The Flying Lugaw's Essential 20 Local Music Videos

From its humble origins as part of cinema’s earliest years to when MTV first went on-air in August 1981 and up to when YouTube hosted its first-ever video in April 2005, the music video has inevitably changed the way people consume music as both song and moving images got delivered in one neat, complete package designed to stimulate not just one but two of our five primary senses. In fact, the music video can be very easily seen as a form of short film in itself and deserves very much the same appreciation as one would do for feature-length films. As our own little way of giving the long-overdue ode to the music video, we at The Flying Lugaw would like to present the first installment in an ongoing series of articles covering some of what we strongly believe are essential local music videos that made an indelible mark in the consciousness of our very own music scene and that our readers should find some time to watch.

Some notes before proceeding with our rundown of essential local music videos:

After scouring through just about every music video available online from artists in the local music scene that I and Lugaw himself are into, we were both frankly astonished at the sheer amount of local music videos that are readily available for anyone to watch at their own disposal. As a result, we had to do the entire feature in installments as opposed to posting all our picks in one fell swoop similar to what FHM Philippines attempted to do exactly a decade ago when they featured what they thought at the time to be the 50 Greatest Pinoy Music Videos ever made (said article lacked a proper introduction by the way). Besides, it would be easier not just for me and Lugaw himself but for our readers as well to read an article wherein 20 out of our complete list of essential local music videos are featured followed by another article with perhaps 15 more local music videos and possibly another follow-up article with yet 15 more of the same until we finally run out of entries to consider posting.

I and Lugaw himself also had to come up with a couple of really basic criteria for us to easily determine if a local music video should make it in our list or not. First and foremost is that officially released performance videos that are severely lacking in any memorable visual aesthetic are automatically excluded from our list (no exceptions here since we even had to cross out lackluster performance videos for songs that we both absolutely like). See, while very much appreciated, watching an artist play in a studio, room, warehouse, bar or on some open space for any straight number of minutes without anything interesting to offer can get really boring on the part of anyone who has had their fill of watching performance videos. The way I and Lugaw himself see it, the music video is supposed to be an avenue for artists and directors to fully utilize whatever skills and tricks there are to pull off that would grab the attention of the viewer given the very limited amount of time in a song so might as well stretch those creative limits while at it.

Second is that local music videos for songs that either I or Lugaw himself aren’t really into are also automatically excluded from our list. While we like to cover as many different genres as possible as can be seen in our usual flurry of posts and gig alerts here in The Flying Lugaw, we still have our personal preferences to consider since we’re not automatons here who would just be quick to absorb anything and everything. Of course, suggestions from our readers as to what other local music videos we should add to our list are most welcome as long as either one of us here in TFL are into the song that got the music video treatment.

We should also add that despite the vast amount of local music videos that have been made available online ever since the first one got made (we admittedly have no idea at all as to what was the first local music video ever made but that is not what our series of articles is for; please feel free to chime in via our comments section instead as we surely could use some outside help in identifying that), it came very much to our surprise and frustration that there are also more than a handful of local music videos that for some reason or another never made it to YouTube, the digital generation’s preferred platform of choice for watching music videos and other clips of various sorts. A few of those unavailable local music videos are as follows:

>Marty McFly – Make Up

Full disclosure: I am old enough to have been aware of channel 37 on local free TV’s first ever incarnation as the defunct and still dearly missed FM radio station NU107’s sister network unTV instead of what most people now see as UNTV (notice the difference in capitalization), the TV network of some religious organization who seems to be eternally at odds with some larger religious cult that their differences are largely irreconcilable right from the get go. I am also old enough to at least recall having seen indie rock band Marty McFly’s music video for their song “Make Up” dozens of times on channel 37 back when I was still a teenager trying to figure out a lot of things on my own. Come 2017, I was quite shocked to find out that the said music video isn’t available at all on YouTube so I did what anyone also old enough to have seen it on free TV would have done: post a “looking for” status about it on Facebook. Thankfully, I know at least one member of Marty McFly both online and personally so I tagged him expecting that his band’s sole music video throughout their short-lived existence in the music scene might be made available online in the foreseeable future. My own hopes would prove to be as short-lived though as the Marty McFly member I asked about it very bluntly replied that it was the band’s decision for their only music video to never see the light of day. I realized right then and there that the best thing to do after receiving that reply was to just humbly accept Marty McFly’s decision and be content with the fact that at least I had the chance to see their music video for “Make Up” which seemed to me at the time as a slightly more warped take on Blind Melon’s iconic music video for “No Rain”. However, don’t take my word fully as my own recollection of it is sadly rather unreliable at this point.

photo by Jamstorm Media

> Glitch – Shiver

Same story as above except that I don’t know anyone from Cebu-based nu-metal band Glitch nor am I completely sure if they would respond to any inquiries I make via direct message on their Facebook page about why their music video for “Shiver” isn’t available online but if anyone in the band ever reads this, our comments section is open.

