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44-479: The Juan de la Cruz Band formed in early 1970. Founding band members Mike Hanopol and Wally Gonzalez credited fellow founding member, drummer Edmond Fortuno (a.k.a. "Bosyo"), with having introduced the band's name (Tagalog to English translation - “John Doe”). In December 1970, the band was lauded for headlining the first open field rock festival in the Philippines . In 1972, they released their first album as

88-545: A Filipino rock group called Zero History, which he found performing at Astro shopping mall in Yokohama, Japan. (Zero History additional members included Mike Hanopol on bass guitar & Wally Gonzalez on lead guitar.) And thus the vibe of Speed, Glue & Shinki is noteworthy in the earliest contributions of Smith and Hanopol for the Juan de la Cruz collaboration, especially in the stop-start heaviness of "Take You Home" (a song by

132-455: A car accident that damaged his jaw, and put him out of action for some months. Smith released his first solo album, Idiosyncrasies , on Alpha Records in 2005. The 14-track album was three-years in the making; the recording project had started in 2002. The album was released simultaneously with the Juan dela Cruz three-CD collection from rival Vicor Music. In the late 2000s, Smith played a comedic role on an ABS-CBN sitcom entitled The Smiths ,

176-800: A daughter named Michelle, nicknamed "Yummy". He is a practicing Messianic religious leader, having converted to Messianic Judaism upon learning about his Russian-Jewish heritage in New York. Mike Hanopol was diagnosed with COVID-19 on June 10, 2021. Pepe Smith Joseph William Feliciano Smith (December 25, 1947 – January 28, 2019) was a Filipino-American singer-songwriter, drummer and guitarist. Known by his stage names Joey Smith and Pepe Smith , he gained prominence as drummer / lead vocalist of Speed, Glue & Shinki from Japan, and drummer / co-lead vocalist of Juan de la Cruz Band from The Philippines, which became pioneering figures in original Filipino rock music or " Pinoy rock ". Smith

220-531: A funky reality show about his unconventional family and starring himself and three of his five children. Journalist Howie Severino produced and directed a documentary on Smith's life titled, Pepe's Myth . It aired on GMA Network on April 24, 2006. The raw footage consisted of several days of interviews with Smith, his friends and family, and included a poignant concert at the Quezon City Jail, organized by Severino, 12 years after Smith's release from

264-421: A heavy psychedelic blues "free-rock" trio setup called Speed, Glue & Shinki , which had released two seminal albums for Atlantic Records Japan. Rock music historian Julian Cope narrates in his book, Japrocksampler (Bloomsbury, 2007), that Shinki Chen had recruited Joey “Pepe” Smith on drums / lead vocal (and Masayoshi Kabe on bass guitar and later Kabe’s replacement, Mike Hanopol on bass guitar) from

308-608: A ladies' toilet (he said the door to the men's toilet was busted) in 1972, while waiting for his turn to play in a concert called "Himig Natin" at the Rizal Park grounds in Manila. Although "Himig Natin" and many others of the Juan de la Cruz songs have become rock anthems in the Philippines, none of the group members profited from the recordings. The rights to the whole catalog had been sold in perpetuity to Vicor Music from

352-415: A later edition of the band—is sold in online Internet shops. Wally Gonzales is showcased as a rock guitarist with progressive leanings in this early effort. In several months, bassist Clifford Ho (briefly replaced by Tony Rodriguez), and keyboardist Rene Sogueco had also left (briefly replaced by Larry Martinez). It was during this transition phase that Mike Hanopol and Joey Smith had recently returned to

396-466: A permanent resident of his home country again he rejoined Juan de la Cruz Band in 1973 and the group downsized to a power trio playing once again with Wally Gonzalez and Mike Hanopol. Juan de la Cruz Band was signed to Orlando P. Muñoz Management. " Juan dela Cruz " is a Filipino term for "everyman" similar to "Joe Blow" in the USA. The band had some earlier lineups, but this trio was the classic one. It became

440-725: A quartet a few years later with the addition of Edmond "Bosyo" Fortuno from D’Swooners on drums, when Smith decided to play guitar instead. Among their first gigs was the 1970 Antipolo Rock Music Festival, an open-field concert similar to Woodstock, attended by thousands. Juan de la Cruz arguably invented the Pinoy rock genre, focusing on original songwriting in Tagalog, instead of covers of foreign hit songs in English. It made superstars of all four members. Smith composed Juan de la Cruz's arguably most classic song "Himig Natin" backstage in

484-632: A quintet, and thereafter gained momentum when it was performed in a rock opera with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the first production of its kind in the country. Juan de la Cruz reinvented itself in 1973 as a power trio and rose to stardom as the premier rock band in the Philippines . The original Juan de la Cruz Band, consisting of Mike Hanopol (bass / lead vocals), Edmond Fortuno (drums / backing vocals), Bó Razon (lead guitar), Bing Labrador (electric piano / electric organ) and Alex Cruz (alto saxophone / baritone saxophone / flute),

