Former Fools and Foes drummer Gabba Santiago was 6 years old when he first held a pair of drumsticks. When he turned 12, the defunct Tom’s Story guitarist began learning to strum a guitar.

And by the time Santiago was pushing 30, he managed to draw a sizable crowd to watch him perform tracks from his self-penned debut solo album, “Recollections” — where he not only recorded himself playing the guitar and drums— but every other instrument he picked up in between such as the piano and bass.

Santiago launched his first album as a solo artist on Saturday at a studio in Makati City. Ena Mori, Oh, Flamingo, and One Click Straight also performed at the event.

“First and foremost, before anything else, fan talaga ako ng music. Yung album is a product na lang ng love ko for it,” he explained.

The record consists of 14 instrumental tracks which Santiago wrote and co-produced with The Ringmaster Francis Lorenzo.

His math rock pieces are defined by unpredictable time signatures, unconventional harmonies, and flawless guitar riffs that create a powerful narrative that can move listeners.

“Hilig ko instrumental kasi nakaka immerse sa listener. Pwede niya gamitin to his or her use music. Pwede interpret kasi ng kanya kanyang way. Parang magawan nila sariling story songs,” he reasoned.

He went on: "It can be super opposite to what my inspiration was. They can make it their own.”

Gabba performs one of the tracks from his self-penned debut album "Recollections" in Makati.

Gabba is the first Filipino to make the line-up of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney.

The inaugural leg will debut in Australia in October. | via @annacerezo_ pic.twitter.com/fML1bbGi50

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 30, 2023

The album has been 3 years in the making and was written during one of the most challenging patches he had endured.

“It is a diary in sonical form,” he confessed.

“Noong pandemic ang dami reasons to stop it . ‘Ba’t ba ginagawa ko to?’ But for some reason, I always circle back to doing music. Natural na sa akin. It is my love for it,” the multi-instrumentalist added.

Santiago also added that it was music too, that helped him pull through.

“Makakaupo ako sa bahay makinig lang ako album. And I will be way better an hour after pakingan,” he shared.

He continued: “Sa creation, it is also a way for me to express things I cannot with just words. It is also my escape.”

His perseverance amid the trials ended in full bloom as the songs he produced at a time had nearly given up— landed him a spot in the South by Southwest’s inaugural leg in Sydney, Australia.

So far, Santiago is the only Filipino who made the cut in the latest line-up the conference and festival announced.

“Nag-submit kami and natangap. But we have a long way to go, especially funding. So I hope people can support our album and merch,” he said. “Wish us luck.”

The dubbed “festival of festivals” will debut in Australia on October 15-30.

Thus, if everything goes to plan, Santiago, whose birthday falls around those dates, will be turning 30 in front of an even bigger crowd as he takes his songs this time, on the global stage.

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