Imago rises like Phoenix
Published Jun 28, 2018 08:36 am
EXCLUSIVE:
Four years after putting out the song “Kapit,” Imago finally returns, seemingly as proof they practice what they preach that they’ve held on.
IMAGO (Photo by Manny Llanes/ Manila Bulletin)
Now composed of Mayumi Gomez (vocals), Mervin Panganiban (drums), Zach Lucero (guitarist), Timothy Cacho (guitarist), and Myrene Academia (bassist), Imago’s new song “Trio” comes with a music video shot entirely in Japan. Written by Zach, it is about a relationship on a crossroad as a third party presents itself.
“It (the third party) may be caught in between them (two persons involved) or it may be bad as others say, but it really depends. So it comes to the point where you and your partner are on the brink of separation and you start to question if you would continue with the relationship, something like that,” he explained.
Is that based on personal experience, we asked.
“It depends on who listens to it (our songs) and how they interpret it. When I listen to the music, I realize that my intention was to write that for other people but then also for myself because I was able to experience something similar. So, it wasn’t meant for me until it did,” he said.
Myrene shared the group has been consistently writing songs but they never recorded most of it. It’s just a matter of right timing, she noted.
Apart from promoting “Trio,” Imago is busy shooting the music video for their next single “Alam Na.”
“We really want to work more as a band with the production and everything. We tend to do things DIY now. The video for ‘Trio,’ Zach directed that and shot everything. For this one, ‘Alam Na,’ I decided to direct and conceptualize and do the choreography of the video myself.”
‘More like family’
It has been a 20-year rollercoaster ride for Imago.
Emerging in the business in 1997, the band behind the radio staples “Sundo,” “Ewan,” and “Taralets,” to name a few, remained resilient amid lineup and management changes as well as the ever-changing landscape of the local music scene.
Yet Myrene always knew the band would thrive. Making themselves relevant in the industry is paramount, Tim said.
“If you don’t put in the work, you will be forgotten. So every now and then, you have to come up with new songs, new material then get it out there, do gigs even if no one watches, do the bar thing,” he said.
Zach explained, “As long as you can still absorb what’s going on around you and translate that to your song, you’re good.”
Myrene said Imago members see each other like family and she knows how it reached that point.
“You have to take care of your relationship with the members so it will be fun. If everyone is happy then you can concentrate on the music.”
For Tim, it’s always character over talent. “Unless you’re super talented, but you don’t have friends and nobody wants to work with you, it’s a waste. Character is better.”
Imago also credits their management, Soupstar Entertainment under Darwin Hernandez, for guiding and supporting them all the way.
“A band needs a stable management because if you have that, you don’t have to worry about the business side, like promoting and marketing stuff. You can just focus on the creative and musical side of the group,” Tim said to that effect.
The voices
It was impossible for us not to touch on the past as the most heartbreaking moment for Imago fans was when original vocalist Aia de Leon called it quits in 2013.
The band picked up from where it left off but the auditions for the lead vocalist post took awhile.
Zach narrated that the band checked four or five audition pieces online before its new found front person, Mayumi Gomez, came along.
Mayumi shared, “I was doing my solo thing and then somehow, their manager got my EP and we had a meeting. I thought he was going to manage me as a solo artist but when he heard my voice, he said it will fit Imago. I didn’t believe it at first because I didn’t know that they were looking for a new vocalist that time, but when I met them and jammed with them, I think everything fell into place. We really jived and, well, I really loved their songs even before and I’ve always wanted to work with a band.”
According to Myrene, Mayumi is distinct from Aia and the rest of the band and the management like it that way.
“What’s important for us is someone whom we would want to be around with and in the same vibes with,” Myrene said.
There’s a saying that the band will never be the same again regardless if the new member is as good as the original member. Any thoughts on that?
Myrene explained, “Yeah that’s like chemistry. It’s like a recipe of a cake or something. It’s always different if the members are different. The chemistry of the five original members is different to those of the new ones. It changes and that’s the great thing about it because now with Mayumi, we’re having a lot of fun, it’s new input, it’s a new character, a new friend also. She’s a lot younger than us so we learn from her as well.”
Zach said Aia left the group to pursue a solo career. Note that she previously joined “The Voice Philippines” but failed to make the cut.
Do they have ill feelings towards Aia’s decision, we asked.
Tim said, “I don’t because that would have been selfish of us. She wants to leave so let her be. Why force her to stay?”