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528-485: A trip to England where he performed and hung out with members of Free (including the current Free & future Faces Japanese bassist Tetsu Yamauchi ) Pepe Smith’s Japanese passport had expired and after renewing his passport en route to outgoing flight back to Japan Pepe was notified he wouldn’t be permited to leave the country as a result of martial law in the Philippines in September 1972. With Pepe Smith now

572-506: A very great guitarist performing and he was so impressed that he told the guitarist that he wanted some lessons with him. That guitarist turned out to be Joe Satriani . A legendary rock artist recognized in Asia and the Western world, Hanopol is a "frequent show-opener" for concerts such as Asian performances by Western rock artists Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin . Hanopol was the founder of

616-510: Is followed by former MYX VJ Sanya Smith, born 1985, Beebop, born 1989, Desiderata (Daisy), born 1991 and Delta, born 1992. The final three children being born from his wife Rosuela Cruz. He had suffered his third stroke in 2017, with the first leaving him with a speech impediment. Smith died on January 28, 2019, at the Arnaiz Hospital at age 71, after being rushed to the hospital after he complained of chest pain while practicing playing

660-563: The Book of Psalms ( Psalm 75 :3–16 and Psalm 37 :1–6) and the Ten Commandments . Hanopol's Lagablab is a "10-track guitar album" that features "inspiring and original compositions" aimed at imparting life's lessons to the younger generation of Filipinos . Lagablab is an assortment of jazz , rock, hip-hop , fusion, and ballad music. The rap song in the album was performed with Filipino rapper Francis Magalona . Hanopol left

704-482: The DZRJ-AM radio show, Pinoy Rock 'n' Rhythm —later on shortened to " Pinoy rock ". The song is widely known as the first example of Pinoy rock. Himig Natin rallied Pinoy rock, which swelled into a movement and provided indicators of its yet-unrealized commercial fuel. The social impact and innovations of the Juan de la Cruz Band inadvertently became the catalyst for the inception of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and

748-635: The Woodstock festival of 1969). They were subsequently tapped in September 1971 as the featured rock band in tandem with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Redentor Romero) for the Philippine production of the rock opera by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber , Jesus Christ Superstar , at the Cultural Center of the Philippines . Consequent to his dramatic part as the Judas character in

792-474: The 1970s, along with Pepe Smith and Wally Gonzales . During his career as a musician, Hanopol produced twenty albums, three of which became Gold prize awardees while another three received the Aliw Awards . Hanopol's trademark is the beret , leather clothing, and his Steinberger guitar. He was the mentor and songwriter for Hagibis . Despite being a rock-and-roll figure, Hanopol's experience in

836-485: The American heavy psych group Fields, originally released in 1969, revived from the eponymous second album of S,G&S), and the talking blues of "Blues Train". The ensuing album by the iconic trio of Gonzalez, Smith & Hanopol, unfurling its masterly title track, "Himig Natin" ( English translation: " Our Hymn "), went on to become the anthem of Manila's post-hippie culture and underground radio network, particularly

880-812: The Asian pop band known as Tribu Kemistri, a group of musicians which play rock, ethnic rhythms, and new age music. On June 11, 2005, Hanopol and the Juan de la Cruz Band held a reunion concert at the World Trade Center in Pasay . In July 2018, Hanopol released his latest album Mike Hanopology: Ang Sekreto recorded in 1993 on a 12-track analog recorder by Butch Dans with members of the Ugoy-Ugoy Band, including George San Jose on drums, Meong Pacana, bass, Bond Samson, keyboards and Noel Santiago, second guitar. Hanopol married Herminia in 1973 and they have

924-775: The Juan de la Cruz Band was once again called upon to perform. This was also the period when the members of Juan de la Cruz Band and Anak Bayan were freely associating and performing collectively as a "supergroup" ensemble in various concerts. Nides Aranzamendez (drums) notable rock drummer also jammed with the group and performed on the classic first live album, "Super Session". The state of Juan de la Cruz's flux and gradual dissolution led Wally Gonzalez to reconvene an all-new powerhouse trio, together with Joey Smith (later a.k.a. " Pepe Smith ") as singer-drummer-composer; and with singer-bassist-composer Mike Hanopol . Smith and Hanopol collaborated in Tokyo with Japanese guitarist Shinki Chen in

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968-533: The Manila Symphony Orchestra, performed for another major production run at the Cultural Center, the rock opera, Tommy by the Who . The versatile Sandy Tagarro (drums / lead vocals) returned to the Juan de la Cruz Band, occupying the drummer's seat as Edmond Fortuno's replacement, and also as the band's lead vocalist; while Clifford Ho continued on bass. Rene Sogueco (electric piano electric organ / vocals)

