Fete de la awesommmmme!!!

Hey there Imbue No Kiddos! Mr.Fattass here giving you the latest news from the world of INk.Well, we just came from a fantastic show at the Fete De la musique at metrowalk. The best show we've played this 2009 so far! All the bands played awesome sets, but I gotta give props to the rest of the Tower of Doom bands who played tonight. We friggin kicked butt!!! But VOC pretty much burned all the bands, hands down. Rogel had the crowd hanging onto his every word. Wish I could do that. But I guess you need the natural charm that Rogel possesses to actually pull something like that off.A great big, huge, gigantic shout out to all the crazy kids that showed up to party with us. Thanks for not taking us sitting down. The mosh pit was properly moshed tonight, thank goodness.And the gear was excellent and our crew did a kickass job helping us and the rest of the TOD bands onstage. Thank you to everyone who was there. And of course a great big fat thank you to the Pulp crew for making the Fete possible and for spreading my ugly mug on the big screen for everyone to see and abhore! Great times, great times. So for now we take a short break again, keep posted for our next gigs and events. Hope y'all can party with us again. Be safe and Be free!


Cheers!

-darwin

Someone please hack off my legs!...

Someone please hack off my legs!...
...well maybe just for now. AAooooooh! It's Hacksaw Jim Douglas in da haus!!!(you had to be there) What a freakingly painful but satisfying night! We just came from shooting our new video for our song BUT WHAT IF WE WILL! We sure had a swell time, really, my foot's kinda swollen now from all the headbangin' and shakin' and doin' our thang! We were lucky enough to get our old pal Odin, (our "To Hold Everything Above" director) to run the show again. Great choice of course, we can't wait till we see the finished product. We went through Odin's boot camp again, pushing us to our limits. Performing our asses off for Nth times. Although, I still think our first video with him was more draining, but then again, it was our first time. You know what they say, it's always painful the first time. Making music videos gets better with experience, wooh! Can't wait for the next one. But for now we all have to wait for that but at least we got But what if we will to look out for soon. So that's it for now good folks, until next blog. See ya at the gigs!

CHEERS

-Darwin

Start Anew

The guys & I just finished some tracks for the very first song that we have finished for our upcoming new album! It was just wonderful to be back in the studio again. I can say that we've improved a lot since we recorded our EP's and debut album. We were more comfortable laying in tracks this time around. And we came more prepared. We really molded this song to it's true form thanks to the insight of our good friend and producer, Eric Perlas, who really poured out his own ideas about the development of the song. I won't tell you what it sounds like but I can tell you that we surprised Eric with it. It was something he didn't expect from us but I think he still liked it. It's exactly the kind of reaction we expected. It's a new direction for a new album. We'll be putting in extra hard work this time so that every song will be to our liking and maybe even yours. I hope we can play this new song soon at future gigs just to test it out. What people will think is a mystery. We just want you all to enjoy yourselves when you listen to it just as much as we will enjoy playing it for all of you. Keep posted. Cheers!

-Darwin

Update!

Well its been a while but things are starting to move slowly but at least we're moving. Got some good stuff planned out and we're setting up to accomplish these plans very soon. Some of the stuff you might expect would be a new song that we may play at upcoming gigs. Kinda different sounding but its our new direction and we do hope you like it. And also we're working on the video for our latest single "SINO" which is still playing on NU107 but unfortunately hasn't entered the Stairway to heaven charts yet. But we're still pushing for it. Remember, we need your help.

And also I finally fulfilled one of my goals, I bought a new guitar last weekend and Im very stoked to play it at gigs. Its not a flashy or expensive guitar but its legit. A brand new but cheap Ibanez guitar. Lucky I found it. Thanks to Audiophile at Alimall and to the people who work there! Thanks for actually being polite! Hahaha! I bet you guys didn't expect me to buy anything. But Thanks! And Im really glad my girlfriend came with me to 3 malls just looking for a good guitar. Thank you bebe ko! Haha! Yeah we also went to watch this certain movie so forgive me.

So, we finally got some stuff on the menu. I certainly hope you all will be there when we unleash these plans. Thanks for everyone who have stuck with us! We love you all! Cheers!

-Darwin

failure

it hasn't been a good start for us this year. sure hope things pick up. if not then we might be kissing INK goodbye! its all up to you people, if you still want us around show your love...

cheers for the future

-darwin

VOTE SINO on NU107!!!

We urgently need your help! We have a new single out now playing on NU107! And we need your help to vote for it so that it will make the NU107 stairway to seven charts! All you need to do is register first to NU107 by texting NUREG NAME and send to 29107. Then to vote for our song just text NUVOTE SINO and send to 29107! We really hope you can help us out. Help us reach the top of the charts! Thank you so much for your support!Cheers!

-darwin

Taste the MORNING SKY

APRIL MORNING SKIES

Formed in the late 2003, April Morning Skies [AMS] is Andrew Espiritu on vocals, Bernard Olazo on bass, Macoy Estacio on drums, Tim Gonzalez on synths and Aaron Corvera and Kenneth Aranza doing guitar duties.

A product of metal, punk, melodic-post hardcore influences, AMS aims to stir music listeners with their own kind of music. Concocting tales of triumphs and losses stirred in melodies that spark with aggression and punch with enthusiasm. Though a relatively new band, the boys prove they're no neophytes in songwriting. Arming themselves with tracks that shoot precise rhythms, loud guitar-based instrumentation plus vocals that balance punk and metal styles, April Morning Skies is truly a band to look out for.

