Dong Abay


Westdon Martin Abay, popularly known as Dong Abay, is a poet and a Pinoy rock musician. He was the founding member, songwriter and lead vocalist of the bands Yano, Pan, and dongabay, which are now all defunct. In 2005, he pursued a solo career as an independent artist by releasing an album entitled Sampol. In 2017, he formed a rock band named Dong Abay Music Organization or D.A.M.O. while having other endeavors such as a songwriting school.

Biography

Personal life

Abay was born on April 5, 1971 in Manila, Philippines to Manuel Abay and Susana Martin. He is married to Ninj Botor Reyes. They have a son named Awit, born on May 15, 2002.

Career

Yano days

In 1992, Dong Abay, Eric Gancio and Larry Mapolon met in Patatag, a progressive vocal ensemble. After a year, they decided to form a band called NG with percussionist Renmin Nadela. Abay and Gancio remained and recruited musical arranger and bassist, Onie Badiang to the group. Eventually, the band's name was renamed to Yano. They recorded their demo at the home studio of alternative artist Joey Ayala in June 1993. One of the tracks, "Kumusta Na?," a song about the "EDSA Revolution", found its way to a local radio station where the group was first heard. This paved the way for Yano to become active in the local club circuit. Mayrics, Club Dredd, 70s Bistro were among the first clubs that Yano performed in. Drummers for the band included Nowie Favila, Nonong Timbalopez, Jun Nogoy and Harley Alarcon. In 1994, the band's self-titled debut album came out and spawned classic Filipino rock songs such as "Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo", "Tsinelas" and "Esem". This was followed by a string of successful concerts around the Philippine archipelago.
In 1994, at the height of Yano's popularity, Abay had to temporarily quit his schooling at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he was an Arts and Letters student, to pursue a career in music. Yano released 2 more albums under BMG, a major label : "Bawal" in 1996 and "Tara" in 1997. The eponymous debut album was first released under Alpha Records but was later re-issued by BMG.

Hiatus

During the late 1990s, Abay suffered from clinical depression after quitting Yano. He only stayed in his bedroom for five years. Although, Abay describe this episode as a self-imposed hiatus. He came out of depression while writing new songs set into poetry. He later called Badiang to borrow a guitar and jam.

Pan days

In 2002, Abay returned to the music scene and formed Pan together with Onie Badiang, former bassist of Yano. The outcome was an album titled "Parnaso ng Payaso". Some notable songs from the album include "Dumpsite", "Hula", "Mabuhay!" and "Rebolusyon". Pan played for the local rock circuit with bassist, Milo Duane Cruz and drummer Melvin Leyson.
In 2003, Abay decided to go back to school to finish his bachelor's degree. Thus, the demise of Pan. Aside from his music, Abay got busy exploring other medium and art forms like installation work, visual arts, photography to name a few. He also became busy lecturing and giving workshops around the country.

Solo career

In early 2005, Abay became an indie artist and initially released an EP called "Sampol" at the University of the Philippines as part of his undergraduate thesis. This work consists of acoustic tracks, which were later reborn as full-band pieces in "Flipino," released in May 2006. The album was produced by Robin Rivera, Abay's Art Studies professor in U.P. and album producer of The Eraserheads who eventually hired ex-Eraserheads Raimund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala to play in the entire album. "Flipino" proved Abay's relevance to Philippine music by releasing songs such as "Perpekto", "Bombardment" and "Tuyo" ". A month before that, Abay finally earned his degree of Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines after 18 long years.

2013-present

In 2013, he released a conceptual album called Rebulto, which focuses entirely on the Rizal Monument along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, and written from the perspective of Jose Rizal, considered one the Philippine National Heroes, for which the monument stand, in the present day. The lyrics are mostly written in the first person, except for a couple of tracks, notably, the first track, "Kilometro Zero", which is a collation of facts about the Rizal Monument, all lifted from Wikipedia. The album was also produced and performed by Raimund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala.
In 2017, he formed a band called Dong Abay Music Organization or D.A.M.O. and they plan to release an album entitled Humanidad funded through crowdsourcing.

