When Chris Cantada decided to quit as Sponge Cola's percussionist in 2008, he was certain that he was through with the band scene.
In Chris's words: "Ayoko na! My mindset back then kasi is parang, 'I've had enough na.'"
It was unlikely for any of the four boys of Sponge Cola— Chris, front man Yael Yuzon, lead guitarist Armo Armovit, and bassist Gosh Dulay— to quit. Not at the height of their songs' popularity and the strong comeback of rock bands in the local music scene during the early 2000's.
In spite of the fame and downpour of support from fans, Chris knew he had to stop.
But why?
"Super pagod. Mga 2008 at that time. The band scene was really strong. We were gig-ing crazy," relays Chris. He narrates that on their hectic months, they were performing 5 to 6 times a week with 2 to 3 gigs per day.
While he trusts that other musicians, like his band mates, can handle the stress and pressure, he admits that at some point his body was giving up on him.
"I guess ako hindi [ko kaya]. Especially as a drummer, very physical, e. Tapos when I play pa, I want to play na bigay na bigay.
"So when I get sick and we have a gig, I still play na super bigay na bigay. Kasi as an audience member, ayoko naman na I paid to watch [tapos] nakalaylay lang. That's one of the reasons din. Super tiring!"
During that time, Sponge Cola just released their third, self-titled album with "Puso" as their carrier single. Chris found himself caving in to the exhaustion.
Being a drummer is physically taxing because one uses both his arms and feet.
Chris cites an article he once came across. It claimed that playing the drums is equivalent to playing soccer.
Eventually, Chris relented to fatigue and found himself in a sabbatical from music. It was both timely and unfortunate that during his respite, he fell ill.
Chris described it as a kind of tubercular infection that targeted his heart, an "out-of-the-blue, shit-just-happens" moment in one's life. His doctors, despite their expertise, had no definite explanation as to how and why the condition came about.
According to Chris, his physicians' theory was that he probably acquired it at the peak of his rock star days and only after he ceased performing did the ailment manifest itself.
"It's actually scary when your doctors don't know what's happening to you," recalls Chris who was only hitting his mid-twenties at that time.
He had to undergo a serious operation.
"You know that movie experience when you're in the stretcher, then you're being pushed to the operating room and you see your mom crying? Very cinematic.
"You trust that the doctors are good but there's a strong chance din na, what if you don't wake up, di ba? It's a scary feeling.
"When I did wake up naman, thankfully, parang ... you know that 'Life is short' type of thing?
"Kung ganun lang pala, I wanted to do something that I know I can really do well."
DRUMMER TURNED SOLO ARTIST. Chris became an Audio Engineer for audio post-production house Hit Productions after he left Sponge Cola. "I just wanted to see a different side to music. Pero iba ang advertising. It's actually more stressful," Chris says with a chuckle.
While he experienced the quieter, steady life of a regular employee, Chris had to put up with the demands of the company clients and the pressure from his superiors. "I slowly started to, you know, miss holding drum sticks and playing stuff."
It was at the Christmas party of Sponge Cola last year that the idea of coming up with an album came up.
Chris mentions how supportive his former band mates were especially when his health hit the rocks. Their friendship, which goes back to college days at the Ateneo de Manila University, has come out stronger over the years.
It was by Yael's encouragement that got Chris to think about producing a solo album.
"Yael knew that I wanted to come back," Chris tells. "So he asked me, 'Don't you still write music?' I said, 'Sometimes.'"
"And then he [asked,] 'Why don't you record kaya your songs? And then we'll do an album.'"
Chris initially had qualms about the idea.
"I wasn't ready. I honestly didn't want to do anything solo kasi I knew the work Yael put into being a front man, I saw that it was really hard. I have super respect for him for doing that, for holding everything in."
Yael eventually endorsed Chris to Universal Records, a recording company that Sponge Cola has been working with for a long time now.
Chris recalls being ambivalent about it. It turns out that Universal was eager to give him a shot. "They were interested pala. And then I was like, 'Why did you [Yael] do that?'
"I wasn't ready to do something like that," says Chris, "Pero after three seconds I was like, 'O, sige let's do it!' ... it's my way na rin of coming back."
TAKING CHARGE. Chris began recording Heartbeat, his 10-track, American-'90s-music influenced album in January of this year. He took charge of his own vocals as well as all the instruments for each song. Nine out of the 10 tracks were written and composed by Chris himself who now concentrates on playing the guitar during his gigs.
Heartbeat attests to Chris's new perspective on life. His experience has taught him to value everything and everyone around him.
Love—this he mainly talks about in his songs, specifically his long distance relationship with his college sweetheart.
"All of these songs are... cheesy, but it's true. In each Sponge Cola album kasi I have one song and they're all about one topic. It's about my girlfriend.
"Yung writing style ko is very limited. Limited to love," Chris coyly says with a smile. "So basically, I always say, this album ... is sort of a love letter."
Among his alternative ballads are "Other Side," "January," "Bellarmine," "Little Girl (Your Soul if Fine)," "Jigawatt," and carrier single "Heartbeat."
Apart from love, Chris who happens to be a huge fan of George Lucas's Star Wars, channels his addiction for the epic saga in his single "A Crow's Game," which he wrote for his nephew as well.
"There are two things that I write about," mentions Chris. "One's love and one's about Star Wars. Kasi I'm a super huge fan and I'm not just a fan, [I'm a] super hard core [fan]! Like I go to the States for conventions!"
His other songs include "Scarred," "Repetition," and "Daytrip," an unreleased Sponge Cola single.
"It's like saying na I still got a lot of music in me left," Chris answers when asked what drives him to pursue music once more.
"The passion is still there even if even I wanted to take a hiatus break.
"It all boils down to my whole new perception of... life, after that whole operation. I just want to do as much as I can. I think it was just right for me to do this again."