South Border
http://southborder.pinnacleasia.com/home.htm

SouthBorder, one of the country's most popular bands, held a concert at St. Louis College Valenzuela on February 24, 2005.

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What is it about South Border that gets you hooked, several changes of lead singers and a variety of controversies peppering their decade-long existence notwithstanding? Members: Duncan Ramos - Lead Vocals Vince Alaras - Lead Vocals Jay Durias - Keyboards Paul Benitez - Drums Butch Victoriano - Lead and Rhythm Guitars Tata Balane - Bass Guitar Ric Junasa - Saxophone

It does not take long to figure out why first-time listeners get addicted to their brand of music. Try randomly selecting songs from any of the four albums that this exceptionally talented R&B band has waxed since 1996. Or try catching them in any of their regular gigs at Dish or Suburbia. With that unique combination of individual raw talents, carefully crafted original compositions, a unique musical style - an R&B-jazz-pop mix with an OPM flavor - and electrifying performance, South Border has always been one of the most sought-after acts in the local band arena.

Keyboardist Jay Durias, also South Border's musical director, believes that it has a lot to do with their uncompromising approach todelivering to their audiences. "We have always tried to give our fans more than what they expect from us. It does not matter if we veer away from popular taste, as long as we give them quality music - the kind of music that we would want people to remember us for."

Ten years in the business has transformed South Border into a more seasoned and musically mature band who can now afford to follow the flow of their artistic juices with no fear. Not bad for a band with unremarkable beginnings, and whose fast rise to fame was far from contrived or orchestrated.

Episode III: South Border in Their Element

It is such a relief that the Philippine music industry does not operate in the way our national elections sometimes do – where survey results, for example, could be manipulated to influence people’s perception of things. A song’s popularity can easily and quite accurately be gauged by instantaneous response and feedback from target audiences through various media, which have, over the years, diversified due to major breakthroughs in computers and communication technology.

South Border’s Rainbow is one example of such a song. Initially released as a music video in MYX in December 2003 for the promotion of one of the year’s top-grossing films, “Crying Ladies,” it became the channel’s Number 1 song in its OPM Hit Chart within weeks of TV exposure. It also later became a consistent chart topper at MTV Asia’s Diyes (Top Ten).

In January 2004, it invaded the airwaves and captured the hearts of listeners across the country. It was the number one most requested song in almost all major FM radio stations - Wave (89.1), TM Magic (89.9), RX 93.1 (Monster Radio), 99.5 RT and Kool 106, to name a few.

Rainbow has become everyone’s feel-good song, and its message of hope in the face of adversity, loneliness and heartache has brought on refreshing optimism at a time in our country when the cynic in most of us tends to surface. It also set a record for being the most downloaded MP3 of all OPMs on the Internet in the recent months, and the most downloaded ringtone and ringback for cellular phones. You don’t even have to check out this stat with our local content providers – you just need to go to the grocery, or a public comfort room, or a cinema – where chances are, you would be captive audience for a few seconds to that familiar polyphonic tune coming from the mobile phone of the person next to you.

Rainbow has indeed surpassed the popularity of Kahit Kailan, South Border’s trademark song and phenomenal hit of 1997. And this multi-awarded band’s latest album, Episode III, which has Rainbow as its carrier single, is expected to break all records they have previously set in their 11 years of existence as one of the country’s top performers in the band circuit.

Episode III, the Album

Episode III is so aptly titled to acknowledge where South Border is right now, in what they could call their historical trilogy. With each episode marked by a change in lead singer, the new South Border, whose current lineup was completed only over a year ago, promises a better, more mature sound in this album. It is being released by Brown Hand Records, a South Border label, and exclusively distributed by Sony Music Philippines.

Episode III includes Best That I Can, their throw-away single that enjoyed popular airplay in mid- 2003 – composed by Jay Durias, South Border’s musical director, with lyrics by Sharon Inductivo, the band’s manager – the same duo that created Rainbow.

Inspiration comes when you least expect it, but for six of the 12 songs on the CD, it had to be staged. Working in a controlled environment in Subic, within a strict timetable, and under pressure from fans and supporters who had been clamoring for their new album, the band probably turned in, in this Subic safehouse, their richest musical literature in the shortest period of time. Brown Hand Smash, an R&B-rap ditty about the Pinoy’s resilience and excellence in different fields of endeavor (“Who said Filipinos can’t do this?!”) and the sensuous The Show, the band’s most daringly risqué piece to date, are the handiwork of Jay and lead singer Vince Alaras. These two also teamed up with other members of the band to produce Wish You Were Here (with bassist Tata Balane), Better Man (with lead guitarist Butch Victoriano and lead singer Duncan Ramos) and Playa (with Duncan). Too Crazy is reminiscent of their early Babyface influence, spiced up by skillful lead guitar playing. Wherever You Are, which speaks of a love still being sought, was actually composed by Vince in high school and transformed into another soulful ballad by Jay’s chords and arrangement.

Usahay, a popular Visayan song interpreted many times over by various Visayan artists, has been given an interesting, danceable twist in this album. Get Ready exalts the youth as they prepare for the future, and one can already see another potential graduation day theme after this year’ top graduation pick, Rainbow. Ric Junasa’s saxophone playing lends that distinctive South Border touch as always, while drummer Paul Benitez provides verve with his upbeat percussion in this album.

With Rainbow Remix completing the play list, Episode III is just about ready to give South Border’s borderless audience another taste of their unique brand of music.