si binky lampano – idol kong artist. he may not be as big as the e-heads or parokya ni edgar, but binky lampano is in my top 10 list of the best rockers in the philippines.

he’s right up there with pepe, bosyo, lolita carbon, sampaguita and the jerks in my list. watch these guys perform live and you’ll know what i mean. sayang nga lang, you won’t have the chance to watch edmund “bosyo” fortuno because he is already playing drums, right alongside keith moon, john bonham and gene krupa, in that great big rock and roll gig in the sky.

nasan na ba ako… ah ok. binky lampano.

i still have his tape at home. tangina kasi, hindi gumawa ng CD ang record company niya eh. pinapakinggan ko ito from time to time pag nasa pilipinas kami. nung araw parati akong may balita tungkol sa kanya dahil maraming beses na siyang nakasama ni dante, sa mga concerts at minsan naiimbita sa pinoy rock and rhythm show niya sa RJ.

jet and i watched BINKY and the NIC in makati for 2 straight weekends many many moons ago. there weren’t many people but it was one of the best concerts we have ever attended. he is one hell of a guy to watch live, i can tell you that.

he also played with the jerks and tropical depression during the benefit concert for the brain surgery of my brother dante. they sang “reklamo ng reklamo“, covered the doors’ “riders on the storm” and for their finale sang van morrison’s classic, “G-L-O-R-I-A“, with papadom, rolling on the stage and stealing the show.

while searching the net, napansin ko na may website pala si binky. mayron siyang Lampano Alley at naron lahat ng information sa mga bago niyang material. mayron din siyang menu page kung saan napansin ko na lahat ng kantang binaggit niya dito eh nasa play list ng MP3 player ko. ang galing man.

paglabas ko kaninang umaga, binubulong ni John Lennon sa kanang tenga ko ang “a day in the life”. ang pinakamadangdang kanta ng BEATLES ang nagsimula sa aking paglalakad. i couldn’t ask for anything more.

“I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph.”

recorded in stereo by the great george martin during the 1960’s. dinig na dinig ko ang separation ng mga tracks sa headphone ko habang pababa sa elevator. instruments on my left ear, john lennon on my right.

i have my music to accompany me in my walks and measure distance in terms of songs. here we go…

i’m in the street now and make the first turn, Rod Stewart sings “have i told you lately”. i smile and remember my good friend mon, singing this song in a karaoke in manila many moons ago. i decide that van morrison does it much better.

nasa central market na ako by this time at kakalampas ko palang ng mcdo. bob seger sings … “we’ve got tonight”. a great song na binaduy ni kenny rogers at sheena easton. sino na nga ba yung pakingsheet na boy band na lumapastangan din nito? naalala ko rin, pinatugtog itong kantang tunkol sa infidelity nung kasal nang pareng boyet ko. papalapit na ako sa NTUC chalet at si bob seger pa rin with “still the same”. bumibilis ang lakad ko at sumasabay sa beat…

“You always won, everytime you placed a bet
You’re still damn good, no one’s gotten to you yet
Everytime they were sure they had you caught
You were quicker than they thought
You’d just turn your back and walk”

medyo ganada na ako by this time when muddy waters goes into high gear and sings “mannish boy”. i look back as i walk and remember watching him sing this song in Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz many years ago with my brothers and sisters. once again i am seven years old and am mezmerized by the blues. i also remember this is the first time i hear neil young sing “helpless”.

i am in the homestretch now on my last kilometer or so. in a fit of synchronicity, neil young sings “after the gold rush”.. his piano and his voice sounds like its coming from inside my head and i get goose bumps. an indian man is tending the front lawn of a housing block. i smell the smell of newly cut grass and automatically close my eyes. i am transported back to my little garden in antipolo.

malapit na ako sa blue mosque sa likod ng flat namin when i hear the intro of elton john’s “mona lisa’s and madhatters”. magandang kanta to end my morning walk. i go up the flat, peep inside and see jet. i remember the night we watched sir elton here in singapore.

it’s nearly lunch time at naaamoy ko na ang adobong pinapainit ni jet. lagot, isip isip ko. marami na naman akong makakain nito. gardemet, if this morning walk does not reduce my weight, at least it keeps me sane.