> The Pin-Up Girls – The Five Minute Hallway; A Cold and Better Place

Three music videos from the same band (“The Five Minute Hallway” having two different versions). Again, same story as above. We’re not really expecting The Pin-Up Girls to reply via our comments section as both that and its later incarnation as the Pin-Ups have been long dead already but it would still be nice if anyone who served their time in any of the two acts mentioned could fill us up via our comments section as to if they would consider making those three music videos of theirs available online.

With all that out of the way, let’s all take a look at what I and Lugaw himself had chosen as our first 20 of we both believe are essential local music videos.

- Admin Recluse

THE 20 ESSENTIAL LOCAL MUSIC VIDEOS

1.) Francis Magalona - Kaleidoscope World

Whenever Francis Magalona (RIP) is brought up in any conversation, we think of him as the ‘King of Rap’, a pop icon, and one of the most significant figures of the local music industry. His charisma and colorful wordplay has made him to be one of the first ever rap artists to cross over to the mainstream in the 90’s. Enter ‘Kaleidoscope World’, a song that transforms itself to be one of the most inspirational tracks in his entire discography.

Contrasting on self doubt and equality of a human being, we often look back at this song whenever we lean a little bit in the brighter side of things. Now with this ever iconic music video, Francis M.’s touch on every subject makes you feel hopeful that there will be a solution to finding our own meaning in life. The Man From Manila walks in different hues of color in every clip, the variegated colors match on stage where Francis M’s band perform, making the Kaleidoscope World we live in as balanced and vibrant as ever.

2.) Sandwich - Food For The Soul

Casual fans of local alternative rock band Sandwich might be singing praises towards vocalist Raimund Marasigan every time he scores a hit in the music charts to the point where all they know is that he has been fronting the band ever since. Now, any other person who is familiar with the history or has been a longtime fan of Sandwich knows that is not the case at all as Kjwan vocalist and character actor Marc Abaya used to sing for them from their formation in 1998 up to 2005. Sandwich managed to put out three albums during Abaya’s stay in the band, the second of which was 2001’s “4-Track Mind” whose second track called “Food for the Soul” got its own music video which turned out to be the second one they had put out**.

Directed by Marie Jamora (who would make more than just one appearance in this series given the vast amount of local music videos that she directed over the years), the music video for “Food for the Soul” finds all five members of Sandwich wearing clothes that are orange, blue, yellow, and red, all bright colors that very easily capture the viewer’s attention from the get-go***. Also of note in the said music video are two sequences: the first one between 00:48 and 01:06, and the second one between 01:25 and 01:43. Both sequences are essentially the same shot of all five members of Sandwich doing stuff except that while the first one finds Abaya picking up a magazine lying on the ground, guitarist Diego Castillo blowing bubbles while seated on a bench, bassist Myrene Academia riding a skateboard and drummer Mike Dizon accidentally spilling the contents of a bag of chips he’s opening, the second one finds Abaya putting some goggles on, Castillo switching places with Dizon, Academia switching places with Castillo and Dizon riding a scooter. Only Marasigan does the same rapping while walking for both sequences even if the second one finds him climbing inside a steel drum as well.

It’s also nice to hear a younger Sandwich with Abaya still in their ranks trying their hand at rap-rock; who knew that both Abaya and Marasigan could pull off rapping? The latter’s high-pitched delivery even recalls Ad-Rock from the Beastie Boys, an early influence of the band (or for a more recent example, vocalist Brendan Yates of hardcore punk band Turnstile). The two Sandwich members spitting their respective bars is something that fans of the band’s late 2000’s-era incarnation (sans Abaya) should find some time to check out.

**Strangely enough, I only found out about Sandwich having a music video made prior to the one for “Food for the Soul” while making this installment which makes it more than a decade too late (lol). To quote filmmaker Quark Henares from his interview with Rogue Magazine when he was asked among others to provide an oral history of Sandwich:

“I did their first video (for “Butterfly Carnival”), ever. It was also my first video ever. It entailed Marc and Raimund being beaten up by baseball bats, their dead bodies being disposed as they sang the song. I have good memories about that vid, though I haven’t seen it in years and will probably cringe at the sight of it now.”

The music video for “Butterfly Carnival” is still unavailable online as of this installment’s publication.

***Here’s an interesting article I found about the psychology of color which I think everyone should take some time to read:

http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/color.html That article should also put to rest all those questions I’ve been seeing for the past few years or so about why most fastfood chains are fond of using the colors red and yellow.

3.) Radioactive Sago Project - Astro

There is no question that RA Rivera is a talented director; his mix of vintage, found-footage, and indie film styles measure up to Radioactive Sago Project’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics so well in their groundbreaking single, “Astro” from their critically acclaimed album, Urban Gulaman.

