FREE - The last unreleased Thoughts And Notions song from 2009

I could no longer recall the circumstance why this song was left on the cutting floor when we made the final decision on what would make it to the final cut of our second album. Granted, it was an album that featured 12 tracks (which included a bonus song that financed the recording and production of the album). So something had to give. But luckily, despite the song being on our vault for the longest time, the CDR copy that I had it in held up to the ravages of time. So I was able to preserve a pristine copy of the song (to which I could not say for the other songs that I deemed as demo recordings of our other songs). The song "FREE" is a song that I didn’t write or co-wrote with Wilbert Raagas Tan. It was penned by John Erickson Gloria and Adonis Donshox Gomez Berongoy, lead guitarist and drummer of our band, and was recorded from way back in 2009. "FREE" is a feel good song that celebrates one’s freedom from all the problems and anxieties in life. And just looking forward to a bright day ahead. Wrapped by Love and Faith. Why? Because you knew that you lived in FAITH. And you’ve got Jesus Christ to thank for! This isn't the only song that Erickson and Adonis had contributed to us back then. They are actually responsible for some of the other songs in our second album. Most notably the song "Cloudy Day". They were also the ones who supplied the musical arrangements for the lyrics that I wrote for the songs "Arise" and "Safer in My Heart". With Adonis contributing to perhaps our greatest worship song ever called "Beloved Savior", which later on would make it to Spotify's official New Music Friday Philippines playlist.

Thoughts And Notions line up from 2009

I have the most fondest memories of this group if I might say. This was perhaps the most prolific of all the band line-ups that we have went through. Because this was the tightest that we have ever been. Simply because the four of them had a tight relationship at that time.Thrina Dimaano (lead vocals) and Doris Bangot (bassist/backing vocals) are best friends that dates back to their high school years. Adonis and Erickson has been buddies in Church. And that chemistry would bleed through the live performances that we had during that stretch run from 2009. Of all the countless line up changes that we had, this was the only group that really put their headspace on recording new stuff for the band. And that resulted to a more infused youthful sound as evidenced by the songs in the second album that was either penned by them or musically arranged by them. But back to the song "FREE", the song title is actually quite telling in the sense that this also marked the end of the band as it was constituted. Because months later after our album launch, I would literally set them free as I embarked to build a career and start my own family in Manila. But this didn't stop them from forging on, as they continued playing together for quite some time, continuing their own run of finishing the year as a unit and even recorded one song that was written by Doris and fully arranged by the band. 

Adonis and Erickson would later on become crucial pieces to these bands

Though all good things sometimes come to an end, and even if they eventually went their separate ways, Erickson and Adonis would eventually build a strong career with their other band Novelista Pasta. I would later on write one song with them, the song called "Iglap". And when that band went on a hiatus, a new band emerged called Brandibelly, and even did a Bisaya translation of our song "Safer in My Heart". The band would went on to tour in different places in Mindanao. Making a name for themselves as the new voice of CDO's Bisrock music scene. As for Thrina and Doris, they would continue playing as a unit with Erickson, getting booked for various gigs in different resto/bar spots in CDO. With or without me, the band had indeed proved their worth as a unit or as separate musicians. In fact, they really don't need me to show how much they are capable of restarting their careers and show what they are capable of doing. I am just a big believer of their talent and support what they are capable of achieving. As of today, I'm trying to ensure that Novelista Pasta's legacy lives on in the Digital Music age, helping them upload and release their songs on the Digital Music streaming platforms. I think that is the least that I could do for all their contributions to our band. 

Getting them all back together will be a very impossible task to do. That's why moving forward, any idea of Thoughts And Notions being a live playing band again is doubtful. Because we are situated in different parts of the country now. I do however hope that when the right time comes, we could all come together and have a reunion show that would feature all of the musicians that played for our band. And that includes John Fernandez's band Sadhana, or should I say the first ever iteration of Thoughts And Notions. But for now, let us all celebrate the release of "FREE", the one last hurrah of the band before that chapter is closed. This is the final output of the band. And they deserve one final bow with the release of this song. For Thrina Dimaano, Doris Bangot, John Erickson Gloria, and Adonis Berongoy. Thank you for being a part of our beautiful story.

