Dad—to a lot of people—is that guy who could be the coolest and corniest man in the world.
He probably introduced you to your first favorite band, got you your first guitar, and maybe even brought you to your first concert. He might come up with the lamest jokes, but he could also be that guy who taught you some of the most important lessons you'll need in life. Whether he’s tough with a dangerous stare or all about tickles and gooey marshmallows, make sure to take the time to give your old man a hug and tell him that you love him.
Bandwagon caught up with ten of the coolest dads in the local music scene to talk about their own dads and the words of wisdom from him that they pass down to their own kids.
Gab Alipe
Urbandub
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
BANDWAGON TV
When I was kid growing up in Cebu, my dad would always take me to different hole-in-the-wall eateries, BBQ joints, karinderias to eat and enjoy local Cebuano cuisine.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid and your dad?
My dad had an extensive music collection—from vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. Different genres from pop, rock, and jazz. He would always allow me to go through his collection and listen to all the music he had. That definitely played a huge part on why I became a musician.
I try to pass that on to my son today. Not thinking he’ll be a musician as well, but at least be a music lover...I’m happy to say my son is already.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
Focus and discipline will make you successful in any field or career you choose to be in.
Jim Bacarro
Cheats
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
My dad going to my first ever gig at a high school prom. He brought all my gear and even recorded the whole performance with a camcorder. He even had the tapes converted to a DVD the VERY next day. My band back then was the worst band ever, but he was still proud of me. Just goes to show how much parents can love their children unconditionally (laughs).
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid and your dad?
My father stuffed The Beatles down our throats...and I'm so thankful he did that. He also taught me how to play the guitar. Of course, I plan to do that with Pancho. Everything we do involves music. From waking up, playing, and going to sleep, I have specific playlists for us to listen to. Pancho is currently sound tripping a diverse mix of 'The Wheels on the Bus', The Beatles and The National. His current favorite is 'You Had Your Soul with You' by the National. He just loves weird noises. Also, Pancho has noise-canceling headphones so he's been able to join some Cheats recording sessions.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
Growing up, my dad always showed love, respect, and admiration towards my mom. I think that's a true indication of a great man and father. I can say the best way to love a child is to love and support their mother.
Bombee Duerme
Giniling Festival
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
Wow that's a hard one. There's so many. You see, my dad is a natural comedian. He doesn't try too hard to make me laugh. Sometimes he doesn't even try at all. There are so many funny moments that he has his own stories in my comic series with his own #TheDad hashtag based on real-life things he does and says. Jobim [Javier of Jam 88.3] even mentions the stories I make of him on-air, talking about how amusing he finds our relationship. There are even some people who read my comics telling me they want to meet him someday.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kids and/or your dad?
Almost all of my musical influences are from my dad. Some people would probably find me pretentious or whatever for saying this, but I'm probably one of the biggest Queen fans you'll meet. Not because of the movie (laughs), but I've been listening to Queen even before I could speak. 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was my lullaby. As I got older my dad would still play his Queen records and we would bond over their songs. 'Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy' and 'Another One Bites the Dust' were my personal favorites, my dad's was 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love.' Basically, my favorite type of music is whatever my dad would listen to.
My daughter Faisah Amari was born June 7, 2019. I would sing her songs even when she was still in my wife's belly. I play songs to her now whenever she's sleeping or breastfeeding or whatever baby stuff there is to do. Choice of music? Whatever type of music my dad would listen to. So far, she's been listening to a lot of Everly Brothers.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
Probably the most important lesson I've learned from my dad is that if you're gonna do something, don't do it half-assed.
Whenever I change my daughter's diaper, I do it like I'm diffusing a bomb. Precise, no fuck-ups, full commitment. Happy Father's day!
Niño Avenido
Greyhoundz
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
My dad has a deep appreciation for academics and the value of education. He's practically a scholar his entire life, from his childhood in his home province of Bohol, to graduating at the top of his class in the PMA (Philippine Military Academy), and pursuing a couple more masters and a Ph.D. afterward, alongside a stellar and decorated career in service for the country. Truly legendary.
Back when I was a kid, my dad wasn't just dad, he was also my tutor. When school ends, it's usually followed with an afternoon of fun and games with the neighborhood kids. But when the sun goes down and play ends, that meant that dad is already waiting in our lanai, ready to tackle my homework, assignments, and review lessons to get me prepped for school the next day. It was the inevitable ordeal, and one cannot escape his diligence until the tasks on hand were properly done. I did pretty well in grade school.
Fast forward to more recent times, I've witnessed my dad tutoring both my nephews. They would spend hours upon hours preparing for an upcoming test or exam. The kids were mentally exhausted, but dad was still as patient, as sharp and as diligent as ever. Makes me smile and reminisce on my own similar experiences, delighted in seeing their struggles in pursuit of excellence, with my dad as their guide. I look forward to the day that Nemo goes through the same "ordeal" of having my dad, his lolo, as his tutor too.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kids and/or your dad?
