MANILA -- Tributes continue to pour in for 54-year-old bassist Ramon Antonio “Mon” Legaspi, who succumbed to cardiac arrest on Monday night.

“I was close to his parents. I lost touch with their children and so I was not aware how good he was as a musician. I will consider that one of my greatest disappointments in life,” veteran singer-actress-producer Celeste Legaspi told ABS-CBN News Tuesday morning in an online conversation.

Mon played bass for Wolfgang, The Dawn and, in recent years, another rock band Kontra.

“Mon is my first cousin. And I never got to sing with him. His father, Tito Simon, and my father were brothers,” she added.

Celeste is the daughter of National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi. “Tito Simon was an architect. Very handsome. Just like my papa.”

“I thought Mon was my nephew because he was younger than me. It was my son who corrected me, “Celeste told ABS-CBN News, referring to Ige Legaspi, who plays rhythm guitar for the rock band Generation. “[Ige] was the one who was in touch with Mon.”

“Rest in Peace Mon. My hugs to Tito Simon and Tita Linda,” Celeste said earlier in her social media post.

Mon died of cardiac arrest early Monday night, October 3, The Dawn’s official Facebook page announced on Monday. He was 54, as confirmed by his ex-wife, former radio personality Thelma Bowlen, in a separate Facebook post.

• READ: Mon Legaspi, bassist for The Dawn and Wolfgang, dies

Jett Pangan, vocalist of The Dawn, said in his social media account: “You left us too soon, brother. Thank you for the years of being a kick-ass bassist for The Dawn, for your musical legacy with Wolfgang and Kontra... and for being a damn good friend. Rest now, Mon.”

The present line-up of The Dawn is composed of Legaspi, Pangan, lead guitarist Francis “Kiko” Reyes, rhythm guitarist Rommel “Sancho” Sanchez and founding drummer JB Leonor.

Wolfgang, now in semi-hiatus, is a heavy metal-grunge rock group Legaspi formed with drummer Wolf Gemora, lead guitarist Manuel Legarda and vocalist Basti Artadi in 1992. Back then, he also occasionally jammed with Wolfgang’s twin band, Razorback. In the 1990s, the two groups almost always performed together in bar gigs in the metro and in provincial tours.

Gemora, in his official Facebook account, posted titles of Wolfgang’s songs whose lyrics were written by Legaspi. They are “Ilang Alon Ang Dala,” “Tulisan,” “Trenta,” “Idlip,” “Mula Sa Kamandag” and the hits, “Halik Ni Hudas” and “Mata Ng Diyos,”.

Gemora added Mon was the fourth bassist the band got who stayed on. “We had thought we were already complete with the acquisition of our first bassist. Then the next. And the next. But, it was only when Mon joined up that Wolfgang was finally complete.

“Never, ever settle for anyone or anything until you find the right person and/or situation that will make you thrive. RIP.”

Artadi posted an old video of Wolfgang performing “Natutulog Kong Mundo” with the caption: “I always hoped we had one more jam in us, RIP Mon”

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A post shared by Basti Artadi (@bastiartadi73)

‘Beast on bass, humble poet’

Wolfgang’s official Facebook page shared Manuel’s tribute: “I am in shock from hearing Mon’s passing. My bandmate and brother in Wolfgang. Music was one of Mon’s greatest passions and for my self and the rest of the Wolfgang family, we have been most fortunate to have had the chance to experience that passion in the music we created and brought to life on stage together.

“He was the beast on bass, the humble poet and consummate professional. Gone too soon. He will be missed. Rest in peace, Mon.”

With Wolfgang, Legaspi received for two consecutive years, 1996 and 1997, the Bassist of the Year trophy in the annual NU107 Rock Awards.

When Wolfgang went into hiatus from 2002 to 2007, Legaspi joined The Dawn from 2003 to 2005. He replaced its founding bassist, Carlos Balcells, who took a break to go back to his home province, Negros Occidental. Legaspi was able to record with The Dawn its eighth studio album, “Harapin,” released in 2004. It has the hit “Tulad Ng Dati,” which eventually became the title of the band’s semi-biopic for Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

When Legaspi left The Dawn in 2005, it was former Eraserheads bassist Buddy Zabala who took over. When Zabala left in 2016 for personal reasons, Legaspi returned as a touring member. At the time, Balcells has returned though occasionally going back and forth to Negros Occidental. Legaspi became The Dawn’s regular bassist until his passing.

Kontra is another rock band Legaspi formed in 2014 with vocalist-guitarist Jeyvi Castillo, lead guitarist Armand Quimpo, and drummer Francis Aquino, who was also with Wolfgang after Gemora left the band to live in the US.

Gemora told ABS-CBN News in an online message he is making a video eulogy for Mon that contains all details of his relationship with his former band mate. He said it will be up in two days.

Details of the wake and internment have yet to be announced.