How a bathroom experience led to a Christmas collab between Noel Cabangon and Fuseboxx
The song is about a baby in a manger. It began however with a man on a throne.
A ceramic throne, that is.
Eric Tubon, keyboardist for prog-fusion band Fuseboxx, was having “quiet time” when the melody for what would be the song “Sa Sabsaban” came to him in a flash (and presumably before the flush). He was in a slight stage of panic, with no recording device on hand. He admits, “Before ‘the bomb’ dropped, I ran out and got my phone, called (vocalist) Abby and urgently sang the melody to her.”
Joyful Christmas song
Perhaps not quite a dignified way to start writing a song, but at least he did it before poo hit the pan.
The end result (pun not intended) features lush choral work from the Anima Choir, bright and sprightly instrumentation from Fuseboxx with cleverly employed odd time signatures, and Noel Cabangon’s soulful soaring tenor.
Anthemic, joyful, and wholesome… yup, it’s a Christmas song.
Unlikely combo
On the surface, the combination seems unlikely.
Singer/songwriter Cabangon is known for compact radio-friendly songs tackling romance, peace, environmental and social issues.
Fuseboxx compose sweeping opuses replete with complex modulations and shifting meters.
Fuseboxx’s cult following
Tubon, guitarist Mico Ong, drummer Anthony Dio and vocalist/keyboardist/Chapman Stick (not a Chapstick or chopsticks… see www.stick.com) player Abby Clutario gained a cult following thanks to their virtuosity but little in the way of mass attention.
Cabangon of course is a popular figure with his sweet voice, hit albums, and Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit presidency.
The link is Clutario who sometimes serves as Cabangon’s keyboardist and Tubon observed admiringly, “It’s amazing how sir Noel is able to make even a cover song sound like one of his own compositions.”
Wants more collabs
Tubon saw fit a collaboration between their two worlds; in fact he would like to see more collaborations between artists who differ in genre and commercial success.
He hopes that ultimately, every musician in the country will feel like they are contributing to Filipino music (which in principle they already are), cliques real or imagined be damned.
Tubon says that while “Sa Sabsaban” is a Christmas song, he was very careful in using any imagery or metaphors that would reference any denomination; he wants it to be as “open” as possible.
Music nerds, listen up
The song was arranged by Clutario who is also part of the Anima Choir which has members from the defunct San Miguel Master Chorale supervised by Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.
In the initial choruses, the time signature is 5/4 (most songs in pop are in 4/4 time) and this is probably the closest we will get to having Noel Cabangon play in a prog rock band. Tubon says he guided Cabangon by joking, “Sir, kunwari lang nag-cha-chop kayo ng tinola!”
The final chorus is in a waltz-ish 6/4 and the effect is grand and celebratory, the feel very Pinoy Pasko (and very Pinoy pop) indeed.
Is Fuseboxx ‘masyadong mataas’?
The band says they will have other mixes in the future including one that is closer to their prog-fusion style (which means including a guitar solo).
The first version however embodies the unification that Tubon sought: a perfect sonic balance between the three camps, although it would not sound out of place in, well, a Noel Cabangon Christmas album.
During the press preview in Wild Grass Studios (formerly Pink Noise; the song was recorded here), Tubon briefly referred to the difficulties of being in an independent band (and one that plays complex music that radio would dismiss as “masyadong mataas” or too cerebral) and not being in the mainstream.
10 years together wasn’t easy
He adds, half-jokingly, if anybody in the room knows a manager. The band has been around for more than a decade and admittedly it has not been an easy ride.
With “Sa Sabsaban,” perhaps Fuseboxx will be in mainstream consciousness finally. At the very least however, they have enough insights to write an actual catchy pop song worthy of Cabangon’s reputation (and thus expanding their own) and the Pinoy Christmas spirit.
The subject is about the humblest of places, and started from the most humbling of spaces.
“Sa Sabsaban” is available on CD Baby, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Amazon and other digital distribution outlets. Contact the band via their website or on Facebook.
