Subterrania Sessions: Getting to know Luis G. Katigbak

Our worn and weary copy of Luis Katigbak's 'The King of Nothing to do'
Apparently our niece turned the cover into a canvas for her 'art'.

A few years ago my sister-in-law gifted Paul with a compilation of essays by award-winning fictionist Luis Joaquin G. Katigbak. Paul excitedly told me how the author was a high school batchmate of Ate Anne's (Paul's sister). I read a few essays and was both entertained and amused, I didn't get to finish the book and it made it's way up our book shelf to sit among our other treasured paperbacks.

Fast forward to having our days revolve around work and the blog, the blog being divided into event coverage, photoshoots and writing about music, movies, books and you probably know whatever else that makes it to our little spot in cyberspace. 

Last January 31, 2016, we were originally planning to see "The Big Short" in the cinema but we got a message from Ate Anne asking if we wanted to go to a benefit gig at Route 196. We saw the event poster and was thrilled to find out that the line up of performers was nothing short of legends in the OPM Scene. Further exchange with Ate revealed that this was a benefit gig for Luis Katigbak, who is currently battling complications with diabetes, the very same writer whose collection of essays I (naively) put up on our shelf.

I grabbed a chair and like a 5 year old toddler got up to reach the book and I simply continued where I left off, an old photo of me and my siblings still marking the page. Reading it again, was just like catching up with an old friend and his crazy stories and thoughts about life in general. I have never had the pleasure of meeting Luis, but reading his essays, you sort of get an idea of the 'man behind the pen' or at least that side of him that he shared on paper. 

You wouldn't want to make him angry, he can get pretty creative with a box of matches and a bottle of alcohol (I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that) and I couldn't help but laugh about one story of him and his friends getting lost on their way to Malate. These essays were written in the early 2000, when there was no navigational apps like Waze, to make sure you are not kidnapped in Tondo. 

Since Ate had to be at work early Monday morning, you can say that by all intents and purposes Paul and I stood as her proxy. I really didn't know what to expect at the gig, it was going to be an older crowd for sure (which suits me just fine since no one would be calling me 'Ate Ica'). 

Just like Tom's Story's album launch, which took place the day before, Route 196 was filled to the brim with people and it seemed to be a weird déjà vu. When we opened the door to a packed bar, it was that weird déjà vu feeling again but instead of young millennials, it was your Titos and Titas on a Sunday night out. 

We got to hear the legendary cackle of Dong Abay of Yano as he performed the classic 'Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo' and that's definitely one for the books! 

Ciudad performed next and I really liked their set as it was reminiscent of early 2000 pop-rock. I enjoyed the harmonies and the easy going melodies...hold that thought (opens Spotify, follows Ciudad and listens to a few tunes)...there :) I hope to see more of them soon and can anyone point me to where to get a copy of their physical CDs? #CDsNotDead

I don't think I've ever seen a bouncer in Route 196 which is relatively a small bar but then there he was, big in built and sature, firm in how he got the different artists to and from the stage safety, without being drowned in arms, hands and requests for selfies. 

If you asked me, it was a good call to get the bouncer, because sure enough, the crowd grew in number, just like in 'The Multiplication of the Loaves' only this time, instead of bread, they were middle aged fan boys and girls who were pushing and shoving to get the best view possible. I had Paul make sure he got a good spot to take photos and he was pretty much up to his elbows with...well other elbows, while I was pushed back to a far corner of the bar, literally by the door. 

Sure enough, as soon as Ely walked to the stage, the crowd cheered and brought out their cellphones, I suddenly felt like I was in a concert, where half the audience seemed to be making a photo & video documentary. Being 4'11 (and 3/4) I was happy to watch from the screens of their cellphones. All I could see were shoulders and heads after all :p 

These budding concert photographers and videographers...AKA eager 'Titos and Titas of Manila' were not only taking photos and videos but they were also messaging friends (probably making them jealous) of what they were missing, just like any good old friend would.

When they covered David Bowie's 'Starman' my head exploded since I just re-watched 'The Martian' on DVD and it was in the movie. It was one of those 'worlds collide' moments.  

Looking around, you can easily see that the who's who in the music industry was present that night, as well as other High School batchmates of Ate who marveled as to how Paul had grown so big. Apparently they all used to go up to party in the family house in Antipolo and during that time Paul was but a wee little lad. 

I was wondering how come all of these music icons were here tonight, 3/4 of The Eraserheads-wow! 

That's something! A simple visit to 'The King of nothing to do' the compilation of essays we had, revealed that Luis wrote for PULP and MTV Ink, and is currently Associate Editor for Esquire and yes, worked on that legendary The Eraserheads issue, which was always sold out in book stores when it came out (that bit on Esquire, I found out on Luis's Twitter).

Luis writes in his introduction for 'King-' that most of the material he wrote for these magazines (interviews, event coverage, reviews) -yes, things I (try) to write on the blog! would be perhaps 'complied for a future collection dedicated to music related matters'. Does anyone know if this transpired? I gotta get my hands on that, it would be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me. (I am a Padawan, in search of a Jedi Master).

*The material that made it's way to 'King-' were from his column in the Manila Bulletin as well as contributions for MEGA and Cosmo. 

I've never had any formal training in writing (you can probably tell from my inconsistent use of punctuation marks or my frequent use of run-on-sentences, something that would give my old English teachers an aneurysm) if you might ask, I'm actually a graduate of Nursing and a board passer (I know, things didn't really pan out there). So now, I work as a Real Time Analyst in the BPO Industry during weekdays and write on the blog and contribute to other websites on weekends and whatever spare time I get. I know that to improve in my craft (AKA 'writing') I'd have to read a lot and while Steohen King, Haruhi Murakami, a YA Novel here and there-and yes even romance novels can keep the cogs turning, reading actual pieces worthy to be published in print in leading newspapers and magazines would make me a better 'writer'-or so the theory goes. 

Luis has a whole chapter on writing in 'King-' :) 

My copy of 'The Earaserheads' Esquire issue. I almost had to bribe the lady at National Book Store to secure me a copy. 

Sometimes there are too many PRs and reviews to be posted that I have the tendency to be sloppy with my work and just click on the 'Publish' button just to cross it out of my to-do list. I don't get paid for what I do on the blog but I do it anyways, because I love it. Which is why I can't help but admire Luis who actually got to make a living out of his writing, something I'd give an arm for. He succeeded in his profession during a time where the quality of your writing mattered more than your number of followers or how good you look in an overhead-selfie shot. Luis is the real deal and even if I haven't met him yet, I'm happy to have known him through his essays and I'm happy to now have a go-to source of inspiration whenever I'd run into a blank wall. 

Ever since I've started reading 'King-' Paul says there is a different style to my writing, I don't know if he's just saying that because we're married but I have definitely been more conscious of what I put down on the blog and have also tried to re-read to correct for grammar lapses as well as typos. 

Get well soon Luis! I wish I would have known you and your work sooner, I'm sure most of my published posts would have come out better than they did. 

All hail to 'The King of Nothing to do!' 

The King and my tools of the trade. I still do my writing with actual pens, any nice black pen will do - kahit Panda pa yan. A Faber Castel pen for writing titles. The blue hand is actually a bookmark.