Interview conducted by Valerie Mayuga

Silverfilter: Kick-ass Musician

Val: Okay… I’ll cut to the chase and go straight to the interview.
SF: Okay…

Val: Who is Silverfilter?
SF: He's this 23 year old guy…uh…Silverfilter is basically one guy who has so much music in him na one avenue won't do it for him...kasi I've been around na rin -- playing in rock bands, show bands....uh… ano pa ba?

So...I'm into challenging myself, what I can do next. As an artist, right now, I do live electronic music -- it's like, ah...its actually rare in the Philippines. There's actually just a few of us who do this kind of music. This kind of thing is actually big in Europe and US and in a way, my focus is to bring…to let people know na we Filipinos also have a say in that respect, in that electronic music. So if you're looking for electronic music, look no further, kasi we have our own material. We do our own stuff. It's as simple as people appreciating our local rock bands, like Rivermaya or Urban Dub. Right now, we have our electronic artists like me, Wolfmann, Rubber Inc.

Val: Describe yourself in 3 words:
SF: Funny, emotional…and…um (stands up, walks) ah! Alam ko na! Versatile.

Val: Your music in three words
SF: Tasty, pumping, fun

Val: Describe your music
SF: Ito ang mahirap sa pagiging multi-genre! (laughs) Aaahh… It's a mixture of... Being a multi-genre artist, what comes out, yung music output ko is more of a mixture of the styles that I cover – chill out, lounge, drum ‘n’ bass, house, techno. Pero at the same time, I keep myself rooted to the style itself. Like for example, syempre yung drum ‘n’ bass, you don't put any house elements...I immerse myself in that style first, before I do that…certain style. l just don't go out and make... something na wala naman akong alam... kasi yung styles, may boundaries...

Val: How does your music reflect your personality?
SF: Siguro, it's more connected to my “emotional'' answer...

Val: Why, is your music emotional?
SF: Yeah, partly… ‘Coz most my music is borne out of my emotional state. That's just one part. Yung other na nandun is yung...it reflects my personality being…forward thinking? Always getting ahead of myself. Parang, I'd like to see what I'm capable of doing next.

Val: Tell us about Electronica Manila
SF: Apart from the definition, we're basically one big happy family of artists and electronica enthusiasts.(get from site)

Val: What sets Electronica Manila – or the members of Electronica Manila – apart from other musicians?
SF: As a group, the artists under it are into electronica, may it be... Either they're enthusiasts lang – DJs… If you don't compose, as long as you're into promoting or if you appreciate electronic music, you're open to join and support them.

Val: Define electronic music for people who are used to conventional music and see your brand of music as…“non-real music.”
SF: Common notion when you say electronic music… What goes on in people’s minds are stuff that's very...synthetic. Parang very...non-human. Where electronic music is basically music that is done out of electronic gear. Like, a lot of lounge albums are also dubbed as electronic music, but when you really listen to them, it's a mixture of recording live percussionists, live drummers, brass players. The recorded stuff…most electronic artists does his own rendition and works his magic over the organic instruments na recorded and adds his own treatment – touch – kasi, like, when people say electronic music, it's… Some say it’s something new. Pero it's actually all around you. From Otso-Otso, which if you listen to is, is really an electro track. Cheesy nga lang, pero electronic artists. When you listen to National Geographic, all musical scores are electronic music. AXN, mga drum ‘n’ bass yung station ID nila. And all artists who come out right now are all backed up by electronica. Even sila Britney Spears… Pero for us, we're the ones who focus on the dancy part...but still even those who do hip-hop albums are still electronica guys who simply prefer doing hip-hop.

Val: So you don't think people will have trouble bridging the gap between electronica and conventional music?
SF: Bridging from conventional to electronica as a whole, I don't think they'll have difficulty, kasi right now, if you see the trend, people are into chill-out, lounge, especially yuppies who are stressed. And me being a CD addict, countless times, yung mga katabi ko na yuppies, naghahanap ng chill-out, which is basically electronic music. Even workaholics na walang hilig sa electronic music, when they buy chill-out, they buy electronica – it’s as simple as that.

Val: What's an electronica gig like?
SF: An electronica gig ...well for me, my gigs, yung live electronic gigs ko, it's different from ordinary gigs when I'm pag nag-ba-banda, or yung mga DJ gigs. Kasi banda, parang, dating ka dun… In a way, you jammed your songs na, you’re just presented with a lineup. In my case kasi, when I do live electronica, whoever gets me, I prepare a set for that night itself. So I write new songs for that night. So...for example yung event producer asks for chill out, or drum ‘n’ bass or house, in a way, I tailor my set sa need nila or sa want niya for that time, as long as it's within the stuff I do. Kasi I've been asked to do a hip-hop set din and R’n’B. It's not that I can't do it – it's that I can't pull it off… kasi for that stuff, you need a singer... And l’ll leave it to those who do those kinds...

