It's been some time since we found out that ex-Ehead Marcus Adoro lay down his surfboard for a spell, and created a number of musical personas. There was "Surfernando," for one, and later, we learned he put up a band called Markus Highway, and did the rounds of the clubs, brandishing a slew of demo songs and videos (a few of which turned up online). Now we've gotten the word that Marcus has left the indie route, and armed with a recording contract with Warner Music, has delivered a new album - "Behold, Rejoice! Surfernando is hear nah," due out this week.

Projects like this don't fall out of the sky fully formed, so we were curious about how it all came together. Thanks to Mica Solmoro, we've received rare snippets of Marcus' diaries and online scribblings - put together, they paint a picture about how Marcus was able to gather his band and his wits together to record his first major label release since the eHeads broke up, lo these many years ago.

Here are some excerpts:

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Chapter 8:  Recording The Album

The Kick-ass Presentation Materials
   
After being turned down by two major labels (the reason I picked them first and foremost was because the A 'n Rs were friends from the old Dredd), I got a warm welcome at the Warner office.  A few hours after handing them my materials consisting of an 8-song demo, some printed articles by writer-friends and 3 self-made, low-budget music videos, I got a call for a meeting. (July 10, 2007)



Pay No Mind I Just Got Signed

Today, I signed a contract as a solo artist under Warner Music Phils. There will be a total lunar eclipse later, the scientists call it “Red Moon Rising”. I'm not really an astrology freak but I'm taking it as a good omen. (August 28, 2007)





Marcus Adoro and Mark Villena as the “Boogie Magdamag Bros.”

I am determined to take responsibility for the sound of the album. All I needed was a third opinion, the second being my bandmates'. I have much faith in the musicianship of my lead guitarist Earl Tabasuares and drummer Clark Trasmonte, two top players from Dumaguete, and of course with my bassist Beeboy Chacon, whom I met on the very first leg of my solo-acoustic act, while touring a low-key bar tour in the late 2006.
      
Mark Villena (Ex-Tungaw) is a colleague and a collaborator and we go as far back as the early “Heads days. He tagged along on our very first U.S. Tour and ended up as a technical hand of sorts along with Sancho Sanchez. We shared some literally “mind-blowing” moments in San Francisco.

He'd come a long way from mastering the four-track recording machine (we each bought the same model in L.A.) and has become Tracks Studios' second-hand man next to Angee Rozul. It was a divine moment for both of us to meet again in the studio after collaborations on the infamous (and still unreleased) Kamonkamon in 2002 (BMG). It's a perfect set-up, him as the engineer and my co-producer, as he also owns an arsenal of guitars and choice vintage amps. (Nov. 26 2007)




Oct 2007

Logistical Challenge

Traditionally, I make it a point to surrender to Robin Rivera a copy/prototypes of my works for archival purposes and as a sort of reverence for him being a mentor and an older friend. As early as 2004, I've handed him the raw versions of the 10 songs for this album and asked him to be the producer, to which he replied- “Kaya mo na yan, parang sa Kamon, di ba?”.

With that in mind and with the limited studio time given to us (as opposed to Eraserheads sessions) I needed to conduct this mission in an almost military-like manner.

A week prior to the recording proper, the band holed up in Mike's (percussionist) room in Pasay for the final arrangement of the 12 songs and to pre-record them on a four-track machine. It was tiresome, fun, rewarding and magical. Next was to schedule the recording sessions at Tracks with one day intervals, the free days slated for rehearsals in a practice studio for the next day’s session. The weekends are devoted to family.

To avoid the rush hour, we made it a point to be in the studio an hour early as our sessions ran from 6pm to 6am. Never was a day that we were late. (Nov.29, 2007)


The Tracks Sessions

As I've done with most of the Kamonkamon, I wanted the highlights of this trip to be documented and I've appointed filmmaker Julius Salazar to take photos and videos. The band is doing really well so far, even exceeding my expectations. It is also noteworthy of their good behavior as they only got drunk after their scheduled takes were laid down to tape. (Oct 14)

 
A Much Needed Break

After weeks of tracking the parts and burying ourselves on headphones I headed for the surf to play. Yup I can still surf. (Oct. 15, 2007)
 

Hype Overdrive

I was never into blogging or having a friendster account but for the sake of brevity I set up sunnyrecordsrecords.multiply.com to answer the question “What happened to you after the E'heads?” just in case one asks (it is open for everyone), and a more personal yet moody one in markushighway.multiply.com which offers virtually nothing unless you're a member.

Nobody makes art for the critic, so before the album get scrutinized (by writerdudes who are themselves in bands- picture Quentin Tarantino reviewing works by his filmmaker peers - and that's how the scene is nowadays), we've uploaded these collective blurbs, taking cue from D. Osorio's “Don't be afraid to quote yourself”. Around ten people have read this until now:


"Pinoy Rakenrol has come back from the dead. A successful attempt to bridge the generation gap."- Marcus adoro

"It's about time someone played real guitar. Makoy's songs are oozing with pure Pinoy soul. Two toungues up!"- Earl Tabasuarez

"In the era of sappy pogi highschool rock and EMO creep music, MHW kicks ass without them even knowing it."- Clark Tresmonte

"Easily the Album Of The Decade. 'Nuff said"- Beeboy Chacon

"Pinoy consciousness distilled and brewed like a good lambanog. An instant classic.” - Mike

(Nov.16 2007)
             

 
Back To School

Bridging The Generational Gap

The high school girls I met online are a real blessing. I've been in distress with the much-needed female back-up vox for “Lala” and “Miss Nurse”. The one I contacted turned out to be a fucking diva, while another, a labelmate, won't communicate and the rest who are bona fide rock goddesses I  was hesitant to follow up.

The reason being that I might not be able to afford their rockstar fixes both financially and attitude-wise. What I got instead were young, pure and unadulterated talents in the form of a JZE (a reggae band and young film buffs) and some of their friends. So thanks to you.(Nov.24, 2007)

I think college kids should again grow their hair long. A need to rediscover the classics (Dylan, Hendrix, Led Zep, The Doors, The Stones, Steely Dan etc.) and to reconnect with the past is in order – all the way back to Muddy Waters and way back to Robert Johnson. I think they should imbibe on the classic literature of the Beat(nik)s and to understand the historical and cultural significance of that era and to get acquainted with the words of Jack Kerouack, William Borroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Baba Ram Das, the writings of Carlos Castaneda etc, etc, and of course the Eastern Philosophy and Zen.

Discussions on these topics were the other bond that connected me with the Great Pepe Smith through the years by the way (now you know!). And did you know that the Internets revolution was predicted decades ago by acid-guru Timothy Leary? Now go and google away. Rakenrol! (Dec.5,2007)