I’ve always believed that labeling someone or something somehow puts a perimeter around the concerned entity, limiting movement and stifles the ability to grow or improve beyond its possible inherent capacity. There should be a sense of uniqueness in ourselves which we should really believe in. Individuality as we say it.

The phrase “names are for tombstones” was derived from the title of the biography of the dark psychedelic English band The Mission which is “Names are for tombstones, baby.” The phrase is both morbid and frank giving it that double-edged meaning. Ambiguity is a relative of namelessness I believe.

It's a great medium to get exposed. There's basically a limitless potential here to get heard.

I would support the idea of working with a major label, if and only if, you agreed only on publishing and distribution. I do not want to end up buying back my own music. Just the idea makes me shudder.

Names are for tombstones was just a pseudonym back in the mid 90’s during the time when I was still into writing as a hobby. It was just a creative outlet I used to express all the anger and frustration I felt that time.

I didn’t have any formal music training. I taught myself to play the guitar during my early teens but only started to do it quite seriously when I was in my mid-20s. I imitated what I heard, the voice, the bass line and the guitars. While listening to songs dear to me, I made it a point to dissect each one isolating each instrument and “recorded” the sounds in my mind. Back then I didn’t know how to read notes, and I still don’t.

In the latter part of the 90s, while recovering from a serious illness, like-minded friends who play instruments invited me to join them. I was on the drums. We played Pop Rock (they weren’t my compositions) and occasional favorite New Wave songs. It didn’t last long because the front man disappeared. The remainder, three of us, continued to play and started to gain chemistry (which was fueled by a solid and unpretentious brotherhood). We three will eventually become “names are for tombstones live.”

The three-piece only lasted for a few months as priorities of my other friends changed. My desire to perform is so intense that I mustered the courage to perform solo (which sounded logical too since I did all the tunes and managed the schedules) and I am still doing it that way. Onstage, I am armed with a laptop that functions as a drum and groove machine, a guitar and a keyboard that I play alternately. I sing on top of it all.

Define your sound.
I would admit that there’s no new ground broken. You would hear other artists in my works since my inspiration comes from The Masters both of old and new. Since this was meant as a creative outlet (for angst or what have me), the sound is almost often heavy, dark and brooding. Imagine the sound of a machine complaining! But no matter how morbid the product might be, the themes usually revolve around love (and its pains) and general living (and its pains).

Given that premise, and the fact that I did all this alone, the end product is very personal. More like the sound becomes me or an ultimate form of self-expression. And since also that I am alone, I resorted to the use of technology to fill the “missing pieces.” Computers are lovely tools, the best machine man has invented. And I have the needed skills and patience to make technology work for me. An interesting machination.

Where have you played?
There won’t be any live gigs if Ms. Giselle Roque had not been insistent (not complaining here). And I owe a lot to her for writing a short article about me, plus the Subkulture guys (Doi Porras and DJ Runeschadow) for finding me a venue to be heard.

To date, names are for tombstones is a member of music movements and organizations like Subkulture, Back To The Edge, Undying Symphonies, An Elysium and Electronica Manila. Joining these movements I have been able to play at Mayric’s, Caliente, Gweilos Makati & Libis, 6 Underground, Saguijo and Manila DJ Club and the defunct Millennia and Rock 2 Metal.

Any recorded material?
Yes. There’s the Phantoms mini-album containing 10 original tracks. There’s also enough material for a second (Watari’s Machine) and third (The Heavier Burden) collection but since the first has not been pushed so far yet, I will forgo their realization until the right time has arrived. In comparison to Phantoms which is “moody and atmospheric” I describe the other two as "back-to-the-basics electro" and "heavier and darker" respectively.

For more information:
http://namesarefortombstones.com
http://myspace.com/tombstones
http://www.soundclick.com/namesarefortombstones
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tombstones

Gabriel Faure, Johann Sebastian Bach, Samuel Barber, Antonio Vivaldi, Piotr Tchaikowsky, the Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Chameleons UK, the Mission UK, the Sisters of Mercy, Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Care, the Wild Swans, the Lotus Eaters, LOTS!!!

FL Studio 5.0
Fruity Loops 3.5
Fruity Loops 2.0
Hammerhead Rythm Station
Cakewalk Sonar 6
Cakewalk Pro Audio 9
M-Audio AXIOM 61 Keyboard Controller
Yamaha UX16 USB MIDI Interface
Casio CTK-451 (Toy) Keyboard
Compaq Presario V3532 Notebook
Toshiba Satellite A100 Notebook
Samick SX802 8-input mixer
Hamer "Slammer" Electric Guitar
Fernando Acoustic Guitar (with active pickup)
Zoom 505II Multi-FX Pedal