Ely Buendia is alive, contrary to hoax

photo taken duiring the Cinemalaya party july 23, 2011

The above picture could have been one of Ely Buendia's last picture. I chanced  upon him at around 3:00 a.m. of  July 24, 2011 at the Cinemalaya Party in Harborview CCP complex. Just last Friday, his band Pupil launched their video for their single 20/20. On Saturday, they played at the after party of Quark Henares' Rakenrol film premiere at Cinemalaya.

A rumor circulated through SMS announcing the death of one of Filipino music legends and Pupils’ lead vocalist, Ely Buendia. The rumor of Buendia's death spread like wildfire. . The rumor reached the internet via social networks, Twitter and Facebook. The message which says “We Love You Ely.. Ely Buendia pass away, at exactly 12:17am july 26, 2011 due to cardiac arrest bcoz of ruptured aneurysm. He arrived critical in St. Lukes, emergency department, E. Rodriguez Ave. QC. After a Gig party for an advertisement of a bottling company. Pls. Pass to all fans.” quickly upset fans, sending their condolences to his family and friends.

But contrary to what has been spreading, Ely Buendia is still alive.Apparently this rumor is false. This was confirmed by Ely himself in his Twitter account. “Next time na may magkalat pa na patay na ‘ko di na talaga ‘ko maniniwala.” A message was also posted on the official Facebook website of Pupil, saying that he is still alive.

my only photo wiith my roomates buddy and raymund during college days

I know Ely even before they became the infamous Eraserheads. Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan were my roommates for two years at the Molave Dorm during my last college years at the UP Diliman (1989 to 1991) before I was booted out from the dorm since I already finished my B.S. Economics in March 1991. Our room was identified as “AS 101”, with high ceiling and huge windows,  which was at the end of the second floor of the Molave boys’ wing. Ely Buendia’s room was also at the second floor, a few steps away from AS 101 I think in front of the shower room. Marcus Adoro was a regular “visitor” at our room, who was staying at the Narra dorm, and  sleeps  in an extra cushion being pulled out underneath Raimund’s bed. During my birthday in 1990, I did not go home to Las Pinas and instead celebrated my birthday with Buddy over  ice cream while watching an old film at the TV room.  Buddy is a bookworm who loves to stay inside our room in contrast to  Raimund’s gimikero character who usually arrives late in the evening  and misses the breakfast as he wakes up late.   Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. Everytime they made our room as their “practice area” I usually go out since I can not study due to the “noise” they are creating.  It was beyond my comprehension that the “noise” that I tried to avoid made them known as one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the OPM  history earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines”Moral of the story: never downplay small things, however annoying they can be. Guys that are noisemakers  can reverberate through history as musical icons.

The first reunion concert was cut short when Buendia collapsed backstage after the first set.

Rumors of his death also circulated following the concert, but Buendia was alive and well, despite having undergone his third angioplasty since 2007.

 It seems it is indeed just a bad joke, although it is unclear who started it, or why it was started in the first place.

eraserheads, my roomates

(a reposting of March , 2009 fb notes)
Hey  they were  my roommates!

Perhaps, that is a statement that I can say with pride as I watched the “Eraserheads: the Final Set” at the MOA grounds  last  March 7, 2009, Saturday night, along with an estimated crowd of “more than a hundred thousand” fans.

            Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan were my roommates for two years at the Molave Dorm during my last college years at the UP Diliman (1989 to 1991) before I was booted out from the dorm since I already finished my B.S. Economics in March 1991. Our room was identified as “AS 101”, with high ceiling and huge windows,  which was at the end of the second floor of the Molave boys’ wing. Ely Buendia’s room was also at the second floor, a few steps away from AS 101 I think in front of the shower room. Marcus Adoro was a regular “visitor” at our room, who was staying at the Narra dorm, and  sleeps  in an extra cushion being pulled out underneath Raimund’s bed. During my birthday in 1990, I did not go home to Las Pinas and instead celebrated my birthday with Buddy over  ice cream while watching an old film at the TV room.  Buddy is a bookworm who loves to stay inside our room in contrast to  Raimund’s gimikero character who usually arrives late in the evening  and misses the breakfast as he wakes up late.   Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch.

            Everytime they made our room as their “practice area” I usually go out since I can not study due to the “noise” they are creating.  It was beyond my comprehension that the “noise” that I tried to avoid made them known as one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the OPM  history earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines”.

            I had no intention at that time to watch the concert. I’d rather see them in person again over  dinner or coffee and reminisce our dorm days. It was a last minute plan due to proddings of my friend Atty. Shiela, who called from Thailand three days before the concert  and insisted that we watch them upon her arrival. And we did watch “UP Sunken Garden” style, watching and  listening from the periphery. We stood in front of Starbucks just outside the main VIP entrance at the right side of the stage. From our location, we can see four big screens placed at the top of the stage, with each screen showing one member of the band.

My roommates  performed most of the materials during their early days, or from their first three albums namely Ultraelectromagneticpop! (1993) Circus and Cutterpillow (1995) Majority of the songs included in the mentioned albums were highly popular as they were all released at the time the Eraserheads were at the peak of their game. Colorful fireworks adorned the evening sky as the final strains of “Huling El Bimbo” reverberated from the speakers.The band came back to do a three-song encore composed of “Ligaya,” “Sembreak,” and “Toyang.”

            Moral of the story: never downplay small things, however annoying they can be. Guys that are noisemakers  can reverberate through history as musical icons.