Author Interview: Karl Ramirez (2 of 2)

Here is Part 2 of Karl Ramirez's interview about Wady and the musical influences, as well as the communities he engages with to make art. 

You can read  Part 1 here. You can read my short review of the book here. 

     What is next after Wady?

With a lot of stories to tell and care about marine wildlife, Wady’s epic adventure will definitely have a second book! Maybe this time Wady will be conversing with other inhabitants, like the Dugong or manatees in the region. Like the Irrawaddy dolphins, they also need our help. 

2.      What is the book and/or music that changed or inspired you to be the artist and musician you are today?

When I was young, my father always had Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Ode to Joy on repeated play on the cassette. So the “genre” that I was first exposed to was classical, up until my father played all the Paul McCartney and Beatles tapes he had. Those tapes inspired me to listen more and more, from foreign to local music that I could buy from the music stores then.

In highschool when me and my friends playfully decided to form a band, the inspiration to jam and play were foreign and local alternative rock groups. Some hard rock or even what you call “death metal”. But when I entered college, I discovered Buklod.

It was Buklod who originally came out with the song Tatsulok. I was able to listen to two versions of Tatsulok, one from Buklod’s album, and another from a compilation of songs on human rights.

The purpose, a song that would talk about social reality and what people can do to change things for the better, THAT was what inspired me to be the kind of artist and musician I am today. 

3.      Please give recommended books and “new” music to read and listen to.

In our Musika Publiko network and locally in our Bicol Pop hyperlocal music movement, we are always listening to new releases and curating those coming from the network.

Let me share some playlists firsts for discovery: the Love for the Nation https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5li01Rdhj5ayPtePYbpDS7?si=23e731cf36444b3c and of course the Bicol Pop playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6wDU5oCJ4ECpmhDfn6GFxL?si=e484a382ff484d56 if you’re into some socially relevant pop-rock, try our band’s playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2bE7oIB18wzB72BiJ3CsbK?si=dc13485630cb4330

For my personal selection here’s a number of artists I have put on the loop recently. You might want to listen to them too: 1) Tothapi, and 2) dwta. They hail from here in Bicol, from another province though, in Albay.

Also, the book Sinta by Ana Digi and illustrated by Biboy Royong is a good read.