Rico Blanco castigates critics nostalgic for Pinoy Rock's old sound
For Rico Blanco, it’s out with the old.
As one of many cross-generational rock acts set to perform on Friday, Oct. 14, at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds for the Tanduay Rhum Rockfest: Year 5, Blanco wrote and the official anthem for the rockfest, “Ngayon.”
The song, which is currently playing in all local radio stations, is the charismatic singer-songwriter’s ode to the current music scene. In it, he sings, “Ang nakaraan, pasalamatan; pero ngayon ang panahon. (Be thankful for the past, but now is the time)”
He uses a thinly-veiled reference to a growing demand for him to reunite with his former band Rivermaya: “Maraming nagre-request ng reunion dito, reunion diyan. Okay naman yung dati, eh. Pero okay din yung ngayon (There have been requests for reunions here and there. The past is okay, but the present is also equally good).”
Blanco also castigates music critics nostalgic for the Pinoy Rock's old sound. “Yung music ngayon, maraming naga-analyze, yung wala na sa eksena. So what can you expect na conclusion nila? But if you're in the scene, if you tour with [the Tanduay First Five], you will see how healthy and diverse the local music scene is.”
The former Rivermaya leader sums up, “Celebrate the past, celebrate the present, look forward to the future,”
Blanco's “Ngayon” will also be part of a compilation album released by Tanduay Rhum in cooperation with Warner Music Philippines, MCA Music and other record labels.
Other artists in the album include the Dawn, Franco, Typecast, Wolfgang, Siakol, Gloc 9, 6Cyclemind, Chicosci, Kamikazee, Urbandub and Ebe Dancel. The album will be exclusively available at Friday's event only.
