| Noise,
harsh electronics, experimental... these are
some of the terms that associate with the
music of Insomnia. A Filipino who is
currently living in the US shared with us
his insights about his music, his label, and
his view on the current situation of the
Philippine Underground Scene.
Let's
start off with Insomnia. Will you tell us
the history of the band?
Before I used to call it Threadbare, I don't
really know why, I just looked it up on a
dictionary and found out it kinda matched my
personality, 'coz I thought if I'm gonna do
a solo project, I'd like it to be a
reflection of my whole being. Then I've
found out some band has that name already so
I changed it to Insomnia which was much okei
'coz I usually do my recordings very very
late. My first ever tape was finished in
1996 when I was still living in the
Philippines. It is my favorite tape
("Poisoning Thy Self") and it's
the most craziest thing I've ever done, I
think I'm the only one who likes this tape,
it's just a personal tape really so no big
deal if no one digs it. Oh yeah someone has
the name Insomnia too but I don't wanna
change it anymore, I might end up changing
names every month so I just said fuck it. So
far I've done 7 full lengths, 1
collaboration (with Praying For Oblivion),
13 split releases, and some compilation
tracks. More split projects are also on the
way, possibly a new full length album too.
When
did you start listening to exp/harsh
electronics? How did you find this kind of
stuff?
When I started recording my stuff, I didn't
really know of any other projects doing the
same thing as I was doing. Probably 'coz
there are no records readily available in the Philippines that sounded
like that. Then a friend gave me a
compilation tape which he said sounded like
what I was doing. And what a surprise it
was! Those projects really blew me away. In
fact I was so impressed by those guys that I
tried to record in the same way they were
doing. It didn't worked though 'coz I didn't
have the same equipments like they did, so I
just improvised using whatever I can think
of to produce my own style of experimental
music. It was cool 'coz I've found a style I
was comfortable with. I didn't start trading
releases with other projects though 'coz it
was very expensive in the Philippines. It
was here in the U.S. that I actively plunged
myself in the experimental scene.
You
have some tapes released on your own label,
Mandarangan Recordings. Do you see any
difference between your earlier materials
and the new ones?
I always use different sources and styles to
record my pieces. One full length can be
overall very harsh and noisy, yet still find
various components on each song. I can say
no song is alike, and I love everything I've
released. The old recordings sounds very lo-fi
and paranoia-inducing while the newer ones
are structured as complex as possible and
still very cold and violent. I love all the
crap I did.
You
also have numerous split tapes. Are all the
materials on the splits unreleased tracks?
You must be working damn hard for the band.
Yes I always use new tracks for split
releases. I always record when I'm not doing
anything, it is my hobby so when someone
asks or agrees to do a split release I have
a fresh recording. On one split though I've
used various compilation submissions to
complete my side. Sometimes I'd remix old
pieces that I didn't plan to release and end
up liking them. I just record all the time.
I love doing it.
What's
the main thing that you liked about
experimental music? How would you compare it
to other underground genres like Death Metal
or Black Metal?
I guess I just dig a lot of styles. It bores
me to just listen to one style. I mean if
you're gonna have spaghetti for one week,
don't you think you'll get sick of it too?
Noise is a very diverse genre in itself.
There's always something fresh in this
genre, probably 'coz there is no standard
form and one artist could sound different
just from song to song. Sound sources could
also differ for every piece, it's an ever
evolving genre. Every artist has their own
formula. And you don't necessarily need
music skills to construct a song, it's all
in the execution and style how it's gonna
sound satisfying for you.
You've
mentioned things that you've used in making
your music for Insomnia. So far what's the
strangest thing that you've used? Are you
happy with the kind of sound that you've
created with it?
Along the way of experimentation, I've come
across various objects to manipulate for my
pieces. My most favorite and strangest is
the electric fan, when left unplugged it can
produce a cold vibrating sound when you hit
it. When you scrape it a harsh screeching
noise will come out. And once you've plugged
it, a continuous active current will breeze
through you're speakers. I'm done using this
equipment though, right now I'm
experimenting with a wrist watch I found on
the street.
What
about your basic recording equipment? Do you
have a home studio or something?
No I don't own anything but a minidisc
recorder, a sampler, and a whole lotta junk
I use to destroy every recording session.
How's
the song-writing process with Insomnia?
