NANG MAKAUSAP NAMIN si Marc Abaya, ikinuwento nito na dalawa sa miyembro ng Kjwan ay tumiwalag na sa kanilang grupo. Ikinalungkot ng singer/actor ang pangyayari pero agad naman siyang nakakuha ng kapalit na mas magaling sa mga ito. Ngayon, buo na uli ang sikat na rock band na kinabibilangan nina Marc (vocals/guitars), Boogie Romero (guitars/vocals), Kelly Mangahas (Bass), Inky De Dios (keyboards) and Pao Santiago (drums).
Is there any plans to go solo? “Never, I don’t believe on that! I started out with the band. I cannot see myself being the Marc Abaya Band. Sanay po akong may band, may team. I believe in a team, no matter what happened. I can’t make music without the people.”
Is there a point in your life, you have to choose between acting and singing? “Depending on sino ang nauna. Depending on what is more important. In the beginning, I’m sure they do. We’re man, we don’t talk about emotion.”
May pangyayari bang minsan hindi sinipot ni Marc ang kanyang gig? “No, may nangyari na na-late ako super… ginawa ko na lang, kinarir ko na lang ‘yung gig, todo na, beyond apology and everything. Just to make-up for that, I hated being unprofessional. I don’t want to be that at all.”
Memorable experience na nangyari sa inyo with the band? “2007, nu’ng nanalo kami sa Malaysia. There was a competition, the worse thing to fight about is money, how to do it. We have different idiology of it who’s get a cut, who gets this, who gets that. How about this person? Iba-iba, kanya-kanya… because we never make that much money. The prize is one million, at that time, lima kami. That’s not easy, not to mention your manager. You have your own road manager. The whole experience made as grow, the good and bad. Tumanda kami dahil doon, there can be no victory without the cost. But the victory earned by that expenses… there is wisdom. We are force to grow-up, hear boys, one million. Hear boys, you’re the best, what ever that means. What you gonna do with it?” Pagbabalik-tanaw ni Marc sa nakaraan nila ng grupo.
Paano na-settle ‘yung problem? “That fight led as to differences. Pero na-notice namin, naiiba na kami, we grow-up, walang bumitaw, 2007 and then, that’s realization that money made us ugly. Nagdya-jam kami pero walang imikan,” turan ni Marc. Pero nang makuha nila ang one million pesos, “We compromise, we all voted of the best way to split-up. Regardless, what we decided, pumangit kami and we hated each other. After 2007, we all decided slowly na we should not be making music or we should not make a band to make money. Look what happened, it’s so ugly. It could be a fame or whatever.”
Kahit hectic ang gig schedule ni Marc, nasa puso pa rin niya ang pagiging actor. Katatapos lang niya ng I Heart You Pare at indie film na I-Libing for Cinemalaya with Glaiza de Castro. “Ako ang evil stepbrother niya. The story is kaplastikan kapag may namatay. You gonna hate me more here kasi, ‘yung role ko, pareho naming tatay, namatay. Pero, she’s part of the family na anak siya sa labas.”
Ayon kay Marc, parehong malapit sa puso niya ang singing and acting. “Fifty-fifty ako, really. Music is always be a part of me. ‘Yun ang akin, purely mine. Films, nagkataon lang but I enjoy acting very much.”
Young Johhny Delgado ang bansag ngayon kay Marc dahil sa acting performance na ipinakita niya sa indie film na Dagim. Kailan kaya darating ‘yung time na idi-direk siya ng kanyang mommy na si Marilou Diaz Abaya? “No, no, no, no… hindi pa ako ready. Even Ina Feleo, had a difficult time… iba ‘yung standard nila, eh. She’s in the generation with Ismael Bernal and Lino Brocka na hindi mo puwedeng i-fake ‘yung pag-arte mo. If Ina Feleo had the hardest time, what more ako na anak niya. Kilalang-kilala niya ako, she knows when I’m faking it, patay ako kay mommy. Walang palusot-lusot d’yan, baka batuhin ako ng silya.”
Ikinuwento pa ni Marc na very proud ang kanyang mommy while watching his first film Dagim. She’s very proud of me. Ang dami ko raw attack na remind her of Johhny Delgado. So, I’m very happy, that was the first film I made na nanood siya sa cinema na katabi ko,” say niya.
Kumusta naman ang kalagayan ng Mommy mo? “She aims to be at peace with her condition, and that put us in peace. Pero nagbisi-bisihan siya kasi binigyan siya ng script. She has two scripts for Star Cinema. She’s still a teacher. She just need to exercise, she’s over weight.”
AYAW Paawat!
by Eddie Littlefield