Back in the day, we'd go to the yearly PMAAA Homecoming in Baguio. It was a 6 to 8-hour trip then, and we'd have a small selection of cassettes (and eventually CDs) that was on rotation for the entirety of the trip. Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Cascades, and The Beatles were some of my dads favorites, and to this day, it brings back fond memories of long trips and happy times whenever I hear these classics. In time, Nemo would too.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
His patience, understanding, discipline, hard work, focus, integrity, humility, joy... the unwavering support he affords us and our interests, the unconditional love he gives without question and the dedication he has to provide us with the best possible life that our family could have... impossible to condense into a single, most important thing.
Raymund Marasigan
Sandwich, Pedicab, Assembly Generals, Squid 9, Basement Lung
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
We called him Boss Tony (RIP). He wasn’t a musician, but he loved music. He liked to carry a little radio everywhere even to the shower (which probably explains why my kid, Atari, does the same).
When Boss Tony got off work he would lie on the couch and ask me to play for him. I miss him dearly.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid?
It’s not a tradition but my kid and I listen to each other’s playlist when driving. We discover new and old artists this way.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
There are no rule books, but Boss Tony always said “libre magtanong.” I think this phrase—which I also taught Atari—has been helping me figure out my way as an adult and as a parent.
Ean Mayor
UDD
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
Papa surprised me with a concert ticket of Vanilla Ice. It was my first ever concert experience in Araneta Coliseum way back in 1991. I can still remember the excitement when we stood in line at the gates, with a slice of Pizza Hut and a cup of Pepsi. I was very amazed at his band and got intrigued with them combining DJ samples and live drums, the kick and snare blasted from the speakers and subs. It was indeed life changing! Papa told me to study hard and get high grades so we can watch concerts again!
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid?
My kid, Nea, was a big Katy Perry fan four years ago. I surprised her with concert tickets and it was also her first big concert experience. I just watched her the whole night screaming and dancing. But now, she’s a Taylor Swift fan. Nea’s very passionate with her ballet and I think she was inspired by the dancers from the concerts we watched.
She’s always the DJ in-charge when we’re on road trips. Her playlist contains obscure Pinoy trap songs like 'Pancit Canton' and 'Siomai Rice.' She also likes Yoyoy Villame!
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
Supporting my kid’s passion for everything she loves is what I learned from Papa. I can say that I’m the “konsintidor” type of Dad. I wanna be a good provider to her hanggat kaya ko pa. I don't wanna influence her with my likes too much but I like her taste when it comes to music, food, and Netflix. We always chat and send random photos on Viber when we’re not together. She's funny and hyper most of the time.
Gary Valenciano
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
I smile when I think of the simplicity of my father's ways, which would be so far from what many fathers would do having a son that would be as popular as a son like Gary Valenciano, and I smile at that because it's what taught me how to keep my feet on the ground.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kids and your dad?
More with my kids. My dad only had a few songs that he liked, one of which I recorded with my mom called 'Historia de un Amor,' but my dad was never a music aficionado. Not like my children who really all have music running in their veins. My dad was more visual than he was musical, but I've been able to incorporate what I got from him into what I do, which I think is a perfect combination to have. You know when you're an artist and you're onstage and you wanna see something, but you can't because you're the one onstage, but you can at least put the idea across, so it's not just musical, it's also visual and I'm thankful that my dad imparted that on me and put that in me from the very start.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
My dad was a very simple man and I think that's the most important thing that I've learned, that sometimes we look at our children and look at our families and we tend to think of things that are for the good of the family, but sometimes the simplest things are the ones that keep the family together, with everything that is anything but simple in the real world.
For me to see my dad's simplicity as a photographer, as an engineer in all fields—except for chemical engineering—as a father of seven children, he never demanded anything, never used the name Valenciano to get his way. If there's one thing I heard from people when he passed away, it was that "You know, your dad was a good man." And I think that his being a simple-minded person didn't mean that his life was simple but he learned to value the most important things in life, which didn't require anything complicated. Just the simple things—my children, my mom, and his grandchildren—and that's for me one thing that I'll need to keep striving at because the industry I'm in has a way of beating your mind with all kinds of thoughts that when I go back to the simplest things, I think of my dad. That he was able to leave such an impact on me, being that kind of a man, then I think I can do the same in the hearts of my children.
What is the most memorable moment that you remember with your dad?
