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Trinidad just wants to rock your socks off

'So what’s wrong with having fun?’ asks these glam rockers.

Trinidad is Kim Lopez, Marc Lopez, JJ Lacson and Shock Lozada. (Photo by Francis Brew)

Watch the music video 'Abnoy' below.

 

Long hair, flashy guitar solos, a pump-fisting rhythm section, stratospheric vocals that can part rain clouds… there was a time when these were the elements that screamed “Rock’n’roll!!!’

Well, to be more specific, these are the attributes that defined L.A. glam rock in the 80s.

It was loud, flashy, often lyrically sexist (or “sexy” as Spinal Tap saw it), and celebrated the virtues of partying: head banging, body parts jiggling, lighter raising and tighter clothing (to be loosened halfway through the first verse).

And yes, the songs were hella catchy.

 

A turn to shoe-gazing

Then, in 1991, Nirvana’s “Nevermind” (and to a degree, Metallica’s Black Album) decimated the glittery landscape. Punk simplicity, dark honest introspection, abstraction and an attitude of “This is who I am” darkened the neon nights. And, for good reason: we all know life is not a party.

The decibel levels remained the same, but the mood changed from “Take your pants off!” to “Scream your angst out.”

Raw, self-confessional honesty was required. Cut your hair, but don’t wash it. If you dared a guitar solo, you were a useless attention-seeking showoff (even if, historically speaking, rock history is flooded with over-the-top histrionics).

Pearl Jam didn’t necessarily cut their hair nor abandoned solos, but they did deal with serious subject matter (“Jeremy”). It was a changing of the guard; it was necessary. The glammy, party-hardy anthems had become too commodified and found its way into, well, you know, the commode.

 

Proudly glam rock

What does honesty really mean?

According to local band Trinidad, “Kung wala kang problema, abnoy ka!” They also decided to be honest with themselves: they are proudly glam rock.

When they launched their second album “Materiales Fuertes” recently in Craft Rock Grill in The Fort Strip, the place was packed and the audience (which included a few hot chicks) genuinely enthused from the first riff to the last high-pitched wail.

 

Playing the soundtrack of their youth

Guitarists Marc Lopez and Shock Lozada with drummer Wilf Trinidad have been bandmates for years and friends since they were kids.

 

While they have been somewhat active in the local scene (including a bluesy hard rock outfit Crowjane that also featured ex-General Luna Nicole Asensio) and wrote original music, the idea to form a glam rock cover band (pop-metal, really) and play their favorite songs from bands they grew up listening to from G N’R to Extreme to Mr. Big would occasionally rear its not-so-ugly head.

They recruited prog-trained keyboardist Kim Lopez and emo-oriented bassist Alvin Lacerna but it was probably JJ Lacson’s multi-octave metal-approved vocal prowess that made the idea a reality.

 

No original songs, please

The band was supposedly strictly for the fun and novelty of it. And perhaps to blow off steam and pretend they were Slash (Lozada) or Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt (Lopez).

In fact, Lopez says, laughing, “Pag nagdala ka ng original song sa banda, out ka!”

Lopez, Lozada and Lacson insist that the decision to finally write original songs came naturally and as a result of personal chemistry—the guys got along so well onstage and offstage.

 

Tamana denial!

One day, they called each other up, and felt, “Bro, i think it’s time we…”

They also came to terms with glam rock: they grew up with it, dammit, they love it, so why be in denial?

They did continue to play other music-related jobs (like weddings) but the promise of the band was such that Lacson was willing to let his architecture degree sit for a while (he now balances both).

 

He’s got da glam rock moves

Personal chemistry of course can easily spiral into in-jokes and insularity. Unless it translates to your audience, it’s just exclusive group sex.

But at their album launch, the audience was in on every riff and humorous aside from the band. Everybody was having fun.

Flashy guitar solos ran aplenty from Lopez and Lozada but it was the endlessly smiling Lacson who embodied the glam persona with his stage moves and incredible vocal range.

 

Genuine and unscripted

While the band’s second set was mostly dedicated to requests and a fun hard rocking take on the “Bioman” theme, there is no question regarding Trinidad’s ability to play songs and the audience equally well.

The band’s enthusiasm was genuine and unscripted, and the audience responded right back.

Will Trinidad be in a hipster’s Top Ten list? Probably not, but the band doesn’t care. More importantly, they don’t even think about it.

 

Hella fun

As much as rock music can be a vehicle for self-awareness or social commentary or other serious matters like “change,”, we tend to forget why it was born in the first place—because it’s fun.

Whether it was commodified or meant for the commode, darn it, people, we all need to rock out now and then.

You can check out or book Trinidad via Facebook, Twitter or email them at trinidad.band@yahoo.com.

 

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