The 70’s Pinoy campy action film style wasn’t the only winning point here in the music video, but it’s also Lourd De Veyra’s dubbed spoken word poetry that narrates the events happening in the short film. Everything about this video screams exaggeration and perfection all at the same time. RASP’s bombastic saxes and trombones make up for a great vintage score in my opinion, while the wit of RA Rivera’s direction is similar a lot of the rough-and-rugged style of Beck’s Loser and Beastie Boys’ Sabotage. The video is a combination of the sleek, chic action film quality, and the cheesy acting of Ramon Bautista, Jun Sabayton among others. In retrospect, “Astro” makes us root for the commoner’s journey to reach the pinnacle of his boring life, brought to you by RASP’s jazz music production and Lourd De Veyra’s lucid nature.

4.) US-2 Evil-0 - Apparently Not

Quark Henares has been mentioned in this installment a couple of times already so might as well cap off my first batch of picks with a music video from his band Us-2 Evil-0. More accurately though, an animated clip set to Us-2 Evil-0’s song “Apparently Not” from their 2009 album “Dirty Debutantes” was submitted by a certain Joxx Espiritu when he was still a student under the tutelage of music video director Lyle Sacris; Henares was supposed to use Espiritu’s submission as a yet another official music video for Us-2 Evil-0 but somewhat forgot to do so until he decided to just upload it on his official YouTube account in 2014. A couple of years later, Espiritu got the long-overdue acknowledgement from Henares himself.

The music video for “Apparently Not” looks like it was drawn by some kid with crayons but it is exactly just that display of innocence which makes it entertaining to watch even if the viewer is treated to almost two and a half minutes of bickering from an animated couple singing the song itself (Us-2 Evil-0 has both Henares and renowned fashion designer Mich Dulce on shared vocal duties). Who would’ve thought that it would be fun seeing a hand-drawn clip wherein the female lead does things like breaking an entire bed into two and throwing knives at her male partner who somehow manages to escape certain death? Good thing the music video for “Apparently Not” was made available online by Henares himself as students looking to start building a career out of animation could go watch it for reference and possible inspiration.

5.) Parokya Ni Edgar - Inuman Na

Back when I was in grade school, I would tune in to Channel MYX to see my favorite ‘OPM’ -- a term that is gradually becoming to be an over saturated acronym as it is used profusely -- band play right in front my eyes. The most common out of the ‘OPM’ that aired live are none other than the rock parody titans Parokya Ni Edgar. PNE are obvious contenders when mentioning their videos. Their silly lyrics and thee whackiness in their videos are big contributions to the music community, it all came to a conclusion that Parokya Ni Edgar’s videos become the icing of the cake in their tracks.

A lot of their videos have the potential to be in this list or hell even have their own list commemorating on each and every video they released under their belt. Singles that are “Mr. Suave”, “The Yes Yes Show”, and even “Order Taker” are close contenders but I’m glad that i choose one that is closest to the heart of those who can relate to in a personal level. No, that isn’t “Harana” or that Abra assisted track “Diwata”. The video had to be ‘Inuman Na’ from their album “Gulong Itlog Gulong” (released 1999).

“Inuman Na” lessens the slapstick that PNE is known for in their videos and maximize on the laid back-ness of the song’s theme. These guys sound like they’re having the time of their lives and we can learn that we can take a break from all the hard work and have a fun time with our loved ones. Parokya made it look natural for 4 and a half minutes and it’s so well done, you can’t help but sit back and think of the good times.

I would also like to point out the wild cameos that appeared in this video whilst the table gets wider for everyone to join in; people like Rico Blanco, Teusday Vargas, Tado (RIP), Barbie Almabis, a Xenomorph, and Kuya Germs (RIP). The video also represents the happy hour as a Filipino past time (which is still on-going and celebrated by many). ‘Inuman Na’ was one of those videos where it utilizes a continuous 360 tracking shot, a bunch of mascots, a band singing their hearts out, and a concept that can never be topped by other artists. All of which are executed in classic Parokya Ni Edgar fashion.

6. ) KZ Tandingan - Scared To Death

A music video for a pop song as directed by the drummer of a metal band; it might sound a little strange for most pop music aficionados out there but it has happened before. I would like to ask anyone who knows their pop music videos right now: Does the name Jonas Åkerlund ring a bell? If no, a little background: Åkerlund got his start in music as a drummer for Viking metal pioneers Bathory (and even appeared on record for the band’s self-titled debut album) but eventually became more known for his work directing music videos for the likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna, Beyonce, Britney Spears, and several other heavy hitters in the world of pop music so if some global pop icon decides to put out a music video, chances are Jonas Åkerlund directed it. Here’s where it gets interesting: What if I told our readers that the local music scene has its very own answer to Jonas Åkerlund?