So after preparation, you get to the gig. One other difference is, we bring our own gear. All of it. That's the hard part, ‘coz you carry all your stuff, you're at the risk of exposing your stuff to sand, salt water kung beach gig. Parang whenever I do beach gigs, talagang... kabado. Kasi I can't carry all my stuff. So the porters handle it, they pass it to another porter, while the boat is moving. It's hard lang, pero it's worth it. I decided to go hardware kasi… kasi there are live artists who can simply go with software, like bringing a laptop and that's it, they're satisfied...which I do sometimes… Rarely… For on the spot gigs, but I decided to go hardware kasi so... I bring lots of stuff in order to come out with... Actually, I can manage with few gears, pero yun nga, the thing about my live sets is I want it to be an experience to those who come and watch kasi the thing with live artists is that we're more... We're...it's a hybrid of the DJ vibe, which is the dance vibe, and performance, which is yung appeal of a live performance ng banda. So yun nga, going back to making the gig worth it for people who check it out, I bring lots of gears and… so the live element is really there when I work on my effects boxes, my synthesizers, my drum machines all at the same time. Kasi in my experience, very entertaining to those who aren't exposed… Kasi the blinking lights itself are really something to people who are exposed lang to guitars and drums.

So ayun, you bring your gear, you get to the venue, you set up for twenty to thirty minutes, kasi ang dami mong dala, sound check, then you play when the gig starts. So basically yun. The live factor, performance and maybe it's also because of my band background na it's not just playing the music, it's actually performing it. Kasi, parang simple ang analogy, yung comparison, like when you're watching a band, it gives you something more when you see them enjoying themselves, banging their heads, than simply playing the song from start to finish. I don’t just give something for the ears, but for the eyes as well, for the complete experience of the music. Kasi. parang watching, simply looking at a live PA artist is kinda boring – it's kinda boring kung normal na live PA. Imagine one guy just standing behind his gear. It's really not...that entertaining. Pero if you add something to it, you perform talaga, you give your best. Yun.

Val: What’s the difference between being a live PA and being a DJ?
SF: Yung main difference, yung DJ-ing, you play discs. Yung sa amin, you use music software, hardware, synths, drum machines to produce music.

Val: Would you say electronica is going mainstream?
SF: It is mainstream. It’s just a matter of… parang naming which genre is mainstream… kasi ‘di ba parang…

Val: Is Electronica Manila in the mainstream na?
SF: Di pa siguro…

Val: Do you want it to go mainstream?
SF: In a way. Kasi we’re here nga to promote electronic music. So if it does go mainstream, ibig sabihin we were able to promote it.

Val: Has your life changed since you got into this? How?
SF: Definitely. It gave me direction. Well, may direction naman talaga. Now, I’m much more focused. And it landed me a job, and till now, that’s what I do pa rin. Actually, yun ang pinaka magandang life-changing outcome nun – of going into electronica. I got into music arrangement na up to now, I still do that, working on commercials, TV, radio. Ganun.

Val: Can you give me some of the stuff you’ve worked on that were aired both on TV and radio?
SF: Sa TV: Honda Accord, Bench, Wacoal, PBA – yung theme song nila and lahat ng music nung opening nung season, Absolute Water, Eight-O-Clock, Petron Rev X with the Sex Bomb Girls, Tanduay, Inquirer. Sa radio naman, Gold eagle beer, Blue Bay Tuna, BPI…automadness ba yun? Century Tuna, Payless Noodles

Val: What are the perks of being in this field that you’re in?
SF: Walang perks! (Laughs) Maybe the best thing siguro, you earn more. Kasi you don’t have to split what you get, unlike if you’re in a band. Basically that’s it. Pero girls wala. Rockstar pa pwede. Banda.

Val: What are the ups& downs of being in this field?
SF: Siguro yung down, kasi I’m used to being around band members. Tapos when you’re doing live electronic, you’re alone. So you get an out of town gig…okay… Yung ganun.

Val: What’s the most fulfilling aspect of music making?
SF: Yung ano…you earn by doing what you love.

Val: How did you get into electronica?
SF: Kasi Prodigy… I heard Prodigy, then I formed this duo sa school pa na ayun, one guitar player and me on synthesizers, experimenting on electronic music. Then eventually, I worked with software, tapos, ah, parang, empowering kasi yung feeling na you could make a whole track all by yourself.

Val: When, where, and what was your first gig like?
SF: Sanctum. 2002. Ano… Ahhh… Tense. I did only one song. Tapos yun. Before that pa, I asked tips from people only, how to play live. Most of the people were like, you do it your own way. I never really got an answer. Yun, okay naman. Tense lang kasi Rubber Inc. was there – the big boys of electronica.

