E-heads’ Ultraelectro- magneticpop remastered

One thing I love about modern technology is the countless number of things for which it can be used to preserve, enhance and if needed, to improve on the classics. And I am glad that the iconic Ultraelectromagneticpop by the Eraserheads (or E-heads) has been tapped to go through this process.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the release of the debut album by the E-heads, label Sony Music has uploaded a new remastered edition of Ultraelectromagneticpop on digital platforms. This recording is always a fun listen, radio, CD, streamed or like the first time I heard it, on an audio-cassette tape. I say that turning on to the new tweaks at present time has made the experience doubly interesting.

The man responsible for the clearer, finely-mixed sound is the multi-award winning audio engineer Bernie Grundman. Known and in demand all over the world, Grundman is a big name in the field of music recording. After all, he mixed the biggest-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which was produced by the legendary Quincy Jones. He also did Aja by Steely Dan, Lovesexy by Prince, Head To The Sky by Earth, Wind and Fire and other memorable albums.

Grundman worked on the original master tapes of Ultraelectromagneticpop, which I was glad to find out, had been preserved all these years. I wince at the thought of those two-inch magnetic tapes used in studios in the old days that were erased, taped over or simply trashed even if those recordings contained the works of great Filipino artists. I am happy that Ultraelectromagnetic did not meet such a fate. I still love the raw garage feel of the original recording but this new mix is really a feast.

The E-Heads as the band is now fondly referred to was made up of Raimund Marasigan on drums, Buddy Zabala on bass, Marcus Adoro on guitar and Ely Buendia on vocals. They were college students who got together after answering an audition call at the campus of the University of the Philippines.

Legend has it that they were the only ones who showed up to that audition. But no matter, the boys liked each other enough to form a band that they named Eraserheads, after a horror film by David Lynch before his Twin Peaks days. They gigged, wrote and recorded songs and like all bands do, shopped around their tape to every record label. They were turned down most of the time. I am still curious as to who were those A&R people who said no to E-heads.

The only one that did not was BMG Records, which later became Sony. I do not know if it was because Buendia was working there as copywriter or that A&R Vic Valenciano heard something extra in the boys’ tape. But whatever the reason, the Eraserheads finally got signed to a record deal and Ultraelectromagneticpop was on its way.

The songs in the album were written and arranged by the E-heads. The songs included were Easy Ka Lang, Maling Akala, Pare Ko, Shake Yer Head, Ganjazz, Toyang, Ligaya, Tindahan Ni Aling Nena, Honky-Toinks Granny, Shirley, Walang Hiyang Pare Ko and Combo On The Run. The title came from Ultraelectromagnetic tops, a type of weapon used in the high-rating animated series from Japan, Voltes V.

All of the tracks were produced by Ed Formoso save for somebody who chose to call himself dem who arranged and produced Toyang. I wonder if dem ever felt some regret later on about not introducing himself as the producer of Toyang. The songs were recorded at the Ad & AD Recording Studio and at the JR Recording Studio with Boy Tanquintic and Willie Munji as recording and mixing engineers.

1993 was a great year in pop music. Hip-hop had fully emerged with stars like Snoop Dogg and Wu-Tang Clan. Rock was at an all time high with U2 and Zooropa, Pearl Jam and Vs., Smashing Pumpkins with Siamese Dream and Nirvana with In Utero. And holding up the female fort to high heavens was artist, songwriter and producer Janet Jackson with That’s The Way Love Goes.

Hereabouts, the Philippine music industry experienced a massive explosion not heard since the much-loved and so well-remembered Manila Sound period of the ‘70s era. Ultraelectromagneticpop was new, irreverent and exciting and everybody sang along and joined the fun.

 It was a grand beginning. Not only for the E-heads who went on to record more hits, Huling El Bimbo, Alapaap, With A Smile and many others in six studio albums and to have successful careers. The band and Ultraelectromagneticpop also opened the door for other bands like Rivermaya, True Faith, Alamid, Color It Red and many others.

That was 25 years ago. And so we celebrate with the new sound of Ultraelectromagneticpop.