AMS has consistently wowed crowds all over Luzon and Visayas, earning themselves as a reputation next big thing. And then finally, they hooked up with wiz producer Eric Perlas of Tower of Doom Records to record their debut album entitled “In Darker Days Ahead” that was released last August 8, 2008.

As of now, the band is doing their share of shows and sharing the stage with prominent and underground acts slowly leaving a remarkable impression to the followers of the scene.

OK,that's what THEY said in their profile on myspace but here's my input on things...

APRIL MORNING SKIES are another of INK's good friends. Aside from playing kickass music and mesmerizing live performances, (check out Aaron's dance while he plays guitar and Andrew's flickering tongue when he screams!) these guys are always a blast to hang out with. Their drummer, Richboy Macoy, is just that,RICH! He lives in a mansion and has wonderful drum toys but he's still humble enough to drink a few rounds with peasants like us. He also happens to play drums for another band you all might have heard of called Chicosci. He's another awesome drummer, no wonder different bands get him to play with them. They trust his drumming skills.

Then there's the two guitar players Aaron and Kenneth who, I think, have excellent chemistry when they play. I heard Aaron comes up with most of the riffs and what awesome riffs they are. You can really hear his influences in his playing but you still know that it's distinct enough to be identified as AMS!

Kenneth's his equally skilled partner, a good-looking white boy who kinda looks like a mix of Ethan Hawke and Tony Hawk,what are the odds?He's Tony Hawke! And he's recently taken up getting tattoos which has me envious because I really wish I could get one. Aside from that he has an awesomely set guitar which just makes me more envious. When both these guitar players take the stage you better not be too near or else you might find yourself with a bloody nose or a cracked skull because these guys love to swing their guitars around.

Leleng, the bassist, I find kinda quiet. Very different from his rawdy bandmates. He plays bass not to impress or to show off but to give the guitars a solid backbone to ride on. And he does his job well. Smooth and efficient and really clean. A lot like how he is. Very unassuming but you kinda know there's something cool about him.

Then there's tim, or should I say Timmy G! He's in charge of the keyboards and gives the AMS sound a touch of eeriness and paranormal twist with his droning samples. But often times he can steal the show when he whips his long dreads around on stage and rocks out. I feel sorry for his keyboard because it often takes a beating when Tim gets wild.

And of course there's Andrew,the frontman. Small but terrible as they say, he screams and growls with anger,angst,madness and overflowing passion. He can own the stage when he gets his thing going. And often drives the girls wild when he does. I've heard whispers and comments of how cute and hot he is from girls (and maybe some guys haha) in the crowd countless times. But I ain't telling him about it in fear it might go to his head. Oops!

All in all these six dudes deliver a show that can rival any international act. They've played in many big shows including the Pulp Summerslam (which we have never played) and even opened for big bands like THURSDAY. Very envious indeed. But we love them more than we envy them. Because they are still the same crazy dudes we met some few years back. Down to Earth and Real. We love REAL people. And I know REAL people. Check out AMS, they are the Real deal!

www.myspace.com/aprilmorningskies

Cheers!

-Darwin

Kneel On Effin NAILS!!!

Its sharing time again, and today I want to tell you guys about some friends of ours who, on my opinion, are far more awesome musicians than we are. (sorry bandmates =P) They are the freakingly heavy and technically insane Kneel on Nails! Hailing from Novaliches and Fairview, Quezon City, its kinda hard to describe their sound because you'll kinda hear a lot of everything in their music. A mix of the heaviest riffs that suddenly shift to jazz licks and then to some dance grooves and back again. The best way for me to give you a hint of their music is to compare their sound to that of the foreign band called Dillinger Escape Plan, only they're more friendlier sounding hehe. Raw and wild but still very musical. They did release an EP not so long ago but they hadn't really pushed it so much because they rerecorded a new EP with our very own Tower of Doom Studio which will be out as soon as KON actually goes and shares it with all of us.And you should see them perform live, no recording can ever do justice to the experience that is KON. Personally, I think the show stealer of this group has got to be their drummer, John. I describe his drumming as technical but very very weird, but in a very good way. Good because he's the only drummer I ever heard doing such drum techniques. It's a blast just watching him. At a usual KON performance, you would often find fellow drummers and non-drummers standing behind or near John while he's doing his thing. Some are after some new tricks but most are just in awe of his playing. That just shows how good he is! But of course John's drumming wouldn't really be anything if he didn't have some equally talented people to follow his beats and accompany him. This is where the rest of KON comes in, the different ingredients that create their wicked meal. With the equally technical playing of guitarists Danny Boy, Gj and bassist Mark, KON's mayhem has a body. And with Neil on the main mic, who screams,growls,shouts and of course sings like the best of them, KON becomes a complete package that demands respect!

