Urbandub are still getting used to fame

Let's play a game. The rules are simple: you hear the name of a band, and you're supposed to guess what genre they play. For example, a band named Morbid Angel is unlikely to put on suits and swing their cymbals to Sinatra staples. Ready? Let's begin.

"Urbandub".

Whatever answers you have-even if they are as ludicrous as "jazz"-there's little chance that you've chosen "butt-kicking emo rock" as one of your answers. Not unless you actually know this Filipino band, of course-and it would not be surprising if you've chanced upon their name when surfing the web for influential regional bands.

Of course, part of the reason you might not have guessed Urbandub's genre is that, if the rumours are true, the name was folded over from their past as a reggae band. Which, as it turns out, isn't exactly accurate too. "We were never really a reggae band," says tattooed singer/guitarist Gabby Alipe, eager to clear the air about this debacle. "We were planning to be one though, in the beginning, but we never really wanted to be a straight-up reggae band anyway. Somehow when we started writing original songs our direction went another way musically, so we stuck with it and stuck with the name." 

Much like their name, Urbandub-also consisting of John Dinopol (guitars), Lalay Lim (bass) and JanJan Mendoza (drums)-are an unassuming bunch. Courteous in nature and demeanour, it's a rather schizophrenic experience watching them greet the crowd with ear-to-ear smiles before proceeding to bludgeon everyone to death sonically with unforgiving guitar swings and skull-stomping riffs. Their regional debut at 2007's Baybeats festival in Singapore was the epitome of this. As the band members strode onto the stage with dreadlocks flaying about, the crowd was perhaps expecting a little Caribbean swing from this lot. What they got instead was swing alright-of an axe, right between the eyes.

As a live entity, Urbandub are utterly arresting. Gabby's vocals soar powerfully like an onrushing bison you can't dodge, while Lalay provides the thick harmonies and John provides the visual charisma. It's a combination that sticks well in the unpredictable arena of a live show and one that compliments their juggernaut sound, a sound that's quite unlike the one we've come to associate with Filipino artists.

There's actually a cultural background behind this distinction. "Cebu and Manila speak different dialects," says Lalay. "Cebuanos speak Bisaya while Manileños speak Tagalog. Most of the OPM [Original Pinoy Music, a term for Filipino pop] songs are in Tagalog. As much as we want to listen to OPM, it's always been hard for us to understand it, so we end up listening to music from foreign artists instead."

Gabby also points out how Urbandub struggled with the conception of its initial sound and why they have arrived to where they are today sonically. "We did grow up in a very 'cover culture' music scene back in Cebu. The gauge of how great a band was back then was how spot-on a band could cover the songs of their favorite foreign bands," he says. "That was when Cebuanos wanted to distance themselves from the type of music that Manila was coming up with because we wanted a 'sound' we could call our own."

Evidently, this owned sound earned the band the coveted Best Group award at the Junksounds Awards 2008, which helped in many ways to introduce the band and its legacy to a much larger audience. "Definitely it was such a big honour and at the same time a humbling experience for us," says Gabby. "It's the biggest award we've received so far as a band. To be recognised outside of our country is a huge achievement for us."

Right at this moment, the band are holed up in their home base of Cebu, putting together songs for what should be their fifth album. The plan is to rent a house up in the mountains to set up a studio, and write and knock out demos before proceeding to Manila for the proper recording sessions. It's definitely serious business in Urbandub world, and business has been seriously brisk. The band apparently play four to five shows a week all around the Philippines, raking up a rabid fan base in the process. Yet they remain unmoved by the fast-paced surroundings. "I'd like to think we've kept our feet firmly planted on the ground and deviated from that whole 'rockstar' attitude that can be a pitfall for bands that get even a little taste of success," shares Gabby.

That last fact is apparent. Underneath all the crunchy guitars and macho showboating, Urbandub appear to be a band that never quite got used to the idea of success, in the champagne-popping sense. It's a notion that resonates rather resoundingly in almost every conversation with the band members. The idea of conquering South East Asia was not the original master plan, and now that they are right on the cusp of it, they seem to not know quite what to make of it. "All bands, I think, would love to be recognised not just locally," says John. "But we never expected such a huge and warm reception. Our plan has always been to write good songs and to be better musicians, and I guess because of that, here we are."

"We were never a band who had big dreams or goals," adds Gabby philosophically. "We just love creating and performing music for whoever wants to listen. We were satisfied playing our music in our hometown of Cebu, until Manila came calling. Then we had the opportunity to perform in Singapore, which was an amazing experience for us. And after receiving the Junksounds Award, we can only hope to perform in other Asian countries more."

WORDS THE GEEK PHOTO SONIC BOOM
www.myspace.com/urbandub

*Taken from Junk's August 2009 issue