FrancisM (1964-2009)

I remember buying Francis Magalona's album (in cassette tape format, decades ago), Meron Akong Ano!, as a gift for my brother. I was in high school then, and my brother, who was still in elementary, did not have the same excitement I had for rap metal.

The album liner was revolutionary for that time: it was not glossy, it was kinda like matte coated but newspapery-like in its texture, like papemelroti stationery.

The tape wound its way again and again in my Panasonic portable cassette player. Eventually, it became a gift for myself.

Did it influence my music? Definitely. The combination of FrancisM's quick tongue and the riffs and slaps of the guitars and the pounding of the cymbals and drums eventually made its way into my rhythm, into how I play.

Last year saw FrancisM's venturing into shirt design, which I promptly saw copied at last Christmas' tiangges in Greenhills and Marikina Riverbanks.

What made FrancisM different from other local rappers?

FrancisM forwarded an agenda, and that is pride in being Filipino. One always sees the Filipino in every FrancisM performance, whether it be the shirt he's wearing or the performance itself.

FrancisM has made his indelible mark in Philippine culture. He will always be remembered.

On a Roll!

Alisa's on a roll!

In a span of a few weeks, she has established two new blogs for her (and for our friends) to enjoy -- Thumbbook and Litrato at Iba Pa, both hosted at Wordpress.com.

Do pay these blogs a click -- you won't regret it. Part of why I fell in love with Alisa in the first place was her quasi-humorous style of writing (quasi since it reads funny, but is actually serious). Gets?

Beware... of Wrong Spellings!

Ain't Creative

Featured in tonight's TV Patrol (ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network's flagship news program) is Rogue Magazine's latest issue, featuring on its cover model Joey Mead in her birthday suit, albeit painted on with the Philippine flag.

Oh, this is indeed a rant against the magazine's cover. Not only against Joey Mead's beauty itself (and I find her rather fugly, given her insane past), but also for the magazine's defense of what they find creative.

Lemme give you an idea where I come from. I now find myself working for a company that outsources graphic design services to overseas clients. Every day, every night, we're called upon to be creative. Immersed in such an environment, I am confident about what creative means.

I digress. Let us go back to what I'm trying to point out.

Rogue Magazine's cover featuring an old naked model with the Philippine tricolor painted on her is simply fugly. I find their Cherie Gil cover better, placing the audience in the shoes of the soon-to-be-wet Sharon Cuneta.

The cover is not creative. It is not creative at all. Pandering, that's what it is. They just sought to pander to the erotic interest of the male audience. Honestly, when I found their latest issue on the magazine racks at MegaMall, I was surprised to find Joey Mead still at it. Or maybe the editors had "something" to do with ancient Ms. Mead.

And according to the TV news report (so forgive me for basing my logic on the faulty boob tube), the pictorial was part of Lawyer Argee Guevara's take on the mire our society is finding itself boiling in.

Whatever political point the article was trying to say, it had drowned in the depiction of a naked ancient model with the Philippine flag painted on her. How tasteless.

The last thing on anyone's mind who is interested enough to find this society educated and enlightened is the image of a naked woman, the painting only serving as a loophole to label it creative. Oh, let me clarify that last statement: they wanted it labeled "creative." It ain't creative.

At least with the reaction they're getting about their latest cover, they got to live up to their magazine title. Maybe even a boost to their circulation.