Slapshock (Photo courtesy of BMBX)
There was a great measure of anticipation when the helicopter that carried Slapshock lifted off the ground en route to shoot scenes from post-“Yolanda” Tacloban as a backdrop to their tribute song “Unshakable.”
“We knew what to expect pero we didn’t know that it was that bad,” Jamir Garcia tells Bulletin Entertainment.
Despite all the images that flooded TV and social media following the super-typhoon, there simply was no preparing for what it was really like on site. Visiting the area roughly a week after “Yolanda” hit, Slapshock aimed to know firsthand.
“(Meron kaming) chopper kasi kukunan ng aerial (shots) eh. Pagsakay namin na ganun, nawala ‘yong excitement namin kasi nakita namin talagang grabe,” bassist Lee Nadela relates. “Para talaga siyang binagsakan atomic bomb… wasak talaga lahat… Kita mo ‘yong barko nasa loob na, nasa inland. Hindi mo talaga ma-explain paanong nangyari ‘yong ganon.”
Slapshock stayed in Tacloban for only a day, but it had been quite an eye-opener. “Tumambay ka lang sa isang tindahan, for a few minutes, tapos nagkuwento (sila) kung ano’ng nangyari sa kanila, malalaman mo talaga,” Lee recalls.
Jamir notes the commonality of the experiences among the locals there, mostly stories of despair that can break the hearts of the hardiest of men: The disturbing tales of bodies left at the airport; the destruction of lives and livelihood that is never easy to comprehend; the venue they used to play at stripped down to one wall left standing.
Guitarist Jerry Basco adds, “Ako lang, sa totoo lang nung nagpunta kami, within siguro mga three-four hours, gusto ko nang umalis…nakakaawa sobra. Parang ayaw ko nang makita, parang masakit na (sa kalooban).”
“Ang dami nilang mga kuwentong talagang ‘yong paano sila nag-survive. Kulang na lang umiyak ka talaga doon eh, kung hindi lang nakakahiya,” Lee adds. “Makikita mo kung gaano ka ka-swete na nadito ka.”
One story that resonated with them is that of a sick old woman who helped her neighbours to safety and hung on for dear life in the midst of the storm surge. Tired and beaten, she simply let go. Then there’s the story of that same woman’s son, Jaba, who was looking for her body amid the destruction “Yolanda” left behind. He eventually found her buried under the pile of rubble they’ve been walking on for days. Jaba would figure in the video, one of the several locals that represent a region’s collective anguish.
It is easy to dismiss such as a vanity project, a concept that could easily cross over to exploitative. The value of Slapshock’s song and video, however, lies in the spirit with which it was put together. More a tribute to the resilience of man against nature, and the Filipino spirit that never wavers, Jamir notes of the rock anthem, “We didn’t want it to be a sad song. We want it to be uplifting.”
What they hope to give back to Tacloban is only a fraction of what they got from their experience there – pure inspiration from and awe of the very people whose lives were nearly lost. This is the more important angle to consider, and towards the video’s end we still see some sad eyes but with smiling faces. The message is clear: These people have been through the worst; it is time to rebuild. Slapshock, in its own way, has simply taken it upon themselves to help.
The band has no family in the devastated areas, but they do have a lot of fans there – with most greeting them warmly; others, coming up to them with a simple request for a picture. “Salamat sa pagbisita,” they would say.
“Ibang klase ‘yong mga kids doon… (in) high spirits pa sila,” Lee reveals.
“Masyado pa silang bata para ma-digest ’yung nangyari,” guitarist Lean Ansing notes.
During the visit, Slapshock left some of the locals a guitar so they could while away their time and chase their sorrows through song. But the band would leave something more: A promise.
It is because the kids went through such a traumatic experience that Slapshock decided to donate 100% of the proceeds raised by “Unshakable,” which is up on iTunes and spinner.ph, into building a playground for them.
“Hindi naman kailangang malaki, maliit, basta may nagawa kami,” Jamir notes. “I’m not asking for anything in return. Ang return na hinihingi namin is for them to help us magtayo ng playground. Well, actually if we have to beg, we’ll beg for the kids… We wanna go back and we promise you na babalik kami doon, you’ll see us playing with the kids doon sa playground.”
“Gusto ko’ng tumugtog ulit doon na, siyempre libre lahat, para maiba na uli. Para unti-unti nang bumangon at bumalik ‘yong dati,” Jerry says.
“Unshakable” was written with JD of Malaysia’s indie rap-rock band Pop Shuvit, a long-time collaborator. The band would go on to play “Unshakable,” which peaked on the Pinoy MYX Countdown at No. 2, at the Red Horse Muziklaban on Feb. 1 with an orchestra.
Slapshock is also the first band that signed up with Apl.De.Ap’s Southeast Asian-based entertainment company, BMBX (Boombox). In October, the band recorded its eighth studio album in full in the US, the first after its contract with a local record label expired. It will be released in summer, with a promise of a very different sound engineered by Grammy winner Damien Page Lewis (Avenged Sevenfold).
Marking its 17th year on Feb. 14, Slapshock is thankful for their place in local music. With an eye to break further ground abroad, the band is in perfect position now, with the backing of BMBX, to break through and hopefully pave the way for others to follow.
Before all that, however, Jamir notes that “Unhsakable” is something they all hope would “encourage (others) to help.”
Slapshock pays tribute to ‘Unshakable’ Pinoys
Source: Mb.com.ph (February 01, 2014 at 09:44PM)
Continue...
No comments:
Post a Comment