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All-female band Duster releases debut album Sweetheart Snackbar

by Chuck Smith
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 02:15 PM
Photography: Courtesy of Sony BMG

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All-female band Duster releases debut album Sweetheart Snackbar

All-female band Duster—composed of (from left) Myrene Academia, Katwo Puertolano, Ristalle Bautista, and Kris Dancel—have released their 14-track debut album Sweetheart Snackbar courtesy of Sony BMG.

Three of them—Myrene Academia, Kris Dancel, and Katwo Puertolano—are involved with four of the country's most renowned bands. Kris is lead vocalist and guitarist for Cambio and Katwo is lead singer for indie rock band Narda. Meanwhile, perhaps the most visible of the three, Myrene plays the bass for the Raimund Marasigan-fronted Sandwich and the popular pop rock band Imago.

But as if those weren't enough, the three still managed to find the time to form Duster, a four-woman band with Myrene on the bass synch, Kris on guitars, Katwo on vocals, and newcomer Ristalle Bautista on drums. Duster just released their 14-track debut album, Sweetheart Snakcbar, under Sony Music Philippines.

Although their album was only recently released, the band has already gained a following thanks to its single, "Dek-A-Doodle Dandy."

According to the Kris, Duster is named after the quintessential clothing worn by Filipinas because it is a "nice take on something traditional and something widely accepted by a lot of Filipinos."

"Why not use it and inject something new to it," she added.

The band was spearheaded by Myrene, who came up with the name of the band and the title of their album (after an eatery she saw in Edsa, near Shaw Boulevard), but the idea started with Raimund and writer and Radioactive Sago Project frontman Lourd de Veyra.

"They have some music lying around, and Raimund wanted to collaborate with Lourd. But Lourd wanted it to be performed by a girl. So half of the songs were written by Raimund and Lourd," Myrene said. In addition, Raimund co-wrote most of the 14 songs in their album.

However, while they are being marketed as an all-girl supergroup, the band does not find it ironic that half of the songs were written by male writers. Their first single was written by Lourd and Raimund. Interestingly, a track titled "Sexxing the Cherry" (which could be a take on the title of a novel written by well-known feminist writer Jeanette Winterson) was also written by Lourd . Nonetheless, Duster insists this is not an issue.

"I think it brings out a very interesting texture when a guy writes it and a girl sings it . Iba yung texture nya, e, iba yung complications na lumalabas so feeling ko iba yung emotions na lumalabas," Kris added.

In fact, Duster also said that they do not perform to advocate "girl power" or feminism.

"We're just like any other band, except we're all girls. We love music," Kris said.

"I guess one thing na people are [asking when] they hear an all-girl band is, feminist ba kayo? Parang kasi babae ka kaya ganun yung point of view. Hindi kami political, pero hindi naman kami apolitical," explained Katwo.

Kris pointed out: "At this point it's hard to make a hardcore feminist statement kasi right now we're struggling to find our footing in society, not just as musicians."

She also added that they will write about their experiences as females if they find its way into their music, "and hopefully our audience will also share that. Kumbaga, makakarelate yung mga female listeners as well as the male listeners. Kasi it's a way to understand the people you live with, the females you live with."

"Kahit na sina Lourd yung nagsulat nung kanta, we input our experiences as females," said Kris.

Sweetheart Snackbar is now available in all record bars nationwide.