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For the past 20 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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The Speaks, Bleud lead Fil-Am music compilation album
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NEW YORK – Washington, D.C.-based Fil-Am super group, The Speaks, and New Jersey’s hottest Fil-Am musical export, Bleud, spearhead the latest compilation album to hit the music stores since the Leyte Benefit Album.
Rock in the Box, the best of Fil-Am rock, all in one box, is a collection of 14 songs by 14 Filipino-American artists in the east coast of the United States. The album is released under Soulworks Records and is generating hype since it was launched last August 12 at the prestigious New York City venue, The Cutting Room.
The Speaks is perhaps the best known Fil-Am band that successfully crossed over to Philippine top 40 radio and concert circuit with their hit song “High’, which is also their official entry to the Rock in the Box album.
The Speaks became so big in Manila that they have made exclusive TV appearances, sold out arena concerts and even had a duet with Barbie Almalbis.
Bleud on the other hand, made waves with their debut album Musings of a ‘Caffeine Addict’ released also by Soulworks last year. The album turned in three hit singles, one of which, ‘Bye Bye Na’, became a hit in the Philippines via ABS-CBN’s Himig Handog Love Songs as interpreted by Rivermaya. The band’s debut album also catapulted them into online digital music store history for being the first Fil-Am independent rock album to be marketed at Apple’s iTunes Music Store, which has sold over a billion songs since its inception in April of 2003.
The other artists joining these two great Fil-Am bands in the Rock in the Box album are:
- Titofelix – Atlanta, GA;
- The Moonbugs – Germantown, MD;
- The Kuwagos – Bergenfield, NJ;
- Alfa Garcia – New York City;
- Sodapop Suicide – Wycoff, NJ;
- Jay Legaspi – Bergenfield, NJ;
- Rubberband – Staten Island, NY;
- Bagwis – Chicago, IL;
- Grim Bottle – Jersey City, NJ;
- Blue Mellon Pop – Queens, NY;
- The Happy Analogues – Jersey City, NJ;
- The 3rd Element – Baltimore, MD
“The record is a solid proof that Fil-Am music is very much alive in the east coast and a documentary evidence of how Pinoy talent is making waves in the entire US”, says Ed Sunico, the album’s executive producer.
Album tour
The Rock in the Box tour will have its second stop in Baltimore, MD on October 14, 2006 at the Frazier’s in the Avenue bar. The show will feature nine of the Rock in the Box artists alongside special performances by local bands: Circled Sin and P.I. The gig is being produced by Bionic Leg productions in cooperation with Soulworks Records, http://www.poptimesmagazine.com, and http://www.poptimesradio.com
Box for Sale
The Rock in the box album is now available for purchase online at http://www.soulworksrecords.com and http://www.cdbaby.com All major credit cards are accepted.
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A QUEZON City prosecutor has recommended the filing of a case for three counts of libel against television and movie star Claudine Barretto for allegedly branding last year magazine editor Jo-Ann Maglipon an irresponsible journalist and human rights violator.
In an eight-page resolution, assistant prosecutor Perfecto Lawrence Chua Cheng said Barretto’s statements to the press in July last year, particularly the tabloids People’s Tonight and People’s Journal, and TV network GMA-7, effectively insinuated that Maglipon was unfair and irresponsible and violated her (Barreto’s) human rights.
Maglipon is the editor in chief of Yes! Magazine and executive editor of Hi! Magazine.
Chua Cheng said in the resolution dated August 28 that a careful evaluation of the facts showed enough prima facie evidence to charge Barretto before the regional trial court.
The case stemmed from statements Barretto made after she filed a damage suit against Maglipon for allegedly using her photos without her consent and publishing stories that cast her in a bad light.
Chua Cheng noted that although the actress never directly labeled the editor an unfair and irresponsible journalist and a human rights violator, a reading of the statement in its entirety made an indirect reference to that effect. (MNS)
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KAYE Abad used to be known as the elder sister of child actress Sarah Jane Abad, until she turned 13 and decided to enter the limelight herself.
Kaye started with “Ang TV.” Then she became one of the young stars in “Gimik.” For five years, she was the suffering Eds in the teleserye, “Tabing-Ilog.” That’s where her romance with John Lloyd started. But as is common knowledge, she and John Lloyd broke up. He was linked to Ciara Sotto, while she remained loveless.