1012-599: The Philippines in 1982 to live in the North Miami beach area of South Florida , United States. His album Pilyong Bata was produced in Fort Lauderdale, Florida . Hanopol relocated to New York City in 1983. After playing music with Filipino and American bands in New York, Hanopol went back to the North Miami beach area in 1987. He returned to the Philippines in 1993. It was said in an interview, he saw

1056-562: The Philippines in September 1972 from a successful sojourn in Japan . In early 1973, Mike Hanopol (bass / piano / lead vocals) rejoined the group and Joey “Pepe” Smith (drums / acoustic & electric guitar / lead vocals) also joined the Juan de la Cruz Band for the first time. Joey Smith had also accepted a cameo singing role at the Cultural Center's "Little Theater" for an abortive rock musical (produced by Carlitos Benavides) based on Erich Segal 's novel then in vogue, Love Story , in which

1100-711: The Rolling Stones , which earned him the title "Mick Jagger of the Philippines". The Downbeats, managed by the Reyes clan of Pasig, owners of RCR Productions, appeared in contemporary TV specials and movies. Eddie Reyes and The Downbeats opened for the Beatles at their concert of July 4, 1966, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with Orlando Muñoz in Manila , performing " Get Off Of My Cloud ", originally by

1144-567: The Rolling Stones. The Downbeats was the highest paid international band in Hong Kong during their time. Smith then played drums and sang for the Japanese rock trio, Speed, Glue & Shinki . An interest in amphetamines was the attribution for his "Speed" moniker in the name of the band. Prior to forming Speed, Glue & Shinki in Japan in 1970, Smith formed an embryonic early version of

1188-470: The age of 71. Founding lead guitarist Wally Gonzales died on July 23, 2021, also aged 71. Mike Hanopol Michael Abarico Hanopol (born April 10, 1946), also known as Mike Hanopol , is a Filipino rock singer, guitarist, recording artist and Messianic religious leader. He was a former bass guitarist for the Juan de la Cruz Band . He is a pioneer of rock music in the Philippines active in

1232-540: The band also branched out to play nightclubs and shopping malls in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Zero History and Juan de la Cruz Band core members were Smith, with Wally Gonzalez (guitar) and Mike Hanopol (bass). Pepe Smith was discovered by Shinki Chen (ex The Midnight Blues Band, The Bebes, Powerhouse, Foodbrain, & Shinki Chen & Friends) and Ikuzo Orita (Polydor Records Japan & Atlantic Records Japan) in 1970 and along with Masayoshi Kabe (ex The Golden Cups )

1276-647: The band caused Sandy Tagarro to leave abruptly barely after concluding the Up in Arms recording sessions; not even to pose for the album's photography. Consequently, the group picture for the LP's album cover showed a different drummer (Bobot Guerrero), with Sandy Tagarro's name stricken off the personnel credits, with exception of a parenthetical credit of him as composer of one song ("Lady in White Satin"). Bobot Guerrero's entry as

1320-432: The course of his life, and had five children. It has been rumored that his eldest, Queenie, born 1976, also a rock singer, is the daughter of noted artist, Agnes Arellano. But Agnes Arellano categorically denies this: "Joey and I never had a child; I am not the mother of Queenie. The only issue that came out of our short wedded life was the song Ang Himig Natin. I didn't help him write it but we were together when he did". She

1364-701: The drums by about age 9, and formed his first rock band at age 11, in 1959. This group, composed of friends from the Kamuning district, was first called the Blue Jazzers, later the Villains, then the Surfers. As the Surfers, they got a 6-month gig in Vietnam in the early 1960s. A few years later, Smith became a rock sensation in Manila as the drummer and lead vocal of D’Downbeats band, imitating Mick Jagger of

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1408-486: The facility. Smith played as one of the two main characters in the 2014 movie, Above the Clouds , directed by Pepe Diokno , the movie also uses some of his songs. During the first Juan de la Cruz reunion concert in 1998, the band members appeared one by one on stage, adding one instrument at a time, building to a dramatic crescendo accompanied by fog and light effects. Smith had been associated with several women over

1452-422: The long-running Larry Alcala comic strip (1947–1995) about two dimwitted detectives, one tall, the other short, like Smith and Fortuno. During a hiatus of Juan de la Cruz, Smith formed his own band, The Airwaves c.  1976 . The members were Smith (vocals/dobro/drums), Jun Lopito (guitar), Gary Perez, formerly of Sampaguita (guitar), Gil Cruz (bass) and Edmond Fortuno (drums). On October 5, 1991, Smith

