Drummer Miguel Hernandez of Wilderness said that when their band started, it was “love at first jam.” He explains, “We just started playing—nothing rehearsed, nothing prepared, and we all recognized the beautiful chemistry.” And luckily, they don’t disappoint, making hipstrumental music for your crushes, for the heartbroken, and everything in between. Get to know more about Miguel, Jorge Wieneke (effects and ambience), Mau Torralba (lead guitar), Chiko Hernandez (percussion), Pat Sarabia (percussion and management), Allan Malabanan (bass), their love for the Backstreet Boys, and their pornstar/coffee farmer dreams if they weren’t too occupied with tripping our ears.
Hey guys! What’s up?
Jorge Wieneke: Being sucked into the internet’s black hole.
Chiko Hernandez: Just finished doing homework. Hehehehe
Allan Malabanan: Watching S Club 7 music videos.
Miguel Hernandez: Sitting on the cold floor of my room with no pants on while I twirl my leg hair thinking, “Where the fuck did my wallet go?”
Mau Torralba: Studying my ass off.
Pat Sarabia: Just woke up from a nap. It’s 7pm. Waiting for dinner.
How did you guys come together? How did you come up with the name Wilderness?
Allan M: Mau and I used to bake muffins and jam to Rage Against the Machine and The Mars Volta on weekends. Miguel and I were classmates and were frustrated because our own respective bands were defunct. Seeing the opportunity to join forces, we set up a jam and it was like a lovely first date. Everything started falling into place with Chiko joining in on percussion and Pat as manager and percussion as well. All in all, we just wanted to make music and express what the voices in our heads were dying to say, unadulterated and unfiltered. Our first choice for a name was “The Plains,” but Miguel later thought of “The Wilderness”. After removing the “the”, we were more than satisfied. It just fit.
What makes a Wilderness song?
Chiko H: An “orchestrated” jam between honest, pure musicians. The beauty of Wilderness, for me, is that I found my soulmates. Any beat, note, or chord they strike possesses me and makes my soul explode, making me dance, move, play, shout in ways that satisfy me more than any experience I’ve ever encountered.
Allan M: The songwriting process for Wilderness is pretty random. “El Toro El Matador” was made from just jamming and jamming. “Tom Cruz” was made one night in Japan. I got out of the shower and found Mau sitting on the bed playing with my bass and he said “Check this out!” After he played the riff, we started jumping excitedly around our hotel room like little schoolgirls. Our songs are basically an orgy of thoughts and ideas glued together by lustful, gut-wrenching transitions.
Miguel H: Love. Wilder.
Mau T: We create ideas then we make it intercourse with each other.
Pat S: All our life experiences compressed in a hadouken.
You guys put down people like the Backstreet Boys, Jolina Magdangal, and The Village People as some of your influences. Could you tell us more about that?
Allan M: What’s not to love about the Backstreet Boys? Back in the third grade, my bestfriend lent me his Backstreet Boys cassette tape. I played that tape on repeat every night and would sing and dance in my room as if I was in a music video. It was my first love affair with music.
Miguel H: I used to fantasize of being a Backstreet boy. Their songs are immortal just like Celine dion’s!! I want a chieftain outfit, and Jolina can kiss my nutsack.
Mau T: The first album I ever bought was a cassette of Black and Blue by the Backstreet Boys. My favorite song from that album was “Get Another Boyfriend.” Heck, I even voted for it on Vid Ok, but they said, “It’s not on the charts,” but I told them to still put it there, and that “Drowning” sounds like an old vegetable trying to regain consciousness as compared to the young, zesty and brash 11 y/o who got jealous coz the girl he likes happens to be in love with a douchebag in “Get Another Boyfriend.”
Pat S: I love the Backstreet Boys. I still do. It was the first casette tape I owned, their first album. I liked kevin, then he quit. Booooo. I watched their concert in Manila (w/o him) anyway.
Best post-gig grub?
Chiko H: Noodles and siomai
Allan M: Two baluts and chicharon if we’re playing at SaGuijo. Otherwise, shawarma with lots of ass-burn sauce and an icy cold banana shake!
Miguel H: Beer=liquid bread
Mau T: Balut, noodles, sometimes fishballs, and Shawarma Snack Center kebabs!
Pat S: Balut. Forever and ever.
Musicians normally have day jobs to fund the passion, but let’s forget about what you guys really do for a living. What would be your “dream” day job, other than being full-time musicians?
Jorge W: Grower of dream herbs. I wanna own a coffee farm. Lol.
Chiko H: Pro surfer.
Allan M: I would like to own my own sandwich & milkshake cafe, as well as a giant white tiger I can ride on across the country. Also, my childhood dream of being a pro footballer.
Miguel H: Coffee grower or pornstar.
Mau T: I hope to pass the bar exam and become a lawyer in 4-5-6 years.. Then I’ll try to be the counsel for dubious personalities, and rake in the millions, so I can engage in competitive giant white tiger racing with Allan. I also want to manage a cock farm with state-of-the-art security, because I love my cock and I don’t want my cock to be taken away from me.
Pat S: I’d want to learn culinary and specialize in Japanese cuisine. Or perhaps be a sommelier.
What’s next for Wilderness?
Allan M: We’re working on some new material. I’m very excited to see how our full-length album will turn out since we’ve been expanding our member line-up with some really talented musicians.
Miguel H: More music! Hopefully some collabs with vocalists/other instrumentalists.
twitter.com/wildernessph
Introduction by Reena Mesias
Interview by Rita Faire
Photos by Red Rivera
For the full story, grab a copy of STATUS December-January 2012 issue
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