This Month, Poptimes Magazine will devote the entire issue to commemorate an important event in Fil-Am music: the Release of Rock in the Box - A 14-track compilation album by 14 of the best independent artists and bands in the East Coast of the United States.

Even Poptimes Magazine Radio will hold a special week-long stream of the whole album, after the album's launch. Soulworks Records also bared plans for a nationwide tour to promote the album.

According to the Smithsonian Institute, Filipino-Americans constitute the 2nd largest Asian-American group in the United States. So important this fact is, the Institute declared 2006 as the Filipino-American Centennial Celebration year, in commemoration of the first batch of Filipino overseas workers that landed in Hawaii in 1906.

While major organizations are gearing up for major festivities, Filipino-Americans involved in the music scene have gathered to be a part of this historic year. These artists came up with an equally important contribution this years celebration–a compilation album called Rock in the Box.

Released by an independent Fil-Am label – Soulworks Records, Rock in the Box consists of 14 all-original songs by Fil-Am bands and solo artists, who have made their marks in the Filipino-American music landscape.

The Album will be launched on August 12, 2006; 7:00 – 10:00 PM at the Cutting Room in New York City. The show is produced by Philippine Pearl Productions, Edsun Entertainment and Soulworks Records.



Titofelix - Formed in Atlanta, Georgia in the summer of 2000, the alternative-rock quartet of Marc Cordon, PJ Sobremonte, Baby Jay Opalia and Robeen Dey have become one of the Fil-Am music scene's prominent indie bands. With two full-length albums under their belt: The debut, FAUX PAS and their sophomore outing-CHARACTER FLAW, Titofelix are without a doubt spearheading the surge of Filipino-American rock music in Atlanta.


Photo by Lek Manalo

The Moonbugs - Formed by the Villardo brothers: Anthony, Ryan, Aldene and their friend Loyd Babay, this Germantown, Maryland band is one of the most important groups in the MD/VA/DC Fil-Am scene. Their brand of Shoegazer-Psychedelic rock has made an enormous impact in the ears of Fil-Am music fans from all over the US. Although heavily influenced by British rock, the music of The Moonbugs stands on its own.



Bleud - When this Jersey City band released their debut album in November 2005, things conspired and made the four-member rock group of Brian Joseph Miguel, Ted Reyes, Arnold Derama, and Jerwin Glorioso as perhaps one of the most prominent Fil-Am band to date.

Their best-selling album Musings of a Caffeine Addict churned out four singles that became hit singles both here and in the Philippines: Hello My Friends, Hello - released by Alpha Music Philippines, Bye Bye Na - released by Star Records, Field Trip- currently making waves in Manila through Perf De Castro's Leyte Benefit Album, and their latest single - Animé Girl.

Bleud also became the first independent Fil-Am rock band to sell their album on Apple's iTunes Music Store, which gave the band unprecedented media coverage: They were featured on ABS-CBN's Balitang America and countless newspapers like the Manila Times, The Manila Bulletin, The Philippines Star, and Fil-Am Papers like The Filipino Express, Balita, as well as internet sites like the online resource for OPM - www.titikpilipino.com and ABS-CBN interactive.



The Kuwagos - Formerly known as INU, the Kuwagos have managed to reinvent their sound alongside some member changes in 2006; from straight alternative rock to a hybrid of 'OPM-Garage-Punk'. The Bergenfield, NJ-based quartet of singer-songwriter Gatchie Ignacio, bassist Rommel Kabigting, guitarist Cho Lopez and drummer Marc Lacsamana have injected a fresh-new sound to the blossoming Fil-Am music scene - brutally-funny and honest lyrics with unforgettable melodies are the qualities that make their songs a favorite among Fil-Am music lovers and fellow artists as well.



Alfa Garcia - Alfa Garcia is an NYU student who hovers around the New York and New Jersey singer-songwriter scene with her classically bred musicality and musicianship. So good her music is, that she has gathered a steady fan base, which carry her through her shows like ants carrying a single grain of cooked white rice. And of course, she is Filipino – American. Her songs touch on the sensitive issues of her young life like relationships, friendships and family-life. She is one of the few Fil-Am singer/songwriters who can actually play her instruments with sophistication and relative ease -a joy to watch and a pleasure to hear.



Sodapop Suicide - The Fil-Am music scene's electro-alternative group is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Valter Guevarra, whose brand of Ely Buendia meets Thom Yorke songs have placed the band in the forefront of a Fil-Am music genre that they alone occupy. Sampling some of their tunes on Myspace.com, one would get the feeling of listening to some down to earth lyrics accompanied by high-brow electronic-rock sound designs. Songs like, Kalawakan and Style Mo Bulok incorporate indie-rock arrangements with space out effects and stabs.
The rest of Sodapop Suicide are: Mark Lopez on guitars, Juan Miranda on bass and Seph Felix on drums.