But of course anyone who's been to a KON gig knows all of this. So it's time I tell you more about WHO KON is as of what I experienced with them. They are basically as fucking crazy as their music! A riot to hang out with and just really REAL people. But I'll let you guys in on some fun secrets about the guys. For starters Gj and Mark are always hassling and insulting each other and just leads to some great laughs for everyone, John's a fashion freak and always has the coolest clothes, a real trendsetter, Danny Boy can drink gallons of alcohol and still look like he's just had 2 bottles, and Neil has a HUGE...........shoe size haha! Hope that tickled your imaginations and I hope this post gets you off that computer chair and on the way to the next KON gig which, fortunately, is also with us! So it's double the delight! What ya waitin for? Let's get in kON!!!

Check out Kneel on Nails at www.myspace.com/kneelonnails

Cheers!


-Darwin

Hail to the Tower Y'all!

Now let me pay tribute to some people who have become very important figures to imbue no kudos. Once upon a time, INK played some shows for a certain production and made some new friends. A couple of those friends were Valley of Chrome (with the old lineup with kimmy still on drums then) and Cog. Both of these band's music and performances blew us away. Coincidentally, we all had demo cd's back then and we traded with each other. Then when we heard the two band's recordings we were blown away again. We wondered where these guys recorded that made them sound awesome? Then we found out they both recorded with Cog guitarist, Eric Perlas, who was then just recording out of his home and home pc but still managed to dish out some incredible sounds.

So, a few years actually passed before we got to meet up with any of the bands again. Then in a gig in our hometown of OIongapo, we finally got to share the stage with COG again, who were playing some new tunes. At the time we were also playing some new and heavier songs which apparently got their attention. And they suggested we try recording with Eric whom by then actually had a small recording studio. So after another couple months of deliberation within our band we decided to try recording another EP but this time with Eric Perlas. This was probably one of the best decisions we've made as a band. Eric was different from the others we recorded with and definitely more musically inclined since he was also a guitar player like me but just more talented. I think he has superhuman hearing because he can hear stuff in the recording that we didn't even notice. But it was all good because that hearing let us produce a tighter, cleaner EP. He really made our sound come out. That is the thing that really sets Eric apart from the rest. He can make the true sound of any band or artist he records come out. Every band he recorded has their own distinct sound in their recordings. You can find your tonal identity when you record with Eric. He can tell what you should sound like even when you don't know yourself.

And so, we recorded the IN PATIENCE WE LIVE Ep with him which gained very good responses from people but kinda came out short of it's potential because we reproduced it ourselves by burning copies and only selling it at gigs. Then after another few months, Eric and his brother, Carlo, came back to us and proposed a deal to sign with their newly founded indie label called Tower of Doom Records which they branched out from Eric's Tower of Doom recording studio. We just grabbed the opportunity and again it was another great move. We were able to sell our EP through leading record stores NATIONWIDE so getting it out there was not a problem anymore. That just gave us more gigs and higher profile shows as well. We owe a lot to the Perlas brothers and Tower of Doom because they gave a very struggling band a well-needed break.

But it wasn't only us they gave a break to, we gained 8 other brother bands since we signed to TOD. Namely our old buddies Valley of Chrome and of course COG, SIN, April Morning Skies, Boy Elroy, Bloodshedd, Plane Divides the Sky and the radically hiphop Out of Body Special. I guess every one of these bands had good taste in choosing to record at TOD. They too have had their tonal identities squeezed out of them. Just take a listen at their albums. You'll hear what I mean. Since that faithful day of our recording and signing with Tower of Doom, the label has taken us to a level we never even thought we could achieve. We were actually almost gonna call it quits after we made our first EP but we even got to record a full-length album with TOD called BUT WHAT IF WE WILL and I guess you all know what's been happening with that. TOD has taken us and our brother bands all around the country. I mean who in their right mind would take a loser like me on an all expense paid trip? Well I'd like to think the guys at Tower of Doom saw something in me that I didn't and thought I was worth it. =P And now you can even purchase all of our music through the net via ITUNES and NAPSTER and very soon you can buy our merchandise through the Tower of Doom online merch store! There's nothing stopping our music from spreading the world now!

Well aside from us 9 bands, the TOD clients of artist has grown immensely. From newcomers like Faintlight to the bigger guns like Kamikazee. Tower of Doom has something for everyone. If you love and live music and you want to get it on cd or into every music player in the world and you want it to come out the way it should then look no further than the Tower of Doom studio. Look at all the people who have trusted the Tower:

Typecast Queso Chicosci Kamikazee Skychurch Hemp Republic
Dicta License Death By Stereo The Jerks Noel Cabangon Lolita Carbon Cookie Chua
Binky Lampano Bayang Barrios Coffeebreak Island Aiza Seguerra Datu's Tribe
Lady High Taken By Cars Nyctinasty HidenNik Powertools Concussion (Norway)
End of Man Kneel on Nails Concrete Sam Scarlet Tears Happy Meals DJ Alvaro Aizo
DTS Atta Girls Genital Grinder Jerome Abalos Milagros Dancehall Collective
Cosmic Love Ephesus Day One Movement Kabute Moggok Bites 13 Needles Bane
Taggu Indios Zone32 Precinct 4 RedBoy Sacramento Li'l Miao Kjwan Project Mayhem
Sique Qwadro and a shitload more!!!...

So if you guys want more info on TOWER of DOOM just log on to the following links:


http://www.towerofdoom.net
http://www.myspace.com/towerofdoom
http://towerofdoomrecords.multiply.com/
http://profiles.friendster.com/towerofdoom
http://www.youtube.com/towerofdoom

Check em out! Cheers!