As Star Music and its parent company ABS-CBN can’t be arsed to give credit where credit is due, The Flying Lugaw would like to commend Joal Eduarte, drummer for local thrash metal band Paraphrenic Hostility and a budding filmmaker in his own right, for his work in directing the music video for “Scared to Death”, an early single by reality talent search winner and pop singer KZ Tandingan that was originally put out as an entry for the 2013 edition of songwriting and music video contest Himig Handog. Unlike most other locally released pop music videos (with the exception of the music video for “Hanggang Ngayon” by R&B singer Kyla which will be featured in the next installment of this series; there, I said it), Eduarte made sure that his background as a metal musician and fan somehow seeped its way into his work in the music video for “Scared to Death”.

Those scenes involving four pallbearers clad in hooded black robes as well as a mortician applying makeup on the singer’s corpse are already standard metal music video tropes at this point but with only Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga being a couple of notable instances wherein they also incorporated metal and horror imagery for some of their own promotional clips, it’s still quite interesting to see a local pop music video that isn’t necessarily all pastel colors and feel-good themes all over. The “time moving backwards” trope is also a nice touch to the music video for “Scared to Death”, a testament that video clips being made for our very own pop songs don’t necessarily need to be so overly saccharine and formulaic all the time.

7. ) Moonstar88 - Torete

Once the age of female-led alternative rock acts began to flourish around early to mid-00's. Bands such as Imago, Kitchie Nadal, and MOJOFLY are topping the local charts nationwide and way before Maysh Baay released "Migraine", it was Acel Bisa who helped Moonstar88 catapult to higher ground with their breakout single, “Torete”. The title comes from a slang that means “delirious” or “crazy”, back when I was, again, in grade school, I assumed that the meaning of the word “torete” meant “shy”. I wasn’t even aware that I confused it for “torpe”. But the melody, the momentum, the entire concept of being madly in love with the person you cherish so much, it left a mark in my young mind.

The MV was your typical performance video where Moonstar88 are playing somewhere around an abandoned building. The track took two minutes to finally reach the main chorus but they switched it back to the part where the band members are literally being strapped with a straitjacket, Gleefully playing with the concept of being, well, crazy in love with someone. Moonstar88's "Torete" triggered a special moment in my childhood where it eventually became a themesong for everyone who are keeping their faith and heart for one another.

8. ) Put3Ska - Manila Girl

Am I the only one who is of the opinion that most of this page’s readers who were probably born after 1995 and are into exploring music that isn’t necessarily considered as safe have it way too easy now as their old folks would just shrug it off (at least in most instances)? Because (*narrates in a geriatric voice*) there once was a time when a lot of parents tried to reprimand or even punish their children who were getting into music that they perceived as a “bad influence”, “no redeeming social value”, or even just a little too loud for their own hearing.

Parental paranoia was at an all-time high back then that even something as fun and upbeat as ska isn’t safe from the ire of a generation with outdated values and rebelling against your old folks by listening to and being into loud music regardless of genre was a risk in itself – or at least that was the main takeaway I got from the music video for local band Put3Ska’s biggest hit.

Heavily influenced by the second wave ska scene built in the 80’s largely under the auspices of 2 Tone Records, Put3Ska emerged in 1993 as our very own music scene’s answer to the said UK record label’s The Selecter. With ska being revived yet again at the time (though with a lot more incorporation of street punk and in some cases, NYC-style hardcore) to the point where a third wave was officially designated for it, Put3Ska stuck to their guns by introducing the whole 2 Tone aesthetic to the local music scene and putting out their self-titled debut album in 1994 which featured their own take on punk band Urban Bandits’ “Manila Girl” that eventually became the band’s signature song and was used in a segment of a noontime show as well as an overly campy romcom.

The said cover version then had its own music video which opens with a scene of a teenage girl going home after school and brimming with joy as she tells her old folks that she’s got a picture of Put3Ska only to be met with contempt as her father scolds her for getting in the way of the household TV set and tells her to focus more on her studies.

Said teenage girl then grumbles in her bedroom while getting ready to do her school homework but ends up falling asleep instead. Only then does another picture of Put3Ska placed in a small frame suddenly come to life with the band playing at what seems to be an English-style pub. A white skinhead guy wearing suspenders also skanks his way into the music video for some reason. The band even makes their way into the teenage girl’s bedroom and plays some more there; predictably, her dad gets angry with all that noise but he, her wife and their infant grandchild then ultimately start moving along to the beat as well. Sometimes I wish that the happy ending in the music video for “Manila Girl” also happened in real life back then instead of having to endure the wrath of your parents for not being into the same music as they are.

9. ) BLKD - Taksil

UPRISING's multitude of memorable releases and talented roster of producers and rappers eventually made them the premier hip-hop label in the country, releasing masterpiece after masterpiece that has made us recollect both awareness and the past-time, providing tracks that are about the country's current social climate. The label has been walking back and forth in the past to the present, bringing forth new life in their brand of boom-bap based production and contemporary songwriting.

