Mano-a-Mano with Marc Abaya

06/06/2018 12:50:57 PM

It was a steady Thursday night at Route 196 where actor-musician Marc Abaya staged a bar tour regarding “Red Bleeds To Blue,” his first work as a solo artist.

Initially, questions pops up in the minds of every music aficionado who followed his work for barely 1 ½ decades as Abaya takes a leap of fate this year, and ahead of time when his band is about to hit Singapore and Dubai for the next two months.

Yours truly had a catch-up talk with the Kjwan frontman regarding his latest solo act.

SlickMaster: Marc, can you tell us on what made you decide to do a solo project?

Marc Abaya: Since releasing Hyperconnected in 2016, Kjwan had been planning to release either a single or album, and the experiments had been changing on how to do so.

In 2017, I was able to salvage the demos I personally made. Meanwhile, Kjwan had a meeting on the prospected tracks to include, and one of those was Red Bleeds To Blue. But after deliberating, we decided not to. No one wanted to touch it because basically the song was done.

So, at the beginning of this year, I just needed to do something to keep focus. I knew I was proud of the song. I have a demo and I wanted to record it to Tracks Studio (now Yellow Room Philippines - Ortigas). I also called Monty (Macalino) because I want him to produce it, too.

What does Red Bleeds To Blue means and what's the story behind writing the song?

It is a very personal song I made. Because three years ago, I was going through something. And at the end of the day, whatever genre for an artist, you want to make something honest and real. And this song just felt it.

So Red Bleeds To Blue was my take on saying goodbye, that although it's sad, it can still be beautiful and peaceful. And that's how I felt when I write it on the spot―and I shit you not― for less than two hours.

Well, that was quick.

That's what I learned from Sandwich, specifically from Raimund Marasigan. But that's very rare, because some people would be have a riff, then sleep on it and go back the next day. And then, they will decide on whether they like it or not. And in my case, everything just came out of somewhere unexpected.

It just happened for one time. Those are kind of magic beyond us, and as artists, you take it and go with it.

After penning the song on the spot, what are your initial afterthoughts?

It was raw, I was saying goodbye (a breakup), and I remember sharing this to my friends and claimed this was the happiest song I ever made and they're like “Shit, that's a sad fucking song, man!”

Maybe it might be different, but what matters the most to me is that whatever you're thinking about the song, I want you to feel that.

How was the process of turning this demo of yours into now a recording?

We had a whole day in Yellow Room office, talking about anything from where we came from and where we are now, and the making of the song was initially an afterthought. I told them my deal that I want it to be recorded at the studio where I grew up with Sandwich, because I love Kuya Anggie Rozul, who, for me, is one of the masters in the recording industry.

I also told Monty that I just wanted to record my song and be produced without having to worry about money.

The meeting was held at around early March. Then later that month, we started recording for three days. The first day was all about instrumentals by me. Second day, I rendered the vocals. And the last was mastering and mixing.

It was supposed to come out earlier but everyone was on a summer break, while Monty and his band [Mayonnaise] had a tour in the US.

What is your initial aim prior to releasing the song?

I only aimed for my music to be shared. Money isn't part of my objectives this time.

But what I love about Yellow Room Philippines and CITIZEN who did the video is that they did it for the love of music. If ever there's a motive, it just to show to social media that I recorded here with this guy, or made the video with these people, and that was enough.

What's the idea behind this short video you made for RBTB?

The music video was my thing. If you're asking why only do a 1-minute viral video instead of the entire thing... I don't know, man. I'm trying to understand this generation for three years, on how you sell music today.

So it's more of a strategy, I suppose?

Yeah, it is. To make a beautiful video that compliments the song, I have to get a 1-minute section of that to get you wherever you are and targetting the millenials. And at the end of it, if you like what you saw othe goal is to get people listen to it.

In addition, budget constraints has become a factor because the money came from me who isn't a rich person and only earns through acting at soap operas.

How does it feel to have Yellow Room Music Philippines as your venue for making this possible?

God, it was like the old times – it's like being in I have a playground in that motherfucking Tracks Studios, which is now Yellow Room Music Philippines Ortigas. Magic Montano whom I worked on a project in the past [December 2016], was on board. Monty was the producer, and dude, they just simply unleashed me.

There was so much fun, and I haven't felt that since my first album recordings with Kjwan and Sandwich in their respective times.

Ang tagal na nun ah!

Pero bumalik eh, the feeling of “Oh, fuck, limitless!” There's no pressure that this song should be a hit to a certain demograpic. Just “Do your thing, Marc” and play.

How is Monty Macalino as the producer?

Monty wanted me to play everything – as in laro talaga – and I'm like “Fine, I'll do it.”

But he was a brilliant producer. He's would suggest other thing and they were all magical. He knows where I'm from when it comes to musicality, so he just enhanced my work in so many subtle ways.

With this comes as a surprise to many, they initially tend to speculate whether Marc is leaving the band behind or not. How do you respond to this?

I make sure that with every post, I would ensure that Kjwan would stay intact because it is a band that is made of friendship (citing to fellow original members Kelley Mangahas, Boogie Romero, and me). Though as cliché as it sounds, I need to do it, I just have to do it.

After Red Bleeds To Blue, what's next for Marc Abaya?

I don't know. If this song works, well I'm good.  I have two other songs, but they are like jabs for now. But I got Paul Marney of the Bleu Rascals, who's a new friend but is also a brilliant and achiever, whom I will be working with soon. I am also grateful with a wide network of people like me and my band manager Joel Ellorin, people from Yellow Room Philippines and CITIZEN, to make this thing possible.

Until now, I'm grateful, and #blessed that both teams took a gamble and believed in me because all I can offer the most isn't money, but whatever my name is, which is fading very fast – and faster what we think.

Marc Abaya's latest single Red Bleeds To Blue can be streamed via Spotify. For more information, do follow Marc Abaya Music page on Facebook.

Author: slickmaster | © 2018 The SlickMaster's Files