After 40 years of making landmarks on the Filipino music scene, iconic band APO Hiking Society has decided to retire their career as a singing group this year.
In a press conference held earlier today, January 13, at Max's Restaurant along Alejandro Roces Ave. in Quezon City, APO members Jim Paredes, Buboy Garovillo, and Danny Javier said they are holding their last few concerts together until May 2010.
The presscon introduced to the press Last Valentine's nAPO Nila, APO Hiking Society's final Valentine's Day show to be held on February 13.
Buboy said the title of the Valentine's show has the word "Last" because of APO's decision to "wind down" its career.
"We talked about this already since last year," he said. "We decided that after 40 years, we'll be winding down our performances and our group this year. Nagkataon na sa Valentine's show magsisimula yung announcement na there's something like that going on in the last few months."
Jim added that their fans should not miss the opportunity to see them live perhaps for the last few times.
"If you want to catch the APO, this is the last stretch. We're good till the end of May. So, any concert that's there, panoorin niyo na. To our fans, our followers, everything else... panoorin niyo na," he urged.
APO Hiking Society was formed in 1969. The trio has produced 27 best-selling albums, and recorded more than 40 hit songs, including "Batang-Bata Ka Pa," "Blue Jeans," "Ewan," "Kaibigan," "Pumapatak ang Ulan," "Yakap sa Dilim," "When I Met You," and many more.
In 2006 and 2007, top rock bands of today released the compilation albums Kami nAPO Muna and Kami nAPO Muna Ulit, both of which contained covers of the band's iconic hits.
TIME TO MARCH. According to APO, the decision was already up in the air last year, after they did a U.S. tour.
One of the factors in APO's decision to disband was the decline in their own creativity for the last few years.
"Pahina nga nang pahina yung creative process. Sinasabi nga ni Jim, e, yung ginagawa namin together, pahina nang pahina. We are not writing songs together. We are not recording songs as much together," Buboy said.
Another factor is that Pinoy showbiz and the music industry cater to young audiences. Buboy said their last few albums did not sell as much as during his group's heyday.
"Showbiz caters to a very young market. Yung last albums namin, sinubukan talaga naming i-promote, ilagay sa radyo... hindi kami umabot dun. Hindi kilala ng maraming tao ang laman ng mga apat o limang album namin. That's a clear indicator," Buboy said.
In their last concerts, moreover, majority of the audiences were only watching them "for the first time."
"Nakakapagtaka na kapag nagsu-show kami, kapag tinatanong namin kung ilan ang first time na nanonood sa amin, umaabot ng 60 percent, may mga lugar na 70 percent na first time kaming napapanood. Parang nakakapanghinayang na marami pa palang hindi kami napapanood. Pero para sa akin, hindi kami nabubuhay para sa lahat. Nabubuhay kami para sa aming mga tinataguyod na craft," Danny said.
Danny added that in showbiz, "everything has an end."
"What I always believed about showbiz is knowing when to leave, not to overstay your welcome. So far, ang ganda-ganda ng nagawa namin, our records, our reputation as artists have been solid. Ayokong uugod-uudog na, ayokong masabihan na, 'Ano ba 'yan, hindi na nagpahinga.' Di ba? So ito yung good time to march," Danny explained.
And while they don't have plans to release a final record, Buboy said their last concert in May can be released as a live commemorative album.
WHY MAY? According to Jim, they chose the month of May for their last concert so it would align with the national elections. APO Hiking Society is supporting Senator Noynoy Aquino's candidacy.
Danny said APO supports Noynoy Aquino because he represents "change."
"Kasi if you want change, you look for somebody who represents change. Ako, sa bawat araw na nagpoprogreso ang pagkakampanya, ang masasabi ko kay Noynoy, walang halong pambobola, walang kasinungalingan, hindi porma. Nilalait pa nga siya sa kakulangan ng porma. Para sa akin, yun ang kalakasan ng kanyang kampanya, kasi walang halong pag-iimbot sa katotohanan at, siyempre, walang dagdag na pagkukunwari," he summed up.
NOT THE LAST CALL. But the trio will not retire from the music scene all together.
Jim, who's now based in Sydney, will pursue a solo career in music. Buboy will do the same. Danny will move to Mindanao, which is beset with several war-torn areas, to help it move on to progress.
"Nakikita ko yung all the neglect na ginawa natin sa Mindanao. If I have some life in me left, and some of the learning that I had in APO, I have the feeling that I may contribute something. The last thing I would do, I want to do something for this country," Danny said.
After 40 years in the music scene, does APO have any regrets?
Jim said there's none. "Everything happened exactly as it should have."
Last Valentine's nAPO nila will be held on February 13 at the SMX Convention Center. The concert is produced by Twenty Plus, Inc., in cooperation with Star Express. Special guest K Brosas promises a "naughty but romantic" number for the "bitter love-less" people in the audience.
Tickets are available at Ticketnet.