One worthy example of 'past and present' is FlipTop emcee, UPRISING signee, and fellow revolutionary game-changer, BLKD, teaming up with the Mighty Miscellanous beatsmith DJ UMPH in the classic debut, "Gatilyo". The 9-track album had a lot to say and we wished each song had their own individual music video, primarily focusing on the themes that are being tackled by BLKD's razor sharp lyricism. One music video stood out in the trenches of the album's dark essence, and that is "Taksil".

Making this the most recent entries in the entire list, the video and it's innovative aspect ratio is more suitable for a mobile viewing, and there's nothing else to comment on besides DJ UMPH's eerie production, BLKD's cautionary verses about traitors living among us, and Paco's haunting storytelling that literally goes on frame-by-frame. Directed by none other than the B&W Maestro himself, Paco Raterta, he inserts his signature grayscale-color style and added some elements we wouldn't expect that would count as a 'music video' but rather an on-going short film that keeps on rolling down to the bottom of the screen (Chancing upon this video for the first time when it was released made me miss out on some pretty cool details the music video had in store.)

BLKD's "Taksil" made it in this list not only for its public service announcement about being betrayed and hissing with snakes but also for its reclusive and uncomfortable video concept that made this song extra special.

10. ) Comatose - Rivals of the Throne

Most of the picks I chose for this installment of our series of articles on what I and Lugaw himself believe are essential local music videos date from the 90’s up to the early 2000’s (yeah, I know… I’m OLD, no need to press that any further) but the music video for Cebuano death metal band Comatose’s song “Rivals of the Throne” is an exception as it came out just a couple of years ago and I can’t resist putting at least one entry from the local extreme metal scene.

While the bulk of the music video for “Rivals of the Throne” is basically just performance shots of a shirtless Comatose (save for the drummer) as well as its vocalist miming to the song, the mere fact that it was shot in a cemetery and features the band wrapped in black hooded robes while walking around the place with one swinging a thurible** presumably filled with incense seals the deal for me. After all, graveyards and cloaked figures spell death metal all over; I’m a total sucker for that kind of stuff. I just wish that more local extreme metal bands other than Comatose would actually put out a memorable music video or two as the horror-based and/or graphic imagery that the genre employs is usually open game for music video directors both upstart and veteran who are more than keen to follow the footsteps of George A. Romero, John Carpenter, Dario Argento and other filmmakers who revolutionized horror cinema.

**I was actually tempted to type “small bucket strung with a chain” until I came across the more proper term for such a thing.

11. ) Monsterbot - Explosive

I (as The Lugaw) wouldnt be impressed to create a list just to show how much people love nostalgia or just simply tickle their sides and remember something in that period of time when the video was released, but there are times where i stumble across a local music video where i haven't seen in my lifetime or even experienced back in grade school years.

Quark Henares was mentioned previously in the same list but that doesn't stop me mentioning his directorial efforts in crafting a quirky yet deranged music video. Monsterbot's "Explosive" came in my senses whenever someone mentions his name; the funny Shopping TV concept, Diego Mapa's over-the-top acting, and of course, the Explosive Capsules that makes someone implode after taking the pill. I can't even imagine how this would pass through the TV board just for this music video to be aired. Blood and guts, the awkward tension of the takers of the Explosive Capsule, and the moment of truth where they one volunteer in the video took the pill. This music video has the right to be called outrageously creative!

This electro-punk/noise rock outfit from the early 2000's became the talk of the town in the local indie scene and this video solidified their short-lived (not really short-lived, the band is still active but rarely even accepts gigs for that matter) but legendary career. Explosie literally is a blast to see in any occassion.

12. ) Wolfgang - Atomica

The Eraserheads’ music video for “Ang Huling El Bimbo” often gets the lion’s share for being one hell of a trailblazer that almost every other local music video ever made pales in comparison. Almost, as there is one other clip out there that I honestly believe is very much at par with that of “Ang Huling El Bimbo”. That said clip was put out by heavy metal band Wolfgang they released their fourth album “Serve in Silence” back in 1999. Inspired by the then-prevalence of nuclear scare reports related to the Y2K bug** that accompanied the start of the New Millennium, “Atomica” served as the opener of “Serve in Silence” and a music video for it was put out shortly after.

Shot inside a tunnel (and perhaps the only local music video in existence thus far that took place in one), the music video for “Atomica” prominently features not just Wolfgang themselves but also a craftsman laboring in his own underground nuclear arms shed, a couple of men in hazmat suits, some zombie extras thrown in for that doomsday horror effect, and an old nobleman. What I like about the said music video is that it has more of a movie feel to it (albeit a short one) rather than just a bunch of random ideas or performance shots of Wolfgang thrown in a blender. One scene in particular struck me as rather interesting as one of the men in hazmat suits has found a corpse wearing a gas mask but the next shot transitions in such a manner that the viewer is led to believe that the hazmat suit-wearing man and the aforementioned nobleman are both looking for something that the nuclear arms craftsman has. Surely enough, the nobleman somehow makes his way into the craftsman’s shed and steals the very core of the nuclear weapon that the latter has been building; for what reason, your guess is as good as ours. The men in hazmat suits also eventually make their way in the craftsman’s shed and proceed to shoot him dead. That is how you do a music video, folks: come up with a short story that matches the song’s lyrics one way or another and put some interesting lead characters in it. No wonder some sites I found that mention the music video for “Atomica” consider it to be “one of the greatest Filipino rock music videos of all time” (their words, not mine).