-Darwin

NWSE

Well the year has officially began for INK. We just had our first gig of the year last saturday at saguijo on the 2nd leg of our NORTHWESTERN SOUND ESCAPE tour. It's not as big as the Siege Tour but it's certainly just as special. Special because I came up with the idea of the NSWE. And INK and a few of our close friends have turned it into a living thing. I was looking for a way to describe the music that my band and our friends dish out that could really identify us independently.

The idea is loosely based on the middle and southern American stereotype known as "redneck" but minus the ignorance of race and foreign cultures of course. I identified with the rather unrefined way of life of being redneck because I for one actually live like a redneck somewhat. And our musical direction is basically going to a more aggressive and raw approach as well. Unlike many bands out there now in the local scene which sound very clean and crisp and very deep or to the other extreme very pop, we and our friends choose to be more direct and in your face but still keeping with our own distinct styles.

Our brothers in Kneel on Nails and April Morning Skies share this vision with us. It's all about no nonsense music and lifestyle. We all love to party yet we give respect where it is due, we cuss and tease and joke around but we still keep a foot in reality. We are not as financially endowed as many bands out there and we have worked very very hard to get to where we are. We still struggle to be heard and to be understood. Nothing has been given to us on a silver platter. We basically do the best with what we have and we have paid our dues. Im trying to give redneck a newer,better identity.

The "Nothwestern" came mainly because we are all from the northwestern part of the country. But the idea wouldve been just that without the help of our friend Mico Sangalang. He came up with the idea to take NWSE on the scene and make it into a touring gig. And now we have finished 2 legs. We will be playing different places every weekend for as much as we can just to spread the word out. So if you are like us, middle and not-so-middle class but still very cool people, come party with us on the NORTHWESTERN SOUND ESCAPE. Nothing saucy or fancy just good old heavy party rock!Cheers!

-Darwin

New Beginning!

Here comes a new slate.New opportunities coming our way.Let's get our nets ready to catch em.Hope all of us have a great new year!Let's learn from our mistakes and start anew.Pray that we make better decisions and just have a fuller life.HAPPY NEW YEAR friends!and GOD BLESS!Wooh!So many food so little time!Cheers!

-darwin

Holiday Cheer!!!

Well one Holiday come and gone again and another one to follow in just a few days.I had a pretty nice Christmas,some relatives came over from the states and I got some goodies so it was pretty cool.I wonder what the guys did for Christmas?I actually haven't seen any of them since our last gig.Well Earl and Bets did come over to borrow some stuff but that was last week.I bet they had a blast this Christmas.They texted me to greet me a Happy Christmas.Thanks guys!Sorry I couldn't reply,I didn't have credits to send anything.Hope we all got some good stuff this Christmas,material and spiritual.We all just gotta keep our heads up and not give in to the hindrances in our paths.And always keep a prayer ready because a lot of the time it's what we can really survive on.Believe me,it's real!I've seen prayers answered many many times.It just takes some time but He gets around for us no matter what.Now we just need to pray that there will be a lot more good stuff for us in the new year.As Bon Jovi said,keep the faith,no matter who or what you have faith in.Cheers and Happy Holidays!

-darwin

My Errands

I am so freakingly tired!i have been doing my errands all day.Ive visited almost 10 different places and I dont think im still close to reaching my goal.I'd like to thank those who have helped me with my errands though,you're very kind people for lending me a hand.I just hope all this trouble is worth it.thanks again!off to do more errands!

-darwin

The short break...

Well,after a great few weeks for the band,we are now resting once again.But not for long.We have some upcoming gigs that will bring back the awesome in our lives.For the meantime,we can focus on other things for a while.Namely,prepare for Christmas!It's a jolly jolly season again.I love this season,no matter how difficult life gets,Christmas never fails to cheer me up.It really makes me feel like a kid again.And what I remember about being a kid was that I always had happy thoughts whenever Christmas was near.Thoughts of getting new stuff,thoughts of eating good food,thoughts of getting to see old friends and relatives again,and thoughts of spending great moments with all my loved ones.Of course now it's become a little more complicated.Now I have to think of the thoughts of those who are feeling the same.Namely my little godchildren and cousins and other family members who all expect to get something good from me.Well at least the kids do,the grownups know I don't have much anyway.But I do my best to fulfill their expectations.I always seem to pull through.Thank God!And hopefully I can plan something out again this year.Just got to have a lot of plans,from A to Z.fortunately,I usually don't have to reach plan C.But whatever happens,I try my best to keep that youthful thought inside me throughout this season.It keeps me smiling even when the world around me frowns and complains a lot.I just wish I can keep that thought all through the year.I wish that all of us can do that.It would certainly be a better world.That's all for now.See you at the gigs!Cheers!

