If you wanna make your momma proud
The state of music in the Philippines has been confusing me for a while now. On one hand we’ve got great new bands like Up Dharma Down, Fuseboxx, and Pedicab who confidently push the boundaries of pinoy music without alienating their listeners. Yet on the other hand we’ve got bands whose playlist consists of 134 covers (remakes, they like to call it) and 1 original song.
I’ve got nothing about doing covers of bands that influenced you and your music. But there is something terribly wrong with coming out with an album of covers when you have yet to prove the worth of your own songs. I don’t agree with calling their songs remakes, a remake is a song done your way, injected with your own distinct style. These are just songs copied note for note. What is more alarming is that people fall all over themselves trying to buy these albums. Some people even have the temerity to call these bands great. Another thing that raises my hackles is that these albums are filed under OPM (Original Pilipino Music). What’s so original about doing covers?
Are Filipinos so scared of change that they’re willing to sacrifice originality for familiarity? We’re known across Asia as excellent musicians. Our notoriety as musicians is that we can cover a song in excruciating detail, “plakado”. While there’s nothing wrong with this, isn’t it about time that we also come to be known as excellent songwriters? We have no shortage of great songwriters, Cynthia Alexander and Gary Granada immediately come to mind. The crossover success of Kitchie Nadal, Rivermaya and Bamboo also prove that you can be both original and popular. You might blame the music companies for the dearth of clone music that’s ruling the airwaves. But marketing can only get you so far, in the end it’s still the consumer who decides what gets played. Isn’t it about time that we take our music seriously? Is it so hard to give a little more thought about the music you listen to? The movie industry has had this epiphany a few years back with the advent of indie films and it’s refreshing to see the quality of Filipino movies out today.
Music was created to soothe the soul and nourish the heart. It was meant to convey the most abstract feelings of the songwriter. How truthfully can you sing someone else’s emotions? Let’s support musicians who sing their own songs. Let's make OPM original again.
I’ve got nothing about doing covers of bands that influenced you and your music. But there is something terribly wrong with coming out with an album of covers when you have yet to prove the worth of your own songs. I don’t agree with calling their songs remakes, a remake is a song done your way, injected with your own distinct style. These are just songs copied note for note. What is more alarming is that people fall all over themselves trying to buy these albums. Some people even have the temerity to call these bands great. Another thing that raises my hackles is that these albums are filed under OPM (Original Pilipino Music). What’s so original about doing covers?
Are Filipinos so scared of change that they’re willing to sacrifice originality for familiarity? We’re known across Asia as excellent musicians. Our notoriety as musicians is that we can cover a song in excruciating detail, “plakado”. While there’s nothing wrong with this, isn’t it about time that we also come to be known as excellent songwriters? We have no shortage of great songwriters, Cynthia Alexander and Gary Granada immediately come to mind. The crossover success of Kitchie Nadal, Rivermaya and Bamboo also prove that you can be both original and popular. You might blame the music companies for the dearth of clone music that’s ruling the airwaves. But marketing can only get you so far, in the end it’s still the consumer who decides what gets played. Isn’t it about time that we take our music seriously? Is it so hard to give a little more thought about the music you listen to? The movie industry has had this epiphany a few years back with the advent of indie films and it’s refreshing to see the quality of Filipino movies out today.
Music was created to soothe the soul and nourish the heart. It was meant to convey the most abstract feelings of the songwriter. How truthfully can you sing someone else’s emotions? Let’s support musicians who sing their own songs. Let's make OPM original again.
posted by myklvncnt @ 1:04 PM
2 Comments:
AMEN to that!
i've also been wondering if the rip-offs, i mean remakes should be categorized as OPM. and they have the nerve to say NO to piracy. hehe
Exactly! At least pirates don't claim to be doing something original.
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