PH musicians come together to RAGE for freedom of expression
To protest the passage of the Anti-Terror Law, the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, and a host of other threats to freedom of expression taking place amid the backdrop of an escalating COVID-19 health crisis, local music artists initiated an online collaboration to produce a music video for a song written by legendary Pinoy Rock outfit, The Jerks: Their iconic, anti-fascist anthem, “RAGE”.
The song comes from the eponymous “Album of the Year” winner from the 1998 NU Rock Awards, “The Jerks” — and is arguably the most intense and emotionally-charged track to come from that collection. Now, more than two decades later, the resurgence of “Rage” is testament to both the timelessness of its message and the enduring relevance of its battle cry as music artists now come together to help in the fight to defend the democratic rights and liberties of a people and a nation under siege.
The music video features a lineup of 35 music artists that includes such icons as Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, Bobby Balingit, and Cooky Chua, and premieres online on August 9, 2020, 8pm at the Rage PH Facebook page (Rage PH).
Despite the challenges posed to the initiative by a global pandemic that has made travel restrictions and quarantine measures all part of the “new normal,” the collaborators gathered their voices and instruments in solidarity to fight an emerging tyranny that is increasingly becoming a more deadly and more critical threat to human rights and freedom of expression in this country with each passing day.
As Jerks’ frontman Chickoy Pura himself asserts:
“Ito ang panahon ng pagkakaisa. Tayo ay haharap sa pinakamatinding hamon na susukat sa ating paninindigan at katatagan. ‘Wag manahimik. Lumaban.” (This is a time for unity. The tremendous challenge to come will test our resolve, our principles, our strength. Do not be silent. Fight.)
And RAGE against the dying of the light!
The Collaborators
The Artists:
AG SAÑO
ARWIN NAVA (Bersus / Radioactive Sago Project)
BEATRICE GOMEZ
BENJIE SANTOS (The Jerks)
BING AUSTRIA (Flippin Soul Stompers / Juan Pablo Dream)
BOBBY BALINGIT (Juan Isip)
BOPIP PARAGUYA (Color It Red / Hidrofonics)
BRUTUS LACANO (Brownbeat Allstars / Escolta 3:am)
BUDDY ZABALA (Eraserheads / Hilera / Moonstar88)
CABRING CABRERA (Datu’s Tribe)
CARLO BERNARDINO (Lolit Solid)
CHICKOY PURA (The Jerks)
COOKY CHUA (Color It Red)
DWIGHT GASTON
DYLAN REYES
EDWIN VERGARA (Color It Red)
IPE FLORES (Lolit Solid)
JAY JAMORALIN (Plagpul)
JET CUNANAN (Luna)
JIMMY MELENDREZ (Sinangag)
JUN LAZO (Apartel / Escolta 3:am)
KOWBOY SANTOS
KRIS DANCEL (Cambio / Duster Chicks / Peryodiko / Fatal Posporos)
MIGUEL ORTIGAS (Razorback)
MRK ESTANDARTE (Pasada)
NOEL TAYLO (Pasada)
PAOLO MANUEL (Datu’s Tribe / The Jerks)
PAUL PUTI-AN (Borrachos / Coffeebreak Island)
PETER PANELO (Plagpul / Pasada / Singangag)
PIA PIMENTEL (Pasada)
POCHOY LABOG (Dicta License / Malay)
POL TORRENTE (Plagpul)
RAIMUND MARASIGAN (Eraserheads / Pedicab / Sandwich)
ROMEO LEE (Romeo Lee and the Brownbriefs)
The Production Team:
ALCO GUERRERO (Director)
CABRING CABRERA
CARLO BERNARDINO
CHICKOY PURA
CINDY CRUZ-CABRERA
EDREX CLYDE SANCHEZ
GABRIEL CAMPILLANES
JAY JAMORALIN
LOUJAYE SONIDO
MONET PURA
MRK ESTANDARTE (Audio Engineering and Mixing)
PETER PANELO
POL TORRENTE