-Darwin

The Awesome Adventures of the Siege Survivors part 4

And so, on to the last chapter.After a wild day and night in Bacolod we finally reached the final stop to the Tower of Doom Siege Tour in the visayas,Iloilo.But not without mentioning some interesting stuff that happened in between the two cities (literally).Remember when Marts and Corpz had that interesting powow at the docks?And how Marts finally got some sleep to reboot his body and, more importantly, his brain?Well he was actually lucky he did.Because what happened to Corpz was just as crazy as what happened to Marts,just not as scandalous.Well as we were all too distracted with Marts and his more than peculiar behaviour,we didn't pay much attention to Corpz on the roro.I was actually sitting next to him as he sat there asleep even leaning against my shoulder a couple of times which made me have to nudge him every now and then so he would sit up.Then Niche saved me by actually letting Corpz rest his head on his shoulder (thanks Niche).Then I actually fell asleep as well and so did most of the guys.When we woke up we were already at the Iloilo docks and we slowly walked off the roro.Then we all went on the bus quietly as we were all still groggy from the trip.We were fully awake when Marts made his presence known again though.But yeah,we went on our way to our next hotel.And we were all still distracted by Marts on the whole trip.I noticed that Corpz wasn't in his seat but I just assumed he took a seat in the back well away from Marts and just tried to relax myself.It was when we got to the hotel that we all heard the news.It turns out Corpz did get off the roro with us but didn't get on the bus.He was still too wasted and sleepy that he thought we were still at the Bacolod docks!So he actually went back on the roro we were on and went to sleep.He called up one of the Perlas Brothers to tell them that he was back in Bacolod.It was just friggin funny!!!(well at the time) Well fortunately,he did get back with us after taking another boat ride to Iloilo.I bet he didn't sleep all the way to the hotel that time hehe.He even delivered our lunches to our room.He didn't oblige answering any questions though so we cut him some slack.But he's just got to accept that what happened to him will be burned in our minds forever =P

Ok now that was over we finally got back on track,we had lots of time to spare when we woke up so I decided to go out to see what was there to see in Iloilo,or at least what was near our hotel.Aj,Earl and Jem went to get massages at the hotel spa.I decided to spend my money on souvenirs.I passed Garon (of Cog and OBS) in the lobby and asked if he wanted to come.So he agreed and we went out to find pasalubongs at the shops nearby.We bought some native handicraft items at a shop right in front of the hotel then Garon decided to buy a security guard's hat at a uniform shop nearby.That hat was a great idea because we all had a great time with it later at the gig.

And so,after walking for almost half an hour we decided to head back to the hotel.I went with Garon to their room to see how the OBS guys were doing.Thats when we saw Rogel,we told him about the stuff we bought and then he decided he wanted to go out too.And he wanted me to come with him.So I did,and we went around again. We even bumped into some of the Bloodshedd boys.Then after almost half an hour again we decided to head back.I finally get back to our room and find Adi,a camera crew and a couple of the AMS boys toying with the still dumbfounded Marts.Then AJ and the others come in a few minutes later and they decided that they wanted to explore the surroundings too.So I go out with them,again.We went to the public market and bought some local delicacies and we got to eat some good Bachoy!It was cheap and tasty!

And after filling ourselves up and giving our wallets a good workout we finally went back to the hotel to prepare for the gig.

A couple hours later we board the bus again and we head to our venue.A quaint little bar which was hot as hell!Then as we settled in the band area it started to rain.We were all thinking one thing,this must be that typhoon we were trying to avoid.We thought the night was ruined,but a few minutes later the rain stopped.Maybe it was just a way of getting the kids loitering outside to finally come into the place.And they did,and they just kept on coming.I don't know how many kids there were but I know there was way more than a hundred!And that was the best sign we could ever ask for.It was just what we needed to get pumped up to play.And we didn't fail those kids.Every single TOD band played their hearts out!And those kids had the time of their lives!It was the perfect end to a perfect tour!But it wasn't over yet...

After the sets,after the partying and after a lot of pictures and autographs we went back on the bus and headed for the hotel.We were all still catching our breathes when Carlo got on the mic and made his announcements. He congratulated us for our great sets and for being the TRUE Siege Tour Survivors!Then he began to tell us about some good and bad news even asking us what we wanted to hear first.We asked for the bad of course,he told us that the boat ride home to Manila would take almost 22 hours and that we would have to leave very early.Then we asked for the good news.He tells us that we weren't going to take the boat anyway!We just got so wild that we started a mosh pit right in the middle of that tight bus!Some of my bandmates,AMS boys and OBS boys just piled up on top of each other in the aisle!I could hear Earl blissfully screaming in pain at the bottom of the heap.It was hilarious!!!Then Carlo got us to relax again as he wasn't finished giving out news.He then goes on to tell us that we all still had to wake up early,some moans went out at some corners of the bus.Then he continues to tell us that it was because we were going to the white sand beaches of Gimaras to celebrate!That just ignited another body pile!Everyone just went crazy!Then we finally got off the bus and back to our rooms.Some of the guys and I decided to grab some late night snacks at Ted's.What a great idea,the food was awesome!P80 for a bowl of their famous Batchoy with a side of rice and sisig and a drink!Sulit!We went back to the hotel very happy indeed!