Val: What was your most memorable gig?
SF: Siguro Fete De La Musique 2003. Kasi talagang everyone went wild, they were dancing, and being a live electronic artist, it’s a challenege, eh… to make them move. Ako happy din ako kasi… Electronica Manila was there… Happy ko talaga… kasi kahit sila ginulat ko din sa set ko.

Val: What’s next for Silverfilter?
SF: Right now, I just plan to release all the planned albums. After releasing that, when the music’s out there na, I’ll take a break and promote it na, through gigs and DJ-ing.

Val: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
SF: Earning a lot! (Laughs) Kasi optimistic ako, diba? Established. Ahhh… people know my songs, people know me… Definitely making music pa rin.

Val: How do you want to be remembered as?
SF: As that guy who brings them LSS whenever they listen to his tracks.

Val: Have you ever been asked for your autograph (as Silverfilter)?
SF: Yeah. Sa album…

Val: Picture?
SF: Yeah, sa Music Museum, dun sa Sinekalye.

Val: How’d you react?
SF: Flattering, siyempre. You’re in the business of making them happy in the process…so your music is… diba, parang…

Val: Why Silverfilter?
SF: Kasi alliteration siya, ‘di ba? So in a way it sounds catchy. Dun mo ma-o-obvious na ako talaga gumawa ng Emanila. Kasi yung filter, integral part yun sa sound design. Tapos yung silver… Wala. Astig… Manly? Parang…chrome type. Wala lang.

Val: Who are your influences?
SF: Underworld, Fat Boy Slim, Armand Van Helden, Ritchie Hawtin

Val: The making of a track… how does that work?
SF: Most of the time, yung normal kong routine would be, think of a style, then start with the beats, yung drums. I’m not sure if normal yun. Dahil drummer ako, sanay ako dun. After laying down the beats, I work with the music bed na. Yun. After that, arrange the whole track sa sequence, then add, enhance nalang. After writing the song, you mix down, then master it.

Val: How do you come up with the melodies?
SF: Siguro for me, yun yung…edge ko or something na… I listen to all types of music kasi, eh. And I’m open to it. So in a way being exposed to different styles, you… talagang feed off from them.

Val: What motivates you? Like, what motivates you to come up with the music that you end
up with?
SF: Aaahhh…music…More on… After I make this track, parang before I make the track, I ask, “What do you want to listen to after?” Parang, I want to listen to lounge…after…so… I want to listen to something I can be proud of kasi…so gawa ako, diba?

Val: What would you…advice or suggest to those who want to go into this?
SF: Aahhh…Get ready to invest – money and time. Kasi, siyempre, money, in the end kasi it will pay off talaga – if you want to do it professionally, ha. If you want to try it out lang, if you have a PC, that’s all you need. Buy music software, install it, and try to write a song. Kasi it doesn’t require… it’s not necessary na… ahhh…you have a background in music when you make electronic music. Ahhh… Get into it for the music. And not for anything else.

Silverfilter: Just Another Guy...?!

Val: If you were a drink, what drink would you be? The original question was, if you were a coctail… but since you don’t drink, drink…
SF: (Thinks for a long time) Orange mocha frappe. Kasi… una, may coffee, pampagising…Eh diba parang kenkoy ako. Tapos… sweet… Naks! Yihee…! Tsaka, yung color, orange! I can brighten your day!

Val: Okay. Maybe you’d have an easier time with this one: if you were a music genre, what
genre would you be?
SF: Techno? Mas house…yung mga funky house, ha. Kasi it sounds happy. Eh I’m a funny guy. Kasi yung dance music naman, iba-iba. Techno makes you move. Yung funky house, happy siya, eh. Parang you wanna jump. Ganun.

Val: What’s in your cd changer?
SF: Maxim, yung emcee ng Prodigy. Tapos kasama yung ibang ano ng Prodigy. Um, ano nalang… Thievery Corporation, yung latest… Richest Man in Babylon And Splender, yung latest album

Val: What’s a usual day like in your life?
SF: Wake up, turn on pc, make music, take breaks when they call you to eat.

Val: What would people be surprised to find out about you?
SF: Yung pagiging straight-edge ko. Clean living, ganyan. Well, lagi naman silang surprised… kasi parang they expect you to be into it.

Val: Rate your happiness factor on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest.
SF: Happiness? Siguro 6… (There was a longer discussion about this after, but I didn’t get that down…)

Val: What’s in your fridge?
SF: Wala

Val: How are you when not onstage…or not making music?
SF: I watch movies

Val: Last words?
SF: Thanks Val! (Laughs) Aahh…support your local electronic act…and stop piracy! =)