Urgent post-punk from The Go Signals, one of the best

"The underground scene is healthier now," says The Go Signals guitarist Mel Maniego. "There's more buzz and kids are starting to pick up guitars and instruments. Thanks to the Internet, kids now also understand the music style that drives our music."

During Pinoy punk's mid-80s heyday, Mel played guitars for rockabilly poster boys Private Stock. Now, with the power trio The Go Signals, Mel provides slashing chords and short sharp solo turns in the wake of the sturdy backbeat from his mates. His brother Dennis is a steady presence on bass while their cousin Spyk is a workhorse on drums.

At the group's album launch at Skarlet's Jazz Kitchen near Timog in Quezon City, Throw's Al Dimalanta introduces them as "the best band in the land."

Hooks, power pop and best album of 2011

Performing tracks from their debut, "Secrets & Lies," The Go Signals channel the power and the riffage of The Jam and the Clash with the melodic appeal of the Kinks and The Beatles.

They open with "Time", a hook-laden firecracker that draws the punks and two punkettes near the stage. By the time the title track, "Secrets & Lies" rolls in, a small moshpit erupts and the crowd happily jostles and shakes to the rhythm and the beat.

"Bullet for Your Eye" bites like something borrowed from Hilera but the mass of slam dancing bodies hardly bats a critical eye. A bit of new wave power pop shows up in the winning "Never Ending Cries."

In fact, the debut is so winning, it was named by Philippine Star columnist and Esquire editor-in-chief Erwin Romulo as one of the best albums of 2011. He called it "a true sonic testament to his status as the Filipino Modfather."

Secrets & Lies (The GoSignals) by The GoSignalsmusic

It's a Mod thing

Mel Maniego's new musical adventure seems to be a far cry from the rockabilly bop of his first band even as the same sharp ear for ringing melody remains.

He says, "It isn't exactly a major change for me because even with my former band Private Stock, I wrote songs like 'Spider's Web' and 'High Volt for Revolt,' that leaned towards my Mod music roots. Also when Private Stock went back to the band scene back in 1994 till 1998, we demoed an album's worth of great Mod-inspired, Britpop songs."

So it's Mod thing and a reference is actually all over the place tonight. The image of an arrowhead hitting its target bull's eye is on concert posters, the merchandise on sale, and on the debut CD of the evening's main showcase, The Go Signals. What's missing is the fashion sense of its UK forebears, never mind the Vespa scooters and parka.

Props to neo-soul

The Go Signals go-to guy continues, "We do relate a lot with the neo-soul movement that is happening right now and I credit that to Bing Austria, former member of Put3Ska and Juan Pablo Dreams, and now of Flippin Soul Stompers. If you look back at the history of Mod, it's basically soul music that fuels it. So yes, we are quite at home with the local 'soul-ies,' good mates, in fact!"

After Private Stock, Mel shied away from playing music to put up his own business. He took up his guitar again when his ailing brother, Butch Maniego, sports writer and former PBA game analyst, requested him to do a benefit concert. Mel formed a pick-up band from friends and associates in the '80s underground music scene.

Then, there's Al Dimalanta who kept encouraging him to write new material.

An album four years in the making

He eventually formed a power trio composed of immediate relatives just to have fun playing music. Their debut album took four years to put together and it's indicative of Mel's attitude towards music.

He recalls "At the start, people were asking me if the band would be making an album. I personally really didn't want to pressure myself 'cause at this stage of my life, I really don't need to prove anything, I just enjoyed playing live gigs."

"Well, I don't want to put an expiry date on what I'm doing," he adds. "We will still continue making music, but one thing's for sure, it will evolve in different directions. I have a knack of putting one or two songs in a current album that is indicative of where we want to go next, like a teaser...a different style from the majority of the songs."
Go figure. #

To inquire about The Go Signals' debut album, visit their Facebook or email meljm888@yahoo.com.