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Hi The Mox, welcome to LA Music Review! Tell us a little bit about you and your music.
I am Migz Llado—frontman and bassist of the modern garage rock group, The Mox. We are a four-piece band composed of myself on bass and vocals, James Relativo and Raphael Orga on guitars, and Justine Casilang on drums.
We write music that speaks not just to the soul, but also, music that is relatable in every aspect. We like to tell stories of the common man—from politics, and heartbreak, to social issues like bullying or harassment.
What started out as a classic rock three-piece evolved into a modern version of the niche genre that tries to infuse the sound with modernity yet catchy melodic riffs and tunes.
This specific song, “Paglaya” was recorded by our band, The Mox in collaboration with Deeyu and the New Pinoy Music Collective with words penned by yours truly, and a collaborative effort on the production and arrangement.
Congrats on the release! What was your inspiration when you were writing this project?
Released on June 12, 2022. We envisioned this song as a counterpoint to a previous collaboration we had with the New Pinoy Music Collective—the song “Laban” which was about standing up and fighting for our beliefs.
The song “Paglaya” aims to tell the dirty history of politics in the country…
the rise of fake news, the lost consciousness, as well as the confusing nature of social media and actual history. The main point of the song is that we as citizens may not even be sure which is fact or fiction.
Start streaming “Paglaya” right here:
What is your vision for this project? What lessons would you like to impart with your audience?
Apart from imbibing the mood with some classic hard rock riffs, we wanted to emphasize the story-telling nature of the song. A somber take on today’s current affairs.
I think one lesson to be learned is to learn to differentiate fact from fiction.
When everybody echoes their sentiments, does it automatically make it the truth? I think it is so hard nowadays to really sift from reality and lies as there is so much judgment and in-fighting going on everywhere. Learn to assess your beliefs and do the research.
What is your favorite part of this body of work?
While I enjoy the message of the song, I would have to say that the best parts are those which involve the guitar solos. Playing this “live” still gives me chills up to today. It’s a fitting tribute to the rock bands of yesteryear. I think it gets lost easily nowadays because people enjoy words, but sometimes, music should be able to communicate just by the sound you make. These lead guitar parts are some of the most memorable ones we’ve done so far.
Anything else we should know about it? Future releases?
First, I’d like to thank Deeyu (for playing bass on this track) as well as the New Pinoy Music Collective for contributing to the structure of the song. This song is part of the Libertad album which was released last June 12, 2022.
We’re releasing our first full-length album late this year, perhaps December 2022 as the target date. It’s going to include remakes of our original songs, plus some brand new ones to watch out for.
Gigs? We’ll be doing some gigs in the Philippines this August and one in September. August 27, Skinny Mike’s Sports Bar with the Pasig Band Community. August 28, Area 4B with Space Needles Production. September 17, Social House with our NewVibe PH family. There’ll probably be a few more inserts before this article releases so be on the lookout on our pages.
Connect with The Mox