The Speaks - A young, talented, and charismatic five-piece band from the Washington DC area, The Speaks are completely redefining the global image of rock music - shattering stereotypes, making believers out of naysayers, destroying everything in their path, and acquiring legions of new fans every single step along the way. From winning every major music competition they’ve entered, to rocking crowds of 25,000+ people, to gaining major support from DC101 (one of the most influential radio stations in the country) -- The Speaks are easily shaping up to be one of the most exciting, talked about rock bands to hit the music scene in years.



Rubberband - This preeminent band from Staten Island is nothing short of legendary. Having been in the Fil-Am music scene for over a decade now, Rubberband has maintained their integrity and penchant for writing songs that matter to the Pinoy heart. From their User Friendly album songs to their soon to be released Puppet Monster album, the band have etched themselves alongside the Fil-Am music scene itself - There will be no mentioning Fil-Am rock without any referrence to this great band. The four-piece Pinoy rock band is composed of front man and chief songwriter Gino Inocentes, bassist Mark lamar, guitarist Warren Daya and drummer Germain Lopez.



Jay Legaspi - Born Jay Leonard Nadres Legaspi but known to most simply by the monosyllabic portion of his first name or "That guy", Jay ("That Guy") has been doing the proverbial thang thang for roughly 2 years and counting. Starting songwriting his sophmore year of college, "That Guy" enjoys the tradition of using the acoustic guitar as his primary pallette of choice but also enjoys adding subtle undertones of Hip Hop, R&B, and other fun elements into this, his American Songwriting Adobo. Jay's influences run the gamut from John Mayer and Jason Mraz to Aesop Rock and Jay-Z.



Bagwis - is a collective of filipino cultural workers, activists, and musicians who began writing and performing original music in 1998 as a contribution to the first annual Kultural Night of Resistance celebrating the centennial year of Philippine Independance. Since then, Bagwis has composed several dozen pro-people songs and participates in community building for our youth and migrante workers. BAGWIS music believes in THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE, in seeking genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines and in upholding human rights. In creating & performing this kind of music, BAGWIS hopes that it is contributing its humble share and effort in the overall struggle for justice and social change. Bagwis is made up of: Mike Querubin - Guitars, Rich Querubin - Bass, Ginger Cacnio - Vocals, Ed Vergara - Percussion and Vocals, Randolph Maguigad - Percussion and Vocals, Raven Guerrero - Piano and Guitars, Demetrio Maguigad - Percussion and Drums. The band is based in Chicago, IL.



Blue Mellon Pop - Representing Queens, New York is a band that blends the classic bluesy stylings of Led Zeppelin with the naked arrangements and lyrics of Pinoy rock to come up with a sound distinctly their own - Blue Mellon Pop.
The band had undergone some major personnel changes through the years, but the zeal and passion for music remained - their song remained the same.

Blue Mellon Pop is fronted by Weelberg Mercado, whose rhythm section of Serafin Tinapunan on guitars, Kiko Bordeos on bass and Jeffrey Almonte provide the umph required to give justice and flesh to their amazing music.



Grim Bottle - One of the pioneers of the Jersey Fil-Am rock scene, Grim Bottle never fails to disappoint their followers with their brand of Pinoy rock. Their prominence started and grew within the confines of Bottlefest - a music festival that the band founded, and holds once or twice a year featuring the band along with the best of local Jersey and New York bands. Many bands in the scene started their musical journeys with Bottlefest.



The 3rd Element - 2006 has been the band's breakout year. Two of their songs landed in two high-profile Fil-Am music compilation albums: Perf De Castro's Leyte Benefit CD, with their song Save Me, and Rock in the box, which contains 3rd Element's hit single- Place. The band is powered by four young men, whose music is destined for greater heights: Marco Galsim, the band's chief songwriter, Andy Ramos, Jing Eugenio and Vincent Pineda. The 3rd Element is the 3rd band representing the Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC region.



The Happy Analogues - Perhaps the newest band in the lineup is this Jersey-based Britpop-obsessed-Weezer-Beetlebums called The Happy Analogues. Formed in the summer of 2005, the Analogues went full blast this year releasing a 2-sided single called Minimum Memory Required featuring their songs Beautiful Pain, which was picked up by Perf De Castro for his Leyte Benefit Compilation Album, and Crazy Girl For You. The 'happy' men who make up the Happy Analogues are: Roni Lao on bass and vocals, Paul Zurita on guitars and vocals, Ted Reyes on guitars and vocals and Rich 'Jonze' Saguirre on drums and percussion.

The Music Inside The Box

1. Fall Away – Titofelix
2. When We Are Cats – The Moonbugs
3. Every Other Day – Bleud
4. Eh Ano Ngayon (So What Now) – The Kuwagos
5. Meaningless Conversations – Alfa Garcia
6. Sana Naman (Hopefully) – Sodapop Suicide
7. High – The Speaks
8. Wordpad – Rubberband
9. Said Unheard – Jay Legaspi
10. Hele (Lullabye) – Bagwis
11. I’m Sorry – Blue Mellon Pop
12. As I Am – Grim Bottle
13. Place - The 3rd Element
14. Ala-ala (Memory) - The Happy Analogues