Just like any other teenager of the 80’s, they go to music as a solace to their angst-driven personality. Punk and new wave was the dominant music of that era, and MTV was the 'it' thing.
“I was born and raised in Tacloban City, I then moved to Manila and went to college in Institute of Fine Arts and Design in PWU and graduated with a degree in Advertising. I also took a few lessons in music. I believe it was my mother's interest in arts which influenced me a lot. Both my parents are doctors”, assessed Nolit.
After college he and some friends formed LVNA. “It was me and Jet Cunanan who did most of the writing of songs”, says Nolit. Lvna released an album independently in 1995, recorded on a 4-track portable studio and was sold in bazaars and festivals of cause-oriented organizations and in regular gigs in Mayrics. Lvna was able to release a single 'Above Ground'. "Skalikasan" was included in a compilation album of Pinoy New Wave bands called Pinoy Wave released under Vicor Records in 1997.
“In 1998, I was asked to form a band to backup Boy Abunda's Backroom talents. Since Jet didn’t want to be part of this as it will demand to much time and effort that will conflict with his work, I left Lvna”, laments Nolit.
Later, Nolit formed a band which later became 'Gladys and the Boxers'. They released an album under Star Records. When Gladys left the band to go solo, Nolit reformed the group to become 'K and the Boxers' and released 2 albums under Viva Records. “Included in this album was the mega hit ‘Sasakyan Kita'. K and the boxers went on to win several awards including Aliw Awards in our prime”, marvels Nolit.
Nolit is also a session musician, playing for acts such as Agaw Agimat, Ysagani Ybarra, Lolita Carbon, Leowai, among others.
“I also did session work as bassist for Ariel Rivera, Dessa, Ara Mina, Aiai Delas Alas, Rufa Mae Quinto, Erik Santos and a lot more. I still do session work as bassist up to the present”, prides Nolit.
“Around 1998 to 1999, I was one of the original members of Rhythm n Boyz (RNB) which was a boy band composed of remnants of Boyzvoyz and Kids No More. This later on evolved to become what is now Six Part Invention”, recalls Nolit.
On his playing style, “As a bass guitar, I try to play like James Jamerson, emulating a Motown feel. New wave music demands intricate bass parts with lots of slaps and pops (Level42, Kajagoogoo and Duran Duran among others”, declares Nolit.
“Rico Blanco and Kitchie Nadal are my third cousins. Maybe that’s where my musical inclination came from”, narrates Nolit.
With all that musical activities, Nolit started an online radio show called ‘Radiopilipinas' in 2005.First conceived with some friends in the US, “…after that i gathered some sponsors and friends to continue Radiopilipinas”, says Nolit. The online radio continues to stream 24 hours until today featuring various shows by various Disc Jockeys. One of the pioneers if not first purely online Filipino radio station, Radiopilipinas is envisioned to play songs which are usually snubbed in mainstream media. It is dedicated in promoting music by the independent Filipino Artists.
In 2009, Indiepinoy was born. Catering to independent Filipino artists. Today Indiepinoy is able to release songs and albums of independent Filipino artists to mobile in the Philippines, Gulf Cooperating Countries (GCC), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as on various online music stores and streaming platforms.
Thru indiepinoy, Nolit was able to represent the Independent Filipino artists in various gatherings such as the Philippine Music Summit in 2014. Indiepinoy also continues to be active in several think-tank groups specifically campaigning on issues affecting the artists.
Asked the legacy he would want to be remembered by, “I would just do what I think has to be done when nobody is doing it for the Pinoy music scene. I would like to point out that there are a lot of artists who actually did contributed much in the development of Pinoy Rock or Filipino music in general and I feel that most of them are forgotten. That is why I've been working on ways to put these artists into print. Here in the Philippines, our past musicians are not well documented. A repository of knowledge that would last more than a lifetime for all Pinoy Artists is my ultimate dream”, annotated Nolit.
Hello nolit
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