**Those born after 1995 might not have known much about it anymore but to expound just a little, the Y2K bug was perceived as a major threat by experts within and even outside of the information technology sector as most computer programs were supposedly prone to misinterpreting the year 2000 as 1900, most especially if only the last two digits are used to indicate the year; this was said to have devastating implications not just on one’s personal computer but also in the still-ongoing nuclear arms race between nations with the capability and government funding as even the computer programs designed to prevent those missiles from being automatically launched weren’t immune from the bug after all. A huge portion of mainstream media coverage that surrounded the Y2K bug have since been proven to be nothing more than fear mongering.

13. ) Ang Bandang Shirley - Tama Na Ang Drama

Alternative-rock powerhouse and fan favorite Ang Bandang Shirley, are the powerhouse of the generation. Whenever the love of our lives are inevitably swept away from the palm of our hands, we can resort back to listening to songs we can relate to in a personal level. We (I and Admin Recluse included) can’t help but sing-a-long to their songs that contain much of the samey-samey lovey dovey formula that possesses most of their music but each of the formula they use is different. Hence, their compositions come in different directions but still manage to carry the same heart that Ang Bandang Shirley are known to take care of in our generation.

The music video for “Tama Na Ang Drama” pretty much sums up the feeling when you feel down in the dumps. I guess, if you listen to Shirley, there are two things that are going to happen: 1.) Regret everything, feel down, and get ready to get hurt and 2.) Be happy that it happened, take some time to be goddamn happy, and get on with your life.

We drink for our sorrows and at the same time glorify our sorrow as a way to get past the things we never mind making a problem out of. I remember seeing this video in the Vandals On The Wall (RIP) website and once I watched I video, I can’t help but feel bad to the woman being portrayed as this happy-go-lucky person who might have just gone through a bad day. And at that very moment, an elderly woman invites the protagonist in her apartment for a drink and a fun but drunk Karaoke session. Their joy really replace the sorrow in their faces and it feels so natural to see the two have fun in the midst of an unfortunate life event. “Tama Na Ang Drama” perfectly illustrates a situation that explains on how we -- as fans, listeners, and music fans in general -- listening to something that is ‘bittersweet’, only for Ang Bandang Shirley to pull off pretty well.

14. ) Drip - Sweet Cheeks

Terno Recordings, which is still owned and operated by Groove Nation head DJ (and a bit more recently, the proprietor of his own record store This Is Pop! located within the outskirts of the Makati business district) Toti Dalmacion last we checked, is often regarded as one of Manila’s top independent record labels mostly catering towards those with more hip sensibilities and has since made their own mark in the local music scene at large. However, unbeknownst to many whose idea of Dalmacion’s record label begins and ends with its flagship band UDD (fka Up Dharma Down), a still criminally underrated trip hop band with a vocalist as equally sultry as Armi Millare quietly made a record that wasn’t just a mere copy of “Mezzanine” or “Dummy”.

That band I’m referring to is Drip who had put out their debut album “Far Side of the World” on Terno back in 2006. While unfortunately not afforded the same legacy via positive public reception as the former Up Dharma Down’s own debut record “Fragmented” which was released in that same year, “Far Side of the World” still managed to capture the zeitgeist of the late 2000’s local music scene, most especially after music videos were made for the songs “Song Number 9”, “Pushing Him Away” and the one we included for this installment, “Sweet Cheeks”. The plot of the music video for “Sweet Cheeks” is a really simple one and something that any romantic flick enthusiast surely has more than their fill of: The viewer is introduced to the music video’s guy and girl alien lead characters. Guy alien is preparing to go out on a date with girl alien who is waiting for him at the cheekily named Earth Sucks Coffee (the pop culture reference is quite easy to spot with that one) but fails to make it after his flying saucer runs out of fuel and crashes in who knows exactly where (maybe a barren field or something). However, compared to most other local music videos that came out in 2006, the music video for “Sweet Cheeks” made use of hand-drawn animation which was still practically a novel concept at the time. One would also be keen to notice that all the doodles that were given life in the said clip were drawn presumably with a black marker on top of a white background; in the hands of lesser filmmakers, it would have resulted in a plain and sterile effort but director Johnny Alcazaren was able to do a lot even without using any colors other than black and white.

