LEAD GUITARIST OF FIRST QUARTER BAND - FRANK GANALON
Frankie
Ganalon, middle, was the lead guitarist of First Quarter Band in
Hayashida Hotel in Kagoshima City, Japan. The other members are Roberto
Hernandez (pianist/keyboard player), Jane Ramas (singer), Toto (drummer
and band leader), and Matt, bass
guitar. (Photo from Frank Ganalon Facebook Timeline)
FUNNY MEMORIES OF
FIRST QUARTER BAND IN JAPAN
(April 04 - Sept. 28, 1982)
I
knew from the start that our trip to Japan to perform at Hayashida
Hotel in Kagoshima City, Japan is real because we were given our one
month salary 3 weeks before our departure.
Unlike
today that you have to pay big amount for placement fees to the agency,
the trip is all-expense paid although it's only for 6 months.
After getting our one-month advance payment, I invited all members of the group for an outing to my uncle's fish pond.
They prepared fried noodles (pancit) and pork adobo (stewed pork).
We traveled through the river on a long, motorized banca (boat made from long log) for 20 minutes.
When
we reached the fish fond, all of them experienced real fresh sea foods.
My uncle Subring gets a bunch of bamboo from the river filled with
oysters attached to it. It goes directly to the boiling water, dip it
for a few seconds and started to get the oysters with a knife and put it
in a sauce consisting of vinegar, salt, pepper, and onions.
My
cousin has a net and it caught a big milk fish. He throws the jumping
fish to our singer Jane Ramas. She's afraid and excited at first because
it's her first time to see a live milk fish. All milk fish you can see
at the market are dead for a few hours or even days.
She picked it up, hold it firmly and put it straight to the barbecue grill. THERE'S NO OTHER GRILLED FISH FRESHER THAN THAT!
My
uncle Subring also get some mussels from the river also attached to the
bamboo. It makes a good soup if cook with water, onion, garlic, ginger,
salt and chili leaves.
There are also some shrimps, crabs and tilapia fish--all alive when cooked.
NOBODY
AMONG US EAT THE FRIED NOODLES AND PORK ADOBO THAT WE BROUGHT. WE LEAVE
IT FOR UNCLE, HIS WIFE AND KIDS BECAUSE THEY CRAVE FOR THOSE WHILE WE
THAT LIVE IN THE CITY CRAVE FOR FRESH SEAFOOD.
During our chat at Facebook, Frankie told me that he's been to Tokyo, Japan once with a band but only for a short time.
He
also congratulates me upon seeing my numerous photos from Australia,
Russia and Istanbul, Turkey for chess competitions. He said I was able
to use/apply my other passion aside from music.
During
our trip on April 04, 1982, we have a stopover in Hong Kong and then to
Okinawa before boarding a big bus in going to Kagoshima City. The bus
can accommodate more than 70 people and there are only 5 of us.
We realized later that Hayashida Hotel is only a 9-story hotel while our apartment is 11-story high.
We
were given 20,000 yen as food allowance. We like the rice (sticky and
big grains) and will cook it before we perform at lunch time
--11:00-11:30 and 12:00 -12:30 with 30 minutes break in between sets.
We
adapted very easily to the climate and performance. One time in the
afternoon when we are practicing a sad song, Jane was singing with much
expression that one of the lady guest was in tears and was carried away
by the song even though it's a Japanese song being sung by a Filipino.
It becomes Jane's trademark -- singing with expression.
From
left to right -- Roberto at the keyboard/Electone Organ, Matt - bass
guitar, Toto -drums, Jane Ramas-vocals and Frank Ganalon-lead guitar.
(Photo by Frank Ganalon - 1982)
There
is one performance of us that Jane did everything to get the guests
attention while she is singing. But there are times that even the best
expressive singers can't get the attention they want.
Without Jane Ramas this time, and the male members are wearing white suit.
(Photo by Frank Ganalon)
SHE SAID TO ROBERTO: "I'M TIRED. I GIVE UP. I TRIED EVERYTHING BUT THEY ARE UNRESPONSIVE. IT'S YOUR TURN!"
Without
hesitation, Roberto sung a different version of The Big 3 Sullivan's
"May Pulis Sa Ilalim Ng Tulay" (There Is A Policeman Under The Bridge")
popularized by that group of singer/comedian in 1974.
Roberto's version is "May Tatay Sa Ibabaw Ng Nanay" or (There is a Father On Top of The Mother).
Like in the original song, there are additions of lyrics to the succeeding stanzas:
MAY TATAY, MAY TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
MAY TATAY, MAY TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
MAY TATAY, MAY TATAY, MAY TATAY, MAY TATAY,
MAY TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY.
GUMALAW ANG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
(The butt of the father on top of the mother has moved!)
GUMALAW ANG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
GUMALAW, GUMALAW, GUMALAW, GUMALAW,
GUMALAW ANG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY.
BUMILIS
ANG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY, (The movement of the
butt of the father on top of the mother has gone faster!)
BUMILIS ANG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
BUMILIS, BUMILIS, BUMILIS, BUMILIS,
BUMILIS ANG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY.
NAGISING
ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY, (The
baby got awaken by the fast movement of the butt of the father on top of
the mother!)
NAGISING ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
NAGISING, NAGISING, NAGISING, NAGISING,
NAGISING ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY.
NABITIN ANG TATAY NAGISING ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
(The
father is not finished yet because the baby got awaken by the fast
movement of the butt of the father on top of the mother!)
NABITIN ANG TATAY NAGISING ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY,
NABITIN, NABITIN, NABITIN, NABITIN,
NABITIN ANG TATAY NAGISING ANG BATA SA BILIS NG GALAW NG PUWIT NG TATAY SA IBABAW NG NANAY.
