For over four decades, this punk rock sapling that we’re discussing here has spread its roots deep into Filipino consciousness, creating a musical ecosystem where countless rock fans love to get lost, wander, and discover something new with every visit.
Their branches have grown in unexpected directions – from hardcore punk to spiritual awakening, from underground rebellion to literary artistry – creating the kind of dense, mysterious woodland that reveals new paths every time you explore it.
Who Are The Wuds? Meet the Punk Rock Pioneers
Picture this: It's 1983, the Philippines is in political and economic chaos, and three guys from the rough streets of Manila decide to channel all that anger, frustration, and spiritual awakening into some of the most intense punk rock the country has ever heard. That's The Wuds for you – not just a band, but a movement that changed Filipino rock music forever.
The core trio that started it all:
- Bobby Balingit – Guitar and vocals (the philosophical heart of the band)
- Alfred Guevara – Bass (now one of the Philippines' most respected tattoo artists)
- Aji Adriano – Drums (the band's historian and booking wizard)
The Story Behind That Unusual Name
You're probably wondering, "What the hell does 'Wuds' mean?" Well, get ready for this – they renamed themselves The Wuds after learning that "wud" was an obscure Scottish word meaning "mad" or "insane." Perfect for a punk band, right? It's raw, it's unconventional, and it perfectly captures their rebellious spirit.
From Folk Hippies to Punk Revolutionaries
Here's where their story gets really interesting. These guys didn't start as punks – they were actually folk music hippies! Around 1980 or '81, Guevara and Balingit had formed an acoustic folk singing group called Think God, playing James Taylor and Crosby, Stills and Nash covers at various Shakey's pizza parlors around town. Can you imagine Bobby Balingit strumming gentle folk songs at Shakey's? Life has a funny way of surprising us!
They even had a brief stint as The Woods, after the Jethro Tull album "Songs From The Wood," complete with a female singer in a Peter, Paul and Mary-style setup. But as the political climate in the Philippines heated up, folk's gentle approach just wasn't cutting it anymore.
The Birth of a Punk Revolution (1983)
Alfred Guevara (bass), Bobby Balingit (guitar) and Aji Adriano (drums) formed The Wuds on July 16, 1983, in between two storms. The day before, a devastating super typhoon had swept through Luzon. A little over a month later, Ninoy Aquino was gunned down at the airport.
Talk about perfect timing for a punk band! Marcos on the wane, the economy in shambles, rumblings of political dissent growing—as the Stones had sung, the time was right for fighting in the streets, boy.
These weren't privileged kids playing at rebellion either. Guevara and Balingit were Singalong homeboys born and bred, growing up streets from each other in that tough Manila neighborhood. Guevara had grown up in a middle class household on Estrada—his father was a lawyer and notary public—but Balingit lived in the "looban" along Zapanta, a notorious gang-infested ghetto built atop a disused pre-war cemetery.
The Krishnacore Connection: Punk Meets Spirituality
Now here's where The Wuds story becomes absolutely fascinating and unique in world music history. While American hardcore bands like Cro-Mags and Shelter would later become famous for mixing punk with Krishna consciousness, The Wuds were doing it first!
Guevara became a Krishna devotee in 1979 after attending services at a nearby Hare Krishna temple, and immersed himself in the bhakti yoga philosophy, which preached spiritual salvation from the chains of the material world through complete devotion to god.
By 1981, Balingit and Adriano had also become interested in the philosophy, and the band began their long association with the Chaitanya Mission, a breakaway faction of the Hare Krishna movement.
Imagine the shock of early punk audiences when they heard the rapid-fire two-chord slam-a-lama of "Patay-Buhay," and above the din and feedback, the chorus mutate into "Hare Krishna, Haribol." This wasn't your typical angry punk rock – this was something revolutionary, spiritual, and completely unprecedented.
Their Musical Journey: Albums That Changed Everything
A.R.M.S.T.A.L.K. (1985) - The Groundbreaking Debut
Their first album on Twisted Red Cross was "A.R.M.S.T.A.L.K.," an acronym for Armies' Reunion for Modern-age Service and Training in Attainment of Love and Knowledge. Even the title shows how different they were – mixing military imagery with spiritual concepts. Despite the lo-fi recording, the record still brims with primitive energy, and remains a landmark of local punk.
The Long Wait: A Decade of Underground Legend
After their explosive debut, The Wuds disappeared from the recording scene for nearly a decade. But they weren't inactive – they were building a cult following and evolving their sound.
Oplan Kahon (1995) - The Comeback
It would take a decade, however, before The Wuds would release an album again, 1995's "Oplan Kahon," which included Balingit's classic "Inosente Lang ang Nagtataka," one of the band's enduring anthems.
Fun fact: This song became so iconic that Rico Blanco of Rivermaya would later pay the punk pioneers homage by recording a cover version of "Inosente Lang ang Nagtataka." When mainstream rock stars are covering your underground punk songs, you know you've made it!
At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos (1995) - The Spiritual Manifesto
The Wuds released a long-waited debut album, "At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos" ("And God Was Forgotten"), in 1994. Raw and uncompromising, "At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos" makes The Wuds' status as one of the Philippines' true punk rock bands.
The band had clearly evolved beyond their roots in hardcore. The trademark intensity was still there, as was the disillusionment with society. This was one band that was not afraid to be preachy. But The Wuds sound had matured beyond punk into something that harked back to classic Pinoy rock.
