Guitar Series - 3rd-G Cristobal

Photo description:  3rdG Cristobal and Paco Arespacochaga at Club LQ in New York City for INTRoVOYS' 2005 reunion tour

In my years at La Salle Greenhills, I would always see 3rdG messing with his rondalla (plectrum musical instrument). I wasn't impressed at all. I didn't care much about music back in 7th grade. But 3rdG was!

He wanted to be famous...and to that, I was able to relate. 

Fast forward to 1986, we were in our sophomore year when 3rdG told me he was ready to form a band. I was like... "There's no way you're bringing that rondalla up on stage,man!"  He assured me he was going to play guitars. What a relief. 

We set out to score our first rehearsal gig at a rehearsal place called Bootleg, located in White Planes Quezon City. I called the the place to book our band. The guy on the other end, who was kinda uninterested, ask the name of the band. 3rdG told me to say "InstruVoice" but for some reason, the guy booking our rehearsal misspelled it and wrote down INTRoVOYS!  How funny! But we didn't care.

3rdG and I brought in Jonathan Buencamino to jam with us.  The line up was 3rdG on guitars, Jonathan on keyboards and me on VOCALS.  We were to cover Depeche Mode's "Everything Counts In Large Amounts". Epic fail guys!

I was so out of tune in singing and Jonathan was more of a pianist than a keyboard/synth player. So we decided to let Jonathan take over the singing chore and I was to become... OBSOLETE!!! 

I didn't know how to play any musical instrument and I thought I could sing! There was my short lived dream of becoming famous, I thought to myself. I wanted to cry but decided to put up a straight face and just smiled as I watched Jonathan and 3rdG jam. 

3rdG didn't want me to feel left out so he ask me if I wanted to sit behind the drum kit. I said "yes" even if I didn't know how to play. But 3rdG knew what to do behind the drums and he taught me a rhythm I learned pretty fast! 

All three of us were surprised that I learned how to play my first beat in less than 5 minutes! I was desperate!

And we were all happy and excited about our first accomplishment.  

Looking back, I always go back to that moment when 3rdG healed my broken wing.  He knew I shared his dream and passion and he made sure I was part of the ride. I had learned more beats since then and have now considered myself a "drummer". But I will always be grateful to 3rdG Cristobal for encouraging me and for introducing me to an instrument that gave me a life other people can only dream of!

Guitarist Series - Otchot Cortes

Otchot Cortes
by Paco Arespacochaga



What would have happened to me as a musician if I hadn’t encountered Otchot Cortes in my life? Maybe, I really wouldn’t be into music the way I turned out to be. I don’t know.

One thing I do know, Otchot thought me how to appreciate music for what it is and for what I could do to alter it. Alter it? WOW!

Otchot Cortes influenced me intellectually. I didn’t care much about his guitar playing style. I was more interested in “why” he came up with a certain part for a certain song. I was more intrigued with his philosophy. I wanted to pick his brains out. He encouraged me to fill my intellect with its own philosophical approach so that my thoughts can permeate through my music, releasing the hook of the song. He was always good at creating the hook!

Every now and then, whenever I think of writing an interesting song or an interesting blog, I simply ask myself… “What would Otchot do?” And from that answer, the choice is mine to follow or go against what his thought process would have been. The results always make me smile!