I’m back! And I’m SO late for everything.

Let’s break this down into separate topics…

1. AI Finale - YAY! Kris!

Thursday morning around 10:00am PH time, I sent this message to some friends:

I’m @ Pearl Farm, nagpaiwan ako sa island hopping (I didn’t join the island hopping) to watch AI. So worth it!

This was immediately after Kris Allen was declared the winner of American Idol Season 8.

I don’t have anything against Adam. I wouldn’t mind if he won, although I probably wouldn’t be as happy because (1) that’s totally expected since the beginning, anyway; and (2) as I’ve mentioned before, Kris has become my Blake/Jason for this year, that is, someone who isn’t as vocally good as the other contestants but have shown so much artistry (tm Kara “Bikini Girl 2″ DioGuardi) and not to mention so good on the eyes, too, that I ended up rooting for them by the middle of the season. Actually, I’m more like on the Anybody-But-Gokey-And-Lil-Rounds train. So while I’m perfectly fine seeing Adam walk away with the title, I couldn’t help but scream and jump around our private cottage like crazy (I can do that since I’m all alone in the room, anyway) when Kris won.

I told Rizza the previous night that I had this weird feeling that Kris will pull a major upset over Adam. I dunno, it just felt that way. I think I saw something on Simon’s face after Kris sang Ain’t No Sunshine. As I’ve told Rizza, I think the judges - Simon in particular - used the same tactic they used on David Cook last year, but maybe for different reasons. But it was so obvious both on Performance and Finale Nights that the producers have long prepared for an Adam-Gokey finals. The proof:

(1) All of Kris’ performances did not have any production value whatsoever, which turned out to be advantageous to him because the focus was all on him. Although if he messed up, that could also be his downfall. Adam was able to cover up the little pitch problems here and there in his Mad World performance because of the entire trenchcoat-smoke-effect-blue-lights-fake-eyelashes extravaganza. When he sang No Boundaries, that’s when all the weaknesses in Adam’s vocals and artistry came out. Meanwhile…

(2) Kris had to make do with a song two keys higher than what his vocal cords can reach. Right there and then, I knew that the production had anticipated Gokey in the Final 2 and they didn’t have enough time to make adjustments. Heck, even the lyrics of the coronation song is perfect for Gokey. I was literally when the judges were frantically trying to tell the viewers never to judge Kris based on the 3rd song because the key was too high for him. That’s the type of thing they’d only say about Gokey to cover up his ineptitude as a performer.

These two things became more obvious during Finale Night, when Gokey’s and even Allison’s numbers have more production value than Kris’ (don’t even mention Adam and KISS with those Spice Girls boots), and when Kris had to struggle to reach the key to We Are The Champions. He did surprisingly well, though. Speaking of which, is it just me or Brian May (guitarist of Queen) had more chemistry with Kris than with Adam? He seemed to like jamming with Kris more.

Other random AI stuff:

1. Can somebody explain to me why Anoop and Matt didn’t have special duets while Lil has one?

2. My favorite among the duet numbers: Allison with Cyndi Lauper. My least favorite: are we counting numbers that I didn’t even bother to watch? (read: Gokey and Lionel Richie)

3. David Cook was wearing the same outfit that he wore at his Shangri-la presscon with Archie. Dude needs more clothes.

4. I know Jorge is friends with Kris and he probably was just too happy for him, but dude… quit hogging the camera! Also, isn’t it depressing that Jorge is Latino and he can’t even sing a Santana song decently?

5. Anyone still remembers Jasmine Murray? No? I almost forgot about her, too.

6. Can I just say: whoever it was who choreographed the numbers should be patted at the back for making Scott McIntyre dance. Hey, I bet it’s not easy teaching a blind guy do choreographed group numbers (ok, granted that Scott isn’t totally blind, but still…).

7. If we do this the Randy Jackson way and make AI strictly a singing competition and vote only for those who could really, really sing, then Anoop should’ve won this. The guy can REALLY sing. Kinda flat stage personality, though.