As I had noted in my introduction to this entire series, FHM Philippines published their own listicle of what they thought to be the 50 Greatest Pinoy Music Videos ever made a full decade ago and the one for “Sweet Cheeks” was included there along with a two-sentence blurb. What it forgot to mention was how the song’s retro-futuristic synth sounds that recall Portishead, Stereolab, Broadcast, Sun Ra, Raymond Scott and even the exotica of Martin Denny and Les Baxter are a perfect match for the said music video’s Space Age setting and overall whimsical feel. Just a couple of things though: one simply does not prod a Venus flytrap (most especially if it’s of the alien variety) nor catcall a female alien and expect to not become instant food.

15.) UDD (Up Dharma Down) - Sana

Terno Recordings’ very own flagship band UDD (formerly known as Up Dharma Down -- but I refuse to call them by their current name if you ask me), have gone through a steady career ever since their soft-rock and soul beginnings but it’s their later albums that sprung (Bipolar, and Capacities) to the mainstream that gained their notoriety among young fans and old fans alike.

Bipolar had a lot of long and winding tracks about lovers being tangled up in the dilemmas of life. But I wouldn’t analyze the entire album because back when I was in 5th grade, i never thought of that kind of stuff, it’s the visual representation of the tracks that keep me glued to the screen. Up Dharma Down’s “Sana” is the video that kept me watching until the very end. A videogame-inspired theme that is utilized as a concept for “Love is a Competition” where two contestants in this game show/video- game (either of the two), who are wearing the two basic colors which are red and blue. The two race each other to the finish line for them to win over the girl of their dreams (in fact, the video does kinda remind me of Takeshi’s Castle and Super Mario Brothers). This was the only memorable UDD track for all I can remember even if “Tadhana” and “Oo” are literally the only songs that are aired on TV and in the FM radio every now and then. Up Dharma Down’s “Sana” slow motion live-action flows effortlessly with Armi Millares’ crooning voice. An asset that Up Dharma Down can strike right at the center of the hearts of listeners in all ages.

16.) Greyhoundz - Your Puppet and Clown

While I’m not really that much into nu-metal these days, I have to admit that a lot of bands under that subgenre during its peak had managed to put out songs that became my gateway towards an eventual appreciation of a lot of what can be considered as metal. One such band from our very own music scene whose songs formed part of the soundtrack to my angry teenage years is Greyhoundz whose own take on nu-metal was so well-received that their early fans even coined the term “kupaw” (a mishearing of band vocalist Reg Rubio’s shouts opening their breakout song “Pigface”) as a handy one-word label to describe the local nu-metal clique that sprung in the late 90’s up to the early 2000’s. With a string of hits under their name, it sometimes strikes me as a bit strange that one of the songs Greyhoundz had officially released as a single from their self-titled album back in 2001 called “Your Puppet and Clown” seems to not have been getting its fair share of popularity as of late, at least compared to say, “Doble Kara”, “Koro”, the aforementioned “Pigface” or “Shoot to Kill”. I can’t really say that “Your Puppet and Clown” hasn’t aged well as both song and the Rico Gutierrez-helmed music video that came with it are still as fresh, at least for me, as when they were first put out. Funny I mentioned director Rico Gutierrez here as I’m personally not a fan of most of his output (I’ve actually had the misfortune of finding out that he is currently directing this weekly children’s fantasy program on channel 7 as I think every episode of it aired thus far is sub-par TV at its worst but that is another topic I would rather much reserve for a different time) but I would give him more than enough props for making a music video that I actually enjoyed watching when I came across it on TV (yes, reader born after 1995, that was how we used to watch music videos back in the pre-Internet era).

What I like most about the music video for “Your Puppet and Clown” is that Gutierrez chose to make a clip that is decidedly sociopolitical in which this country’s history of slavery as well as the moral hypocrisy of its Catholic institutions are tackled, even if a bit cloaked in symbolism, thus giving the song’s lyrics a whole new meaning other than merely being someone’s robot. The music video for “Your Puppet and Clown” also prominently features actress Rosanna Roces when she was still at her prime and had a formidable showbiz career built on a bunch of 90’s softcore flicks that she starred in; Roces’ screen time in the said music video also somewhat added to the allure surrounding the entire clip back when it was aired in almost constant rotation. Now if only Rico Gutierrez could just put that fat paycheck he has been receiving from channel 7 for the longest time already to making stuff that isn’t too campy and more reflective of his Vimeo bio where he stated that he admires the works of critically acclaimed filmmakers Michel Gondry and Guillermo del Toro…

17.) Chicosci - Shallow Graves

A lot of people I know instantly cringe whenever the name Chicosci is brought up in casual conversation and I can’t really blame them for reacting like that as the band has suffered since their self-titled 2006 record from a steady decline into becoming a generic emo legacy act struggling to stay relevant for a newer audience composed of young fans whose ages are roughly half of that of vocalist Miggy Chavez and bassist Mong Alcaraz, the only two remaining original members left. But for some who have followed Chicosci from their beginnings under a different name, 2004’s “Icarus” was the last good record that the band ever made. Even if essentially just more of the same as what Chicosci had already put out when they changed their sound from the previous nu-metal of “Revenge of the Giant Robot” (released under the name Chico Science) to the post-hardcore of “Method of Breathing” that took inspiration from bands like From Autumn to Ashes, Funeral for a Friend and like-minded acts who were signed at the time as part of underground label Ferret Records’ roster, “Icarus” still had some gems that even the band itself have found rather hard to match ever since they caved in to being just another mediocre-sounding emo group.