Yeah, actually there are several. Going to the beach with him is one, kasi we're seven eh, and he's the man of the house so he'd plan things and we'd all go. Another was a picture that was actually caught and that was when I flew a kite with him. That I'll never forget, because that was out in the Ugarte Football Field in Makati, and it was just me and him in that open field, and I was able to fly my kite and he was the one taking pictures. That was our second try, the first time kasi, the kite got sabit to the tree, but the second time he said, "Okay, let's move farther away. When I say run, just run! And when it's up in the air, Gary you don't have to run anymore." And I used to think I had to keep running. That for me was the most memorable time I had with him.
Mike Constantino
Conscious & the Goodness
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
My best memories of my dad are just those times when we get to hang out and talk because I always learn something from him. It was such a treat for me when, in college, I would intern for his ad agency every summer and I’d just be there with him every day witnessing him doing what he does best. The car rides, the lunches, merienda—all of which involved words of wisdom from him.
Those memories make me smile, I can still distinctly remember the smell of his office. Those times helped me learn about the ad and marketing industries, definitely preparing me for the long career I’ve had. I still encounter people he’s inspired—they used to call him the legendary Reycons—ergo, why I’m called Mikecons.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid and your dad?
My dad loved singing and he always recorded songs of his singing on cassette, listening to them over and over (I assumed he was studying how to sing his parts better) then recording again. He eventually started recording us (his kids) and even jammed with us, which we enjoyed so much. We’ve been looking for those tapes, I hope they pop up somewhere!
Cut to today with me and my son, Pablo, jamming to his favorite Trolls, Paw Patrol, Frozen and OPM songs and us recording these on video via our phones (thanks to my wife, Christel for taking them and choreographing our dance moves)—which he loves watching over and over again. We send these vids to my dad and he loves watching them over and over as well. What a lovely cycle of life.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
To accept who your child is and support them in whatever way you can so they can be happy with what they do and hopefully, achieve their dreams.
My dad has always been supportive of me being in music, he bought me my first guitars, he caught my shows whenever he could, he would be there during my performances in school when work allowed. These days, he wears Conscious merch and gives me tips on songwriting (he’s an excellent writer).
I’ve been doing the same for Pablo and the smile on his face when he sees me being there, for me, is one of the best things any father could experience.
Mong Alcaraz
Chicosci, Sandwich
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
My father was a stroke survivor and was half-paralyzed. I knew him this way for most of my life. But he always made sure to make it to the big album launch shows. He made sure to take a long nap in the afternoon to be sure he’d power his way through the night rolling around in his wheelchair.
His speech was impaired as well, but always made sure to call to say "Happy Birthday," except, he couldn’t actually say "Happy Birthday," and would always revert to his go-to phrase “I love you.”
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kid and your dad?
Both my parents were both certified public accountants. There was actually not a lot of music in my life growing up. There was a total of 4 CDs in the house that I still know by heart—Air Supply Greatest Hits, Basia - Time & Tide, Michael Jackson - Off the Wall and The Best of England Dan & John Ford Coley.
I only discovered guitar because my Dad brought home a Yamaha CG40 classical one day for their CFC praise & worship. He didn’t know how to play, he just wanted one in the house so when it was their turn to host, there’d be a guitar ready.
That being said—no we don’t have music tradition in the family (laughs)!
Right now my daughter is heavily into Beyoncé because of her brilliant Homecoming video. So we kind of introduced her to the idea of the musical rabbit hole—we taught her a little about Queen Bey’s history, and now she’s bumpin’ Destiny’s Child. Then we googled the producers on Writings on the Wall—and found She’kspere did some songs she liked. So, of course, we went down the She’kspere rabbit hole of 'No Scrubs'. So I hope she gets into this habit and learns the great fun of mapping out musical genealogy.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
He never said it out loud but I learned it from him by example—Always dress the part.
Chito Miranda
Parokya Ni Edgar
Tells us a story about your father that makes you smile when you think about it.
Whenever he dances with my mom. Sobrang galing kasi niya mag-boogie and every time may chance na sayawin niya yung mom ko, sinasayaw niya...and syempre kilig naman nanay ko.
Are there any music-related traditions you share with your kids and your dad?
My dad is also a musician (he still plays on stage regularly hanggang ngayon pero for fun lang), and a big fan of a lot of bands and singers nung panahon nila ng mom ko. We had this big record player and piles of vinyl records at home when I was a kid, and a dedicated music room for it, kasi nga he and my mom were, and still are, really into music. That's something I want to share with Miggy kaya bumili din ako ng old school record player and I'd play old songs on them tapos makikinig lang kami ni Miggy. Miggy loves old songs talaga like Peter, Paul, and Mary.
What is the most important thing you learned from your dad that helps you be the father you are today?
He always reminds us to respect and spoil our mom. My mom has this tendency to spoil me and my brother and treat us like babies. My dad keeps on reminding us that it should be the other way around. And that's what I would want Miggy to do in the future...to treat his mom like a queen.
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