Pinoy rock band Bamboo has once again proved their
popularity when their fourth album, Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday, reached
platinum status just a few weeks after it was released in September.
The band formally introduced the 10 tracks included in the
album through a mini-concert held at One Esplanade, SM Mall of Asia Compound in
Pasay City last Tuesday, October 28.
Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday, according to the band's
frontman Bamboo Mañalac, is a line from one the singles in the album titled
"Little Child."
He explained, "We just want something poetic,
something that could mean a lot of things to other people. I mean, that's sort of how we've chosen our
titles in the past—like, We Stand Alone Together, Light, Peace, Love—that
sort of open anything to interpretation, anything, same as the music, di
ba? So, Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday."
Bamboo also said that the group wanted the listeners to have
their own interpretations regarding the album title.
"We want to sort of open lang. I mean, we want titles
that can mean a lot to people. So, Tomorrow
Becomes Yesterday is an open riddle, parang kayo na ang bahala
magsabi. It's a line from one of the
songs in the album, ‘Little Child.' But
the title lives on its own."
Like the album title, its first single "Kailan," which is
currently topping the hit charts, can also draw different meanings from their
fans.
In fact, when PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked
the vocalist if the song was a sort of a call to the public, he replied,
"That's exactly what we wanna happen.
'Yong kanta parang open to interpretation, e. So, ikaw sinasabi mo sa akin kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng kanta
sa 'yo. So, ako I'll just shut up, iiwan
ko lang 'yong kanta as is lang. Ikaw,
if that's how you see the song, that's good, that's perfect, di ba? We've done our job."
It took a while before the quartet rock band finished their
fourth album. Ira Cruz, the band's lead
guitarist, pointed out, "It took a while before we finally got into the studio. Pero when we got into the studio, siguro mga
two months to three months lang."
This may be because Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday is an
all-original album, unlike their third one titled We Stand Alone Together,
which contains some cover songs.
Bamboo related to PEP, "It's still the four of us [Bamboo,
Ira, Nathan Azarcon for Bass, and Vic Mercado on drums], the difference lang
from the last album, it's all original. No session players, kaming apat na lang
'to. You know, the four of us, naka-lock sa isang kwarto, nag-uusap-usap lang."
Ira then added, "Siguro, the difference with the other
albums, it's a different time, so it's a different state of mind."
For five years the band has shown that they can stand out from the competition. Where do they get their inspiration to create songs that will leave a
mark on people?
"Each other, I think," answered Bamboo, "I mean, we've been
playing 24/7. You know, we live in this
little bubble so we listen to each other, we see each other, so we inspire each
other. That's how it works."
Aside from "Kailan" and "Little
Child," Bamboo's fourth album Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday also includes the tracks "Kalayaan," "Blown Away,"
"Nobody Knows," "Last Days On A Cruise Ship," "Wake Up Call," "24/7," "Looking
Out for Number One," and "Muli."
CAUSE-ORIENTED PROJECT. With the success that they are getting, Bamboo still remembers to share their blessings with less fortunate people. The band became part of the "Days of Peace" campaign of UNICEF, which is also supported by Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano.
Last year, they agreed to donate two pesos to UNICEF for every copy sold of their third album titled We Stand Alone
Together. The donation helped support UNICEF's emergency
funds, particularly for children affected by armed conflict in Mindanao.
Aside from this, the band also helped in UNICEF's outreach
program in Mindanao. "We went to the
mountains of Mindanao and we brought some medical supplies, books for the
children there. We try to do what we
can and help as much as we can, try to give back, di ba?" said Bamboo.
However, because of the current situation in Mindanao, their
mission was put on a halt.
"Ngayon nagkakagulo na," Bamboo told PEP. "There's supposed to be three, in a span
of a year, three trips 'yon, e. Every
few months, babalik dapat kami. Pero
nagkagulo ngayon, so we haven't gone back since."
Despite the postponement of their medical missions to the South, the four-man band said that they will still
continue giving help to the UNICEF. "Now, we're trying to find other ways to sort of help," said the vocalist. "We're still trying to work with Unicef and
we're still trying to find some ways to help."
Will they also offer their fourth album to UNICEF? "We haven't talked about that pero we're thinking
of something bigger. We'll think of something," Bamboo said in conclusion.
Tomorrow Becomes
Yesterday is now available in record bars courtesy of EMI Philippines.
TRACK LISTING.
1. Kalayaan
2. Blown Away
3. Little Child
4. Kailan
5. Nobody Knows
6. 24/7
7. Last Days on a Cruise Ship
8. Wake Up Call
9. Muli
10. Looking Out for # 1