Where do you usually get inspiration in
writing music?
I think most noisicians do the same thing
like I do when decomposing music, basically
I have to learn how to play a particular
object I'm manipulating, 'coz
it has limitations depending on what kinds
of effects and equipments you have. I
usually play it for long periods of time
until I find a distinct sound that I like. Then I try to visualize how it's gonna
come out then practice that. It's really
hard if you have a certain pattern you wanna
do 'coz manipulating live sounds like feedback will vibrate on
different levels everytime you turn a knob.
And you can't get exactly what you want all
the time. Sometimes I just go and do
whatever I wanna do, not caring how it will
turn out.
So
basically you start up with acoustic sounds.
Doesn't it bother/annoy your housemates? You
said you often work late nights for
Insomnia.
A lot of my neighbors back in the
Philippines complained because of the crazy
sounds emanating from our house. One time
someone knocked to check if I was fine 'coz
she thought I was going to kill myself
because of the screaming and the weird shit
I was doing. There was also this fucking 50
year old virgin who threw poop at my window
just to show how much she hates me.
Obviously they don't know what a real music
genious I was. I use headphones now so I
don't get much complaints, I live in a boxed
apartment with families surrounding me very
close that you can hear them having sex at
night. It would be great to have a sound
proof studio one day, my ears bleed after
recording with headphones on.
Who
do you think is the most recognised
experimental bands today?
I think Merzbow 'coz he's been doing it for
a long time now (around 20 years) and he's
very good too. He's often called as the guru
of noise. There's a lot of well known
projects in this genre too like Whitehouse,
Masonna, Bastard Noise, Deathsquad, Taint,
and many more but popularity-wise, it's
Merzbow who's very well known.
You're
also a Metal fan. Is there a chance of
hearing you mixing some metal influences
with Insomnia?
My first recordings have various metal
leanings ("Poisoning Thy Self"
& "Mental Combat") mainly the
vocal stylings. The guitar sounds were
present too, though most of it were fuzzed
out and chaotic, sort of like an anti-guitar
composition with demented vocals. I'm
actually doing something new which will
literally show some metal influences. I
really dig this new concept, just wish I can
have more time to do it.
Tell
us about Mandarangan Recordings. It used to
be Owl Records. How did you find out the
existence of the other Owl Records? Have you
ever had any problems with them before you
changed the name of your label?
Owl Records was actually two people. It has
a different meaning for each of us. Sadly
the dude broke off so for a while I was
running it by myself. Then I saw from the
internet that there was a major label in
Ireland already using this name for their
company. So I just decided to change it into
Mandarangan who is an ancient Filipino
god of war, just to show something to the
world about my culture. I didn't have any
trouble with that Owl Records from Ireland,
I didn't think they'd care anyways.
What's
your main purpose in creating your own
label?
I've always wanted to run my own record
label. This has been a childhood dream of
mine. It basically exists to release my
recordings. But I also love to release other
artists. I'm constantly working on
compilations, it's my favorite thing doing a
label. 'Coz it's actually an effort of
various people. I also want to produce more underground bands and solo
projects from Asia.
You've
recently released an all-Asian compilation
tape? Will there be more Metal releases in
the future?
Yes it was called "Immune To
Suffering" and it's a thrash/death/grindcore
compilation with bands coming from Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan. I
tried my best to include Filipino bands but
no one seems to care about it. Is the
Philippine metal scene dead or what the fuck
are they just too good to be on an underground compilation??? No
one answered any of my mails. Well some did
answer saying they will send some tracks but
it's been a long while and I'm not going to
wait for another year just so they can be on
the compilation, it took me 2 years just to
finish doing this. I'm working on another
compilation but this one is an international thing, I'm
looking for thrash/death/grindcore/crust/hardcore/punk
bands to contribute one song and it's called
"World Annihilation".
If
I'm correct, Mandarangan is a DIY label, but
do you have any plans of releasing some cds
in the future?
I'm currently transfering my catalog from
tape to cdr. It's easier to produce cdr's
than tapes. But I still love tapes. I would
love to release a cd, it all depends on
how much money I have of course (which is
none right now). But who knows, it's not
that hard to make it happen.
What's
coming up next with Mandarangan and
Insomnia?