1496-405: The new drummer of Juan de la Cruz continued through the promotional run of the album and into concerts and club stints. The Up in Arms album was not a commercial success and had not been reissued, by Vicor Music Corporation to date. An unauthorized compact disc translation of the LP (albeit excellently remastered and packaged) by Shadoks/Normal Music (Bonn, Germany) with spurious bonus tracks from

1540-556: The rock opera production, Sandy Tagarro vacated his bass guitar instrumentalist role in the group and was replaced by Clifford Ho (bass / vocals). Upon the conclusion of the Jesus Christ Superstar production, Edmond Fortuno (aka “Edmund” aka "Bosyo"), Bing Labrador and Alex Cruz (with guitarists Vic Naldo, Marlon Ilagan, and bassist Sonny Tolentino) formed a splinter group, Anak Bayan in late 1971 (Tagalog to English translation - “Child Of The Land”) which, together with

1584-403: The seminal Pinoy rock group Juan de la Cruz Band back home in the Philippines in 1968. In 1969 along with Mike Hanopol and Wally Gonzalez (who had a close friend & Japanese contact living in Tokyo , Japan ) sailed on President Lines to Japan and shortly after arriving formed Zero History . After impressing a Shinjuku nightclub owner who gave the new band a nightly live gig residency

1628-544: The seminary influenced him to compose song lyrics based on Bible passages. Examples are the first two stanzas for Hanopol's song "Balong Malalim" (" Deep Well ") which were based on the Book of John , and the "Laki sa Layaw" song that conveys the biblical message of avoiding arrogance. "Laki sa Layaw", also known as "Laki sa Layaw Jeproks", is Hanopol's trademark and favorite song. Some of the songs in Hanopol's latest album Lagablab , under Warner Music Philippines, were based on

1672-427: The very beginning of the band, a practice that might today be regarded as exploitative, but was apparently commonplace during the era. The band members were paid monthly stipends and other fees for live appearances and recording dates. Smith and the late Fortuno were lifelong friends and frequent bandmates; in fact, Fortuno was Smith's drum teacher and mentor. Smith's other nickname was "Kalabog" from "Kalabog en Bosyo",

1716-545: The viability for diverse, originally-authored musical genres to emerge and thrive in the Philippines. They were awarded the ASAP Pinoy Band's Special Lifetime Achievement Award on ASAP Natin 'To (formerly ASAP ) in 2017, for their contributions to Filipino music as one of the greatest Pinoy rock bands in OPM rock history. Longtime band drummer / guitarist / lead vocalist Joey "Pepe" Smith died on January 28, 2019, at

1760-544: Was also recruited to replace Bing Labrador. A musician from the Manila Symphony Orchestra (whom they had befriended in the Jesus Christ Superstar production), Romy Santos (alto saxophone / baritone saxophone / flute / clarinet), replaced Alex Cruz. In the wake of this major revamp, the Juan de la Cruz Band recorded its first album in 1972, entitled Up in Arms , which was released by Vicor Music Corporation under its Sunshine Records imprint in July 1972. However, complications in

1804-462: Was arrested in his home in Quezon City for illegal possession of methamphetamine (locally known as "shabu"). He was jailed for 19 months for alleged drug trafficking beginning in 1992. His constant jail visitor in the Quezon City Jail was Apa Ongpin, who, with Pepito Bosch and other friends, mounted a legal defense for him. He was eventually released for lack of evidence. In 1994, he survived

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1848-407: Was born on December 25, 1947, to Edgar William Smith, a U.S. serviceman; and Conchita Feliciano, a native of Angeles, Pampanga where Clark Air Force base was then located. When he was eight years old, his parents separated, and his mother died from hepatitis. Smith and his younger brother Raymond went to live with their grandmother, Concordia Go, in Kamuning, Quezon City . Smith learned to play

1892-559: Was formed in 1970. In 1971 Wally Gonzalez (lead guitar, backing vocals) joined replacing Bó Razon. Some time later Sandy Tagarro joined (bass / backing vocals) replacing Mike Hanopol (who was contacted to join Joey Pepe Smith’s Japanese group, Speed, Glue & Shinki to replace the original bassist Masayoshi Kabe ). In December 1970, they performed in the Antipolo Rock Festival (the Philippine equivalent to

1936-567: Was subsequently headhunted to join a new Japanese supergroup which became known as Speed, Glue & Shinki . Subsequently, Wally Gonzalez sailed home to form the first version proper of Juan de la Cruz Band which released their debut studio album “Up In Arms” in 1972. After releasing Speed, Glue & Shinki debut studio album “Eve” released in June 1971, bassist Masayoshi Kabe left the group to be replaced by Mike Hanopol. The new lineup released Speed, Glue & Shinki final studio album in 1972. After

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