After getting some much-needed sleep,we got up and got ready to leave for Gimaras.We rushed to get into the bus with the excitement of getting to the beaches.We really didn't know what to expect.We got to the docks almost around noon and we boarded these big bangkas.Because we all couldn't fit in one we had to split up into two boats.Then we were off.The scenery was just beautiful,we took lots of pics of course.And our boat even had a radio so we had music on board.We got to our beach after almost two hours and we could almost taste the sand when we bumped into some trouble.It turned out we got there during low tide and we couldn't get the boats all the way to the shore.Our boat even got stuck on the rocks.So the locals got some smaller bangkas to pick us up and get us to the beach three people at a time.We all got to the beach safely.There we got to swim and party the whole afternoon and enjoyed a feast of lechon and pancit.Then it was time to head back to catch our flight to Manila.We went back to the big boats the same way we got off them.The smaller boats brought us onboard the bigger ones.Everyone on our boat got on pretty smoothly inspite of Tatel (of VOC) almost losing his head on the side of our boat.It was the other boat who had the unlucky customers.When Garon,Gil & Rommel(of SIN) and a couple of the bouncers were trying to get on their big boat they accidently tipped over their small boat and they all fell in the water along with their bags (which contained some PSP's and Cellphones).But they managed to hang on to the side of their big boat so none of them got seriously hurt.Rommel got a small injury though,I think he hurt his shoulder when he fell and he had trouble getting on the boat.But after that the rest got on safely and we were on our way back to the docks again.

Our boat went ahead and we decided to pass shots of rhum around.Before we knew it we were dancing to the new wave and dance tunes that were playing on the radio.Everyone on our boat was dancing!Even Cha (of SIN) danced for the cameras!Then the boat operators decided to give us some more room to dance so they took out the wooden seats in the middle of the boat.We just danced that whole trip away.I think Macoy (of SIN) wasn't enjoying it as much as we were though in fear that we might tip our boat over as well.He even wore a lifejacket!But I can't blame him.I can't swim either,but I was so intoxicated I didn't care if I did fall in the sea!When the other boat caught up with us we just couldn't help but notice their grimm ambiance.Well some of their occupants did have an accident but that didn't stop us from giving them a hard time =P We were all intoxicated by this time so we started to yell at them that they had a boring boat!We didn't think they'd yell back but they did.Heckling us that we had bakla on board.We just yelled back "bakla kami!" then after a couple more yells and dances we reached the docks.And we were late for our flight!We hurried to the bus as quickly as we could and the driver just drove us to the airport as fast as he could.We did get to the airport and we did fly back to Manila.And there we parted ways.And there the Siege Tour became another wonderful memory for all of us.One that we will pass on to our sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters.The greatest adventure of our lives!...




so far.



CHEERS!

-Darwin

The Awesome Adventures of the Siege Survivors part 3

Daybreak at Dumaguete's Forest Camp was actually very pleasant.The fresh air did wonders for our restless bodies.It took a while till everyone actually got out of bed because we became rather cozy in the cabins.It would've been perfect if they provided massages hehe.

And so we finally got up to get some breakfast,nothin special really,a buffet of rice,eggs and hotdogs but it was good and it hit the spot.Then we went to get ready for our next journey.But as soon as some of the guys and I were packed,we took the spare time to really explore the camp.We got to take some nice pics of the natural beauty of the place.The hanging bridge was kinda scary to walk on coz it got wobbly but It was a great place to take pictures of the surroundings especially the waterfalls and the stream.And after a lot of pics we finally got on the bus again and went off to our next destination,Bacolod!

We were pretty excited to reach Bacolod,well we were pretty excited to be anywhere I guess.Dumaguete was just too relaxing a place for us and It was kinda good to know that Bacolod would at least be a more active place.And we were very right!

When we got to our hotel in Bacolod we were several hours behind schedule and we had a very limited time to spend in our rooms.And the Perlas Brothers gave us some bad news.Apparently there was a typhoon coming in the next day and it would likely affect the roro activities which was our means of getting to our next destination,Iloilo.And we needed to wait for news from the coast guard if they would even allow the roro's to operate.But we still had to leave for the docks very early.We did get to eat though,it was some tasty stuff,I just wish I knew what it was hehe.But it was still good =P especially the side of chopsuey!haha!long live chopsuey!Although our time there was limited,it was the night that would transform some of the guys.It was the night of the party people!

We went to the venue after dinner and what a venue it was.It was a huge club and we were seated on the second floor which overlooked the stage and the floor downstairs.A great view for taking pictures,especially when the show starts.Bacolod people are impressive,and very talented.The local bands who opened that night were some of the best we've had on the tour.We even gave them a well-earned standing ovation.They were that good!I apologize for not remembering their names though,sorry I was kinda distracted by the music to notice them introduce themselves.

We were the first TOD band to play and I felt kinda intimidated by the openers,especially coming from a couple previous lemon performances.But thank goodness we played a great set and we got the kids all warmed up.A little too warm actually.They didn't stop moshing till all the bands were done.The most memorable set would be VOC's but not because they did something radical but because someone from the audience did.I guess the mosh pit got too hot for one of the kids because he decided to take his clothes off.It was as if moses parted the red sea when the others tried to avoid that one kid's flying wingwang!Not even the bouncers knew what to do at first.Everyone was just surprised at the sight of him and his minime!But they eventually got him under control and into clothes and Rogel got his composure back and actually continued to sing again.

After the gig we had the chance to mingle with the Bacolod people and let me tell you,they are some of the nicest people we've met on the tour.They were just really friendly.We got to make lotsa new friends that night and got a lot of pics taken.Betong and Earl even lost their shirts.But alas the time came to get back to the hotel and soon be on our way to the uncertain fate of our iloilo stop.

