Emergency!.....We need more music from the Alert Level album!
One of the best independently produced albums from the 1990s was released through Loudhouse Music Enterprise in 1993. This album showcased four of the best upcoming bands at that time, all of them started in the mid to late eighties/early nineties -- Color It Red, Tropical Depression, Rizal Underground and The Breed. All four bands have been around for several years playing the university / college circuits and in alternative clubs like Mayric's in España and Club Dredd (formerly Red Rocks) in Timog, Quezon City and have their own loyal followers and fans. This tape proves that most Philippine major recording labels at that time were missing out in getting great original Filipino alternative music. This album was actually a real treat for music fans since they have different genres all combined in this compilation...from the Reggae-Island music of Tropical D., to 90s alternative music of CIR, to more Rock oriented songs from The Breed and Rizal Underground.
The versions of the songs that appeared on this tape are different than the professionally produced, more polished versions that would later appear on the individual debut albums of the bands which were eventually released a year or so after 1993. I always preferred the simpler production of the songs here which has a bit of a kick ass, straight to the point, raw sound. Interesting tidbits too...Ex-Eraserheads and now The Dawn bass player, Buddy Zabala, played piano and synth on Color It Red's "It's Called Love" and bass on "Mushy Song". Bass duties from the former song and on the song "I Need You Here" was done by Tame The Tikbalang bassist and all around multiple musician for countless groups, Mally Paraguya. ex-Color It Red guitarist, Mike Villeagas, would be playing with his new band members in Rizal Underground with Bayang Barrios providing back up vocals on their songs. Isagani Ybarra also provides backing vocals for Tropical Depression's "Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan". This album is a must have for Pinoy Music fans, and if you ever watch Papadom in one of their reggae performances, maybe ask him if he still has some copies of this album...who knows maybe if you're nice he'll sell you a copy of this long lost rarity.
the bootleg version of the tape? I don't have that much info in this release. Someone just submitted this photo.
Various Artists - Alert Level-The Album
(Cassette tape/1993/Loudhouse Music Enterprise/PH)
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Side A
1. Mushy Song - Color It Red
2. Black Mercedes Benz - The Breed
3. I Need You Here - Color It Red
4. Apocalypse - The Breed
5. It's Called Love - Color It Red
6. Free - The Breed
Side B.
7. Kapayapaan - Tropical Depression
8. Rollers On Her Hair - Rizal Underground
9. Alaala - Tropical Depression
10. Internal Revenue Man - Rizal Underground
11. Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan - Tropical Depression
12. Powder Or Lotion - Rizal Underground
posted by ourpeboritp!o!p! @ 6/11/2006 07:29:00 PM
5 Comments:
When I started listening to the local rock scene, this was one of the first cassettes I bought, it was actually getting alot of push from then rock format LA105.9 (not sure if they're still around), this is one of my most treasured cassettes. Another cassette that I cherished alot is The Youth's release under Backbeat (though it is only a copy, the original one I only borrowed from a college schoolmate, should've ran away with it hehehe)
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yes....The Youth tape, another Pinoy Music treasure...you should have changed names when you had the chance! hahaha! Try to contact your old college buddy...maybe the tape is in storage! go get it!!
i remember this...i remember borrowing it from a friend and liking the Color it Red songs :) Speaking of the old local scene, do you like Tribal Fish? heheh fave ko dati sa Club Dredd yun..may otograp tape ko, feature mo ba sila? hehehe..chaka Kelts Kross (swoons for Pam)--- Ryan
Hayop, glad to know there are rockers like you with great taste. If you have the chance, please come to our ALERT LEVEL 15th year anniversary REUNION at CLUB DREDD EASTWOOD come Sept 11, 2008. We'll be giving away copies of the tape for free! Cheers and more power to you guys
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