JOIN THE CLUB BAND

JOIN THE CLUB _________________________________________________ BAND It’s the newest club in town, and membership’s absolutely free. Join The Club Band, a fraternity of four twenty-something seniors, are recruiting OPM-loving listeners who’d want nothing more than to live and learn from the band’s punk-rooted, alternative pop confessions of sullied love. New initiates may have already been taken by the band’s chart-climbing hit, “Nobela” which is hungrily devouring air time on FM radio stations across the country. “At aalis/ magbabalik/ at uulitin sabihin/ na mahalin ka’t sambitin/ kahit muling masaktan” –they play it and the crowd watches -- not. During live performances, the crowd sings it even louder than Biboy Renia, 23-year old vocalist/guitarist. It has aptly become a Korea-novela (“A Love to Kill”) theme song which is aired daily in a major TV station. SONGS The first radio hit is entitled "Lunes”, where Renia sings about the fallout --the first day after the Sunday breakup. “Matatanggap ba ako/ kung magbabalik sa iyo/ sakit ng sinapit ay/ please ‘wag nang magtampo/ wala man ako nagawa,” sings Renia in his signature soprano, which is earnest rather than emo-whiny. It’s a fresh, new approach; one that combines the band’s affection for story-telling—adapted from the band’s addiction to campy 70s rock (Hagibis, Cinderella, VST and Company)—with Beatle-esque/Beach Boy sounds, indie pop, and punk’s subgenres. “It’s upbeat, kasi punk-rooted. But its ironic because our songs are about love’s fallouts,” explains Biboy, whose eyes are hiding behind his dad’s retro aviator shades. Adds Join the Club’s giddy 21-year old drummer Paolo Santiago, “The songs come naturally because these are based on our personal experiences, kaya madaling maka relate sa mga kanta namin.” That’s right. All 12 songs on their debut album, Nobela, are fuelled by each of the guys’ rather disastrous experiences with the L-word. But they’ve managed to translate all their chest pains into melodious songs energized with sugar-high tempos, strong guitar riffs and soft/loud passages. “Mahiwaga” for instance, was already the infatuation song of choice for bloggers back when they released the cheeky punk pop track in 2001, the year Join the Club was formed. Over the next two years, a few forays with underground bands with names like Extra Rice and Toilet Kamote, and an eye opening gig in the underground Bulacan punk scene (“Kumbaga pumunta kami sa Holloween party na hindi kami naka costume,” says Congie Lulu, the band’s cute 23-year old bassist, “Pagkatapos n’un, hindi na kami bumalik. Na culture shock kami.”), the college friends soon found themselves joining band competitions. “Win or lose, we were just happy we could play,” says soft-spoken guitarist/back-up vocalist Migs Mendoza. But the band’s perseverance paid off in more tangible ways. Join the Club’s 2003 win in one such competition enabled the guys to record a four-track EP, which soon landed in the lap of Redrum Music’s Guy Ilacad, who signed the fledging band to his upstart label in July 2005 and, together with Warner Music Philippines, enabled Join the Club to put out their emotionally-driven debut album. Besides the riot of songs, like the scornful, furious and totally enjoyable “Walang Pakialam,” ballads like Mig’s fave, “Emotional Overdose” (“Kwento yan ng ex ko, at saka ako kumanta d’on”) and Biboy’s beloved “Nobela” (“Iyan ang pinaka importanteng kanta sa personal stage ng buhay ko”), also get high marks in the heartache department. “Nobela” even gets a few extra gold stars for its languid, 60s pop feel. You might even say “Nobela” sounds like an excellent anime slow song, only, of course, it’s sung in the Filipino vernacular. We’re sure the serenade scores pretty well with the girls, too. Love sucks, but at least we have Join the Club and their music to phrase things ever so nicely. Their debut album, Nobela is manufactured and distributed by Warner Music Philippines. Grab your copies now at leading music stores and record bars nationwide. ACHIEVEMENTS AT A GLANCE: MTV’s Rising Star for the Month of January Exclusive PULP feature/interview, November 2005 issue Pinoy Magazine cover/feature, February 2006 issue PR’s on top dailies Massive airplay on all radio stations in Metro Manila and some radio stations outside Metro Manila Has achieved across-all-boards status (market share includes socio-economic classes A-E) Album launch and press conference for Nobela sponsored by Redrum Music, Magic 89.9 at Dish, ABS CBN Compound One week makeover feature on Unang Hirit, GMA 7 “Lunes” video directed by Francis Magalona held spots on MYX and MTV charts “Lunes” single held chart spots on high end radio stations (up to #3 on Magic 89.9’s ER) in Metro Manila and on local music magazines “Nobela” video directed by Genghis Jimenez held spots on MYX and MTV charts “Nobela” single currently holding chart spots on high end radio stations in Metro Manila (DWTM 89.9, DWLS FM 97.1, and DWRT FM 99.5) “Nobela” – theme song for “A Love to Kill”, ABS-CBN 2 “Tinig” – currently holding spot on OPM MYX TV GUESTINGS INCLUDE: Eat Bulaga (GMA 7) ASAP Fanatic SOP (GMA 7) Homeboy (ABSCBN 2) Unang Hirit (GMA 7) Breakfast (Studio23) Magandang Umaga Bayan (ABSCBN 2) Sis (GMA 7) Let’s Get Aww! (QTV 11) Y Speak Wazzup Wazzup (Studio 23) Bandarito (MYX) MTV shows (Jan 2007) ______________________________________ OFFICIAL CONTACT HOTLINE: 02.384.5666 MOBILE: 0922.544.9928 / +63915.202.9990 EMAIL: jointheclubband@gmail.com ____________________________________________________