Bringing Home The Wild Swans
October 4, 2011

We went counting down days ’til the big night, not excitingly but nervous and (soon would turn to regret). Yes, you guessed that right. We still haven’t got tickets in our hands, few days before the event. We were really out of Pink Floyd’s song (‘Money’) this time around. Bill’s always there chasing us and could no longer borrow some from anywho. But the good heavens heard two earthlings’ little wishes. 2 GOLD-en tickets magically came from a genie named…>>>

12-String Affair To Remember…
October 1, 2011

A 12-string guitar may look strange to most guitar players, but this unusual instrument has the jangle that your ears could fancy. I remember my senior year in high school when my Dad bought me one. (Well, I asked my Dad for it as a Christmas present.) I was so giddy when I saw the thing and didn’t take my eyes off from it. Call it ‘Love at first sight’? But the salesman thought I was some kind of a weirdo why I wanted the strange-looking guitar, while there displayed were good 6-string acoustic ones in glossy lacquer finish, and some in red and orange hues, and to think it is too big for me to even carry.>>>

Pianica or Melodica?
March 13, 2011

I got fascinated with the Pianica the first time I ever saw one. Monch had it for me as a no-occasion gift, and told me he got it from a Japan surplus shop near his workplace, owned by a doctor/friend. He also said it needed some love for a good cleaning. So, having the heart, he did dust off and wiped the keys, and as for the tube, he soaked it in a Cidex bath to kill all the soot it may contain, rinsed it generously and let hang to dry. Voila! It’s good as new! At home, he excitingly showed it to me, how it works and shared me his ideas on how we can use it melodically. Back then, I used to play (a little of) the keyboard for some of our new wave covers. So I happened to have a bit of ease playing tunes with it.>>>

The Year 2010 in a Thousand Units (2nd Part)
February 13, 2011

“The Darling Buds of May”

May 01 “A Tribute to the music of Club 8” at Club Dredd, Eastwood Citywalk

In much anticipation for Club 8, The POPShoppe! threw a tribute to Club 8 with guest bands alongside LSR rosters to cover their favorite Club 8 tunes. See our cover song entitled “Heaven” as blogged by Denise Atas of Lilystars Records.

May 14 “Club 8 Live in the Philippines!”>>>

The Year 2010 in a Thousand Units (1st Part)
February 02, 2011

You might ask why did I make the title  of this web log “The Year 2010 in a Thousand Units”, well, a thousand units (of currency) is likely the slang meaning of “grand”. As early as November of yesteryear, I had been taking mental notes on writing about a recap on what emerged then for The Gentle Isolation. A lot of good things were being savored already, but it would be premature for December’s not yet over at that time and work load in the office just keeps pouring in -~Seriously! So here I come writing this first entry on a new calendar, a recap on The GRAND Year That Was.>>>

Happy Are Twee!
July 24, 2010

It’s my first time attending a concert filled with finest indie acts, and being there, not just to witness Club 8’s live performance right here in our coast, but fronting for them is just splendid! Learning that we were to open for them a few weeks before the major event, it was a mixture feeling of thrill and delight. I remember reading a line from a blog entry of Your Imaginary Friends’ Eric Po, how they would describe us in our excitement: >>>

Our Jam Sessions Experience
January 18, 2010

It’s our second time to be at the Jam Studio last Sunday (January 10), but this time to play for Jam Sessions with DJ Tracy. Our very first radio guesting was also at Jam 88.3 to play for “Project Ondoy”, an on-air gig for a cause. Kicked off the session with an original song entitled “Define Love” with jangly acoustic strumming as to welcome the listeners with our jumble of excitement and pleasure. >>>