Discography

Yano (album)

  1. Kumusta Na – 3:28
  2. Tsinelas – 2:44
  3. State U – 2:47
  4. Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo – 4:25
  5. Trapo - 3:23
  6. Iskolar Ng Bayan – 2:57
  7. Kaka – 2:03
  8. Esem – 3:38
  9. Travel Times - 4:47
  10. Mc'Jo – 2:51
  11. Coño Ka P're - 2:21
  12. Ate - 2;58
  13. Senti - 4:44
  14. Naroon - 3:16

    Bawal (album)

  15. Metro – 2:25
  16. Dayo – 4:15
  17. Askal – 3:25
  18. Bawal – 3:48
  19. Lahat – 4:58
  20. Ate – 2:59
  21. Astig – 3:08
  22. Sana – 5:07
  23. Diosdiosan – 3:10
  24. Pyutcha – 4:23

    Tara (Yano album)

All tracks by Dong Abay and Eric Gancio, except where noted.
  1. Ako Eric Gancio – 04:48
  2. Paalam Sampaguita – 03:39
  3. Tara – 04:46
  4. Kaklase – 04:45
  5. Abno – 04:36
  6. Mercy – 04:27
  7. Going Home – 04:30
  8. Me Mama Dong Abay, Eric Gancio and Onie Badiang – 04:37
  9. Shobis – 02:01
  10. War Eric Gancio – 03:49)
  11. Isa – 02:35

    Parnaso ng Payaso

  12. Mabuhay! - 3:37
  13. Kahimanawari - 4:11
  14. Rebolusyon - 4:36
  15. Hula - 3:32
  16. Kawatan - 4:12
  17. Dumpsite - 4:38
  18. Eko - 4:28
  19. Gusto - 4:38
  20. Precious - 3:44
  21. Tayo 2:59
  22. Huling Hiling - 2:59
  23. Totoy T. - 3:21
  24. Himig - 2:35
  25. Tagpuan - 4:23

    Solo career

  26. Awit ng Kambing - 2:48
  27. Kukote - 3:50
  28. Perpekto - 4:23
  29. Tuyo - 3:50
  30. Ay Buhay - 2:44
  31. Wwii - 3:23
  32. Solb - 4:53
  33. Segundo - 4:35
  34. Espasyo - 3:30
  35. Akrostik - 1:32
  36. Aba-Aba - 2:18
  37. Perpekto - 4:51
  38. Kukote - 4:13
  39. Awit ng Kambing - 3:32
  40. Tuyo - 3:42
  41. Mateo Singko - 3:49
  42. Dyad - 3:53
  43. Bombardment - 2:31
  44. Ay Buhay - 4:14
  45. Segundo - 4:57
  46. Solb - 5:06
  47. Wwiii - 3:40
  48. Kilometro Zero - 3:01
  49. Kikilos - 3:03
  50. Par Que - 3:01
  51. Anonymous - 3:16
  52. Rizal Day - 3:35
  53. Bagumbayan - 5:59
  54. Titigas - 3:57
  55. Hikahos from the video-documentary "Ilehitimong Utang" - 2:19
  56. Dasal from the album Balangiga 1901 with his previous band Pan - 4:41
  57. Ang Kailangan Gawin from the album "Anti-Corruption Songwriting Competition Finalists", written by Gary Granada - 3:09
  58. Casadores from the album " Supremo", with The Tanods - 3:23
  59. Ama Namin Written by Dong Abay for the Filipino crime-drama film "Honor Thy Father" by Erik Matti starring John Lloyd Cruz - 2:30
  60. Ama Namin The orchestrated version for the "Honor Thy Father" film trailer at the Contemporary World Cinema premiere of the Toronto International Film Festival in Ontario, Canada - 2:21
  61. Nasa Puso Ko the first musical collaboration of Dong Abay & Lourd de Veyra - 1:38
  62. Prometheus Unbound words by Jose F. Lacaba, 1973 and music by Dong Abay, 2015 - 6:24
  63. Aleluya Filipino version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", translated by Carina Evangelista - 6:57