Conceptualization.
I think it was a few months after the release of my first lokalpinoy vinyl compilation project (The Ghost of Manong), that I first thought of doing a 'sequel'. Unlike the first one in which I funded the whole thing myself, I wanted to split the costs among the bands this time. FYI, Schizowerkz is a one person-operated, wanna-be independent record label, hehe. So yeah, I posted on my Facebook if any band would be interested to join and pitch in for my next project. Only one person responded and that was Roderick Matias of the band, 1521. But one person is a no-no. The idea eventually died. From 2018 to 2020, people would often ask me when the next 'ghost of manong' was coming out. Dunno, no money yo! But this Covid-19 pandemic 'stay-at-home' situation was kinda boring...plus I see my friends release records non-stop (Robert Tuazon of Backspacer Records & Joy Bituin of JB Records). I'm so jealous! I wanted to do something, too. Besides, lokalpinoy has to be documented in some form somehow or else no one would know that our little Fil-Am independent music community even existed. I know that's a bit exaggerated, hehe. Good thing tax season was coming up and I knew I'd be getting enough 'refund to fund' my project so I decided to go for it. Yes, just like the first time: I funded this whole thing myself again, hehe!

Playlist.
May 2021 when I created the track listing. Like with the first project, I wanted to represent the pioneers, the semi-vets and the current bands; to feature different genres and have a good mix of Pilipino (Tagalog) and English tracks. I also have to make sure that I like the songs! It's a "schizo playlist", remember? Anyway, compiling for vinyl is a bit of a challenge. The usual recommendation is to have a 22-minute maximum per side and at least start with something heavy or an upbeat music. So I had to go through my shoeboxes of CDs (and tapes) and looked for the bands that I wanted to feature. I also had to be aware of the song's duration and decide which one goes first, last, etc. This is what I came up with...

A1. Imagination - ACIDRAIN
Acidrain is a three-piece from Long Beach, California. They play alt-rock/grunge kinda like Foo Fighters and Bush. They were active from 2000 to 2009 I think. They have opened for the Eraserheads in June 2000 at all California shows: San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego. Througout the years, the band members had their own bands and side projects but they are still around and perform at shows when invited. 'Imagination''s opening guitar riffs were just perfect to start the record!

A2. Far Away - PEACH FANTASTIC
Originally formed in 1996 as an all-female quartet called Xmmaculate, they eventually reformatted and changed their name to Peach Fantastic. They played melodic pop/newwave and were active in the late 1990s. They have opened for Rivermaya's Los Angeles show in October 1998. 'Far Away' was included in their debul album in 1999 but I preferred this 1997 mix from the 'Lokalpinoy Vol. 1" v/a artists compilation CD.

A3. I Met A Girl Who Wreck'd My World - far*out
They were originally a four-piece then became a trio that played cool indie pop/rock stuff from West Covina, California. They were active from the mid-2000s to early 2010s. When I asked bassist, Charles Gray, for the lyrics of the song, the copy he sent me had the line "A lonely boy who never had no one." But if you listen to the song, there's a slight difference. So I had the lyrics corrected. If you look at the A Side's runout groove, there inscribed "A horny boy who never had no one." Am I right or what? hehe.

A4. Reasons - FIGHTS WITHOUT LOSS
Hailing from Eagle Rock, an area in L.A., California, the band was active in early 2000 to early 2010. Glenn Jacinto of Teeth was their original bass player. The band is currently semi-active. There was this other song that I liked but they didn't have any recording of it. Oh well, hehe.

A5. 5MM Represent - 5MM
aka Five Maztah Minds, this Pinoy rap group was from Long Beach, California. They have opened for FrancisM & Ely Buendia in 2003 at their California shows: San Jose, Long Beach and San Diego. 5MM, along with their SunogBaga homies (which included current Philippine underground rapper, Bugoy Na Koykoy), repped the LBC from early to late 2000s. I originally wanted to use the song 'Limang Bandido' but founding member Mark Fernandez (8Ball-Em aka Berdugo) suggested '5MM Represent' and I dug it yeah!

B1. Your Last Night - ANTITRUST
This is a thrash metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Currently, one of the most hardworking bands in the scene. They produced their own music videos; created virtual sessions during this pandemic and they would drive almost 4 hours one way to L.A. if invited. They once opened for Death Angel in Las Vegas, I think.

B2. Shattered - FALLOUT
This was a five-piece 'nu metal' band from Baldwin Park, California. They were active in 1999-2001 and changed their name to Blyte. Unfortunately, their lead singer Gaylord's accidental drowning while saving his brother in a California lake ended the band. Surviving members would soon form the experimental band Tabo, and join Spiral Echo.