The
tempo of this song is march and the guests like it and there are
applause from them! Jane is surprised! She said, "Oh, that's what you
like, hah!" And she followed it with another march beat song --
Jambalaya.
Jane
learned something from that incident. I apply it also while playing
solo in any place where I play music. If nobody is listening to me, I
will play whatever songs I'd like to play. When they clap to the last
song that I played, then I'll play the same songs/style/tempo that they
appreciated.
ANOTHER RELATED STORY:
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2223213667651635496#editor/target=post;postID=7100654377411687832;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=479;src=link
: 3
REQUESTS, 9 JAPS, $10.00 TIP
Among this 9 Japanese guests, 3 requested
different songs – Dancing All Night by the guy at left, back row, Tokino
Nagareni Mia Makase by one of the ladies and Yume No Tochu by the guy 2nd
from right, back row, who is also the one that gave $10.00 tip. He said to me,
“I remember you.”
B R E A D
I was in Japan in April 04-Sept. 28, 1982
playing with “The First Quarter Band”, a 5-member band composed of lady singer
Jane Ramas, Frankie Ganalon as lead guitar, Toto as drummer, Matt as bass
guitarist and me on the keyboard (I’m using an electone organ with bass pedal).
Because Matt was the ‘weakest’ among us because he’s not experienced enough, I
usually play the bass pedal to support the band’s weakness.
Our schedules of
performances at Hayashida Hotel in Kagoshima City were 12:00 noon-12:30; 30
minutes break; 1:00pm-1:30 pm; 6:00-6:30 pm; 30 minutes break; 7:00-7:30pm; 30
minutes break and 8:00-8:30 pm.
The band’s day
off is Monday and I’m playing at Celestial Bar of the hotel for extra income. I
have the same time of performances as the band’s performances but only during
evening.
At 1:30 pm, most
of the time, we’re doing window shopping on our way to our apartment. One
afternoon, we passed by at a music store where original cassette tapes were
being sold. Jane, our singer, asked me to help her to look for “Bread”, a very
popular American band whose hits songs include “Aubrey”, “Baby I’m A-Want
You”, “Belonging”, “Diary”, “Everything
I Own”, “Games of Magic”, “If”, “Make It With You” and “The Guitar man”.
When Bread
disbanded, its lead singer David Gates still continue doing solo and carried
himself very well with some hits like “Clouds”, “Goodbye Girl” and “Take Me
Now”.
I started to
look for Bread in the hundreds of cassette tapes on display. Jane became
impatient and asked me again, “Have you found any Bread?”
WHAT HAPPENED
NEXT IS FUNNY AND SURPRISING!!!
I shouted to her
when I found something different but better. I said, “JANE, I FOUND “BREAD”
WITH BUTTER INCLUDED!!! I didn’t know
that there is a group of musician and their name is BREAD AND BUTTER!
We all laughed
and had good time learning about Bread And Butter!
CONTINUATION OF “MY
REPERTOIRE OF INTERNATIONAL SONGS”
Half of “D” (33 songs)
DADDY’S HOME (Cliff
Richard) R 26
DAHIL MAHAL KITA
(Boyfriends) (Filipino Song) OPM 27
DAHIL SA ISANG
BULAKLAK (Filipino Song) OPM 31
DAHIL SA IYO (Filipino
Song) OPM 28
D A I T E (Japanese Song) J 8
DANCING ALL NIGHT
(Japanese Song) J 10
1976 DANCING
QUEEN (Abba) DB255
DANDANSOY (Filipino
Song) OPM 78
DANIEL (Elton John) G 37
1913 DANNY
BOY (Irish Song) DBI
37
DANNY’S SONG
(Loggins & Messina) R 19
1945 DAY
BY DAY DB140
1955 DAY-O
(Banana Boat) (Harry Belafonte)
1962 DAYS
OF WINE AND ROSES DB141
DAY TRIPPER
(Beatles) R 209
DEEP IN MY HEART (Jose Mari Chan)
(Filipino Song) OPM180
1979 DÉJÀ
VU (Dioone Warwick) R 129
DELILAH (Tom Jones) G 37
DELTA DAWN (Tanya
Tucker) G 39
DEREBCHESIIL
(Palauan Song) DBI
62
DESCENDENTS OF
DRAGON (Taiwanese Song)
1984 DESERT
MOON (Dennis De Young) DB 48
1973 DESPERADO
(Eagles) G 41
196 DEVOTED
TO YOU (Everly Brothers) B 189
D. H. LOBANG
(Palauan Song) DBI
69
1957 D
I A N A (Paul Anka) B 70
D I A R Y (Bread) R 130
DICK AND JANE
(Bobby Vinton)
196 DIDN’T
WE (Frank Sinatra) (Paul Williams) G 43
DIL DIL LOMAIS
(Palauan Song) G
P 17
1985 DI
NA NATUTO (Gary Valenciano) (Filipino Song) OPM 45
DITO BA (Kuh
Ledesma) (Filipino Song) OPM
74
DIYOS LAMANG ANG
NAKAKAALAM (Filipino Song) OPM 43
DO I HAVE TO SAY
THE WORDS (Bryan Adams) G 45
Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9 and 12
Volume 22
Issue 15
February 21, 2013
For
being the pianist at PRR choir, I was given a free gift certificate of
dinner for one at Palau Royal Resort's Waves Restaurant. It was used by
my wife Flor during the time of the first photo in this post. She's in the
rest room when I've got the $10.00 tip. But she saw an old Japanese lady
gave me $5.00 tip after she gave me a photo of me and her taken last
year at the same place --near the
piano.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Sources: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess In Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
April 1982 - January 2015
To be published as a book in the future