8. I think AI is trying REALLY hard to downplay the fact that Kris is married. They always try to focus on the parents even if wifey is there, which is kinda odd considering that they never hide that fact on Chris Daughtry or any of the married female finalists. So when the end credits rolled with Kris giving his pretty wife a big hug, I was like, YAY!

2. V.I.Pfft…

Everything was said regarding all this Japan fans package tour for the Hong Kong show whatnot on the entry prior to this one (which was totally unrelated to the main topic of that entry), so I don’t know if I should still comment on it. But whatever, I’ll say something, anyway.

Rizza had posted there that I was pissed off. Actually, I’m not. What I really felt was (1) I felt sorry for the Hong Kong fans because I know what kind of shyte they’ve been getting from both the Hong Kong producers and J Tune as regards this show and yet they were not granted this kind of privilege (of course, this was prior to the knowledge that the aborted Japanese fans tour will only have lousy concert seats and a class picture with Teacher Rain); and (2) I felt sad for Rain because his company is ruining his career.

But wait! Why should I feel sad for Rain? He’s the CEO, isn’t he? Don’t tell me he’s going to invoke the “I have people doing these things for me, and I am not aware that this is happening” excuse again. Ji Hoonie, you already lost a court case using that excuse, and it was even valid at that time because you weren’t managing yourself. You cannot use that when you’re the CEO of your own management company. When will you ever learn, huh? Oh shoot, I just realized that I have just turned into a fan in denial. By assuming that he doesn’t know about these things, I am refusing to accept the possibility that he really might be a money-grabbing opportunist. I’m being in denial only because my psychic has told me that he’s not. What he really is is a person who puts too much trust and confidence on the wrong people instead of following his own instincts. Please, Ji Hoon, I still like you. Both as an artist and as a person. Don’t disappoint me!

3. Et al.

1. Remember my post about this person who posted comments in Ilocano at one of my YouTube clips? Well, somebody who understood the comment (and who is a regular of this blog) has responded - the response is too harsh, actually - and of course, this girl has to fight back through a comment that doesn’t make sense some more. She should realize that the phrase “it’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it” is used only if you don’t have anything to back up your claim. Also, if you’re really not looking for trouble, then don’t post anything that might offend other people in the guise of an “opinion”. Simple as that.

2. Uh-oh… I didn’t realize until now that the issue within the band that I used to stalk is deeper than I thought. No wonder they want to keep it under wraps. However, they should realize that if they don’t want to make a big issue out of it, then don’t post anything, even not-so-subtle hints, on the internet. Even subtle hints can be twisted into something bigger. Geez, and these are people who used to censor everything I post on their old forum because they fear that it might become an issue.

I still haven’t visited the forums, so there might be other stuff that I should be commenting on. I’ll do that later after I get some much needed sleep.

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Blog Advisory:

My webhost will have a scheduled maintenance on May 24, 2009 at 1:00am (EDT) and will last for about 1 to 2 hours. If you happen to pass by on that date and time and my blog is down, don’t assume that I have given up blogging and have deleted everything.

I wasn’t supposed to blog about this - basically because no one would probably care - but I feel that I would implode if I don’t talk or at least write about it.

As always, my habit of dipping my finger on someone else’s business has backfired on me. The story: someone has created a topic on a certain forum asking about a certain Filipino band which, once again for the gazillionth time, had a line-up change. She was asking because she has noticed that the group has been performing with another guitarist, so this person was wondering if the old guitarist has quit the band.

Since no one responded and I know the answer, I replied. I quoted their mailing list as the source of information.

Now I don’t know what the big deal is, but their moderator suddenly posted this thread at their mailing list saying the “issue” has spread in another forum (she even identified my internick on that list to point at me as the culprit when I wasn’t the one who created the thread in the first place) and cautioned everyone, particularly lurkers, not to say anything in other forums until an official statement has been made by the band.

I read that, and I was like… HUH?

