Late nights at the studio, tracking until 5 o'clock in the morning, and drinking downtime away because rendering would take forever.

The backdrop of Urbandub working on their sophomore album Influence sounds like the perfect montage off an early 2000's film about a band trying to make it. They already have the experience, having learned from their debut record Birth, so things are flowing better this time around. They didn't know it at the time, but they'll certainly make a massive dent in the local music scene with the music they're cooking up at Junx Muana's Backyard Project Studios in Cebu.

The music sounds great, but what makes Influence an album that you can always have on loop is the vulnerability the band displays with every song off the record. These songs resonate with listeners and that's what makes it so important.

"We always write for ourselves," vocalist Gabby Alipe tells Bandwagon. "As long as we enjoy the songs first and we enjoy those stories and everyone's cool with what we're trying to say, we share it and put it out there. Whether people resonate with it or like it, it's surprising pero nakakataba ng puso na gets nila yung gusto mong sabihin. It's still surprising 'til this day."

Finally, it's 20 years later and Influence, along Birth, is now available for fans to stream online. It's even been pressed on vinyl (and pre-orders have sold out, at press time). "Those two albums were never on streaming platforms and the honest answer is, we don't know why," Alipe confesses, adding how working with Warner Music Philippines helped them secure their masters from their previous independent label. "We're just glad it's finally gonna be up and be part of the entire Urbandub catalog like the long-lost brother and sister ng albums. So that's exciting. Perfect timing talaga siya."

Bandwagon spoke with Gabby Alipe, Lalay Lim, and John Dinopol of Urbandub to go through the tracks off Influence, do a little bit of reminiscing, and talk about how far they've come over the past 20 years.

'Fallen On Deaf Ears'

Gabby: Influence was the album where we were more conscious of our effort in creating an album that we really wanted—there was more focus for us in terms of coming into the studio because we already had the previous experience working on Birth. Yung Birth kasi, it was the first album; it was like a chop suey of songs just to create an album. It wasn't well thought out. With Influence naman, everything, even the themes and topics, were more thought out in a sense for our age during that time. 'Fallen On Deaf Ears' was a good example of that.

It's about heartbreak, but it was dealing more on the lack of communication with somebody that you wanted to get through but you couldn't because you couldn't fully explain yourself at that age. Yung understanding mo in terms of how a relationship would work. Even now at our age, it's still hard, but can you imagine what it was like when we were 21, 22?

Why did you choose 'Fallen On Deaf Ears' as the opening track of the album?

Gabby: I think it's because of the intro. We tried to figure out how the album would flow. I guess we felt that 'Fallen On Deaf Ears' was the perfect opening track for the album.

'Under Crisis'

John: The riff from 'Under Crisis' was written in Bacolod and then we had a tour with other independent artists from Cebu. That's how it started and then the rest, sa studio na. Lyrically, kay Gab na yun.

Lalay: We chose this as our second, kasi maganda siya eh from the last part of 'Fallen On Deaf Ears' tapos derecho na siya 'Under Crisis.'

Gabby: It's a nice transition. Our initial attempts into having a seamless transition between songs. It was the very early stages of that. Part na rin ng learning namin and we were also being guided by sina MikMik Demeterio.

'Soul Searching'

Has the meaning of 'Soul Searching' changed for you in the past 20 years?

Gabby: Definitely. I mean, I think 'Soul Searching' is the perfect example of a song na when it's written based on the artist's truth, it will resonate more. 'Soul Searching' came about at a very dark time personally. Actually, that song was supposed to be included in the first album but it was never finished; it had no space in that album.

I guess the chemistry was right between the three of us, kami ni John, Lalay, especially when Jerros [Dolino], our drummer, came into the fold. Jerros is also a really good drummer and songwriter. Perfect yung timing when he came in, plus the chemistry namin ni John and Lalay; it was already set. So, it was easier to finish the song and include it in the album.

It comes from a place of truth so I guess that's why it really resonated with people. That song took us everywhere, basically started our career.

'Runaway'

Gabby: 'Runaway' is more or less similar to 'Soul Searching' in terms of pinaghuhugutan ng theme. But in terms of the riff and arrangement, I have no recollection of how we did it. I don't know who came up with the riff. I know we arranged it together.

John: It was a time when we listened to a lot of Deftones. So 'yun yung parang minemarriage yung influences.

Gabby: Para siyang moodier version ng 'Soul Searching'. I remember the goal for 'Runaway' wasn't [to be] as heavy as 'Soul Searching' but it had that dark undertone pa rin.