B3. Tuloy - GLENN JACINTO
For most Pinoy rock fans, they know him as the lead singer of 90s grunge band, Teeth (or THE Teeth, hehe), you know, 'Laklak' & 'Prinsesa'...but to us here in L.A., he was one the OGs among the 'pinoy rock transplants' from the Motherland. Along with Melody Del Mundo (of Sugar Hiccup), GJ was one of them who joined our small lokalpinoy scene from scratch with no rockstar bullshit! Anyway, 'Tuloy' is his first solo recording and this is the first time this song has appeared on any physical format.

B4. Only Me - SUPERPROXY
A five-piece band from San Francisco, California who first met online via "Circus" (The Eraserheads Official Yahoogroups/Egroups Email List) in 1999. They have become close friends and formed a band and called it Sixes and Sevens but was eventually changed to Superproxy (based on that Eheads feat. FrancisM song) before their first live gig, I originally wanted to use their song, 'A Word, A Whisper' but it was sung by the guy bassist. I wanted to present the band as it was with the girl singer so I opted to use 'Only Me' instead. Despite being a long-ass track (6 minutes & 8 seconds), it's that Oasis feel to it that I love! If you look at the B Side's runout groove, there inscribed "Chapters of broken symmetry" It's a line from the song but I don't know what it means, hehe.

B5. Don't Tell Lies - MONSTER TURNED MACHINE
aka MTM, is a collab duo featuring Mic Frias (formerly of Mayric's staple, Poetic Sparks) and Tim De Ramos (aka TDR; once mentored by Eheads/Sandwich's Raymund Marasigan; used to drum tech for him and Rivermaya's Mark Escueta, too. He was Bamboo's tour drummer in US/Canada in 2011/2012). MTM is still very active and even during this pandemic, they have managed to do a few virtual sessions for various media outlets. This is also 'Don't Tell Lies' first time to appear on a physical format. The compilation's title, "Another Day, Another Time" was a line from this song.

B6. Erbe - PINK TABLE
Pink Table was a three-piece band from Simi Valley, California and was active from the mid-1990s to early 2000s. Considered to be one of the pioneers in the scene, they were the first band to open for the Eraserheads in L.A. in 1997. Lead singer Sheldon Alcudia is currently based in the Philippines, busy doing TikTok vids, hehe.

For about 4 months, I'd always listen to this 'playlist' on my laptop while waiting for the funds, hehe. I wanted to include more bands/tracks but it was just impossible unless I did a double-LP but that'd be more costly, hehe. Finally in September 2021, I was able to send the hi-res audio files to Jerome Velasco (of Teeth, Pupil) for premastering. I wanna try different people for every project that I do. Maybe next time it'll be premastered by Butch Vig or Rick Rubin, hehe.

But then I realized that it was too big! I wanted to be holding the album cover and looking at the rice as if they were real. So I had to do a re-shoot and got it this time.

I wanted to keep it plain (just the rice on front) but at the same time, I wanted people to know that they were looking at a music album cover. At least one (or two?) of the songs has some profanity in it that I decided to put the 'Parental Advisory' logo on the bottom right corner of the front cover, not really for warning puposes, but just to hint people that it is a music product after all, hehe. I also placed my Schizowerkz logo on the upper left corner of the front cover just like the records from the 60s and 70s.

As for the back cover, it was inspired by this 80s Northern Irish band, The Adventures' "Theodore and Friends" album cover.

schizo & Kai

Meharo, my nephew & photographer for the day

When I started to do the layout of the back cover, I first thought of placing the track listing and credits in the middle but I realized that it would just ruin the mural. I wanted to show the beauty of the mural so I just made a text box for the track listing on the bottom half next to our images.

But me being so anal when it comes to production details and credits and having no space to put it led to adding an insert. That means extra cost, hehe. But an insert with just the track listing and production credits would be lame. I ended up asking the bands lyrics to fill up the space and it worked.

The hype sticker, well, it was a spoof of the NFA rice, haha. NFA stands for National Food Authority, a goverment agency in the Philippines. I don't know what's up with its rice but it was always on Philippine news last year. I just had the NFA logo rotated 90 degrees to the left so I don't get in trouble, hehe. I ordered 260 stickers to print but for some reason I received 1,000+ stickers. Did the printer make an error, etc.? I don't know. Instead of the leftovers going to waste, I decided to put an extra sticker inside the record just in case people would wanna replace the resealable outer sleeve that it comes with.

...and that's the story of my little vinyl project. 'Another Day, Another Time' - a compilation of 11 Filipino-American artists/bands on a limited, numbered, transparent purple vinyl record. Only 250 copies pressed!

Release date is January 16, 2022, which happens to be my late brother, Kuya Jim's birthday. In a way, he 'co-funded' this project and I dedicate this in memory of him.

Special thankz to Robert Tuazon of Backspacer Records for the assistance; Jerome Velasco for the mastering; my newphew Meharo for the photos; and my daughter Kai for agreeing to come with me. For the would-be buyers, thankz for supporting my project yeah!

- LSD
1/11/2022