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You know him as Bogart the Explorer, the Australian-twanged traveler from Davao City who has interviewed Hugh Jackman, Jason Momoa, and Batista, among others. He rose to fame by starring in videos produced by Paperbug TV in which he somewhat replicates The Crocodile Hunter, the late great wildlife educator Steve Erwin, but instead of presenting animals, he runs around describing various human “species.” But Marco Ho, Bogart’s real name, is not only a content creator but also a musician. He used to be the drummer of rock band Giniling Festival and was with them for eight years. Here’s a trivia on Marco, he has never owned a drum set even now. “Tinatamad ako bumili or meron lang akong anxiety sa pagpili ng something so important in my life that I get paralyzed thinking I might have buyer’s remorse,” he says. I remember being at the video shoot for their version of the Juan De La Cruz Band original “Titser’s Enemy No. 1.” My friend and tattoo artist Wiji Lacsamana played the pivotal role as the most notorious student around.
Aside from working on his content and overseeing his Hoy Panga! restaurant chains, he developed an online project called Bogart Drums, wherein he has already jammed with some of the most well-known Filipino rock musicians like bassist Lalay Lim – Geronimo from Urbandub, guitarist Ira Cruz, guitarist Pakoy Fletchero from Typecast, guitarist Audie Avenido from Greyhoundz, and the list goes on. You can watch Bogart playing the drums with these axe players on his Facebook account. Let’s find out more thru Marco why he started this content and his plans with it.
COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOUR DRUMMING? WHEN DID YOU START, AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE DRUMS?
I started drumming back in elementary but it wasn’t anything serious and I wasn’t taking lessons. Our family business was lights and sounds for rent that included drums, amps, lights, the whole barangay fiesta package.
Now, coming along someone with a drum set back in the 90s was rare and it goes without saying that it was hard to find a drummer. Guitarists you had loads of. Whatever drummer you could find, chances are, he’s already in few other bands too. What I originally wanted was to be a guitarist (it was hard to serenade girls with the drums compared to the “Moffat-friendly” guitars) but being as I was usually the youngest and we were the only ones who had a drum set between a 15 square km radius, if I wanted to be in the band, the drums was designated as my instrument by the universe.
It was in college that I practically gave up my whole scholarship and state funded tertiary education for the drums. I didn’t have much money back then let alone a drum set, so I would just kind of “linger” around music studios, befriend the owners or attendants, so eventually I could drum in the studio just as long as there weren’t bands scheduled and I didn’t turn on the AC. Eventually I got into a bunch of bands (even reaching 8 bands at 1 time) but it wasn’t until I got into Giniling Festival that my drumming career really took off.
After I parted with Giniling, I didn’t do any drumming for almost half a decade. Until recently, when I was invited to be part of the Treehouse Family by 8 Toleran of Queso. He reignited a lost passion and I’ve gone back to my roots. Like real roots from when I was a kid. Now that I’m not committed to a band, I realized I can jam with any one I like. Starting with my childhood musical heroes. And here we are today with Bogart Drums.
WHAT SPARKED THE IDEA OF BOGART DRUMS?
You remember when you were a kid and you looked up to the posters of your heroes on the wall and imagined “what if?” one day, makasama mo sila on stage. Rocking out with them. Bogart Drums is for every kid out there who has this dream. Sinasabi ko sa inyo, dreams do come true but don’t force it. Let it come in its own time. Just keep moving forward.
Plus, I wanted to get back into music because I miss the energy you get from the audience when playing to them live. It’s a different energy from when I face a crowd as Bogart. Still me, just different. The natural high of being a musician who can command their body into producing sounds that people not only enjoy, but emotionally get moved by. And to feel that energy coming right back at you. Not through comments I read through a screen, but through actual faces, body heat, smells, and feel.
So, book me and I’ll bring a band for live gigs now please call my man Jako at 09175282464 and he’ll sort you out. Salamats!
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH ARTISTS TO WORK WITH? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH SONG TO PLAY WITH THE ARTIST WITH WHOM YOU’RE COLLABORATING?
At first, I was just calling up friends. Then someone made me realize, if I’m going to shoot for the moon, I should aim for the stars na. So, I looked into my childhood dreams, the purest of dreams, unspoiled and unjaded, and then I looked for my idols on Instagram, messaged them, they replied, and so they made another of this child’s dreams come true.
WHICH OF YOUR RELEASES WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING TO PLAY THE DRUMS ON, AND WHY?
The one with Ira Cruz where we played Hallelujah by Bamboo. Vic Mercado drumming. Need I say more?
HOW OFTEN DO YOU RELEASE BOGART DRUMS VIDEOS?
At least once a month. It feels more special if it’s rare.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DREAM COLLABORATIONS? WHY?
All of them are dream collaborations. I wouldn’t call in someone unless they were really special to me OR paid me a lot of money. So far, no one has taken me up on that money offer. Hahahaha!
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PLANS FOR BOGART DRUMS AND BOGART THE EXPLORER THAT WE MAY LOOK FORWARD TO?
Bogart? You never know. That’s the beauty of Bogart. One minute he’s interviewing Hollywood celebs, the next minute, he’s showing his ass for tourism.
For Bogart Drums? Live performances. I want to gather some of the biggest musicians on the planet and perform on some of the biggest stages and ONLY me and 5 other idol-drummer-friends within a 15 square km radius.
Denise J. Mallabo 