She later made a movie with the late Ronnie Poe. Then Chito Miranda, vocalist of the band Parokya ni Edgar, came into her life.
It was Jodi Santamaria (now Mrs. Pampi Lacson and mother of Thirdy) who introduced her and Chito to each other. “Actually,” said Kaye, “I was the one who asked Jodi to introduce us. We were in ‘ASAP’ (the Sunday musical show on ABS-CBN) and I heard him sing with his band. Nagandahan ako sa kanta nila.
“I asked to be photographed with him and his bandmates. Then we exchange cellphone numbers. Simula na ‘yon nagtawagan na kami. Then he would come over to our house in Cavite (where the Abads own a school). Before we knew it, we were in love.”
For the past one year that she was not in showbiz, Kaye admits that she went with Chito and his group in most of their gigs. And she loved it.
But now, Kaye said she is ready to stage a showbiz comeback. And how!
Kaye appears in a sexy pose on the cover of the sexy magazine, Maxim. How come she agreed to do it? And how did her ultra-conservative parents react to it? And Chito, too?
Revealed Kaye: “Before I even told Chito of my decision to do it, I first told my Mom. I showed her first a copy of the magazine which had Angelica Panganiban on the cover. Tulad ko, taga Star Magic (the talent arm of ABS-CBN and Star Cinema) din si Angelica. We both started in ‘Ang TV’ at the same time.”
“Tanong ko sa mommy ko, what if I consent to go sexy, too, for the same magazine, okay ba sa kanya? Surprisingly, she said, yes. But she advised me to also consult with dad.
“My dad said it was for me to decide if I wanted to do it. Nasa edad na raw ako,” Kaye, who turned 24, further related.
As for Chito, he has always been supportive. He immediately gave her a thumbs up when she told him about it. And he liked her pictures on both the cover and in the inside pages of the magazine.
It was lensman Kai Huang who photographed Kaye in the 10-page pictorial. Venue was inside a condominium unit.
Was Chito present during the pictorial? Kaye was asked.
“I would not have mind(ed) if he was around, but he begged of at the last minute. But let it is said that the shots were shown to Chito before it came out in the magazine.”
Maxim is ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.’s first franchising title. Its stable of homegrown titles include Metro, Metro Weddings, Metro Home and Entertaining, Metro Society, MetroActive, Metro Him, Star Studio, The Buzz, Food, Working Mom, Chalk, Pink, Nginiig, and, most recently, K (Kris Aquino) Magazine. (MNS)
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NEW YORK-- 21 year-old Oklahoma born Ryan Hudson recently joined rising Fil-Am hard rock band LOKOMOTIV to replace ex-Frontman Basti Artadi (Wolfgang) who stepped down as lead singer last June 24, 2006 to pursue other personal interests. The California based Rock band whose other members consist of Philippine rock music icons drummer Wolf Gemora (Wolfgang), guitarist Dave Aguirre (Razorback) and Los Angeles native Danny Gonzalez on bass just released their much anticipated debut album last September 8, 2006.
Chris Sy, managing director of EMI Group Philippines signed the band to a distribution deal and a publishing contract last August 2006 and is confident that the band and their new album titled, “Rock N’ Roll Death Toll” will be extremely successful in the Philippines.
The band is preparing to tour the Philippines this November 2006 until January 2007 in support of the new album. The video for the bands first single “Five Alive” off their debut album is shown on MYX and MTV. Lokomotiv is also slated to perform on MYX in November, The NU Rock Awards and MTV Summit this December. Currently, Lokomotiv is working on a tour schedule that includes universities, concert venues and plan to perform during major Philippine festivals in January 2007.
Lokomotiv is excitedto introduce themselves and their awesome brand of rock personally to music fans and guarantees to rock the Philippines with a nationwide tour.
The Album “ROCK N’ ROLL DEATH TOLL,” distributed by EMI Group Philippines will be available at all major retailers across the Philippines.Visit www.lokomotivrocks.com fro more info.
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MANILA -- Take your pick from among these five young stars who are starring together for the first time in one monumental project, Star Cinema’s “First Day High.” These are Maja Salvador, Kim Chiu, Gerard Anderson, Geoff Eigenmann and Jason Abalos.
