Aegis has been around for 25 years, but all seven members of the pop-rock band responsible for such iconic hit songs as “Halik,” “Luha,” “Basang-Basa Sa Ulan” and “Christmas Bonus” admit to feeling jittery just before they hit the stage for a show.
“Parang bumabalik pa rin ’yung dati (Seems like the past is coming back),” said Juliet Sunot, who, with the help of her fellow vocalists and sisters Mercy Sunot-Borja and Ken Sunot, has created a whole new singing style using her impossibly powerful and intense vocals.
Juliet is referring to the time when they put together Aegis with four musicians who, like them, came from different bands, thus the fond term “latak” (residue). They are Rowena Pinpin-Adriano (bassist), Stella Pabico (keyboardist), Rey Abenoja (guitarist) and Vilma Goloviogo (drummer).
The first demo recording they made was rejected by music labels “kasi baduy daw” (because tacky), recalled Juliet. “Ang ano nila talaga sa Aegis before, baduy daw. (That’s how they saw us before — tacky).”
But with persistence, hard work and a gold mine of hit songs courtesy of Rey’s composer-brother Celso Abenoja, the group finally found success in the music industry and an enviable spot in pop culture. Their songs even inspired the creation of the blockbuster original musical Rak of Aegis by the Philippine Educational Theater Association.
Special guest
Aegis just kept performing over the years, defying music trends and the emergence of new bands. This Wednesday night (20 December), they are set to conquer The Theater at Solaire in Parañaque City with AEGIS: The Christmas Bonus Concert. They will have as a special guest another Pinoy music icon, Jose Mari Chan, whose name has become synonymous with the Yuletide season because of his legendary holiday song, “Christmas in Our Hearts.”
The band members are mum on what they will be performing with the singer-songwriter referred to as the “Father of Philippine Christmas Music,” only that their number is something to watch for. Adding more spice to the concert are the 15-piece orchestra The Manila String Machine and P-Pop soloist FELIP (aka Ken of SB19).
Speaking of Christmas, the band members believe it’s the most wonderful time of the year, with or without getting a Christmas bonus. It’s about celebrating with family, after all, though the Sunot sisters will have to try to be extra-merry this year because they no longer have their father, who passed away last August.
The Aegis members are like many Filipinos who celebrate with some karaoke singing. “Pero hindi Aegis songs ang kinakanta namin (But we don’t sing Aegis songs),” Mercy said. Their younger relatives, such as nieces and nephews, are usually the ones who belt out those vocally-challenging tunes during family gatherings.
There are exceptions, said Juliet, like when they get requests from guests at their parties. Otherwise, they usually opt for a medley of songs by foreign bands Air Supply and Abba, along with Filipino acts Kitchie Nadal and even SB19.