People are asking nowadays, who is Tanya Markova? I know she is not Russian. Neither is she, he or it, or whatever, related to Alicia, who is the only Markova I know. But who, it turned out from something I read somewhere, was not really Russian and was actually named Alice Marks. She changed her name so as to sound Russian.

But from what I know now, I believe that the correct question is what is Tanya Markova, who is definitely not trying to sound Russian? I would say that Tanya Markova is what happens when friends get together to have some ghoulish fun. So now what connection does Tanya Markova have with ghouls and vampires and manananggals and other similar stuff?

Nothing if you are thinking in English. But try Ilokano and then jumble Tanya. You get natay which means dead. Then jumble Markova and you get karovam or karubam which means neighbor. So Tanya Markova stands for dead neighbor. Not a likely choice for a name of a band. But it works because people are now curious about Tanya Markova and when you factor in the ghouly stuff, there is a clear idea about what these guys’ music is all about.

The members of Tanya Markova play their Marilyn Manson roles to the hilt. They are: Frontmen Harlon Agsaoay, a.k.a. Norma Love, Zombie Crooner/Dead Madman, vocalist co-songwriter and tamborine shaker; and Angelo del Pilar a.k.a. Iwa Motors, Possessed Doll/Evil Toy Marching Band, vocalist, co-songwriter and bell ringer, who first got together in 2004.

There was no question from the start that they would be different from other bands around because they were dead set on writing songs with light pop melodies but with nonsensical lyrics about scary things. It took them two more years before they found other like-minded musicians to complete the group.

These are: Jasper Bordajo a.k.a. Heart Abunda, Black Phantom/ White Phantom, keyboardist; EJ Guevarra a.k.a. Jennylyn Sucaldito, Frakenstein’s Monster/ Demented Cannibal, guitarist; Edu Broce a.k.a. Ruffa Mae Milby, Manananggal/ 3/24 parts Bat and 1/16 Humanoid, drummer; Florante Sabas a.k.a. Rez Curtis, Killer Butcher/ Drunk Mental Patient, another guitarist; Francis “Kiks” Chavez a.k.a. Skrobak Iskopanjo, Demonic Dwarf/ Dark Elf, bassist; and Philip Alejandro a.k.a. Mowmow, a Werewolf pretending to be a vampire/ burlesque clown, back-up singer and all around entertainer.

Next armed with make-up and costumes better suited to Halloween then to a music gig, Tanya Markova began making the rounds of the local clubs and putting together its first album. They proved to be first time lucky. The band’s name, the way the members look and the bouncy first single Picture Picture all blended together to make Tanya Markova, the hottest newcomers in town.

I know that in the case of a hit tune like Picture Picture, fans would already be willing to part with their cash on the strenght of that one song. But there is more in store for them in Tanya Markova, which is also the title of the well-conceived CD. The boys keep to their theme of the dark but funny side of the supernatural. The songs are well-written, mostly irreverent and lots of fun from beginning to end. The whole package reminds me of the first Eraserheads album Electromagneticpop, but even the witty Ely Buendia and his cohorts never got this far.

Take a look at the titles of what Tanya Markova contains. MIM, you’ll never guess whom they are exhorting to “sindakin mo sha baby sindakin mo sha love” in this one; Disney, which says “gusto kong magpunta sa Disney magwi-wish ako kay genie para maka-jam si Mickey…”; and what about the mekaniko ni moniko ng makina ni monica in Picture Picture.

The haunting goes on with Mag-Exorcise Tayo; Linda Blair; PSst; Hoy! Bampira Ako (Takot Ka Na?); Bye Bye Mosquito; Sentimental Value; Jacuzzi; Reunion of Soul; Curfew; P.A. Roadie Fernandez; Monster Mommy;(a) Ninong; and in the reprise section, Disney Reprise; Psst Psst; and Riot Sa LRT. A Radio Inferno bookends the set.

I know this whole thing seems better suited to Halloween than to this sun-blasted summer. But who are we to complain. The charts need a jolt, the music stores need sales and Tanya Markova is now providing both. If these guys prove themselves to be truly talented and could come up with more hits in their second or third or hopefully, more albums, then I won’t care if they unleash all those undead creatures around us.