Gera (1996) - The Anti-War Statement
Two years later, the group recorded "Gera" ("War"), an intense record with powerful social and political commentary. The anti-war track "Ang Umibig Sa 'Yo" ("To Love You") became a hit on Philippine alternative radio stations.
Nakaupo Sa Puso (1997) - The Mature Statement
In 1997, the Wuds released "Nakaupo Sa Puso" ("Sitting on the Heart"). By this time, their music had evolved into something far more complex and nuanced than their early hardcore days.
Their Philosophy on Modern Punk vs. Old School
Bobby has some fascinating insights on how punk has evolved: "Noon ang punk may struggle sa ngayon wala ng struggle nagawa na nuon pag sinabi kasing punk it means unconventional pag prineserve magiging conventional so di na punk." (Before, punk had struggle, now there's no struggle because it was already done before. When you say punk, it means unconventional, but if you preserve it, it becomes conventional, so it's no longer punk.)
"Walang ipaghahambing. Nagpatuloy ito walang meron bago o meron luma hindi ito old school, new school yan e pop mentality. di yan usapin ng punk." (There's nothing to compare. It continued, there's no new or old, this isn't old school or new school, that's pop mentality. That's not what punk is about.)
Here's something that'll blow your mind: The band spearheaded a "Punks for Peace" movement through a series of local concerts, an ironic twist since hardcore punk concerts were notorious for the occasional brawl or stabbing incident. They were literally using punk rock to spread messages of peace and spiritual awakening – revolutionary!
According to Guevara, the anti-materialistic Krishna philosophy seemed to fit into punk's general disaffection and discontent with society. It wasn't just about being angry at the world – it was about finding a higher purpose and spiritual solution to society's problems.
As Alfred Guevara puts it: "There is only one philosophy that unifies us, which is being spiritually idealistic as students of the Chaitanya Mission. Iisa lang ang pinaglalaban namin, ang iangat ang buhay ng tao (We have a common struggle—to uplift people's lives) through spiritual solutions."
The Individual Artists: Life Beyond The Wuds
Alfred Guevara: The Tattoo Master
These days, Guevara is better known as a tattoo artist. Although he graduated with a degree in architecture from Mapua, he never took the board exams. He started dabbling in tattooing in 1989, eventually opening the Avatar Arts tattoo parlor and helping organize the Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild (Philtag) in the 1990s.
This guy is literally a pillar of the Philippine tattoo industry, and when he's not inking people, he also has a side band called the Kirtaneros.
Aji Adriano: The Keeper of History
Drummer Aji Adriano is the band's archivist and historian, as well as the member most active in booking gigs. For the last several years, he has organized the band's annual anniversary "Concert at the Park" gig.
He's also a drum teacher and plays with a Beatles tribute band called Steel Onion. Talk about range!
Bobby Balingit: The Multidisciplinary Artist
Oh boy, where do I even start with Bobby? This man is what you'd call a true Renaissance artist. The voice behind the songs "At Nakalimutan ang Diyos" and "Inosente Lang ang Nagtataka" is also a guitar coach, painter, theater actor, art installation artist, vegetarian chef, and with the launch of "Ang Paglalakbay ni Juan Isip: Mga Kwentong Pantao," the performer is now also a novelist.
"It was (writer-poet) Krip Yuson who called me a 'multidisciplinary artist,'" he says.
Bobby's been working on his artistic magnum opus, which is a seven-part novel that takes off from Rizal's unfinished third novel, takes off on various tangents including the life of anti-American hero Macario Sakay, and into the present and possible future Philippines. Written entirely in baybayin, the ancient Tagalog script, it encompasses a reimagining of a mythical country of the mind.
In 2020, he released his debut novel, "Ang Paglalakbay ni Juan Isip: Mga Kwentong Pantao," which is part-fable, part-playscript, part-historical fiction, and part poetic essay.
The Secret to Their Longevity: 40+ Years and Still Going
The Wuds haven't slowed down one bit. They've continued performing, releasing new material, and staying relevant in the modern music scene. "You occupational duty is your service to society, your family and nation, but there is a word called 'Dharma' which refers to the highest duty which is to God. If you have abundant duty, everything is nourishment."
What's the secret behind The Wuds' incredible staying power? Bobby explains it perfectly: "Di namin kailangang dayain ang mga tao. Alam namin yun gusto namin gawin. Naniniwala kami sa goal na yun at naniniwala kami sa aming pinang hahawakan na nagppatibay sa grupo." (We don't need to fool people. We know what we want to do. We believe in that goal and we believe in what we hold on to that strengthens the group.)
"The Wuds is not your typical band," says Aji. "For one thing, the members have never relied on performing to make a living." This freedom from commercial pressure has allowed them to stay true to their vision and philosophy.
Final Thoughts to Ponder
What started as three guys making noise in the streets of Manila has grown into something far grander – branches reaching into punk, spirituality, literature, visual arts, and philosophy. Each album is like a different section of this forest, each song a unique tree with its own story to tell. Some paths lead to raw punk fury, others to peaceful spiritual meditation, and still others to avant-garde experimentation that challenges everything you thought you knew about music.
So crank up "Inosente Lang ang Nagtataka," let their unique blend of punk fury and spiritual consciousness wash over you, and prepare to have your understanding of what punk rock can be completely transformed. These guys didn't just make music – they made history, and their story is far from over.
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