Perhaps Wech would like to translate?
That's all I'm good for anyway, LOL...
I'll translate, but in installments: I'll just keep re-editing
this post to add more of the exchange, m'kay?
EDIT: All done. 
-=-=-=-=-
SC: Hi Arnel
AP: Hello
SC: Thank you for guesting on our show...
AP: You're very welcome. Thank you very much for having me here.
I'm so honored
SC: Oh come on, it's our pride, it's our honor also.
Okay , Arnel, I'll dive right in, okay?
AP: Sure.
SC: Your life back in Manila was no joke, was it?
They say when your mother died, you had to stop your schooling.
Could you tell us what you did after that?
AP: Well, my father decided we should leave the apartment we were
staying at. We were already one year behind on the rent. I told him
I wouldn't go with him, to reduce the burden on him, on his having to care
for (my siblings)
. I told him "I'll just go on my own".
SC: But you were just a teenager back then, you were so young...
AP: I was ummm 13 going 14
SC: You were practically a baby...
AP: By that time, I was too embarrassed to show up at school anyway,
I had no food, no money for food during recess, I couldn't focus
in school ...So anyway we got split up, and I lived on the street.
Sometimes I'd stay over with friends, but I had trouble getting any sleep then,
because ...it would already be crowded at their place. They'd alot me a narrrow
wooden bench to sleep on, just enough for my size, and I'd actually sleep
outside.
SC: Okay, but to live, or make a living, what did you do?
AP: I'd go along with others who were homeless, and we'd collect old bottles
and newspapers (*using a pushcart. the materials would then be resold to recyclers).
When that wasn't an option, I'd go with one friend to the Pier...
SC: Just to find a job? Any job?
AP: Yes and sometimes we'd help with cleaning the ships that came through
SC: You used to collect scrap metal too?
AP: Yes, I used to clean metal trimmings and wastage, for 8 pesos a day
(US$3.20/day).
SC: OMG.. just enough, then, for a meal?
AP: I used to get a pack of "Marie" biscuits, split it up into
individual wafers, and keep them in my pockets. First day's meals would be
from this pocket, then the next day's would be from this one...
SC: Really?
AP: When I'd get thirsty I'd mooch some water at the gas station,
from their (service area)
tap.. it would kinda taste like
gasoline. When I'd get too filthy --because sometimes I'd go
four days without a bath, I'd wash up there too.
SC: After that, at what age did you start singing in a band? Like
at Shakey's (a pizza parlor chain that featured live local bands)?
AP: I was 15.
SC: That young?
AP: My friend Dennis Diala said, "Instead of just hanging
around in Luneta Park, sleeping there--"
SC: You'd sleep there?
AP: Mm-hm, with a newspaper over my face to keep out the morning damp
... so I wouldn't catch a cold.
SC: ...your voice, LOL...
AP: In the morning, when I'd wake up, I'd be like, all clogged
up. You know, we'd also attend funerary wakes.. to be able to, you
know...
SC: LOL
AP: just to be able to get something to eat: biscuits... coffee...
Until I got to performing at Shakey's. That's where I auditioned
--he made me audition, because he was friends with this band
called Ijos. That's where I got my start.
SC: How many bands and places did you perform with/at? For how
many years?
AP: Actually, I stayed with just one band. We just evolved, going
through different names. From Ijos, we became the Amo band, until
we became New Age, until we made it to HongKong...
SC: That's what many don't know, that you'd worked abroad, not
just in the Philippines.
AP: Yes... until 2004 came, when I and Monet (Cajipe)
, who I
would play with in Zoo, ...we decided it was about time for our long-overdue
dream to cut a rock album.
SC: So when you did it, who produced the album? You yourselves?
AP: (Nods)
We did.
SC: And who released it?
AP: Actually, we didn't release it right then, not until Direk
(Direk is the familiar form of "Director")
Bert (de Leon)
found us.
SC: Ah, here we go. With you (new) band the Zoo, where were you
performing, when someone took videos of you, and then posted it
all to YouTube?
AP: At the Hard Rock Café
SC: At the Hard Rock?
AP: That video... It was intended only as a personal souvenir of
my friend, Noel Gomez. Because he was missing us --he lives in
Olongapo. One day he said...
SC: You were singing a song of Journey's?
AP: Yes. He asked for my permission, if he could upload the
videos to YouTube.
SC: Okay, so they were uploaded. Tell us what happened. Who was
it from Journey who discovered you. How did you hook up?
AP: It was Mr. Neal Schon of Journey.
SC: He's the guitarist.
AP: Yes, He was the one who discovered the video, and then he
decided to send Noel Gomez an email, claiming he's "Mr. Neal
Schon", "from Journey"... then, the next day Noel called me up,
early in the morning. I said "You woke me up, bro" I said "It's
real early" (he said)
"I got something here, (from)
Journey!
(The guy)
says he's from Journey! Says he's Neal Schon!"
SC: Did you believe it right away?
AP: No, I said, "Oh, brother! Don't buy into that... somebody's
just having fun with us..."
SC: Someone was just fooling you...// okay, how did it go, the
moment when you confirmed that the email was for real? That it
really was him...
AP: When he called me.
SC: Okay...
AP: I really asked him very hard, if he was Neal Schon, because I
knew about him. He was laughing very hard, saying "Come on man, I
am really not kidding. I am Neal Schon." and "I'm willing to do
anything just to get a singer for my band right now.", he said.
SC: So when you finally arrived --where? Was it San Francisco?
AP: San Francisco.
SC: San Francisco. Who met you at the airport?
AP: Oh, just their limousine, and the chauffeur.
SC: JUST a limousine LOL... JUST a chauffeur LOL.. So, anyway,
you believed, and then finally, Who told you like, "Man, you're
in"...
AP: After five days of auditioning,...
SC: LOL..they put you through torture first
AP: Three days straight
SC: Auditioning?
AP: Three days live, and then two days of studio recording. But
the studio recordings were my defining moment, and they realized
that I sounded the way I needed to sound for them.
SC: OMG...that's so fairytale-ish... so how long has it been
since you joined Journey?
AP: Actually, they officially declared me a Journey member last
year, in December.
SC: As lead vocalist, mind you. Lead vocalist. How do you plan on
making an impact that's lasting, on Journey and on Journey's
fans, who are like, all over the world?
AP: I think THEY have done enough (towards that)
already,
because, just what happened to me and what they did (for)
me,
they were able to "immortalize" my voice. That alone--
SC: Yes. You guys, the band, you've released this album already, with
you as lead vocalist. And you know, you're giving us a lot of pride.
I'm a performer myself, and I can only dream of the heights you've reached.
And you're inspiring so many Filipinos. //
You were on Ellen DeGeneres'show just recently, and so many others are
being given their big breaks now... and we're so proud of you, --and you're
so down to earth-- I thought you'd be a braggart by now...
AP: Thank you. No, no... but to tell you honestly, you're making
me prouder, because you're so proud of me.
SC: Oh, because you're doing this for us, and more Filipinos are
getting noticed... But look, since you may not be able to give us
a sample of a Journey song, I know its --there are complications
to that-- can you please, please do me the honor of doing a few lines
of any Filipino song that you like doing? Dedicate it to your friend...
AP: Okay. All right //
This is a song of ours that I like. I hope you like it.
**sings Pain In My Heart**
(end of Tube Clip)
-=-=-=-=-=-
-wechy
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:55 am
