The Animates

In this post, I am going to talk about my band - The Animates. We were all students of TSU-LS back then. Jem, Daniel and I were first year students. I formed a band with my classmates, Daniel formed a band with his older brothers who are in the 3rd year class and Jem was an officer of the school's glee club. Daniel and I competed against each other. Neither of us won. During our sophomore year, it was the same scenario. Only this time, Daniel's band was at the winning end, and my band lost. Rose, Edward, Zeke were first year students back then and they were in the audience except for Zeke. He and his band also joined the competition and if I'm not mistaken, his band grabbed third place. Third year, same setting but this time, my band won. Edward played drums for the fourth year boy scout students. Rose and Zeke joined the Acoustic battle.

Senior year came and the university organized an inter-college battle of the bands. Daniel and I decided to form a band together with Edward and Zeke. We recruited Daniel's younger brother Kevin and his friend whom we shall call Dats. Kevin and Dats played rhythm and lead guitars respectively. Zeke played the bass, Edward on drums, Daniel on keyboards and backup vocals and I was the front man. We were called "The Tumblebugs"

A week after our performance, Jem - President of the Glee Club talked to me about forming a band to represent the school in a competition. Mr. Douglas Ferrer, the school's performing arts adviser called us up. But he left Kev and Dats behind. He included Jem and Rose. So the lineup of the band was now Jem on rhythm guitar, Rose on lead vocals, Edward on percussion, Zeke on bass and backup vocals, Daniel on keyboards and vocals and Heintje on lead guitars and backup vocals.

January  2011. We are having trouble with our name. The first name we thought of was "HEX" and it was a damn bad name hahahaha. One week later, The Animates was formed. "anim - 6 in filipino" and "mates - for bandmates" So basically we are 6 bandmates. We went on to win the competition and we were crowned Youthfest 2k11 Champions. We also won The TSU-LS Musicfest 2011 beating Dats' band. We now play gigs at different events with different lineups. We have plenty of reserves with the likes of Kev, Dats, Henry, Inah.

Daniel, Edward, Zeke and I also formed an all-male band to compete on several battles. We were known as HYDE. Still, there's nothing like playing good music with the original members of The Animates.

L-R: Daniel Mallari, Rose Del Rosario, Heintje Mendoza, Jem Galeon, Zeke Alagano, Edward Quiben