At the hotel,we didn't get a chance to sleep.So some of the guys decided to drink their time away.And one special dude actually drank more than enough.Marts from OBS just got so wasted!He was running all over the place,coming into the rooms and jumping on the beds.He even went in our room several times where I was lying on the bed watching tv and jumped on me.And that guy is friggin heavy too!After the second time he jumped me I just decided to hang outside and avoid certain injury.Then it was time to go to the roro docks where we had to wait a couple more hours.But we sure didn't get bored there,thanks to Marts again.

Im not sure who's idea it was to pit two already piss-drunk guys into a drinking bet.Basically it was Marts of OBS versus Corps (Corpuz as Marts called him) of the TOD crew and the bet was who would last longer on the roro after drinking several more shots of rhum before the trip.Everything started really fun.The two were trashtalking each other and both took some shots of rhum.It wasn't until Corps lost his temper due to Mart's extreme trashtalking that things almost got ugly.We eventually subdued them both before anything physical happened but Marts was on fire.He didn't stop trashtalking (or talking in general) for the whole damn trip to iloilo!Yes we did get to iloilo fortunately but with the expense of having a drunken retard with us all the way.(Sorry Marts,you were a drunken retard eh =P) When we finally got to our hotel in iloilo we rushed to our rooms to get some much needed sleep.We had bunk beds and I got to sleep on the top one right next to the aircon,what a healthy choice of sleeping area.Then as we were about to get some rest in comes Marts looking like a TRex dinosaur with a blank stare in his eyes.Aj points him to the bed right below mine and he just crashed into it and thank God Almighty,he was out!And we all got some nice relaxing sleep,FINALLY!

We woke up late afternoon and were still lying in our beds when Marts suddenly sat up and asked us "Asan tayo?" He had no idea where he was or how he got there and what the hell he did!It was hilarious telling him the whole story!And he didn't believe some of the stuff we told him but when he got the story from the others he was just dumbfounded.Let's just say we he won't be getting wasted anytime soon.
Bacolod was a great and memorable stop,and we really hope we can go back there again soon!Thank you Bacolod kids!

Tune in for the last chapter next post!Cheers!

-Darwin

The Awesome Adventures of the Siege Tour Survivors part 2

Ok so after a very forgettable performance we went back to the hotel to gather our thoughts and reflect on what happened,which didn't take long because we all got hungry!So we decided to take a walk to Larsians, its like a hotspot for people who have a hunger for awesome grilled food. Again we ate a lot,whats new right?hehe. Then we rested up. We got about 2 or 3 hours of sleep before we were awakened by Scott who brought in our breakfast.Then after eating we gathered our gear and got on the trusty bus again.Then we went on our way to the roro docks to Dumaguete which took so friggin long!I didn't really count the hours, all I know is that I could not sleep on the way there.We did several pit stops before we reached the docks.Then we all went down to stretch.We spotted a small carinderia and before we knew it,we were lining up to get some lunch!The food wasnt much but it hit the spot.We needed it for the roro ride.

And so after filling up our tummies, we went to fill the roro.We all got on before our bus and took our places at the passenger area.Then they loaded our bus on board which took half the space of the roro.When the roro went off everyone was psyched,but when the waves started pounding that was when people felt the ride.Some guys got motion sickness and just decided to sit down quietly and tried to hold their lunches in.Which was pretty hard because the roro was swaying all over.There was nowhere to feel stable or steady.After hour or more we reached the dumaguete port and everyone rushed to get down.especially the affected guys.I guess the bonamin took too long to kick in =P

Then after everyone got their composure (and balance) back we went in the bus again and went off to find our next hotel.Which turned out to be another long ride.But at last we reached a restaurant which was owned by our street team organizer.They had a buffet ready for us.And just in time too, coz I think we digested everything we ate on the trip there.Then after another food frenzy we finally went to our hotel,or should I say the jungle.Because thats kind of where we went.It was a place called Forest Camp,(yes,we joked around the forrest gump thing)It was a beautiful place.lush greenery all around.The cottages we stayed in were nice too.Complete with a terrace where we could see more trees and parts of what looked like a pool.And you can hear the rushing flow of waterfalls in the distance.We rested up a little then we went to explore,some of the guys went to go swimming in the pools.The water came from the nearby river.I took the camera so I could take some shots of the guys wearing a shirt and my boxers.When I got there they were all having fun.The bouncers throwing some of them into the pools.Andrew looked like simba when the bouncer raised him up.Then I saw Odin taking pics as well,he was in full gear too.shirt,jeans and shoes.Then he asked me if I was gonna take a dip,but I was in my boxers.He said so was he then I said Id swim if he did.Long story short,we dove in in our boxers hehe.And damn that water was cold!really cold.You'd think your body would get used to the temperature in a few minutes but It never did.But we didnt care,we stayed in that water till nightfall.Had some fun in the falls.Aaron and Andrew kept getting swept away by the tide.Then we all went back to our cabins.Where we all started to sneeze and cough a lot.We all got sick haha!

After drying ourselves up we got ready for the gig.We were all excited to give an awesome show for everyone and to make up for what I did in Cebu.Then we got to the venue.I forgot what it was called but it was basically an open area with a bar and grill I guess.And some pool tables which we played on after our performances.Everything was alright until we saw the turn out.It wasn't much.I dont think there was even 60 or 70 people present.We were kind of dissapointed.But we still played like it was the biggest rock show ever!The kids weren't very active either.But i guess thats how they are there.So we just wrapped up the night and got back on the bus.Then just as we were about to leave,some crazy-ass guy gets on the bus and starts screaming "God Bless you Siege Tour!" again and again.Then we just humoured him and said thanks.Then he introduced himself as the "SUICIDE BOMBER".Thats when we wish he would just get off right away haha.He did get off eventually,and he didn't blow up.