Lots of good things are coming out from
Mandarangan Recordings. Basically more
compilations and split releases. I'm working
on a four way Asian grindcore split, so far
I have Demisor and Extreme Decay. I'm still
waiting for the other bands I wrote to. If
you want to be on any of the projects I'm
working on just get in touch especially if
you're Asian. Insomnia is about to do
another full length album and I'm doing my
side of a split with Sikhara!!!
Let's
talk about some other things. What happened
with Lord Mavus and his fanzine? Has the
zine ever got printed?
That was back in the Philippines. I released
one issue of Tribal Idiosyncrasies then
quit. I also released a 40 page newsletter
called Psy-War. I don't have any plans of
doing zines anymore. I'd like to concentrate
on two things only which is my label and
Insomnia.
Are you still following the Philippine
Underground Scene? Who are the local bands and zine editors that you're still in touch with? Somehow I still am. I try to send letters to
new Filipino contacts. I wrote to like everyone I knew in the Philippines but
only got a few replies. I guess expensive
postage prevents them from writing often
which sucks. I'm still writing to Ronel
(Dark Works Zine), Michael (Mors Omnia
Solvit Zine), Joselito (Feel Free
Productions), Rigor (Disabuse), Howell
(Respire Zine), some I haven't heard from
for a long time now.
Do
you know of any US-based Pinoy bands? Are
you in touch with any of them?
There's this Chicago thrash band, I forgot
their name (they're all Filipino). I sent
them an email once but I'm not in touch with
them right now. I only found them on Yehey
(search engine) so I really haven't seen
them. I don't know any other Filipino bands
except Signal 3 from California, but I'm not
in touch with them either.
I
guess you have witnessed the rise and fall
of the Philippine Underground Scene. What do
you think is the main reason why the local
scene is progressing very slowly?
The Philippine underground scene is not
dead, it's just lazy as fuck! I guess
non-solidarity and arrogance is killing the
scene. 'Coz not a lot of the scenesters give
a shit about each other, they just wanna be
the next super-punk or super-death or whatever. I personally
don't care if a band is underground or what,
if I like the music I'll listen to it. I'm
not afraid to say I listen to Portishead,
Fiona Apple, Guns N' Roses, Counting Crows,
and OMD. I don't think it matters to anyone,
I mean do you care if I like these bands? I
don't think anyone gives a fuck at all!!!
Can
you mention some of the local bands that you
like and why you like them?
I listen to The Jerks and the Wuds a lot
'coz they have the most powerful lyrics
compared to most underground bands both
local and international. Also Dead Ends and
Urban Bandits, they're fucking awesome
though they're gone now. That's all I like.
Aside
from Metal and Experimental Music, what
other genres are you also into?
I dig trip hop, goth, electronica, Filipino
folk bands like Patatag and Inang Laya,
classical, and many other bands I don't know
which genre belongs to like Dead Can Dance,
Enya, Robert Miles, Clan Of Xymox, Trial Of
The Bow, and Black Tape For A Blue Girl.
You
recently joined a punk band. Will you send
us some light about this? How did you hook
up with the rest of the band?
Everyone in the band has been looking for
Filipinos with the same tastes for a long time now. Randy (ex Bad Omen) got in
touch with me through the help of Howell
(Respire Zine) and we were already a pair
looking for a guitarist and a drummer. A few days after Randy began
working at a warehouse he met Jano who had a
crazy friend named Noel (ex Anal Scream) and
they too were a pair looking for a bassist
and a handsome vocalist like me. And that's
how we found each other. We got together and
jammed for the first time and it was great.
I'm just
happy to have hooked up with Filipinos who
dig cool music. Even though we haven't
jammed for a long time now, it feels great
to have new friends.
What
is your opinion about bands who we thought
supports the scene at first only to find out
later that they are just another trendy
pussies.
They can all go fuck each other in the
ass!!! I can name at least a dozen bands
that I used to like but sucked now. It's not
that I'm concern about the whole underground scene thing 'coz I really am
not, I just feel betrayed that they would
change their musical direction in the midst
of a trend and call it "musical
progression". I mean who the fuck are
you kidding? If maybe they've done it in the
past like before this whole Korn bullshit
started that would have been fine with me. I
just hate it that they would do that.
Thanx
a lot for taking time answering this
interview. Do you have anything that you'd
like to add?
Thanx a lot Roel! I really appreciate the
support!!!
Tripalium
Zine (Phillipines) #1 |
