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By Rome Jorge, Lifestyle
Editor
NOLI AURILIO is the greatest
Pinoy rock guitarist you might never had heard of. He is one of the
señors of rock and deserves as much recognition from audiences as
Wally Gonzalez of the Juan dela Cruz band and Jun Lupito.
I first heard of him first in the
1989 post-Edsa People Power Revolt double compilation album
Karapatang Pantao (Human Rights) that also featured the likes of
super group Lokal Brown, Noel Cabangon of Buklod, Joey Ayala, Asin,
The Jerks, Identity Crisis and The Wuds (needless to say, the album
is a collector’s item). He was also the guitarist for reggae band
Cocojam, immortalized in its album and hit title track Lakambini
(Muse).
Most recently he contributed his
efforts to the just-released Mga Gitarista compilation album, on
which, aside from his own performance, Lupito played one of
Aurillio’s compositions.
Last year at age 48, he finally
released his debut solo album, Noli Aurilio’s Meanderings: The
Prelude. It was co-produced by Louie Talan, bassist of Razorback.
Now, he’s making up for lost
time. About maiden album, he reveals, “It is a prelude of four
different moods. It’s quite ambitious—that’s four more albums
to come out.” He further confides that many of the materials need
only to be mixed and mastered. “I have 50-something songs
already.”
Aurillio is a late bloomer in
other ways: “I never had a chance to own my first ever guitar
until 1985 [at 26],” he confesses. That was when he was working in
Malaysia—a professional without his own tools in a foreign land.
He explains, “My mom and dad
didn’t want me to become guitar player. They knew I was going to
be a musikero and they thought nothing would come of it. There’s
no diploma, there’s no money in it.” As a little boy, he would
creep into his brother’s room and steel some time with a ukulele
that was off limits to his small fingers. Incorrigible and
persistent, his brother relented and taught the young Noli Aurilio
on his lap with his arms around him to hold the instrument. Later,
he attempted to enter the University of the Philippine College of
Music. Despite his phenomenal skill, he was turned down because he
could not read notes. They refused to even hear him play.
Today, the man kicks ass. His
style can only be described as extreme improvisation. With Aurillio,
he’ll take you along with his music, never knowing where he’s
heading, yet always lands you on the spot. He meanders, but he never
looses you. He’s a bona fide blues six stringer with all the crisp
finger work of a classical guitarist and the improvisation of a
jazzman.
I recently witnessed him
celebrate his birthday at Penguin Café in Malate with a
mind-blowing impromptu acoustic performance with the phenomenal
Kakoy Legaspi on electric guitar. Later, at another gig in Mag:net
Café in Katipunan, I got to chew the fat with him on what it takes
to become a rock n’ roll guitarist and how to survive it.
Like every guitar legend should
be, he’s lanky, long-haired, outfitted in tight jeans and shirt
that would be just at home at the Cherokee Nation. The man is
remarkably well preserved. “I think it has something to do with
observing your peers, and observing, ‘Hey, he’s crossed the line
and he never came back. I don’t want to be like that.’ There’s
a time for partying and there’s time for just chilling out.”
Noli Aurillio has found his
fountain of youth and its rock n’ roll. What doesn’t kill you
makes you stronger. He’s going to need a lot of rock running
through his veins to last the long haul. The man one year shy of 50
has four more albums up his sleeve. 
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