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The Bleu Rascals bares their badge of courage
Youthful blues vets drop their debut album
On January 30, The Bleu Rascals drops their debut album entitled “Badge of Courage.”
For a band that’s plowed through the blues circuit both here and abroad, brought home major wins from international competitions and been invited to play in prestigious festivals, it’s hard to believe the nearly four-year-old blues trio is just coming out with their first album.
“Ang dami na pong nag-aabang even from Cebu and Mindanao,” vocalist/guitarist Paul Marney Leobrera tells Yahoo. “Daig pa namin yung likes sa mga girly sites! Akalain niyo yun, di pa kami naghuhubad, ang dami nang likes (ng album). Paano pa kaya if we start showing our abs?”
No laughing matter
While that elicits laughter all around, the album itself, “Badge of Courage,” however, is no laughing matter. The title echoes Stephen Crane’s classic war novel “The Red Badge of Courage” but the similarity ends there.
Where the novel tells the story of a deserter wanting to make amends for his cowardice, Bleu Rascals’ debut speaks volumes about facing up to challenges, in life and in love, to achieve a pre-set goal.
Said Paul, now 21 (he began jamming with local blues stalwarts at age 16): “Kay Sir Tom Colvin po yung concept for the title. It actually gave me an idea for a new song on the album.”
Tom is the tireless promoter of local blues band and heads Blues Asia Network.
That facial scar
“Inihambing ko sa buhay ko ang naging direksiyon ng album. Lahat ng tao may ipinaglalaban. We play the blues. May scar ako at ipinaglalalaban ko yun. In effect, we’re also asking others, ‘What’s your badge of courage?’”
That scar refers to the mark left on Paul’s face after an operation. ‘
He says it was the subject of occasional humiliation in school while he was growing up.
The nursing grad plays the blues
Drummer John Jayson Garcia adds, “Ipinakita din namin na di biro ang pinagdaanan namin as musicians. Ako mismo nagtapos ng Nursing para lang pagbigyan ang parents ko. Actually, after classes tuloy ako sa practice imbes na umuwi para mag-aral.”
Things got even tougher before they got better.
“I started a family,” the 26-year-old says. “I dropped out from my music for some time. Nag-call center agent ako, promodizer, until I got to audition for the band. I didn’t know anything about them or the blues pero happily I got the slot. Ito na talaga ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko.”
Beyond Texas blues
On the new album, John did most of the lyrics while Paul took charge of the music.
Bassist Oliver Salaysay contributed in the arrangement, helping take the Bleu Rascals beyond the confines of Texas blues coming obviously from Paul’s excellent work on classics by Texan guitar slinger Steve Ray Vaughn.
Says Oliver, 26, “When I came in the band, John and I talked about our music being labeled ‘Texas blues.’ We agreed di maganda may label agad tayo. Parang nakakahon kami kaagad.”
Surprised by their own direction
Paul adds, “We played the new songs live until we’re comfortable with them to produce in the studio. Dahil ayaw nga naming ma-kahon, we worked to give our music a fresh perspective.”
They were surprised at the results.
“Ang nangyari, kami mismo nagugulat sa naging direksiyon ng tugtugan namin. Pero enjoy naman kahit my ‘bulaga’ sa masayang jamming namin.”
The best tracks
The title track is particularly bracing with Paul singing “It was the blues that summoned me / The guitar is my identity / Roots in my soul that pushes me” over music that rocks to put the message across.
“Doble Kara” is as much Maria Cafra doing the blues as Ka Freddie Aguilar reprising “Magdalena” with “Multong Bakla” slipping in and out of the dark melody.
“Brownman’s Blues” looks sternly at political signs of the times and delivers these lines like ”Poverty is the brownman’s blues!”
Music explorations
Paul says he’s not keen in listening to other music right now.
“Di ako ma-explore. Gusto ko stick to my foundations. From there, hahanapin ko sarili ko. Isa pa, even sa foundations ko, I still find something new after listening to them all these years. Yun na ang hinahanap ko.”
John thinks differently: “Ma-explore naman ako, batang 90s kasi. Yung era ng alternative, sobrang makulay yung time na yun para sa akin. Basta maganda lyrics gusto ko, kahit ano pa siya grunge, rock o ano pa man. Gusto ko rin medyo malalim ang lyrics. Ayoko sa mababaw. At the end of the day, Dave Matthews ang ultimate influence ko.”
The Bleu Rascals’ “Badge of Courage” launches at the Roadhouse on Mall of Asia by the Bay on January 30 at 8 p.m.
