Blipper since: October 23, 2008
""Ocean" by John Butler Trio. I once described it as an erratic, intense solo piece. Mad strings. If I were a song, this would be it. Listening to it always brings a grand soundscape into my mind."
Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?
sunnysunnysunny: Metro Manila, Philippines.
Dulin: The Philippines has had many cultural influences from other nations throughout its history. Are these influences evident in traditional music there?
sunnysunnysunny: Yeah. One thing that comes into mind is those gong or xylophone types of instruments that can also be found in other Southeast Asian countries, probably by virtue of those inter-regional trades that started way back in the early days. I'll stop here while I still know what I'm saying. Thank you.
Dulin: Have modern music styles – emo, trance, bass-and-drum, electronica, rap, for example – seeped into the sound of local/national musicians performing at clubs and other venues?
sunnysunnysunny: Oh yes. I especially like the electronica influences I'm hearing in some of my favorite Filipino bands/artists.
Dulin: Why do you blip music on Blip.FM?
sunnysunnysunny: Social Radio was one of the best things that ever happened on the Internet, and Blip.FM was certainly one of the highlights of 2008 (thanks @haraya and @andhow for getting me hooked). For me it's the best way to discover and share great music. I especially miss those days when we could upload our own mp3s on Blip.FM's database. That way, it would've been a lot easier for me to share the wonderful music from my side of the world. Nevertheless, Blip's still Blip because of the international community. Blip.FM made the world a whole lot smaller through music. Although I rarely interact with my DJs and listeners nowadays (busy busy busy) and just listen to the blips, I still made some great friends back then and still feel at home whenever I log on to Blip.FM.
Dulin: What other ways do you listen to music? (iPod, stereo, other online services?)
sunnysunnysunny: iPod when I'm not on the computer. Blip.FM when I'm on the computer. Radio when I'm driving or commuting, but iPod too when I don't like what's being played on the radio station at the moment.
Dulin: What band or artist would you most like to meet and interview? What would you ask?
sunnysunnysunny: John Butler Trio. Sigur Ros. The Raveonettes. The Czars. Metric. Seeing them perform live is enough for me. I'm already tongue-tied as it is trying to think of what I'd ask if I were face to face with them. Maybe just a picture with them. For example: Kings of Convenience went to Manila earlier this year, and of course I went to see them with @andhow. Who knows when they'll be coming back to Manila again? After their concert, me and my other friends went to the after-concert party at Cubao. I just stayed behind when they [my friends] went to have a chat with Erlend [Øye]. As far as I'm concerned, they played a great concert. I saw them live. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I recorded their performances anyway. I'm the shyest person ever.
Dulin: Are there local artists/bands that you'd like to see get more attention from the rest of the world? Tell us about them.
sunnysunnysunny: I recommend songs usually and not really artists/bands (unless you force me), because some can have really great songs but offer an inconsistent album. At the same time, I think that the songs here below can speak for their respective artists:
[Taken By Cars - December 2 Chapter VII] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLjdLnB3Abs
[Up Dharma Down - The World is Our Playground and We Will Always Be Home] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQayWE_284Q&feature=related
[Pinikpikan - Cosmic Ride] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cIHEeY7Dgs
[Cynthia Alexander - Comfort in Your Strangeness]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iy0ZN4vZvc&feature=related
[Daydream Cycle - Roses and Cadillacs]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5HJAuZJdpc&feature=related
[Sinosikat - So Blue] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FMXr0pKIUg&feature=related
Those are just off the top of my mind. There are certainly some more that do deserve international attention.
Dulin: What music style or trend do you wish would go away?
sunnysunnysunny: Anything metal. Really couldn't stand it ever since. And contrived bossa nova acts :)
Dulin: What song or artist do you never tire of hearing? What is special about that song or artist?
sunnysunnysunny: "Ocean" by John Butler Trio. There are so many variations of it. I once described it as an erratic, intense solo piece. Mad strings. If I were a song, this would be it. Listening to it always brings a grand soundscape into my mind.
Here's my fave version. I have no idea when or where exactly this was played, so if you do please tell me. Or better, email me a file copy
http://blip.fm/profile/sunnysunnysunny/blip/54841060/John+Butler+Trio%E2%80%93Ocean
Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?
sunnysunnysunny: I think it was a Michael Jackson album, I was gonna sing one of his songs for our Christmas Party way, way back in my elementary years. Cassette tape, obviously.
Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?
sunnysunnysunny: Most of the creative stuff I do (write, photos––on the side though and not for a living) are influenced or triggered by music. My writing processes typically involve a song/piece being played over and over until I can't think anymore.
Having said that, you'll understand then when I say I don't blip at work as a general rule. I can whip out a new, fantastic playlist only to discover it's already time for lunch, or almost time to go home in the worst cases.
Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?
sunnysunnysunny: Mostly on Blip.FM. I'm a loyalist that way. Or maybe I'm just lazy that way. I'm not much into reading music blogs, especially music reviews. At most, these reviews would only validate my own verdict of that music. Which is not to say I totally shut myself from the rest of the world, because, as I said, I discover my music on Blip.FM. I guess my issue pertains more to structure/medium. I trust the DJs I follow in Blip.FM and so far I've been happy with my discoveries. Aside from listening to other DJs' stations, I make my own discoveries via Blip.FM's oracular search engine. This only further supports my answer in the previous question (why I don't blip at work).
Of course, recommendations from friends whose tastes I trust are a given.
Dulin: If you could Blip.FM one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?
sunnysunnysunny: [Bent - Silent Life] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyB0WJzENUI
Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?
sunnysunnysunny: More concerts in Manila, please. Your real Asian fans are here. *waves*
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Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.
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