Ok, so apparently, anything that was posted on the official mailing list by the artists themselves is not only confidential, but also not official.

I don’t know if I have become stupid, or somebody else has. Really. I don’t get it. It was one of the band members who made the announcement(s) on the list. So that’s still not official? Moreover, that’s supposed to be confidential? On a PUBLIC mailing list? What the f…?

In fairness to me, my reply was safe (and they did point it out on the list) and I didn’t mention anything that was not mentioned on the announcement made by the band’s founding member. Well, it’s not like I would know stuff that was not mentioned on the mailing list. I don’t have access to classified information on the group anymore, and even when I did, I was always careful with the things that I share on their old website.

I had been controlling my urge to de-lurk just to point out to them that if they want to keep that information within their “circle”, then they should’ve told the band that they should’ve confined the announcement strictly to the members of their elite “circle” only instead of posting it at their PUBLIC mailing list where hell knows who’s reading and fishing for info. Even if they insist on telling everyone never to re-post, that’s not gonna happen. Someone is bound to take it out. Why? Because they posted it for everyone to read, ergo, it is assumed that everyone is at liberty to spread it. Trust me, it happens to me on this blog all the time. In fact, I’ve been slammed and laughed at for that Notice I have up there because people think it’s ridiculous that I am telling everyone never to re-post the contents of this blog somewhere else. It’s posted on the internet for everyone to see, therefore everyone is free to use it to their convenience. Well, it’s not the simple re-posting that irks me. It’s the fact that people re-post it and assume it as gospel truth even if I specifically said that it’s not, and then when things get out of hand they point at me as the source. Or when people, for the lack of a good argument, use what I wrote to fill up their lack of a point. That’s what bothers me.

Anyway. Going back to the topic…

If I post a reply then I’m basically glorifying the non-issue into the “issue” that they thought it was, so I just let them remain in their delusional universe. Trust me, peeps, contrary to what you think, there.is.no.issue.at.all. The thread has been buried on the forum already, and it’s not like it’s the first time that this group has changed members. Heck, they changed their line-up so many times, they’re like the local version of Menudo. And besides, there is no controversy behind it and they parted ways amicably, so why act like it’s a sensitive issue? As far as I can tell there is no issue at all.

I’ve just read a new reply from a member of the inner circle. Oh, I get it. They thought that if they keep mum about it, they can pretend that it didn’t happen. Aw c’mon. The group is already doing gigs with the new guitarist. They are not an obscure band, in fact they are considered living legends in Pinoy music. What, they actually thought nobody would notice? Shouldn’t you be glad that at least, someone out there is clarifying things for you instead of just letting people get false information through the grapevine? I really don’t get it. And I’m supposed to be dealing with people who are either my age or older. I guess common sense isn’t limited to a particular age bracket, ‘no?

Why do I feel like a total freak for totally not caring about the Eraserheads’ Final Concert?

About two-three hours ago, I received quite a number of text messages from friends - both old and current - reminding me to tune in to GMA-7 for the TV broadcast of the concert. I don’t know if any of my old friends ever remembered that I never had an E-heads phase… My brother certainly did, though. He took his wife and sisters-in-law to the concert, but never bothered to ask me if I want to tag along. He knows that I never rode on the E-heads bandwagon. I was in college when the band became big and I was already into bands then because of my best friend, and that should mean that the E-heads should be part of my growing up years. Sadly, it didn’t. I know their songs, I don’t hate them, I’m just not a fan, period.

This sounds incredibly weird for someone who used to claim that she’s a band stalker, and is actually still carrying that label because of this blog’s domain name. And I should actually care because I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Raimund Marasigan once in a non-band setting and he’s one heck of a cool guy. He’s one of my favorite ‘rockstars’. Also, by association, Buddy Zabala is sorta connected to me as he is now playing bass for the band that I used to stalk. It is by sheer coincidence, however, that he came in after I’ve stopped stalking.

