DJ Billy B. with one of the show's guest Rock Icon Joey "Pepe" SmithAround early last year, I already knew about Billy B.'s show "Pinoy Rock Fix" (Monday-Friday, 7-8pm RJ Underground radio 105.9 FM) which is part of his normal 3-hour weekday shift from 5-8pm. I love that hour where he only plays music from our local bands, mainstream or independent which he also plays some demos thru the show's segment "Daily Demo Delivery". Months later, the station has already its own radio countdown still within his shift (Fridays, 6:30 pm). I already talked to this guy over the phone for a lot of times for some requests and questions about music. Now that I have my blog and it's quite that I don't have the luxury time to ask some questions on him, it's a great chance to have a space to know more about him and also beyond his work on radio (one of them is doing bass for the band The Purplechickens). Here's the interview.
1. How do you became an RJUR DJ?
I had just resigned from my job at the time. Nick Zinger and Memphis invited The Purplechickens to play at the first Midweek Mayhem, and we promptly did. Given that I was both about to be unemployed and was "active" in the music scene, I had offered my help (in any capacity) to the station. Then station manager, Jaton Zulueta told me to pass my resume and see how things go. At first, I was offered a job to be the road manager of Ramon Jacinto himself, but I thought there was something else I could do to help these guys out. Jaton Zulueta then mentioned they were looking for DJs, so I asked myself, "Why not?"
And all of a sudden I became Billy B.
2. Before you joined in the Purplechickens, where are you back then?
If with this question you're asking what I was doing before I joined the Purplechickens, I was/still am bassist to the Taggu nDios. Likewise, I was still finishing my studies at UP and heading the UP Music Circle.
3. Was it the management or your own decision to be the one responsible to the demos that are arriving at the station day by day?
It was the management's decision, in that I was replacing Sick James who was already playing demos.
4. Any experiences or stories that you want to share behind when you received a demo?
Just recently I received a demo from a blind man. At the time, I thought he was just a big fan of Corey Hart, and loved to wear shades in the middle of the night. I should've noticed that his lady companion was the one directing him towards me, showing him the correct direction of my voice. I was mildly surprised, to be honest. But then again, this guy was just like any other musician passing music to me. So I received his demo, explained how things work at the station and bid him farewell.
There are really a lot of remarkable stories about receiving demos. The aftermath of playing a demo is a totally different story. On one occasion, I had played a demo of a band whose lead singer owned a sari-sari store. To show his gratitude, said lead singer came back to the station bearing an entire crate of assorted produce and other dry goods. All of a sudden, I had a doll for my non-existent daughter, a model motorcycle for my son, several bars of soap, one ripe Papaya, a bundle of broccoli, a kilo of kyat-kyat and a few Indian Mangos. Not really having the provisions to bring the entire crate home, I just went ahead and distributed its contents amongst the staff at RJ (except for the doll, as it is still in the booth standing next to the Enchanted Kingdom mascot.)
5. In the local rock scene, what's your most favorite decade and why?
I don't think I can answer question correctly because my real sense of local music only came in the late 90s (I was a big fan of Slapshock, Cheese before they became Queso, Zooom, Greyhoundz and Chicosci). If I'd say that the "grunge/new-metal" era of Pinoy Rock is my favorite, it's only because that's the only decade which I experienced firsthand. In that way, I won't be able to say for sure that the 70s were any different from the 80s, or were any different from the 90s.
I have favorite bands but I don't think they all fall under one decade. Being a DJ at UR has really opened up my ears to the large amount of good songs created by Filipino musicians.
6. As a bass player, what's your dream bass guitar and a collaboration and why?
As a bass player, I have TONS of dream bass guitars. I'd like to own a Rickenbacker though, a semi-hollow 5-string (Ibanez discontinued theirs I think), and any Warwick (just because they're made of HARDCORE WOOD). I heard the Schecter DV-4 and Damien Series are two pretty awesome guitars.
I'd want to collaborate with Vin Dancel, Dong Abay, or Joey Ayala, so that I could just play bass to the best of my abilities and revel in the fact that I'm playing a song written by one of the best songwriters in the world.
