Bamboo ... Questions, no more.

News of Bamboo Mañalac going solo is something that many has probably expected as early as the time he left Rivermaya. But instead of doing so, he teamed up with also former Mayan Nathan Azarcon and formed Bamboo, the band. But it's just prologing the agony, yeah?

Now that he has decided to do it on his own, finally, people are more excited to see and know where the tides would take him. Like his namesake of a plant, is now back and rocking hard!

When Bamboo Mañalac came into the Philippine music scene in 1994 via the band Rivermaya, he immediately made a mark as the country's leading, most exciting and captivating vocalist. Who else can sing a mushy song and still be able rock your head or jump with your fist up high but Bamboo. And who can make us  sing life's angst, thru the anthemic Awit ng Kabataan and Noypi, without getting to the streets and start a rally?  Nobody, but Bamboo.

We first saw him as the scrawny, wide-eyed, skin-head and timid 16-17 yrd old (?) on the  release of Rivermaya, the album, in 1994. Though he was the vocalist, he chose to remain in the background during interviews and set breaks, letting his bandmates do most of the talking. He is a man of a few words, as they say. But once he step on the stage and grab the mic, he is transformed into a beast! His locks, girations and stage slides  is so lovely to watch you would want to jump on the stage and sing with him.  To borrow Mo Twister's words, "You're an animal!". He always gives out a solid, rocking and pumped up performance, even when he's just wearing cargo pants and slippers.

His husky, solid voice is capable to  give different takes on each song, may it be a cheesy Tagalog song as Ulan, or the political Mr. Clay, and even the funky Probinsyana.

As he embarks on a new phase in his music life, being a solo artist, Bamboo, now 34, is giving us a taste of what to expect from him with his haunting first single Questions. He is scheduled to launch his album No Water, No Moon sometime November. His hair has grown, which I love more, personally, and he's finally allowing himself to be heard - abount his plans, his background, his past, his music. Well, I should say he's being more outspoken, being a solo artist that he is now. And boy, he is very eloquent. Even when he is speaking, it feels like he is singing. His solo venture is promised to contain songs that somehow deviates from the usual band sound, giving us more instrumentations, and other facets of his range. Sounds exciting and something to really look forward to.

You can check out this podcast of one of his interview with  Mo Twister.