Myrene added: “We believe that if you want to follow your dream, then follow your dream. I think everyone’s happy now and it’s good that everyone’s doing well. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”
IMAGO (Photo by Manny Llanes/ Manila Bulletin)
Now composed of Mayumi Gomez (vocals), Mervin Panganiban (drums), Zach Lucero (guitarist), Timothy Cacho (guitarist), and Myrene Academia (bassist), Imago’s new song “Trio” comes with a music video shot entirely in Japan. Written by Zach, it is about a relationship on a crossroad as a third party presents itself.
“It (the third party) may be caught in between them (two persons involved) or it may be bad as others say, but it really depends. So it comes to the point where you and your partner are on the brink of separation and you start to question if you would continue with the relationship, something like that,” he explained.
Is that based on personal experience, we asked.
“It depends on who listens to it (our songs) and how they interpret it. When I listen to the music, I realize that my intention was to write that for other people but then also for myself because I was able to experience something similar. So, it wasn’t meant for me until it did,” he said.
Myrene shared the group has been consistently writing songs but they never recorded most of it. It’s just a matter of right timing, she noted.
Apart from promoting “Trio,” Imago is busy shooting the music video for their next single “Alam Na.”
“We really want to work more as a band with the production and everything. We tend to do things DIY now. The video for ‘Trio,’ Zach directed that and shot everything. For this one, ‘Alam Na,’ I decided to direct and conceptualize and do the choreography of the video myself.”
‘More like family’
It has been a 20-year rollercoaster ride for Imago.
Emerging in the business in 1997, the band behind the radio staples “Sundo,” “Ewan,” and “Taralets,” to name a few, remained resilient amid lineup and management changes as well as the ever-changing landscape of the local music scene.
Yet Myrene always knew the band would thrive. Making themselves relevant in the industry is paramount, Tim said.
“If you don’t put in the work, you will be forgotten. So every now and then, you have to come up with new songs, new material then get it out there, do gigs even if no one watches, do the bar thing,” he said.
Zach explained, “As long as you can still absorb what’s going on around you and translate that to your song, you’re good.”
Myrene said Imago members see each other like family and she knows how it reached that point.
“You have to take care of your relationship with the members so it will be fun. If everyone is happy then you can concentrate on the music.”
For Tim, it’s always character over talent. “Unless you’re super talented, but you don’t have friends and nobody wants to work with you, it’s a waste. Character is better.”
Imago also credits their management, Soupstar Entertainment under Darwin Hernandez, for guiding and supporting them all the way.
“A band needs a stable management because if you have that, you don’t have to worry about the business side, like promoting and marketing stuff. You can just focus on the creative and musical side of the group,” Tim said to that effect.
The voices
It was impossible for us not to touch on the past as the most heartbreaking moment for Imago fans was when original vocalist Aia de Leon called it quits in 2013.
The band picked up from where it left off but the auditions for the lead vocalist post took awhile.
Zach narrated that the band checked four or five audition pieces online before its new found front person, Mayumi Gomez, came along.
Mayumi shared, “I was doing my solo thing and then somehow, their manager got my EP and we had a meeting. I thought he was going to manage me as a solo artist but when he heard my voice, he said it will fit Imago. I didn’t believe it at first because I didn’t know that they were looking for a new vocalist that time, but when I met them and jammed with them, I think everything fell into place. We really jived and, well, I really loved their songs even before and I’ve always wanted to work with a band.”
According to Myrene, Mayumi is distinct from Aia and the rest of the band and the management like it that way.
“What’s important for us is someone whom we would want to be around with and in the same vibes with,” Myrene said.
There’s a saying that the band will never be the same again regardless if the new member is as good as the original member. Any thoughts on that?
Myrene explained, “Yeah that’s like chemistry. It’s like a recipe of a cake or something. It’s always different if the members are different. The chemistry of the five original members is different to those of the new ones. It changes and that’s the great thing about it because now with Mayumi, we’re having a lot of fun, it’s new input, it’s a new character, a new friend also. She’s a lot younger than us so we learn from her as well.”
Zach said Aia left the group to pursue a solo career. Note that she previously joined “The Voice Philippines” but failed to make the cut.
Do they have ill feelings towards Aia’s decision, we asked.
Tim said, “I don’t because that would have been selfish of us. She wants to leave so let her be. Why force her to stay?”
Myrene added: “We believe that if you want to follow your dream, then follow your dream. I think everyone’s happy now and it’s good that everyone’s doing well. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”