I’m happy that Susan Claire Agbayani, a colleague covering the Philippine music scene, has released an anthology of her work. Her book is now available through UP Press, Lazada, and Shopee. It’s a significant achievement for a journalist to publish a book.
Journalists often rush from one assignment to the next, rarely finding the time to work on a book. I have many book ideas myself but struggle to find the time and energy to pursue them. In the Philippines, it’s challenging to make a living from writing books.
I managed to write two e-books, a novel, and a short story collection during the global pandemic, which gave me the time to focus on writing. It was therapeutic and helped me overcome the usual obstacles.
Susan Claire Agbayani did it!
Her book, Tugtugan Pamorningan (The Philippine Music Scene 1990-1999), published by UP Press, spans over 300 pages and delves into stories and profiles from an era celebrated as a golden age, possibly even more vibrant than the Manila Sound era.
As a teenager in the ‘90s, I attended shows as a spectator and played in a garage band, but didn’t document my experiences. I started writing about the music scene in the mid-2000s after my band, Syato, was signed and recorded an album. By then, the ‘90s felt like a recent, fond memory.
Susan shared her excitement on Facebook about her book being classified as social science, noting that educators in music, social science, and law have expressed interest in using it in their classes.
The book’s title comes from the 1993 concert Bistro sa Amoranto: Tugtugan Pamorningan. Susan felt it was fitting and got permission from the owners of 70s Bistro. If anyone joked that playing and hanging out at both 70s Bistro and Mayric’s made someone a legend, I’d laugh and proudly agree.
I’m not surprised that Susan’s book, produced through a grant from the UP Likhaan Institute of Creative Writing, is receiving good reviews. Her work stands out in a male-dominated scene. It has been praised as “a comprehensive guide to the Philippine music scene” and “well-organized and easy to navigate.”
The Foreword of Susan Claire Agbayani’s book is by National Artist and screenwriter Ricky Lee, a close friend with whom she spends holidays. National Artist Ryan Cayabyab also contributed.
I have a book coming out from Penguin Random House about my life as a writer-musician in the Philippines. Although I considered including Ricky Lee, my mentor from a 2002 workshop, I chose not to feature any industry figures who praised Susan’s book, as a gesture of respect for her work.
I’m glad too that in no way we’re clashing off subject-wise. Mine is my experience as a band member-songwriter myself who happens to be covering bands and solo acts, too.
In light of Tugtugan Pamorningan’s publication, it felt good recalling Susan interviewing me and the rest of my much-later band The Pub Forties before a gig in Cagayan De Oro top-billed by Joey Ayala and Dong Abay. She looked animated while talking to us, asking questions like she already knew what to ask next. It was cool conversing with someone with a deep experience witnessing the world of Pinoy rock and roll.
Susan is the kind who would pull others to some safer ground. She shared, “Ang wish ko sa aking mga colleagues na nagco-cover ng Philippine music scene, especially nung 1990s ay maglabas rin sila ng kani-kanilang anthologies. Hindi po kumpleto ang picture kung ilan lang kaming naglimbag ng anthologies. Kasi iba’t iba po ang aming pinanggagalingan, karanasan, at mga taong in-interview at mga bar concert and event na pinuntahan.”
She added, “Ang dami daming grant-giving bodies sa Pinas pa lang. All one has to do is search and apply. Yun po ang ginawa ko.”
My one-time music collaborator Romeo Babao now considers Tugtugan Pamorningan among his favorites along with Tina Arceo Dumlao’s “Himig At Titik” and Eric Caruncho’s “Punks, Poets, Poseurs.” Long ago when I bought a copy of Eric’s book, I told myself I’d write books one day.
Another guy, Weil Ylagan, noted “Must have ito para sa mga adik sa history ng Philippine music tulad ko. Lalo na sa dekada nobenta.”
Someone called Kidlat who was at Amoranto that early ‘90s posted that Susan’s book which he said “includes articles about the event and the 90s Pinoy rock explosion” made him feel nostalgic as he dug his ticket to the show.
Whether or not you belong to the Batang ‘90s, it’s worth celebrating the efforts of a writer who dared to gather her precious memories into a book for the current generation and the future ones to look into and learn from.