So anyway, so as not to feel like a total freak (my gosh, everyone as in everyone is tuned in to this concert tonight, including my own father ) I decided to check it out. As I’m writing this, Ely Buendia is singing the prison anthem, Kailan. Ah, so this is what the hype is all about. It must’ve been really a momentous occasion for those who, at some point in their lives, have made an Eraserheads song their anthem of life. I can feel the energy in the audience. And whoa, what a massive audience that was.

And that just about fulfills my quota for this topic.

PS: Actually, the real reason why I tuned in is to check out their FrancisM tribute. Hopefully, I didn’t tune in too late…

Objects in a rear-view mirror appear closer than what they really are…

Four years ago in September, Paulette The Band Stalker died.

In the past four years, I’ve been asked countless of times why I decided to stop supporting that band that I used to stalk. And for good reason, too. Within a period of 3 years and 9 months, I was the single most visible fan this band had. I was a regular face at their gigs. I was logged on to their website practically 24/7. I kept their forum alive. In those years that they would play to an audience of 10, half of which is composed of the band’s family members, friends and roadies, I was there cheering them on. I got so close to them that I ‘transitioned’ from being a fan to a friend. Or so I thought.

September 2004, one of their guitarists got kicked out. After he left, I gradually started missing their gigs until I stopped going completely.

Whenever I am asked about it now, my answer ranges from, “my interests have changed” to giving a few snippets of what went on in those last days of September 2004. Only a very select few know the grisly details. Even my brother who was my band-stalking partner back in the day doesn’t know the entire story. We never really had the chance to discuss it. Although I have a feeling that no words need to be uttered; he just knows.

I may have been out of the scene for the past four years, but I am still abreast with the goings-on in the band. I am still subscribed at their mailing list, although mainly because I wanted to know what they’ll say should the subject of Mr. Ex-Guitarist or Ms. Ex-Band Stalker crops up. Yesterday, someone posted a forwarded private email originally coming from one of the band’s ‘core group’ of fans (aka. my replacement[s] as official band slaves stalkers), and one of the recipients took it upon himself to re-post the entire message at the mailing list for every fan to see.

Apparently, the girlfriend of one of the band members wrote a scathing blog entry calling her boyfriend’s band’s fans as “pathetic”, “crazy and obssessive” and “nothing but stalkers” who only hang around with the band so that they can tell their friends that they are friends with famous people. On one part of the article, she mentioned about the band being at fault for letting fans take a peek into their personal lives. Because of this trait, she said, them “pathetic fans” assume that they have become friends of the band members when in fact they are not.

Of course, that excuse phrase “some, not all” is there. But she never told the difference between the ‘real ones’ and the ‘wannabes’. So if you are part of the core group, where would you put yourself, then?

I find it amusing that this story cropped up on the same month of the Band Stalker’s ‘death anniversary’. For that, I wish to thank the blogger for putting on (virtual) paper my four-year old theory regarding what this band’s members and the people around them really think of me and every fan whom they allowed into their inner circle. For three years and nine months, I myself had the impression that I belonged there. People who had the same experience with them have warned me, but I ignored them. I ignored all the signs. Maybe it’s the fan in me that wants to keep the illusion that a fan’s ultimate dream of having close personal ties with her idol(s) can come true and I am the living proof of it.

Then the fateful events of September 2004 happened. It all came crashing down. I was faced with a choice: illusion or friendship? Loyalty or principle?

I remember Mr. Guitarist telling me in one of our late-night chats after his departure from the band: “Tell me, among all of us in the band, who was the one who really took the effort to know the real you?”

It’s not just celebrities who live double lives. Fans do, too. If a celebrity can demand understanding from the public, why can’t a fan demand the same from her idol who misjudged her?

I just feel bad for the current core group. I had hoped that they won’t face the harsh reality that these people are not really all about real friendships and being ‘on the same boat’. Unfortunately for them, some things just don’t change.

My fingers have been itching from restraining myself from lecturing fans on How Not To Freak Your Idol Out When You’re In His Presence (Even If It’s Just On The Internet).

