Neighbors who? (RADIO BLOGCAST #16)

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“Neighbors who?” you may ask. People who attended the very early days of Club Ska, Standing Room, the 2002 NU 107 Summer Shebang, the Modern Movement, listens and watch to NU 107 In The Raw and DZRJ’s Soundblasters and Pinoy Rock and Rhythm regularly don’t really need to ask that question. But for you people who are just discovering the ska scene here in Manila, you might not heard of or seen the band live. The band is a ska act that has been about for quite some time and has played venues such as Mayric’s, Club Dredd, 70’s Bistro, Heckle and Jeckle, Hobbit House, the Music Museum as well as concerts such as Fete dela Musique, 1st Bob Marley Festival, Oooohh Lola! and also featured on MTV Siesta. And out of town gigs like Cebu, Bataan, Cabanatuan, Lucena and Baguio. All of the members are from Angono, Rizal and almost all of them have a classical music background, although not all are professionally trained.

Neighbors, an 8-piece ska band, were formally formed on August of 1995 although the original idea of forming a group was being kicked around as early as December of 1994. In May of 1995 they first saw Put3Ska at an Angono underground concert called “Subterranean Tour”. It was at this gig the idea to form a band became more concrete.










The band’s first gig was in, of all places, a strip joint! Called Café Angono, and the band at the time were known as Ska Bonanza. The band got a gig at UP, but unfortunately things did not go too well and they were dissed at the UP fine arts festivities. The band points out that at the time the UP students did not accept ska music. They didn’t have the slightest idea what ska is. But look at them now!



In late 1995 Neighbors met Put3Ska at Mayric’s and approached the band to jam with them. P3K did opt to let them play between their sets. Neighbors duly obliged and showed Put3Ska what they were capable of. They were suitably impressed and promptly had Neighbors included in a gig that was held in Club Dredd shortly after. The band, after another impressive performance (this time surprising Dredd’s management), was slated regularly to play at Ska Nights until Club Dredd EDSA closed in 1998.


[Gig at 70's Bistro, 1997]




[One of the band's early gig in Club Dredd Edsa, 1997.
See Myra (Skarlet) really enjoying the music!]



Their principal influences are Madness of the “Our House” fame, Hepcat, The Beatles, The Clash and the Almighty Skatalites, a pioneer Jamaican ska band formed in the 60’s. The band is also currently listening to other forms of music such as Latin Jazz, Bossa Nova, 60’s modern jazz, bebop and 60’s Soul in order to incorporate those elements into their music.


[First album recording sessions]

In March 2000, the band recorded most of their original compositions and released and later released an independent CD within that year. Called “Angono Ska Explosion”, it is their full-length debut album that includes originals, a couple of early Jamaican Ska hits and some Filipino classical tunes. The band was also nominated in the 2001 NU 107 Rock Awards but unfortunately they didn’t win, obviously a rock band won. The nomination was quite a surprise because it was not expected. They were home having a laugh with their drinking buddies when they heard the nominees announced.



[With Rhanny Torres and Mang Jess helping us out with the mixing & recording at Cinematix Studios in Pasig]

We thank Rhanny Torres, Mang Jess, Jeff Felix, all our friends and families for helping us record our first album.

THIS FIRST ALBUM IS ORIGINALLY PRODUCED WITH LIMITED COPIES AND ARE ALREADY OUT OF PRINT AND IS HARD TO FIND NOW. SO AS FOR YOU BOYS AND GIRLS WHO'D STILL BE INTERESTED IN HAVING A COPY OF THIS ALBUM, WE GIVE 'EM TO YOU HERE!
We're spreading and sharing our original music to you for free, please distribute and share them without the intention of making money off of these.

This is just the first part of a series of Neighbors' recorded materials that we'll post here so watch out for more! Even if we wont be seeing Neighbors perform Live again for calling it quits, Still, there's more to come!

We raise our glass to one of the Philippine local ska scene's great ska acts!

Enjoy!

Angono Ska Explosion – 2000 (Zoom Records)


(RADIO BLOGCAST #16)

TRACKLIST:
Angono Ska Explosion
1898
Dahil Sa'yo
Back To School, Forward March
Big Thursday
Dalangin
Dancing Mood
Can't You See
Clarence Thomas
Stop Making Love
Sound Sharp
The Clockworks

>DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM<