Zaldy’s blues
Former Anibughaw guitarist on music, faith
LIKE Izzy Stradlin leaving Guns N Roses at its peak, guitarist-songwriter Zaldy Regalario also left his band, Anibughaw, while it was enjoying heyday.
Regalario came from a family of musicians. His eldest brother Sam, whom he considers his mentor, plays guitar for the band Signum. Younger brother Edsel, on the other hand, is a guitar style critic of sorts.
He studied at the Philippine Christian University from primary to college. He now teaches guitar as well.
The 48-year-old remembers how his love for music was shaped back in the 70’s through an old stereo, which his late father used to play records.
“The sheer enjoyment of hearing all the greats from rock to jazz consumed me,” he says.
Regalario started to learn the fundamentals of guitar playing at 12 from an instructor. He opted to teach himself afterwards, studying the likes of Phil Keaggy, Eric Clapton, and Slash who became his main influences.
What keeps the former Anibughaw guitarist musically active nowadays is a Cavite-based group called Jackknife Alley Project, a four piece that includes Francis Sanicas on vocals and guitar, and brothers Spencer and Striver Bautista on drums and bass, respectively.
“We have originals written in the progressive blues rock context,” he says.
Music is what also drives Regalario closer to God being the head minister of liturgical music at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel in Bacoor City. He is also involved in a society called Avatar Arts led by former Wuds bass player Alfred Guevara.
Regalario is a firm believer that music is best played coming from the heart. “It gratifies the soul. Let it be a shining light to those who listen,” he says.
Being a poet, songwriting came naturally to Regalario. “Me and Sael (Agag, former Anibughaw singer) who is also a poet, sit down together with our poems. We then try to create melodies using our words. This is basically how we wrote the songs for Anibughaw.”
Regalario says he never planned leaving Anibughaw considering they are as close as brothers but admits sobriety problems then made him exit the band for the greater good.
“Now I learned to not be discouraged by anxieties and troubles since life are full of them,” says Regalario.