know a Filipino guy, Marlon, who can play the guitar as well as Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughn but he is not famous. He works a full time job in Bacolod City and plays in clubs on the side. He has a band known as Band Aid because they are all over 40.
Locally, there is work. I have been asked if I would sing at special events and I am certainly not a professional singer but I am no slouch in singing certain songs. It is for fun and no big money in it.
~ Gary ~
Arnel Pineda…what a story. Talk about a guy who came from nothing and became a success. He was very poor as a kid and apparently a package of Marie biscuit cookies was his only food for a couple days at least once (so the story goes). Neil Schoen of Journey saw some videos of Arnel on YouTube, worked at it to make contact with him and the rest, as they say, is history. The American Dream is still alive and kicking…in The Philippines.
I agree, Bruce. Arnel Pineda really came out of nowhere and took Journey back to the sound of the Steve Perry days.
Bruno Mars’ mom is a Filipina and he comes to the Philippines often to perform.
Allan Pineda, aka apl de ap, of the Black Eyed Peas, is a US and Philippine citizen. He also performs often in the Philippines.
There are many good Filipino bands in the country but they are not so well known outside. A Filipino friend, Marlon, can play as well as Carlos Santana and the late Stevie Ray Vaughn but until he comes out with some original material, I don’t think he will ever receive the recognition he deserves other than on the local scene.
~ Gary ~