I recall that now because David Byrne has been popping up in my consciousness, mainly by taking an intense artistic interest in the Philippines. His coolness is now certifiably icy. Seemingly liberated since the Talking Heads' break-up in 1991, the rock icon has been exploring the world in search of new inspiration for his various other arts -- painting, theater, film, photography. He went incognito about a year ago on Manila's streets on a bicycle. The head Talking Head on a bike, in Manila! An endangered cyclist myself, I didn't want to believe what my cameraman had heard from artsy friends. Then I started reading about his exploits here, in Time magazine, the New York Times, and a local arts journal, Manila Envelope, which featured some of His Coolness's quirky pics of Philippine odds and ends. He even had a brief, barely publicized photo exhibit in Makati last month.

David Byrne's main mission in Manila was -- no suprise! -- Imelda Marcos. But of course, what better source for kitsch, camp, and self-parody in the post post-modern world? One of his newest projects is “Here Lies Love,” described as "a new multimedia song cycle based on the life and reign of Imelda Marcos." Byrne is performing songs from that work in Carnegie Hall on February 3. Listen to a 30-second sampler here, with lyrics from one of Imelda's famous philosophical monologues.

To complete his research, His Coolness had to drink from her magic realist world, by wandering among the masses she spoke so lovingly about, gazing at her husband's refrigerated body, and even grazing at one of my favorite outdoor eateries, JT's, which His Coolness describes in his blog:

The restaurant used to be simply a counter and a few tables in back, but it’s become very popular — the chicken, the livers on a stick and the garlic rice were delicious. There is a smattering of all ages, races and types hanging out and chatting over drinks and chicken. If there were dishes other than what we had I didn’t see them — the barbecues installed on the nearby roadside where the birds were being roasted were all filled with legs and livers.

A graying guy who bikes around, takes pictures, eats at JT's, and then blogs about it all. This man's after my heart!

What takes the cake was His Coolness's visit to a videoke complex, his hilariously subdued reaction to hearing and seeing a familiar song, and then his anthropological take on the experience:

We are led by an attendant down a buttery yellow hallway past a series of identical doors and the assistant opens one and there are 4 friends of Butch’s singing to a TV screen. We order beers but fail to join in the singing festivities. Someone programs “Burning Down the House”, maybe in the hopes that I will sing, but I just stare at the screen as a guy that looks like 80s Bon Jovi poses with a guitar while a model house burns. Marta, who is exhuberant and very pretty in plaid pants, sings along, though my phrasing in this song was a little tricky.

It is claimed karaoke was invented here as the Sing Along System in ‘75 by a man named Del Rosario. TVK/Video karaoke clubs are everywhere and come in all shapes and for all incomes. Maybe it’s a way for everyone to sing — singing is therapeutic and fun to do, I know this from experience even though I was a party pooper at the karaoke club. They sing western pop songs here — and some Filipino pop songs too, many of which are in English. Singing western pop songs here is not like singing a foreign song — western pop, especially U.S. pop, was such a part of Filipino culture that they feel it is their own. And it is, in a way. Who can own the experience you have when you hear a song?

There’s even a karaoke TV channel. Endless cheap corny videos with music playing and scrolling lyrics. You can stay at home and sing along with your television. Like some kind of radical conceptual art piece — but super popular.

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I completely forgot to plug the replay last night of our docu on another rock icon, the Philippines' very own Pepe Smith. I remembered early this morning when I started getting text messages and email from viewers. A couple of samples below, the first from a newby fan, the other from an oldie but goodie. Thanks for watching guys.

i was very moved by your documentary about pepe smith. i was still a kid when i first saw him on tv, but even then i always had some kind of attraction to him. it was later that i understood what it was - music, rock music. pepe smith is the ultimate rocker and i came to understand this as i went thru my own musical "enlightenment". as far as i know, he is the only rocker that could evoke a lot emotions, mixed ones. we often hear of aggressive rockers, or the "feel good" alternative musicians of today but there never was, as far as i know, a full pledged rock 'n roll star, in both local and international music scenes, that could evoke loneliness, love and being true to one's' self. his "himig natin", brought tears to my eyes, no local song has done that to me. and to think i am just 23, barely half his age. there is only one such song that was written by a rocker that stands up to his "himig natin" and that was written by a foreigner, turn the page by bob dylan or was it bob seger? even so, it only sings of the loneliness of a rock star.

ever since i became hooked to the music world, it has always been my dream of meeting him in person. i hope that in time, with my low paying job, i can be able to save some money to get to baguio and meet him, maybe in ten years, hehehe. hope he'll still be alive by then.

-- Michael Quilag

Thank you for featuring my idol Pepe Smith. It brought back a lot of good memories although I never got the chance to attend any of his live concerts during "our time." He is 5 years my senior and like him, musika rin ang halos gumabay sa aking kabataan - minus the drugs! Halos limot ko na rin sana ang mga musikang likha nila, until tonite. Binuhay niyo muli ang mga alaalang halos "sinapot" na - I guess all the guys in our age bracket who viewed your docu felt the same. I am very happy about that.

Juan dela Cruz Band, Mike Hanapol & Pepe Smith - sino ang makakalimot sa kanila? Mabuhay ang Pinoy Rock n' Roll!

-- Salvador Ang (seaman)

Courtesy of a youtube pirate: