His youthful, geeky countenance may belie it, but Mikey Amistoso has been in the business of rock for over a decade now. Earlier this month at Attraction! Reaction!, his band celebrated the tenth-year anniversary of its debut, Hello, How are You Mico the Happy Bear? That Amistoso has shown undying devotion to a singular musical project (i.e., Ciudad) in a scene beset with adulterous and incestuous affairs is proof enough of his level-headedness as an artist-collaborator. Just as he aged, his music and his narratives have also progressed: whereas the Ciudad of the late ‘90s displayed a man-child kind of starry-eyedness, the Ciudad of now (read: Bring Your Friends) has the world-weariness of an approaching thirtysomething. There are no big tricks under the sleeves of Amistoso and company (often, their material approximates conversations dowsed in light alcohol and a vague sense of depression), but they have always shown an ability to connect with audiences emotionally. In a matter of a month or so, however, the Ciudad frontman will be releasing his first non-band product. Taking on a Lemonheads song title for a moniker, Amistoso also takes on a different persona altogether. Below is a transcript of a brief chat between the author and the solo act with two names, Hannah+Gabi.

While reading, you might as well listen to this sample track called “Waiting for the Rainfall,” my personal favorite, to give you a better idea:

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Is Hannah+Gabi in any way a manner of addressing the constraints of a guitar-based band?

Yes, in some way, although we can do that naman for Ciudad, except that the band is not always available to rehearse, and I couldn’t bottle up the ideas anymore, so I had to record them myself. So, ‘yung battle plan ko ngayon for Ciudad and our next material is stuff na we’ve written all as a group.

How did the writing for H+G start?

Actually, ‘yung “Everything Refuses to Move,” two years ago ko pang ginawa ‘yan; wala pang H+G. I wanted it for Ciudad, and then I fell in love with the recording na; I was a bit uncomfortable re-recording it, and unfair naman kina Justin [Sunico] and Mitch [Singson] if I’m gonna shut them down. So, I might as well make another venue for it on my own.

By not wanting to “bottle it up,” do you mean all the attendant production matters as well? I mean, a band album does necessitate some form of consensus, and so on.

Yeah, I guess it matters. I once became a Nazi dictator during the recording [sessions for] Is that Ciudad?, and some band members didn’t like it, so I don’t want it to happen again.

What Nazi tendencies were these, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s pretty big of you to admit that, I must say.

You know, parang I want some things played in a specific way.

Ah, the Macca-versus-Harrison argument in Let it Be comes to mind for some reason.

[When] George [Harrison] said, “Just tell me how you want to play, just make up your mind.” ‘Yun ba ‘yun? [laughs]

Oo! [laughs] And then Macca [Paul McCartney] was humming the guitar line he wanted George to play.

‘Di naman naging ganu’ng ka-intense.

Good to hear!

[laughs]

In any case, the material in Haha Yes seem like an active effort to veer away from guitar-based instrumentation; would this be an accurate assessment?

It’s not really a conscious effort. It’s just that I have spare time in my studio, and ideas pop out so I put them to record immediately. And it just happened na I thought it sounded good with other things aside from guitar as well, because I have a MIDI controller in front of me, and countless sounds in the computer. But I keep one rule, though: MIDI though [it] may be, the final product should always sound as organic as possible.

Ah, you succeeded there, my friend.

I may use some drum patches but I want to make sure that the listener will think that [they’re] real drums. But I did use real drums in most songs, and a few drum patches. But I won’t tell you which. [laughs]

I shall make a guess in due time. Give me a couple of more spins. I love challenges. [laughs] You played in all, right?

Yup, in all, except for drums in “Amazingly Amused”; that was Jazz [Nicolas]. And the girl singer, of course; that was Geri Gil, Dan Gil’s wife, and my co-boss. Oops, now you know the drums in “Amazingly” is real! [laughs]

[laughs] How about lyrically? What would you say is the running theme?

Hmm, nostalgia? Like “City” is just a song I wrote because I miss NYC so much. And “Lost Together” is an invitation to someone to get out of Manila and go somewhere else, preferably NYC. “Everything Refuses to Move” is a song about trying to get over someone. It’s not necessarily about my own experiences, like in most Ciudad songs, too. Some people relate to “Everything Refuses” much more than me.

I can see that, yeah. I have to say your lyrical stuff tend to be very precise and consistent emotionally.

Wow, thanks!

Another issue would be live performance. What are your plans? Like, your set last week [Folk U Baby One More Time], will that be the standard setup?

For now, ‘yun ‘yung standard kasi I’m tamad to form a group and rehearse. So, minus-one na lang. And medyo it’s getting old na. So, sana, sa launch or whatever, I’ll be able to form a proper backup band. There wasn’t any plan naman kasi talaga to perform live.

I’m sure you write as regularly as you shit; excuse my French.

Hindi; si Jazz ‘yun—umuutot ng kanta. [laughs] I don’t write as often na nga these days, eh. Ewan ko, baka dahil tumatanda na. Pero I still try.

Sh*t, pare, ‘wag mong sabihin ‘yan; ikaw ‘yung Peter Pan ng eksena, eh [laughs]! I don’t know why I said that; I just feel it’s accurate somewhat.

[laughs] Yay, thank you! I guess mas magiging critical na ako ngayon. Dati kasi parang Guided by Voices lang, eh. “Sige, p’wede na ‘yan; i-record na natin ‘yan!” Ngayon, marami na akong ini-i-scratch.

Ah, yeah, GBV is insanely prolific.

Ten years ago, ‘yun ‘yung idols ko, eh: GBV and Pavement. May konting Elliott Smith na nu’n, pero ngayon, mas lalong Elliott Smith and Sufjan Stevens.

Anyway, I won’t keep you any longer, buddy. Thanks for your time!

Sige, no problem. Anytime! (Aldus Santos)

Visit Hannah+Gabi’s site for more information, as well as gig and album updates.