One of those gems is the song “Shallow Graves” whose music video as directed by Quark Henares is a rather pointed satire criticizing the lack of a proper work-life balance in most corporate settings by way of a parody of the typical AVP (audio visual presentation) that corporations use to promote their brand to potential investors, other stakeholders and job applicants. The said music video takes the viewer to a mini-tour inside the premises of Chicosci®, a fictional company located on the 17th floor of a building somewhere in Makati**. The usual perks and facilities enjoyed as well as policies supposed to be observed by the employees working for Chicosci® are presented but with Chicosci the band energetically performing, thus setting a stark contrast to the typical humdrum surrounding the average Makati office.

Still no word to this day though if Chicosci® is connected in any way to the Chicosci Vampire Social Club but kidding aside, it’s nice to see the band’s classic lineup when they still had a percussionist aside from the usual drummer in their ranks. Fans of Chicosci from 2006 onwards should watch the music video for “Shallow Graves” as well as a few other older music videos from them to get an idea of what made the band stand out before whether it be their nu-metal or post-hardcore incarnations and why a lot of people slowly began to lose interest in them after losing their percussionist.

**Though if one pays close attention to a shot of the receptionist and security guard manning the company lobby and who are both all smiles, the entire music video was actually shot in the offices of Viva Entertainment, Incorporated located in Ortigas Center, Pasig.

18.) Rico Blanco - Antukin

After staying in Rivermaya ever since its inception, singer-songwriter Rico Blanco eventually went out on his own just to focus on a more straightforward musical direction and no I am not here to speak about his polarizing “Galactik Fiestamatik” release or the comeback album “Dating Gawi”, instead I will talk about his hit single “Antukin” and it’s opening riff became a permanent mark in my younger-younger years (jokingly implies this writer is older than Admin Recluse).

The music video showed a bunch of workers in a factory while Rico Blanco speaks on the PA mic. Rico sings about how frustrated he frustrated he is in finding the right time and place for his lover. As the tension builds in the factory, the workers speed up their work double the pace, symbolizing his work load as a waste of time wherein he should be spending his time with the love of his life. One thing i love about this video is where it focuses mainly on the industrial set and Rico's tinkering of buttons. This video alone shows that even without his Rivermaya crew backing him up, it became obvious that Rico Blanco can go and write some fantastic songs all on his own.

19.) Yano – Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo

Most local music fans born after 1995 might know Dong Abay as a solo artist with a backing band performing both his original material as well as those from his previous band Yano. It was with the latter though that Abay first developed his distinct vocal style and storytelling, and evidence of that can be found in their breakout song “Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo” from their self-titled debut record released back in 1994. A music video was made for the said song and though parts of it are merely just Yano performing outside a garage, the use of a fisheye lens as well as three cutout puppets of the same old lady churchgoer holding a rosary more than make up for the usual band performance shots.

It’s also nice to see a younger Abay with hair on top of his head and wearing a shirt for the entire duration of the music video for “Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo” as opposed to his current image as a bald, shirtless man who gets very easily mistaken from time to time as comedian and former basketball player Benjie Paras by those who either don’t know any better or are just having a good laugh (or who knows, maybe even both).

20.) Eraserheads - Ang Huling El Bimbo

We all know who the Eraserheads are and it’s self-explanatory to say that this band became a huge influence to the 90’s alternative-rock music boom and in the local music in general. And there’s no need to ask why. We figure that us, I and Admin Recluse, it is appropriate to close out the first edition of this list with a loving tribute to one of the most quintessential local music videos of all time, and that is the one and only, Eraserheads’ “Ang Huling El Bimbo” from their album Cutterpillow (released 1995)

Written and composed by the band’s most prominent member Ely Buendia, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” is one of the most tragic pieces of music to be ever written by any local band/artist. Written like a diary entry, one could explore the deeper themes of the song and the ‘double-meanings’ that are hidden for the listener to find out for themselves. While the song does its job to create a story, the music video does a lot by accompanying the narrator’s steps from being with his first love -- his “Paraluman”-- when they were kids, up until the time when the two characters in the song separate ways. The narrator asked what happened to his first love, then to his own discovery, his “Paraluman” has a child and later on was murdered in a small eskinita.

The music video’s visuals capture the vivid imagery that “Ang Huling El Bimbo” is known for, and for that, it still gives me chills as I watch the video even to this day. Eraserheads has released a lot of songs and left a tremendous amount of legacy for other aspiring bands and artists to be fully inspired by their music. It is indeed iconic.