Original Album update - to the Colorful Community.

Hello everybody,

Right now, we are working hard on our original CD even as we find time to reply mails and what-nots in between. Till now, we've finished writing over half the songs in the album. It's been a long process, over a year since we started writing the songs for this album - we have to juggle busking and gigs with learning and expanding our repertoire in between. We also spend a lot of time - in fact most of our days in contemplation - as we need plenty of time to meditate on our being and our words before we commit them to lyrics.

Please be patient with us. We promise that if you like the essence of our performance and our unique selection of hand-picked covers, you will love the original work that we're concocting right now! At the moment, we're not only finishing up with writing out the rest of our songs... we're also studying hard and doing lots of research, to source out and learn to use more up-to-date recording/arrangement programs to bring you the best quality sound possible. So please bear with us.

Thanks...
A special hello to Jackie Whyte, Simon Santoso and John Simpson. Thanks for your sweet sweet notes and for taking the time to send us your appreciations.

Bob Airol... we haven't got a copy of 'Run' recorded... but we will be posting a video of Jason Mraz's 'I'm yours' (courtesy of Irianto) on youtube soon... we'll let you know when we do - It'll be soon!

Robert Hock, Suisse Marie... Thanks for the offers you guys! We're glad you're looking out for us - and Sanjeev Veloo & gt23i too. Keep up the amazing work you people! If anyone's looking(or know of anyone who's looking) for a photographer... do google for 'Robert Hock'. He's Melbourne based and his work is highly commendable.

Rachel Cain for looking after Mifty(nuestro perro - our dog) - you're the best! We'll write you regarding your wedding in Perth in the next day or so...:)

To Pedro Rosas & Gloria Sanchez... gracias por tu notas dulces. Thanks Pedro for the video! Your camera's capture is delightfully clear! and yes... ¡Taco con las salsas, por favor!

Peter Kuttner for his wonderful video response... thanks for sharing the beautiful 'ant & cricket' moment. For those of you who appreciates biodiversity do visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/PeterKuttner for some of Peter's wonderful video captures.

A shout out to Bianca Hatfield! :D Woo Hoo! ..umm, sorry about the gig cancellation back in march. We hope we didn't spoil your plans for the evening.

Oh! And Mardi a.k.a. heatherhurricane for your eloquent compliment on youtube. Your feedback serves as dynamite fuel and is revitalizing to our labor of love.

Last but not least, we're so sorry about not being able to share the mp3 with those of you who requested for it. We weren't aware of the full extent of the copyright restrictions. Anyways, we're glad you like our acoustic version of Sway. Like we mentioned previously, we will promise to work hard at our original album so that we can share a small piece of our work with you soon.

A copy of this update is also posted on our blogspot. If you would like to get to know us a little more, go to: www.colorfulblac.blogspot.com

Okiez... that's all from us for now. We love you all. Pray for the bags under our eyes... hee!

Bobz and Candy

I'd like to teach the world to sing(in perfect harmony)

Someone asked me recently about some of my inspirations...

Just off the top of my head, I'd say one of my earliest inspirations would have been Coca-cola's 1971 hit TV advertisement feat. the song, "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony". The words, the melody, the images and the emotional association they all have with a perfect world of harmony had somehow created quite a stir in me. 

Perhaps I was subjected to an environment of disharmony and prejudices at a very early age. "Certain religious followers will go to hell" and "other-colored skin should be avoided" are ideas that I often hear in the backdrop. It is truly not the most fertile condition for a steady foundation in life.

However, these ideas never made sense in my heart(and I've got a darn strong one) so I've always made it a point never to fall for some of these silly beliefs that adults around me at the time had tried to instil into me. I was pretty much indomitable and although I was tiny, I've always been a feisty and vocal one. As far as I can remember I was always questioning everything and arguing my point till I was often physically beaten into silent sobs by my authoritarian aunt. Then the next day it starts all over again.

Following a great many years of beating, I decided to spend most of the time with my head (and my opinions along with it) buried in books. School books and Enid Blyton stories mainly. Enid Blyton had me itching for adventure. I couldn't wait to go off and do the crazy things I read in its stories.

Then came my big break. At 15, I moved back in with my parents whom by now have become complete strangers(they left me with my aunt and grandma from age 6). It wasn't long before I became aware that my parents had a lack of practice in exercising their authority over me. That, on top of the fact that I couldn't quite see how education would serve the world peace had me deciding to finally quit school and get a job and move out at 17.

Soon I was exposed to a world of clubs, gangs, smoking, drinking, greed and lust. I got myself a girlfriend, hop from job to job and spent a lot of time philosophizing with just anyone. At the same time I was trying to stay out of trouble, trying to live in peace with all whom I crossed path with. Witnessing a whole lot of taking and grabbing on a day to day basis kept me continuing my search for the remedy to perfect harmony. The words from the old Coca-cola advertisement trails on.

During this period, I had also tried my hand at songwriting.  I'd figured that putting down my thoughts this way was the only thing that's provided me with relief from a world too noisy to listen, too busy to care. This went on for a bit and at age 21, my world came crumbling down. All at once, my long standing girlfriend of 4 years left me, i lost a job which I've held down comfortably for a while and my family, siblings and friends didn't care for my ramblings about the state of the world anymore.

The idea of harmony persists.

At this point, jobless, friendless with no agenda and with no one's approval to seek anymore.. I was totally free to see the world unadulterated. I picked up my guitar, took to the streets of Northbridge. It was then that I eventually put one and one together and I decided that I best be a harmony seeker and musical storyteller. And thus began my love affair with harmonic tones and the written word.

It's probably a paradox that I've chosen to take on the path that life has chosen for me. But here I am with a bit of good out of life and a bit of bad - and it all serves to continue inspiring me to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!

- Bobz