'Versus'

Gabby: It's about overcoming insecurities because Urbandub was never like, the biggest band in Cebu, especially during that time. We were just one of them many. A lot of our friends, the ones we hung out with were the top bands in Cebu at that time. We looked up to and  we learned a lot from. Sometimes when you're in your position, seeing everything they're accomplishing, success nila in terms of music, of course you also want to be there. Parang challenge. 'Versus' was like a call to arms to get over those insecurities and actually make something world for yourself. And world peace.

'Gone'

Gabby: John made that riff.

John: I did? I don't remember that I did.

Gabby: I think it was a jam.

Lalay: I remember doing that in your room, Gabby.

Gabby: I think I remember John did the initial riff, I did the chorus riff, tapos si Lalay yung offbeat part in the middle. That's what I remember. Heavily influenced by emo na genre. We were trying to marry emo and Deftones. Our failed attempt at being emo. Bastardized Urbandub version.

'Sailing'

John: Cebu has always been the reggae capital of the Philippines. Innate samin ni Gab at the time. I came from a reggae band. Gabby was so much into Sublime. That's how 'Sailing' came about.

Gabby: No deep meaning behind the lyrics. We just wanted to write a reggae-inspired song. It was actually like a joke song. 

Lalay: For the bassline for 'Sailing', it was a bit of an accident. We used to record on tape and back then I really didn't know how to do reggae bass so it was like an accident. When they heard me, they were like "Yan, yan yan! Parang tama yung ginagawa mo!" But I really don't know what I'm doing! Buti na lang na record siya.

Gabby: To be honest, all of us didn't know what we were doing (laughs). Chambahan lang.

They do say "fake it 'til you make it," and you did make it. Influence was the start of the "Giant Sound of the South" movement, so even if you guys didn't know what you were doing, you did something great.

John: Thank you.

Gabby: We were kids. We were very young. When we were recording Influence between 2002-2003, I was what—21 years old? 20 years old? But we were focused. Coming off of Birth, this time we were more cohesive. We were more conscious but we were still kids. Chamba pa rin. We weren't rushing the songs the way that we did in Birth, all of those songs were rushed just so we could record something. We weren't really playing gigs during Birth era; it was really during the space between Birth and Influence when we really started gigging and building the chemistry as a group and figuring out that we can write together pala. Happy accident.

'Quiet Poetic'

Gabby: Sade.

Lalay: We all were listening to Sade, so yung feel niya medyo.

John: It was our best try to be like Sade, and that's how 'Quiet Poetic' came to be. We wanted to sound really cool with it and it worked really well. I was getting really deep with my effects and it worked really well with the song. And of course, it's about romance. A passionate one.

'A New Tattoo'

Gabby: For me that's a John Dinopol track, because it's John-Dinopol-starring.

John: Of course, we all wrote it, but at that time we were also listening to this band called My Vitriol and I was also heavily into the delay rin. I think that was the first song that I was using the delay. And since I wanted to sound like My Vitriol but not really sound like My Vitriol, kaya nabuo ang 'A New Tattoo'.

Gabby: I think 'A New Tattoo' was also one of the first few tracks we started to write for the album. As a songwriter, as a lyricist, I think that was the song that really challenged me the most, kasi the original chorus of 'A New Tattoo' wasn't that. The song was finished, the verse and whatnot, everything, except for the chorus. The chorus was different. The lyrics were "Does he ever get the girl 'cause he's been trying for some time." And then Jerros, he was like, "Your lyrics are elementary. Can you change it?" So as a songwriter I was challenged. And it's in the same tune ah, and then Jerros was the one who pushed me. Then I changed it to "I'll bleed for you like a new tattoo in my heart you'll stay permanent" and when I showed it to him, he became quiet na (laughs).

'Lover Among Ruins'

Gabby: I don't know how we came up with that song at all. I don't remember anything. It was the last one.

John: I remember me and Jerros sa studio alone and we were trying to do something to end the album. Me and Jerros were trying something like, what if the guitar was like the drums and the drums was like the guitar? That's why the intro was sabay. It started there. All the songs we wrote for Influence really weren't rushed. If we hear a certain riff, and intro, or a verse, doon na sila nagme-marry with each other. With 'Lover Among Ruins', it started with an intro and everything just flowed. And it only has two chords.

Gabby: It basically took us a year to finish that album, but if I'm being honest, it wasn't by choice. Kung may budget saka na. That's why it took us a year because we were trying to scrounge up budget for the recording.

Urbandub are scheduled to perform at 20 Years of Influence at 123 Block, Mandaluyong on 24 November 2023. Tickets are available for PHP 1000 (Regular).