I mean, these “idols” are people, too… they do get embarassed like everyone else, you know. If, say, they logged on to your blogsite or forum thread and you acknowledge their presence by asking really embarassing questions like, “did you call ____ (the other half of their loveteam) last night?”, “Will you visit her on her guesting at [insert name of TV show here]?”, “Do you have a webcam/YM? Can we chat right now?” ; or if you constantly announce to the world their online/offline status and even openly tell everyone how to detect it; do you honestly believe they will not feel iffy about visiting your site/forum thread again?

As it is, after visiting their forum thread and posting a couple of messages, them celebs didn’t come back to post again even if they promised they will. If I were in their shoes, I’d probably set my account on “invisible mode”, too.

Hmmm… maybe I’ll teach them how to be invisible.

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I wonder: If I stayed in the band scene, would I end up being a subject for a TV documentary, too?

This is Joseph. He is a familiar fixture in the Philippine rock band scene, most notably among 80’s fanatics. He’s famous not only because he goes to every imaginable 80’s-themed gig there is, he goes there in full battle gear. He is the walking definition of CosPlay. Notice the string of flowers (and of all flowers, he had to choose kalachuchi which is commonly used on funeral wreaths ) on his neck? It’s part of his ensemble for the night. His outfits are stuck in 80’s time warp, complete with sweatsocks, tubes of eyeliner and cans of Aquanet (at one gig, he was wearing a wool jacket and scarf… in the middle of summer in tropical Philippines ). And he’s never shy once the bands start playing. He will flail his taunt body and dance like there’s no tomorrow, nevermind if he’s the only one doing it.

This free-spirited quality of Joseph landed him a one-hour documentary feature for a major TV network. Said episode of I-Witness was aired last night at GMA-7, and even if the docu also tackled the 80’s new wave era, Joseph was immortalized by having his name on the docu’s title, Sayaw ni Joseph (Joseph’s Dance).

Joseph and I used to rub elbows in gigs a lot during my bandstalker days, mainly because the band I used to stalk is the definitive music icon of 80’s new wave here in the Philippines. Many people think he’s weird - war-freak “rakistas” even beat him up one time simply because he dresses up differently - but he’s actually nice. Deep, in some ways, though he’s always stuck in his own new wave world.  Now that he’s got his own place in the spotlight, I guess that’s one way of giving The Finger to all those who misjudged him all this time. Kudos to you, Joseph. 

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The one thing I learned from following both Rain and SHK - which most fans still can’t seem to stick in their heads - is: never trust their published schedules.

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After much hoo-ha on whether Rain will really sing in the Olympics - which turned into a big debate on whether he should step on Chinese artists’ shoes and accept the offer - which turned out to be irrelevant, after all, because he was never asked in the first place - it is final: he will sing an Olympic song, but only for Samsung Mobile’s Olympic CF to be aired in China. Which, I’m sure, will still be an issue for his critics. I could already hear the, “why can’t they get Chinese artists to sing for the ad?”, for which the obvious answer would be, “uh, because Samsung is a Korean company?” At which they would say, “then why can’t they get [insert name of another K-pop star who is not Rain] instead?” and list down all possible reasons why this other K-pop artist should do it.

For which I will say, “because Samsung wants Rain, so he got the contract. Any other questions?”

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And speaking of CFs… I’m stealing this off Rain Indonesia because I’m jealous as hell.

I wonder when shall we see something similar here in the Philippines? Is there any chance we’ll see billboards and tarps of Rain here at all?

Although in all fairness to Unilever-Ph, Rain’s Clear ad is still getting a lot airtime here. There’s a new 15-second version out, and I was able to finally record it last night. Here it is:

At first I thought it was just a shortened version of the previous TVC, but actually, it’s not. Some parts are edited differently. In the original version, you won’t be able to screencap this scene clearly because it flew by too fast:

I miss this look on him. I wonder when shall he get rid of the girly Speed Racer hairstyle?