Section: An Ort Und Stelle
Turning a New Leaf For Imago
JC Pagtakhan
I receive an SMS, JC, starbux tayo. It’s that simple, maybe even so casual. In fact, I could easily brag to anyone that I was friends, since time-immemorial, with the sender while flashing the text message. Dude, I’m like, close friends with Aia de Leon of Imago. She’s inviting me for a cup of coffee. (Insert super-wide-boastful-grin here).
Well, okay, so maybe that was just a text telling us where we can do the interview. The they’re-my-barkada gloating is over (now, insert sheepish grin here).
But I guess, that was what made imago endearing to their fans for over six years now—they were the barkadas you never had playing onstage. And it was the same cool barkada but with a spanking second album that we have met for the interview at Starbucks minutes after the SMS came, when vocalist Aia de Leon and guitarist Tim Cacho, with their new bassist Myrene “Maps” Academia, cozily sat around with us after a benefit gig in Music Museum. But drummer Zach Lucero was nowhere to be seen.
“Zach has DJ duties,” Aia tells me. “Oh…okay,” I say. Aia takes a sip from her coffee and then leans toward me while Maps looks at me expectantly. “O, simula ka na, huwag ka kabahan,” Tim urges with a small laugh. They were sooo nice.
And with that, I press the button with the small red dot.
La Salleno (LS): You have finally released your second album, Take Two, after nearly half a century. How has everything been since the launch?
Aia: Dumadami na ‘yung nakakakuha nung bagong kanta. Like for those who bought the album, ‘pag pumupunta sila sa gigs, naiintindihan nila yung set naming, which is good.
Tim: Nag-mature na rin ‘yung tugtugan naming. May ibang dynamic na kasi nandyan na si Maps. We have to deal with another member, kasi once somebody comes in from the outside, and nangyayari may nadadala nab ago, hindi na kami ‘yung lumang banda talaga.
LS: Was it harder the second time around? It’s almost like doing everything again from the ground.
Aia: A challenge. I like to say it’s more challenging. Dahil dalawang bagay yan, eh. Nagbago ng tunog, nagbago ng line-up, tapos indie pa—ah, tatlo pala yun.
Tim: Parang mahirap kasi it’s not even the same thing, eh. Iba ‘yung nangyari ngayon sa nangyari nung una.
Maps: I think, for the band it’s hard din kasi parang record label. Ikaw gagawa lahat. They had to find the crowd, get all the sponsors, get the money to find the album…
Tim: (pertains to Maps) Sanay na kasi…(laughs) Pero alam mo, feeling ko mas Masaya ang indie. Mas satisfying.
Maps: Kasi kita mo ‘yung results ng work mo, eh.
Tim: You only have yourselves to blame if you didn’t make it.
Maps: But on the other hand, you have total control…
Tim:…you own your own songs…
LS: But may nakarating sa akin na you’re planning to distribute through a major label…
Tim: May nakarating sa iyo? Sino source mo? (laughs)
Aia: Siyempre ako, pinopost ko sa ML ‘yun…(after realizing the question) ay hindi, hindi ako! (laughs)
Tim: But there’s always that. If there WAS a label na interested, bakit hindi. Kung aalagaan ka, eh. Eh, wala naming ganoon.
LS: I have heard comments that Imago has conformed to the common when you released this album and it’s really different from the first. What can you say to that?
Aia: Wala ngang kumukuha sa amin, eh!
Tim: Mas malaki ‘yung risk nga, eh, kasi ibang iba!
Maps: Mas madali ang marketing ng folk! [which was their sound on the first album]
Tim: At the risk of alienating ‘yung unang unang fanbase, kasi sobrang deviation sa sounds, I don’t think that was safer. Mahirap pa ‘yung ration female-fronted rock bands sa male rock bands, it’s not safe at all.
LS: What was the philosophy behind the second album? What were you trying to achieve?
Tim: Kasi feeling ko, lahat naman ng artists coming out with a new album, [gusto] yung iba. Kasi, para ke ka pa naglabas ng bagong album if it sounds exactly like the first. And if we do something like the first album, hindi na kami magg-grow. It’s going to be different. Ipapaalam mo na lang sa [listeners] na we’re changing our sounds. If ever we’re gonna come out with another album, it’s gonna be different na naman ulit.
Aia: We can play anything. Wala pang singer na, “Hindi bagay sa akin yan.” Pwede kong sabihin na, “hindi ko panlasa ‘yan,” pero hindi ko sasabihin na “hindi bagay sa akin yan.” Wala sa vocabulary namin yan.
LS: I noticed most if not all of the lyrics have been composed by Aia. Has it always been like that?
Tim: We have to. Kasi ‘pag apat kayo sa banda, tapos everyone starts writing their own songs and the whole band have their own thing, walang direction. Siya ang gumagawa ng kanta, it doesn’t really matter because everyone has an agreement naman, eh. Okay, you write the song, we believe in the song, we like to play it, okay, why don’t we do it? Wala naming bias ‘yan, eh. I’m sure ‘pag may umayaw, it’s not gonna be a problem. Everybody’s happy. At most, compromise.
LS: Which song depicts Imago?
Tim: The Long and Winding Road. (sings) The long…(laughs) Does it have to be our song? Ako, Beatles. Genre ko ito. Come Together. Kasi parati naman ‘yan ‘pag may banda, eh. Ano bang definitive song?
Aia: Anino rin is our song. ‘Yun ‘yung fun…’yun ‘yung kun ano kami.
Tim: Ako tingin ko yung Gratitude (off the second album) Kasi we’re not what you expect us to be. Kasi may third ball dun na, uy, biglang may rap pala ang Imago. Kaya pala nilang gumawa g ganoon.
LS: Sino idol ninyo in terms of making songs?
Tim: Itchyworms. Kasi ang hirap panindigan na all you write about is happy songs. Kasi happy lang talaga sila, walang angst. Ang hirap, kakantahin mo with conviction.
LS: Any other artists you want to collaborate with?
Aia: Si Paul McCartney. Siya na lang yung buhay, e. (laughs)
Tim: (to Aia) Si Ringo?
Aia: Si Ms Pilita Corales. (Tim reacts, amazed) Tanda na, and ganda pa rin ng boses, eh. Challenge yun! Bago siya tumanda ng tuluyan.
LS: What was the most memorable concert you’ve been to?
Aia: Davao (gets nods form the two) Davao was such a great place. Sobrang loved ka, warm talaga. Kung pwedeng hindi na nga kami paalisin, eh.
Maps: Everyone’s singing, they know the songs.
Tim: Kasi, gini-gear up nila yung sarili nila para mag-enjoy talaga, eh.
LS: Can you tell us something that the fans don’t know about you?
Tim: No. (laughs) Something you don’t know about us? Na lalabas na ang bago naming video. Really really soon. And we are going to win an acting award for that!
Aia: Angas kami dun. Di naming akalain. (laughs)
Tim: Shooting, grabe. Hindi naming akalain na mapupunta kami dun.
