I recently got to pick-up a copy of Charmin's first full-length live cd, Bagong Puga-Live At Last!. Recorded on mini-disc at their most recent performance at Bindelstiff Studios for the piNoisepop Roadkill Tour, the 13 track cd features all of the songs they play live. It also includes an added bonus, a glorious punk reading of a shakespeare sonnet by resident
punkwordist, Rupert Estanislao of Eskapo.

The album opens with some kind words from the hosts of
the piNoisepop Roadkill show, Annie Koh and Titania.
"I have to say I have their sticker on my day planner
and everyday I look at it, it makes me so happy.", Annie announces. Charmin tears into their set with "Maria" where halfway through the song, James is distracted somehow and forgets 2 lines of the song. The next song "Pank" is an homage of sorts to the lead singer's background and influences. This has got to be one of the shortest songs I've ever heard (then again, all thier songs are only about 3 minutes long). As someone from the audience yells out "CHOW MIN!", crashing cymbals and rapidfire snares provided by Ogie Gonzalez bring in another short song but a faovrite
for animal lovers, "Cats and Dogs". You gotta love the
cat, dog, and cow noises made by Alex on back-up vocals. You can hear the crowd singing along to "Blood, Sweat & Tears", the next number. Towards the end you can hear various growlers in the audience as the energy level mounts. Someone screams out "balikbayan box!" as Charmin rips into "Bicycle" (yet another short song). The same person yells out
"balikbayan box!" once again at the end of the song.
Slowing it down with his ode to a girl who buys soda and chips and doesn't eat it, Alex makes it mellow with, none other than, "Soda & Chips". This is another crowd singalong favorite with the chorus "bye, bye, buh-bye...buh-bye, bye bye bye...". Leading right into "She", a little ditty about a girl, I think. This is one of the more romantic songs in their catalog.
During this song, Alex breaks one of his guitar strings. You can hear him yell out, "Pahiram naman ng gitara!" to the audience. Rupert of the Vallejo-based punk band Eskapo lends a hand with a reading of a Shakespeare sonnet to calm the crowd down as the energy escalates into a frenzy. All in the name of punk rock! James introduces the next song, a Tagalog number, with "To all the ate's and manangs who work as domestic helpers...this is "Diaspora". This song has all the right elements. A conscience laden fun track that makes you want to do the jerk and pogo. Gotta love the bassline. This is definitely one of my favorites! Especially when Alex says Quiapo early in the song. Represent! If you've seen them live, towards the end of the track they pause and Ogie gets up from his drum kit hittin his 2 sticks together while the other members hold up their fist. Solidarity! "A" is the next track. This song used to be called "Angry Song" but I was told that James just wanted a title with a letter...hence "A". I used to just listen to this song and bob my head at their shows but when I was told the gist of the song, I got a clearer
understanding. Ask one of the members the next time you see them. I really dig the exchange of guitars between Jesse and Alex on this track. Coming to the homestretch of the album/set is "SpaceTrip". This song was performed previously as "Alex song" up until he came up with the clever title. Another romantic number written under a clear blue sky and the full moon smiling down upon you. How f**kin' sweet. As James yells out ULAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN, you know it's "Rain". If you don't understand Tagalog, ask somebody who does coz some of their songs are sang in the native tongue.
More crunchy guitars from Jesse searing you like a nice bloody piece of steak. "Rain, rain go away come again another day...Pumapatak na naman ang ulan sa bubong ng bahay..." Another "only live" moment is hearing Rupert growling "rain rain go away..." on the mic. Two hits on the snare can only mean one thing...the song everyone loves, the song I affectionately refer to as Charmin's anthem, "Balikbayan Box". Kudos to Alex for writing the lyrics
that so many of us Flips can relate to whether you're
American born or Philippine born. Where else can you hear the audience, Pilipino and non-Pilipino alike singing along to the chorus, "Balik-balik-balik Balikbayan box Balik-balik-balik Balikbayan box." As the last words heard on this cd, "Holy s**t!" is the only way to describe their live set. Complete with
toilet paper strewn and hung all over the place, not to mention the ocassional roll thrown around the crowd. A great cd to have in your collection. The package alone gets my vote for keepin it DIY (a plastic baggie w/ a burned cd and a big handwritten postal sticker with the songlist on the back and
another smaller signature 'Hello My Name is Charmin' sticker for your sticking pleasure). Pinoy pank at it's best!

by BoogiepopPhantom / May 2002

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