I started collecting records way back 1984. The funny thing about it was, wala naman ako turntable (record player) noong mga time na yun, pero bili pa rin ako ng bili ng plaka. Nainggit kasi ako sa aking mga pinsan dahil sila madami ang koleksyon ng plaka at sikat sila sa subdivision pag may parties. Sila kasi ang hiraman ng bayan. Uso na rin ang mga mobiles noon, pero sa lugar namin, mga pinsan ko lang ang laging provider ng sounds kapag mayroong mga parties.

It was only after a year that I was able convince my mom to give me money to buy a cheap-ass record player. It was an Electown. The one with a plastic body, belt driven, made in Taiwan, and no pitch control. I bought the turntable at Deeco at Farmer’s Plaza for P1,200 only hahaha! Doon nagsimula ang lahat.

With that cheap turntable, I started learning how to mix on my own. Paano makakapag-mix? Eh iisa lang ang turntable? Wala din akong mixer. Well, that didn’t stop me from learning. I practiced day and night using 1 turntable, 1 cassette deck, and a home made 2 channel rotary mixer. I even recorded my mixes. And the result?… CRAP! Puro kabayo! (kabayo is a term we DJs use to describe beatmatching 2 songs na sablay.. ang tunog - tigidig-tigidig)

No one gave me the basics. I learned everything on my own. In spite of the challenges and the frustrations, I didn’t give up. After 3 years of practicing and being a bedroom DJ, I was invited by a cousin to spin at a debut party. Narinig nya daw kase ako minsan na tumutugtog sa kwarto at ok naman daw. That was my first exposure and my first time to get my hands on the real deal – A pair of Technics SL-1200’s (the industry standard till now) and a 19″ rack mounted Numark Mixer with sampler. After that day, I never looked back. That was the turning point.

1989 was the year my cousins and I decided to start our own mobile group. Medyo late na dahil around 1987 pa lang dang dami ng mobiles na magagaling. Social Distortion, Forscink, Altered Noise, Sound Fusion, Sonorous, Psycho Deco, Audio Compulsion, RSL, Exile, First Harmonic among others. These were the best mobiles of that time, at ang mga naging inspirasyon namin sa aming munting grupo. With the help of our friends, and the support of our parents, SENSORY ASSAULT MOBILE was born.

We never really got famous although we guested twice on 89 DMZ’s Mobile Circuit. An SA (Sensory Assault) member even competed at DMC mixing competition in 1990 but sadly, elimination pa lang eh eliminated na wahahahaha! Masyado matindi ang competition noon, and we were the first to admit that going head to head with the mobile groups mentioned above would always result in disaster. At isa pang dahilan, busy na ang aming head DJ sa college, sa gimik, sa babae at sa kung anu-ano pang katarantaduhan kaya’t hindi na makuhang mag full time sa mga gigs. Tarantadong head DJ yun. Matapos kumita, makaipon ng pera. Makabili ng sariling equipment, at magkaroon ng syota sa lahat ng parties eh nang-iwan na lang sa ere. Siguro nakornihan sa tugtugan na puro hiphop at nainis sa dami ng nagre-request ng ‘Lambada’, ‘Russian Radio’, ‘Together Forever’, ‘Jump Around’, ‘Ice Ice Baby’ at ‘Twilight Zone’.

I can still vividly recall the memories of my mobile days. Nangingiti pa rin ako sa tuwing naiisip ko ang mga kalokohan namin. We bonded like brothers. Mula setup at pack-up, lagi kaming nakangiti. Pag may mga cute na bebot, hindi lang nakangiti. Mga tulo laway pa. Pag gusto magpa-impress, namimigay ng mixed tapes. Ang daming chikababes ang nabigyan ng tropa ng tapes. Kung isa kayo doon, gusto ko lang iparating sa inyo na hindi sila ang may gawa nyan.. AKO! nyahahahaha!

All of us grew up and matured , had our own little ‘rakets’, and eventually shifted our interests to other things, but everytime we meet up, and have our ‘inuman’ sessions, lagi pa rin naming pinaguusapan ang nakaraan. Kantyawan at tawanan hanggang umaga kapag napapag-usapan na ang mga experiences na related sa aming gigs noon. Tungkol isang member na sinundo ng nanay, ang isang nahuli ng tatay na nagma-marijuana, ang isang nahuli ng gf na may kahalikan na katulong sa likod na subwoofers, ang isang nahampas ng bote ng tanduay sa ulo, at ang isang nahuli ng lahat na nakababa ang pantalon at pumapatol sa bading wahahahaha! Hulaan nyo na lang kung sino ako sa mga yan.

The mobile era is dead. When the ‘DJ’ got his standing elevated from being just a ‘spinner’ at parties, to a status fitting a celebrity, the art of partying changed as well. The late 90s saw the birth and recognition of local DJ celebrities like Manolet Dario, Mon Maramba, Toti Dalmacion, Cocoy Puyat, Rubber Inc, DJ Papi, Kevin Ruiz, Erwin Edralin, Edge, DJ Patch, David Jacob, Niki Jurado, Elmer Dado, Robin Mendoza (syempre kasama ko jan kunwari haha!) When people took notice of these great talents, and realized that parties can solely rely on the gift and talent of one (the DJ), mobiles took the backseat. Marketing and events groups started riding on the popularity of the DJ, while hiring the best sound providers that don’t mind NOT being on the spotlight.

The mobile era will not come back. The clubbing scene in the Philippines is rapidly evolving and with the progression that’s inevitable, the ‘mobile’ driven cool party atmosphere is yesterday’s news.

Here’s my tribute to all the mobiles that ruled during the 80s and 90s. A homage to my own group SENSORY ASSAULT. Thank you SA. If not for you, and the hundreds of parties that you rocked till the morning, ‘DJ ROBIN MENDOZA’ will never be.

DJ Robin Mendoza & Sensory Assault Mobile presents

 

BACKTRACK

 

96:33 mins (88.41 mb @128 kbps)

Backtrack - DJ Robin Mendoza

Download BACKTRACK HERE

TRACK LISTING:

1. Say A Little Prayer - Bomb The Bass
2. Back To Life - Soul II Soul
3. Tom’s Diner - Suzanne Vega
4. Make It Easy - Sybil
5. Don’t Make Me Over - Sybil
6. Lovely Day - Bill Withers
7. Angelina - PSY
8. True - Spandau Ballet
9. The Hurt - Kalapana
10. Zoom - Fat Larry’s Band
11. The Flight - Perri
12. Breakout - Swing Out Sister
13. This Time It’s Forever - Errol Brown
14. Welcome - Gino Latino
15. Pump Up The Volume - MARRS
16. Strike It Up - Black Box
17. In A Big Country - Big Country
18. Bringing Home The Ashes - Wild Swans
19. Give Me Back My Heart - Robin Wright
20. The Love I Lost - Sybil
21. I Like Chopin - Gazebo
22. In Between Days - The Cure
23. More To Lose - Seona Dancing

Thanks to JEP for some of the tracks submissions (Sorry Jep. Hindi ko nagamit yung iba. Bukod sa meron na, eh talagang hindi ko masikmura mag-mix ng hiphop nyahahahaha! Pramis, pag uwi ko pinas, isa sa tropa ang uutusan ko bumanat ng RNB at Hiphop para sayo okies?)

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