Behind The Stage Big Baby Studios

Like most stories, Annie Alejo got her start in "the business" by simply being a fan of great music: working her way up to writing press releases, pushing her favourite local and international artists and ultimately, being part of major local projects like Michael Jackson's Tour and Performance in Manila, Annie soon found herself being the managing Editor for one of the country's most well-known music publications PULP Magazine, which was pretty new around the year 2000 and making waves with its no-holds-barred attitude, photo shoots, uncompromising music reviews and events.

But the journey didn't end there: Alejo would soon be in charge of publications she would start with various other partners, then work for a major broadsheet, work for the Araneta Group of companies and now, with a chain of hotels, and writes every now and then on the side. The one constant: music, whether it be writing or initiating campaigns or projects that would both involve and help support local music. #BehindTheStagePH host Joey D. (who has worked with Alejo throughout the years...) enjoys and asks for more interesting stories of Alejo's decades-spanning mission to champion local music.

Established from quick-thinking inspiration and partly out of necessity, Nemesis Music Group has proven to be one of the most dynamic and powerful forces in the Philippines' management and production game. Boasting of handling both club-scale and large-scale events, and being in charge of the well-being of notable local groups like Urbandub, Autotelic, Faspitch and Sirens - you can bet that the future of local music is in good, able hands. Which is why #BehindTheStagePH took the time out to chat with the tag-team powerhouse that is Carleen Panganiban and Lordtrak Ocampo, both no strangers in the game and who have been under the steady guidance of Urbandub frontman Gabby Alipe.

LIVE IN THE TIME OF ECQ - Without a doubt, one of the hardest-hit industries during this time of crisis is the entertainment and music scene, most especially the hard working people who run and operate the venues where musicians and music fans come together. So in this all-new episode of Behind The Stage, we’re giving due credit and paying tribute to one of the most-favored music hubs in the Quezon City area, Route 196… and chatting with the main man behind it, KELVIN YU (who also happens to be the bassist for ITCHYWORMS) – it’s one of the most fun episodes we’ve done so far, talking about the past, present AND future of the famed music bar.

For the debut episode of Behind The Stage, Joey D talks to one of the most well-known musicians and supporters of the Asian Independent music scene, Riz Farooqi - formerly the frontman of seminal Hong Kong hardcore group King Lychee, and currently guitarist of heavy metal outfit Dagger. These two longtime friends catchup during the quarantine to talk shop about the hows, whens and whys of the creation of uniteasia.org, the one-man-run website that continues fighting the good fight of Asian independent music, and about Riz/s close ties with the Philippine scene.