Going Hollywood
Posted in Uncategorized on Sep 10th, 2007 No Comments »
Dear Uncle Sam, When Jaye Muller and I first came to the Philippine island of Cebu it was to rock an extravagant bash to christen the opening of the International Academy of Film and Television. That first, brief experience was a dizzying drug trip, in which we were whisked, jet-lagged and confused, from the Mactan airport to a private yacht filled with jet setter businessmen and renowned super-models, to an opulent Hollywood-style gala, complete with a fashion show, and finally to an unfinished dormitory, where we would have slept, had our internal clocks matched the external ones.
The second of our two full days in Cebu was just as bewildering. It ended at a Cebu City club, where Muller and Patton played a short impromptu set at the request of Thomas Osmena, Cebu City’s mayor. Afterward, the slightly inebriated Mr. Osmena got on stage, took the mic, and said to me, “Lemme show you how it’s done”. Then he broke into “My Way”. “….And now…. the end is near…. I’ve made my case…. of this I’m certain….”
Since then, Count Jaye and I have learned a lot about life in Cebu, which, unsurprisingly, is not usually about yachts, fashion shows, and Sinatra hits.
Our second trip, early last spring, was no less surreal, but longer, and more educational. During it, we not only began our musical affiliation with Bigfoot Entertainment, (A Euro-American film and television company with a headquarters here in Cebu) but also had another concert of our own, celebrating the upcoming release of our second duo album, “Jonathan and Bailey”. For this concert we wanted a stripped down band, and a small choir. We were fortunate enough to be referred to the University of San Carlos music department, in Cebu City. The six singers and two musicians we chose quickly became great friends.
Here I am with some of our San Carlos buddies. I’m the one who’s pale skin is over-exposing the camera lens.
The Count and I can’t wait to show y’all that concert on film. We hope to release it on DVD some time early next year.
One of the tenors in our little chamber choir was Rendel Lim. I called on Rendell to lend me his poppy voice for a theme song I wrote to Bigfoot’s new reality TV show “Hollywood Boot Camp”. The producers asked me to write a ditty reminiscent of the theme-song for “Pinoy Big Brother”, (the Philippine’s answer to the hit American show), AND the theme for “Friends”, by the Rembrandts.
I’m a big fan of the latter. The Rembrandts, Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, are two candidates for my “Academy of the Underrated”. They are gifted pop songwriters and I understand they are back together with a new album.
Enough rambling. Here is the theme song to “Hollywood Boot Camp”. It premiered a few weeks ago on the Philippine’s QTV, to a viewership of over 1.3 million.
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