Episode 015: Fifteen Islands In the Sun: 70's Pinoy Rock

Juan Dela Cruz Band - Himig Natin (Philippines 1973)
THE pioneer rock band from the Philippines that kicked off the Pinoy Rock revolution, Juan Dela Cruz is actually not a member of the band, but a moniker chosen by the trio of Wally Gonzalez, Mike Hanopol and Joey Smith. Each member would also produce stellar solo work as evidenced on this episode. This song shows that though the hard rocking sounds of Deep Purple and Nazareth inspired the island, the spacey and psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd also made quite an impact.

Mike Hanopol - Araw (Philippines 1977)
Hanopol may be the most prolific of the band members in terms of solo work, releasing four albums between 1977 and 1980 that expanded on the Pinoy Rock sound. After a brief hiatus he again returned with a few more releases in the 1990's and 2000's. This song continues to show the Floyd influence while showing the unique spin the scene put on this proto-space rock.

Judas - Dukha (Philippines 1977)
An obscure outfit that only released two singles during their brief time together, this gut wrenching downer track is the a-side of their debut. It seems that an album was recorded but not released until 2005.

Freddie Aguilar - Anak Ng Mahirap (Philippines 1978)
Possibly the biggest success story from the Philippines is the title track to the album from which this song is pulled, Anak which is tagalog for Child. An English version of the song became a worldwide hit in several countries, making this LP one of the easier ones to find from this era. Freddie's success lead to a prolific run of eight albums between 1978 and 1980, all focusing on his unique take on folk rock.

Eddie Munji III - Doon Po Sa Amin (Philippines 1978)
A scorching jazz instrumental from the lone album by guitarist and arranger Eddie Munjii who also had a hand in arranging for pop band Apo Hiking Society. His album Pinoy Jazz showcases his incredible guitar virtuosity and skill at encompassing a broad range of 70's jazz sounds. He'd follow up the album with Ryan Cyabyab on his 1977 effort Pinoy Jazz II.

Wally Gonzalez - Tatlong Araw (Philippines 1978)
This Juan Dela Cruz member released an incredible album in 1978 with a cover that rivals most for "the most bad ass cover ever" award. The spacey slow ballads - as shown here - bump up against Zeppelin influenced hard rock numbers that shows off the band's chops. If there is one album you seek out to delve into the sound, this may be it.

Juan Dela Cruz Band - Himig Natin (Philippines 1973)
A quick outro by the pioneers, and one of my personal favorites from the time, as the sound design is top notch.