Repost: Power Of Pop Interview

Reposted from Power Of Pop website. View original post Here.
Interview by Rebecca Lincoln. Answers by Clementine. Photo by Charles Buenconsejo.

The Camerawalls (from L-R: Law Santiago, Clementine, Ian Sarabia)

Who are The Camerawalls and how was it formed?

The band comprises of Ian Sarabia, Law Santiago and myself. It was formed after my stint with Orange & Lemons (a short lived local pop sensation), with an ardent desire to channel whatever creative juices left in my system with the help of two long time friends and aficionados back in 2007.

Who are the influences for The Camerawalls?

Our obvious influences include The Beatles, The Smiths and various guitar pop bands from the 80s and 90s.

What’s the dynamics of the band?

Ian occasionally co-writes and shares eureka moments with me but spends more time behind the drum kit. Law is our silent lucid bassist. I’m the melody maker and chief songwriter of The Camerawalls. I do vocal duties and perform the following instruments on our recordings: acoustic/electric guitars, the indigenous octavina and banduria.

Why do you play music?

Aside from the usual rationale like money and fame, we play music as a creative outlet to give a home to our songs, including exciting ideas and musical prospects. Performing also refines our act and gives us a lot of contacts. We see it as a profession but at the end of the day, we do it because it’s fun. Our music will eventually stagnate if we do not play it. Personally, I do this as a legacy. When you’re worn out and old, it’s nice to look back 20 or 30 years knowing you did something special, if not great.

Your previous album, “Pocket Guide To The Other World,” released in July 2008, was well received in the Philippines. Any plans to record another album? And if there were plans, any idea what it would sound like? Would it be very different from “Pocket Guide To The Other World,”?

We just recorded two new songs intended for a compilation album under Lilystars Records, my indie record label, entitled “The Sight of Love” and “Longevity.” It’s just a matter of time before we release it, maybe before Christmas when everything gets back to normal after a couple of deadly typhoons, which placed the Philippines under a state of calamity. A new full-length album is also in the works come 2010. It’s not a habit of mine to repeat what I did from previous works, so it’s safe to say that the sound would definitely evolve.

What was involved in the recording process for the album?

Normally, the lyrics come first. It’s much easier to put proper dynamics, melody and arrangement to a song when you already know what you will be singing about.

What was the lyrical process for making the album?

For “Pocket Guide To The Otherworld,” the lyrics are very personal. It was mostly related to current experiences and sentiments during the times we were developing the album and the band. Some of the lyrics hide facts behind profound words while others portray real emotions. We try to be real as much as we can and challenge ourselves in the process.

How much has changed since the album was released?

A lot has changed. We are happier now, more confident and very open to different musical stylings. We are still promoting the debut album and doing a lot of small gigs. Being indie gives us limited exposure and attention. A lot of people haven’t heard of us yet and we try to reach out to as many people as we can. And we hope this Power of Pop interview will make a difference. 🙂

Do you have any plans to play in Singapore?

We were once invited to play in Esplanade by a local promoter from the Philippines a few months ago but our bassist encountered problems with his passport so we were regretfully unable to make it. Given another opportunity, we won’t say no to playing in Singapore or the neighboring Asian countries.

What’s the future plans for The Camerawalls?

Our long-term plan would be to release and record 10 albums. 1 down, 9 to go. We also want to perform in at least 20% of the total number of countries in the world. There are more or less 195 countries in the world, which gives us a figure of around 40 countries. 1 down, 39 to go. 🙂