Pupil Interview for Candy Magazine (April 2011)
It really was an absolute pleasure meeting the boys of Pupil because they have great insight and are simply entertaining. Aside from asking about their Summer Bucket List, I was able to talk to them about some other things about their album, Limiters of the Infinity Pool. This is how the rest of the rest of the conversation went:
How was the process of finishing the album like?
Yan: There were no short cuts in making this album. We went the long way and learned how to play the songs live first. We did not go straight into the studio raw because we wanted to be sure before we made any commitments in our recording. You have to know to know that after the thrills of recording are done, the song can actually be stripped down to what it was when we were playing it live before anything else. Ely: After the previous albums, we realized that we should take more time in producing our albums. This time we decided that we wouldn’t record until we were absolutely certain with the arrangement of the songs. We constantly changed the song- its arrangement, the lyrics, some instruments. It was that kind of album.
How different was this album for the previous albums?
Yan: Mas kilala na namin ng sarili naman sarili namin. Ely: Our drummer, Wendell, just joined the band when we recorded our second album. Since we toured our second album heavily, we got to know each other both personally and musically. Yan: Wendell is the kind of drummer who keeps you on your toes; every night is different. It really takes time to know the guy it was really important to know one another. We had to understand what each one does personally so we can play accordingly and create a comfortable dynamic on stage.
Why did you name the album, Limiters of the Infinity Pool?
Ely: That’s a great question because we don’t know the answer as well. Haha! Yan: We really don’t have any justification for it because we choose it before the album was complete but we used it because we wanted it to be spontaneous. I think that the way that an Infinity Pool overflows and spills into the horizon is metaphorically what our music is trying to do. It tries to exist within itself but it’s trying to explode or seep outside itself. The limiter for me in this process is our producer, Pat Tirano, because without him, we’d be all over the place and we’d be doing anything and everything we want. We need someone to come in and step in.
Which is your favorite song from the album?
Wendell: Pampalakas. The song Distortion also gives me goosebumps. Ely: The whole album. Yan: I guess it’s a good album because it’s a difficult question to answer. It’s going to depend on you at that moment. Your favorite now may not be favorite the next time you listen to the CD because another song may catch your ear. Your mood changes. Your disposition changes. I think this album is so varied and wide, in range and scope, that in any given time of the day, you will find something that speaks to you directly. Wendell: Kung anong gusto mo, gusto mo. Dok: I think you should really listen to 20/20.