7. Any plans or interest to be in other bands aside from Purplechickens?
I actually have 3 other bands right now (Thank goodness they're not all active - Arigato, Hato!, Jeebus, Taggu nDios and I occasionally jam with this fusion group called Kiao)
8. Any future plans for Pinoy Rock Fix?
I have a few ideas but nothing concrete just yet. I guess you'll just have to keep on listening
I had just resigned from my job at the time. Nick Zinger and Memphis invited The Purplechickens to play at the first Midweek Mayhem, and we promptly did. Given that I was both about to be unemployed and was "active" in the music scene, I had offered my help (in any capacity) to the station. Then station manager, Jaton Zulueta told me to pass my resume and see how things go. At first, I was offered a job to be the road manager of Ramon Jacinto himself, but I thought there was something else I could do to help these guys out. Jaton Zulueta then mentioned they were looking for DJs, so I asked myself, "Why not?"
And all of a sudden I became Billy B.
2. Before you joined in the Purplechickens, where are you back then?
If with this question you're asking what I was doing before I joined the Purplechickens, I was/still am bassist to the Taggu nDios. Likewise, I was still finishing my studies at UP and heading the UP Music Circle.
3. Was it the management or your own decision to be the one responsible to the demos that are arriving at the station day by day?
It was the management's decision, in that I was replacing Sick James who was already playing demos.
4. Any experiences or stories that you want to share behind when you received a demo?
Just recently I received a demo from a blind man. At the time, I thought he was just a big fan of Corey Hart, and loved to wear shades in the middle of the night. I should've noticed that his lady companion was the one directing him towards me, showing him the correct direction of my voice. I was mildly surprised, to be honest. But then again, this guy was just like any other musician passing music to me. So I received his demo, explained how things work at the station and bid him farewell.
There are really a lot of remarkable stories about receiving demos. The aftermath of playing a demo is a totally different story. On one occasion, I had played a demo of a band whose lead singer owned a sari-sari store. To show his gratitude, said lead singer came back to the station bearing an entire crate of assorted produce and other dry goods. All of a sudden, I had a doll for my non-existent daughter, a model motorcycle for my son, several bars of soap, one ripe Papaya, a bundle of broccoli, a kilo of kyat-kyat and a few Indian Mangos. Not really having the provisions to bring the entire crate home, I just went ahead and distributed its contents amongst the staff at RJ (except for the doll, as it is still in the booth standing next to the Enchanted Kingdom mascot.)
5. In the local rock scene, what's your most favorite decade and why?
I don't think I can answer question correctly because my real sense of local music only came in the late 90s (I was a big fan of Slapshock, Cheese before they became Queso, Zooom, Greyhoundz and Chicosci). If I'd say that the "grunge/new-metal" era of Pinoy Rock is my favorite, it's only because that's the only decade which I experienced firsthand. In that way, I won't be able to say for sure that the 70s were any different from the 80s, or were any different from the 90s.
I have favorite bands but I don't think they all fall under one decade. Being a DJ at UR has really opened up my ears to the large amount of good songs created by Filipino musicians.
6. As a bass player, what's your dream bass guitar and a collaboration and why?
As a bass player, I have TONS of dream bass guitars. I'd like to own a Rickenbacker though, a semi-hollow 5-string (Ibanez discontinued theirs I think), and any Warwick (just because they're made of HARDCORE WOOD). I heard the Schecter DV-4 and Damien Series are two pretty awesome guitars.
I'd want to collaborate with Vin Dancel, Dong Abay, or Joey Ayala, so that I could just play bass to the best of my abilities and revel in the fact that I'm playing a song written by one of the best songwriters in the world.
7. Any plans or interest to be in other bands aside from Purplechickens?
I actually have 3 other bands right now (Thank goodness they're not all active - Arigato, Hato!, Jeebus, Taggu nDios and I occasionally jam with this fusion group called Kiao)
8. Any future plans for Pinoy Rock Fix?
I have a few ideas but nothing concrete just yet. I guess you'll just have to keep on listening
Want to submit a demo for RJ Undeground Radio 105.9 FM? Send it or bring in your demo CD with your band profile and contact information to the station, 2F, Ventures I Building, 7849 Gen. Luna St. Cor. Makati Ave., Makati City or send the mp3 file (must be at least 192 kbps) with your band profile and contact information at their email rjundergrounddemo(at)gmail(dot)com.