Pre-save the album on this link and let us all celebrate the freedom to find all the good things in life and appreciate the blessings that comes with it.

https://bfan.link/free-36

 

 

That time we played at the Kerygma Feast with Bo Sanchez

Thoughts And Notions with Brother Bo Sanchez

Let's do some throwback stories, to the time when we were chosen to play at the 2006 The Kerygma Feast in Cagayan de Oro. It was an honor for us to grace the stage with Brother Bo Sanchez as he is one of my favorite Christian writers. In fact, I was a voracious reader of his published books and magazines. Getting a lot of inspiration from Bo's published works for me to come up with the lyrics that I wrote for the band. This also marked the band's tenth live gig, albeit with a new drummer in tow this time around. Our first drummer Nelson Dychauco Jr. had to take a medical leave some months prior, which would eventually turn out to be his final exit with the band. Though this matter presented a new challenge to the band, however the entry of Adonis Berongoy as the new drummer proved to be a blessing to the band. As he would stay on to be one of the most longest serving band member just next to Thrina, our chief vocalist. Adonis would also contribute a couple of his song compositions in our second album, most notably the praise and worship song "Beloved Savior", which would be featured on Spotify's Official New Music Friday playlists sixteen years later.     

Beating the nervousness in playing in front of a sell out crowd

As for the band's performance on this day, what I could recall was we had a great time churning out tunes from our debut album and some cover songs from Jars of Clay's catalogue. In front of a full packed venue at that! Unfortunately, there was some confusion on stage as we started singing the songs. Because we were not told in advance that we should at least sing songs that were more familiar with the audience. Hence, there was some confusion as Brother Bo himself wasn't able to join us as we performed our set. And the audience also wasn't able to sing-a-long with us. As a budding band manager myself, I failed to make sure to get all the details from the organizers. So I was kind of embarrassed after the show. I do remember apologizing to Bo for the mix up, to which he was gracious enough to accept. He even signed some of the band posters that we brought along. I wonder where those posters went now, because I could no longer find it when I went back to CDO years later. It was also a pleasure to meet Alvin Barcelona, one of the featured singers for the Kerygma Feast that day. Alvin Barcelona if I remember it correctly used to play for OPM legend KA Freddie Aguilar's band, the music icon behind the OPM hit song "Anak". It was my first brush with a veteran Christian Music artist, and I was very much eager to pick his brains and know more about Christian music from him. We did swap CDs (our debut album to his latest album) and had some e-mail conversations months later.

John Fernandez, Co-lead vocals/Rhythm guitars

Though we would consider this gig a very successful one, this engagement however would be our last gig to feature John Fernandez as a permanent member (however he would rejoin us years later as a session guitarist). There's no doubt that John is an uber talented singer/songwriter. But I also thought it was kind of unfair for him to share co-lead vocals duties with Thrina at that time, especially if he would play/sing behind her. I had to make the difficult decision of letting him go. At the time, the focus was in promoting our debut album which featured Thrina on sole vocals, and sometimes there's this invisible push and pull between them. Maybe if the planned nationwide mall tours by our record label pushed through at that time, I could have given John his own spotlight, specially when we start promoting other songs from our record label's catalogue. You see part of the deal was for the band to also promote songs by foreign artists from their catalogue, especially those who can't come to the Philippines to promote their songs. John would have handled the songs by bands that has a male lead vocalist. But the nationwide tour didn't push through, and we were forced to go the independent route playing gigs in Cagayan de Oro. So I guess, for me that time, as an inexperienced band manager, I had to consider making hard decisions. And this was one of those. But that is very well much in the past. Today, John has come a long way with his new band Alternotes. His band has conquered the island of Camiguin, playing in huge festivals there. And I've been encouraging him of late to start recording his original song compositions. So I'm just here waiting for him, always ready to lend a helping hand in making sure his songs would be heard on the Digital Music streaming platforms one of these days.      

(From L-R) Adonis Berongoy, Tim Marquez, Thrina Dimaano, John Fernandez, Alvin Carreon

To close this blog entry, it is with a fond recollection that our band Thoughts And Notions indeed experienced a lot of hardships early on. But I also look back at the innocence of the band and the hopeful energy we had back then. Yes we had a record deal on one hand, yet we also had to survive as an independent band early on. But we never really made those things hinder us from pursuing our dreams and goals as a band. And years later, through all the travails and the times we did break, I think we did well during our stretch run as a band on that year 2006. I'll try to recall even more stories in the next entries. So do keep posted if you are interested to know more about our band.

 

Do check out our full song catalogue on SPOTIFY