Why Noel Cabangon is doing revivals
Although he prefers making original music, Noel Cabangon is not opposed to doing covers or revivals in his albums. In fact, he sees it as a means to maintain the “balance” between his craft and the business side of his music.
“Kasi, ako naman, I’m not just doing a revival. There’s also artistic input in coming up with music. And we’re also conscious in raising a little bit of the aesthetics or the artistry of the song,” Cabangon said in an interview with Yahoo! Philippines OMG! and other members of the press.
The singer-songwriter added doing revivals, at least in his case, isn’t simply a matter of singing an old song “na ganun-ganun lang.”
“There’s a fresh take, there’s a fresh idea involved in doing the revival, the cover,” he explained.
Cabangon’s latest album “Tuloy ang Byahe” (like his 2009 top-selling “Byahe) is composed of revivals like Basil Valdez’ “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka,” Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak’ and even Smokey Mountain’s “Kailan.” But Cabangon is quick to explain that his output before that, “Panaginip,” is an album of original songs.
“Mas gusto kong gumawa ng bago, pero syempre it’s also a decision of the record label to (make revival albums). It’s a question of economics. Kasi they put a good investment, kailangan bumalik din yung investment.”
New music
There’s obviously a market for revivals. But Cabangon also believes there’s a market for original music. Record labels and artists themselves simply have to find ways to reach their intended audience.
“There’s a market for original songs. Ano rin yan, ang marketing din kasi, you have to persuade the listeners to buy it,” he said. “There has to be a venue for music to be heard. Kasi kung hindi maririnig talaga, hindi malalaman ng tao, it’s not going to be heard.”
The venue and the ability to market their music are what’s lacking among independent musicians in the country, he added.
“Naniniwala akong maraming magandang kanta sa indie, sa alternative, pero walang venue na marinig at mapromote. Yun yung isang challenge.
As for the current mainstream artists, Cabangon cited rapper Gloc-9’s “song “Sirena” as evidence that Filipinos are still open to original Filipino music.
“Ito, isang social commentary (pero hit). Kaya hindi mo rin mabasa (ang gusto ng tao),” Cabangon enthused.
“Yung love kasi, how far can you go, what else can you say about love. Everything has been said and done and siguro ibang experience, ibang anggulo siguro on how to approach it.”
“Kung titignan mo yung audience, may hinahanap sila na unique, genuine. Kasi tignan mo, si Gloc-9. Who would have thought si Gloc-9 would sing about the gender issue?”
Meanwhile, Cabangon is gearing up for a fundraising concert for the benefit of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) on September 28 at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan City.