So the show went well even without the expected turnout.We went back to the camp and got some well-needed sleep.And the next day will be on the next post.Cheers!

-Darwin

The Awesome Adventures of the Siege Survivors part 1

Well the visayas leg of the Tower of Doom Siege Tour has officially been concluded, and let me tell you, it has got to be one of the greatest rock tours ever in Philippine History!Ok maybe at least for all of us who were in it...This leg of the tour brought many first for a lot of us.From first plane rides to first swedish massages or just coming to the places we went to for the first time.But let me start from the beginning.

We all met up at the airport at 4am last wednesday. And after a lot of hi's and hi-fives we went to check in for our flight which actually took longer than expected because we were all just goofing around the ticketing area taking pictures and joking about how the airline staff would react to seeing such a diverse crowd of passengers.imagine the horror of two nuns getting their tickets and then seeing big guys with long hair,beards,tattoos and dressed in metal shirts like slayer,kreator and cradle of filth and thinking they would have to share the plane with them.well unfortunately they were on a different flight. So after all the necessary procedures we finally got on the plane. I guess the two flight attendants didn't expect anything like us on the flight because we got so rawdy that the other passengers started to complain,too bad we outnumbered them so we just got our way.It was the first plane ride for some of the guys so a lot of pictures were taken even during take off when it was supposedly not allowed to have electronic equipment on but like I said,we outnumbered them.Oh,and we had bouncers!(Even Rex,the bouncer who looked like he-man couldve beaten everyone on the plane up on his own!)

And so after a quick but memorable flight we arrived in mactan airport where our surprisingly small bus picked us up.After cramming everyone and everything on the bus (there was about 38 or more of us and our gear double that) we went off to our hotel where we just unpacked and rested a little then we went out to see what was there to see. Earl,Bets,Jem and I went to Tabo-an where they sold Cebuano dried goods to buy pasalubong for our families.Then after a lot of dried mangoes and otap we went to get some grub. We spotted some people eating on the sidewalk near our hotel so we checked it out. It was basically just a man with a couple tupperware containers which contained some puso(rice wrapped in banana leaf) and some fried breaded varieties of meat. We tried it out and it was a great idea,we quenched our hunger for under P30!Believe me we ate a lot!

So after a taste of the local food we went back to the hotel to rest up for the gig.And around 8pm we went to the venue which was NUVO bar.By the time the first front act took the stage the place was packed!I got to chat with one of the locals and she told me that it was actually always like this when there was a rock show which made it extra cool!We kinda had nothing to worry about.So there we were waiting for our set to come,the bands that came before us gave kickass performances!The kids were slammin the mosh pit and just made us more excited to play.And then we were up.We set up our gear, did our intro/soundcheck and prepared to play our first song,"the test",everyone in the bar focused on us.Then Jem counted down on the hi-hats,1-2-3-4 and then...DISASTER!!!!I friggin played the wrong part!And I did a whole friggin bar too!then I noticed the guys lookin at me like they smelled shit.That was when I realized I messed up!I just froze!then I finally caught up to what they were playing!It was probably the worst thing that couldve happened that night.Something I didn't even expect.I didn't know what I was thinking,I felt like a total moron!So after that we basically just tried to wrap up our set as fast and as unhumiliating as we can but I guess God wanted to punish me more,again I fudged up on our last song,it was our staple song too!"Thea"!And at the beginning again!This time I wasn't playing in sync with the tempo of the drums.I stank up that set and single-handedly ruined our first ever gig in Cebu!I guess we can kiss any chance of us getting invited there again goodbye.But hey,we move on.And moved on we did.And thats gonna come up on my next entry.until then,CHEERS!

-Darwin

Kaguluhan Festival!

Ok hands down,I declare that the kaguluhan festival has got to be the rawdiest show we've ever been privileged enough to play!Cavite kids are damn crazy!!!It was like a metal show in the states!they were moshing and dancing and shouting and stage diving all night!Even when we played our slower songs they still didn't stop moshing!And there were a LOT of them too!I got word that almost a thousand kids showed up all ready to riot!The good thing was that even though they were crazy they were still respectful to us, although I heard some people lost some belongings (Rommel of Sin lost his pedal power supply,you turn your back not even a few seconds and you can lose a lot!darn!)But Im glad I didn't lose anything this time!And Im more glad that we all got home safe!Thanks to that damn saulog bus and it's damn friggin roadhungry driver hahaha!Next stop,CEBU!See yah soon!

-Darwin

Ready for the next attack!!!

Wooh just a few more days and we're off to the visayas leg of the 2008 Siege Tour! Each passing day just makes me so excited! I can't wait to play for all the fans down south, but for the meantime INK and VOC will warm up for the tour tomorrow in Cavite for the Kaguluhan Festival! The title says it all, it will be a wild one! I just hope it will be safe as well. Y'all wish us the best ok!We'll see you in the mosh pit!!!

-Darwin