The young stars are playing five characters, which, according to Star Cinema’s project consultant, top and award-winning scriptwriter, Mel del Rosario, are present in every campus.
Maja, for example, plays the campus’ “Sosy.” She is a rich kid who comes to school in fashionable get-up. She rides the latest car model. But she is loved by her classmates because she knows how to deal with them and is down-to-earth.
Kim is the brainy Indi. She always has a ready answer to every question.
Gerard is the popular campus jock. Handsome and talented, he is touted as their school’s basketball hero. Geoff is the campus rebel. The reason he is a problem student will be revealed at the end of the movie. Jason is the nice guy on campus. He is the team’s water boy.
“But there’s actually more to this movie than just a story of campus life,” said Mel. “The film is also about family, love and friendship.”
Now meet “First Day High” director Mario Cornejo, who scored high with his first attempt at filmmaking, he digital movie, “Bigtime,” which won the best screenplay award in the last Cinemalaya Festival. “First Day High” is his first foray into mainstream filmmaking, which explains why he is grateful to Star Cinema, who offered him the big break after “Bigtime.”
Only 30 years old, Direk Mario has made TV commercials and some projects for ABS CBN and independent producers. A graduate of Communication Arts at the De La Salle University, he is currently taking up his Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at the University of the Philippines. Direk Mario has also trained with top cinematographer Manolo Abaya.
He had fun doing “First Day High,” which he describes as “extremely stylized, clean, no poverty.” “It’s our world,” he added, “but it’s the alternate reality. All the colors are clean and bright, but the issues are very real, the story’s conflicts are very true. I hope the audience will like the way we present ‘First Day High.’”
He takes to Maja, Geoff, Gerard and Kim as the “sweetest kids he has worked with.” “All of them are hardworking, Nobody has an attitude,” Direk Mario concluded.
“First Day High” is also the title of the chartbusting-hit song of the Kamikazee Band. (MNS)
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STARRING the inimitable MARTIN NIEVERA and former wife POPS FERNANDEZ, is another casting coup by GROUP OLE, INC. trend setters in concert production. Show date is on Saturday, September 23,2006 at 7 PM. at the MOHEGAN SUN RESORT AND SPA in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Martin and Pops will once again bring their own kind of magic to the stage when they combine their musical talents for the one-night-only presentation. “Together Again”.. promises to be an unforgettable and nostalgic evening for their thousands of avid fans who have followed their colorful careers from the time of “Penthouse Live”, where they met and fell in love.
From that first spark of romance, Martin and Pops have captured the minds and hearts of their faithful followers by way of sold-out concerts, record breaking compact discs and a few unforgettable movies. In spite of the many bumps along the way, the fans have kept in touch, going up and down the never-dull, always exciting, emotional roller coaster with them and their two sons, Robin 19 and Ram 16.
Today, although their marriage was finally annulled a few years ago, Martin and Pops keep in close touch with each other, raising their children as best they can from separate homes. Martin’s house is just a short walk away from Pops’.
Fans may want to dream and speculate the future. But for the present both Martin and Pops each have embarked on their own careers and personal paths. Martin has finally found his place in the Las Vegas circuit. Pops has returned to the movies. They continue to draw tremendous crowds to their concerts. They remain the undisputed King and Queen of the Concert scene. More important they remain the best of friends.
For the “TOGETHER AGAIN..ON STAGE” concert, Martin and Pops will be accompanied on stage by a 10-piece band based in Las Vegas. Musical Director is our very own Lorrie Ilustre. Martin has also invited Jenevi Bakch as a special performer. She is a Korean born American, well known in the Las Vegas scene, having appeared as guest with Wayne Newton. Opening the show will be Anthony Salazar, a Filipino-American magician and illusionist, based in New Jersey.
Free roundtrip bus service is being provided for the concertgoers on Sept. 23,2006. Jersey City, NJ and Atlantic City, NJ are the two pick up locations. Concert tickets and reservations are necessary.
For Atlantic City-Jade’s Store at 609-272-2882 for reservations. Departure time is 9:00 AM.
For Jersey City- Subic Restaurant on Route 440 and Kellog St. Departure time is 10:00 AM
Good seats are still available but are going fast. For ticket sales and information, please call 914-659-9670 or 917-294-6783
Or visit us in our website: www.groupole.com
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