Mistula
Mistula is the first virtual band in the Philippines, and is composed of four customized ball-jointed dolls. They fuse music, graphic art, literature, photography and other art forms, built around themes of Catholic idolatry and cultural commentary. Treating the internet as their stage, the band disseminates information and releases songs as well as other creative projects through their official website, a collaborative effort of musicians, artists, writers and web designers aimed to showcase different facets of Filipino culture. Their online presence is maintained through their regularly updated weblogs chronicling the band's virtual lives.
Since its Genesis, Mistula has received recognition from various music websites, such as PhilMusic.com, the Philippine music source; Rakista.com, the online community of Pinoy rock; and PinoyRadio.com, a New Jersey-based web station.
The band has also been featured in magazines, such as RockNation, a local rock publication; Fashion Doll Quarterly, a U.S.- based doll magazine; and German publications, Mangaszene and Cho². Their official fansite, The Black Rosary, has gained membership from all parts of the globe, ever since the site's launch.
Mulat, the band's first music video, was initially released as a members-only exclusive, and has eventually premiered on both MYX and MTV Philippines in 2006.
Mistula has garnered international recognition by being the first Filipino band to win a place in the International Play & Rate Competition of the UK-based site, Overplay.
In 2007, Mistula was featured on three local TV programs, namely Lovely Day, Mel and Joey, and The Sweet Life.
History
Mistula was conceptualized by Joey David and her husband, Rey Tiempo, in 2004. They came up with the idea for the band upon fusing David's ideas for a website devoted to Catholic iconography with Tiempo's ideas for a website for his rock band.
GenesisMistula was formed with Bella Lugosi, Manx Minuet and Uno on August 30, 2004, thus making them the first Filipino virtual band. On September 2, 2004, their official website was launched, along with their first single, Mulat. Second ComingTheir second single, Baptized, was launched on November 30, 2004, along with a new rhythm guitarist from the UK, Dragan, and a major update in the band's official website. It was also during this time that Pinoy Radio invited Mistula to have their songs available for listening on the Pinoy Radio website. Their songs "Mulat" and "Baptized" have consistently been in the Pinoy Radio bestseller charts. Mistula also released its first line of merchandise which consisted of band shirts and souvenir items for ball-jointed dolls. The band was recognized by RockBand.com. ResurrectionOn March 27, 2005, Mistula released their third single: The Last Supper; which features both Manx Minuet and Uno on vocals. The Mistula website featured images of the band's custom instruments (depicted below), created by renowned Filipino guitar maker, Lumanog. MysteriesFrom October 2005 to December 2005, Mistula featured several different updates. Mistula released their first ever music video: Mulat. It was during this time that Black Rosary: the official Mistula fanclub was launched, and it features exclusive merchandise, such as behind-the-scenes images from the making of Mulat. DolorosaOn April 16, 2006, Mistula launched their Holy Week presentation entitled Dolorosa. This featured a solo guitar and vocal piece by Manx Minuet entitled Nuestra Señora Dolorosa as a farewell to their rhythm guitarist, Dragan, who had left on February 19, 2006. Mistula's foray into the graphic novel genre with their piece, "In Likeness Of", earned them a finalist place in the 1st Philippine Graphic Fiction Awards sponsored by Neil Gaiman and Fully Booked. Pista ng PatayMistula released their single called "Pista ng Patay" (Feast Day of the Dead) on November 17, 2006. This song was not made available for download on the official Mistula website, but was released through the website Overplay as "an Overplay exclusive". The official website itself underwent a major update, featuring artwork by Fabo and his Second design crew. |
Mistula: Baptized Again
On November 3, 2007, Mistula released their music video for a new version of the song "Baptized" through Channel V's AMP (Asian Music Platform) website.
Name Definition
Mistula is a Filipino term that translates to "in the likeness of," "resembling closely," or "similar to". The name pertains to the virtual aspect of the band. It's also reflective of idolatry, the veneration of idealized images of Catholic saints which is prevalent in the Philippines.
Influences
Apart from Filipino Catholic-culture, the band has stated that their musical influence is mainly heavy metal. Some bands they have frequently mentioned as their influences include the heavy metal bands Metallica and Pantera, and early Pinoy rock bands such as Mutiny, and Dahong Palay.
Band Members
Mistula's members are four Asian ball-jointed dolls by Volks from Japan and Cerberus Project from Korea. The characters live virtually through various websites, foremost of which is the frontman and bassist Uno's fictional online journal, Fully Articulated.
- Uno (vocals and bass) - Uno was invited into Mistula by their drummer and bandleader, Bella Lugosi, after the latter noted his online following through his weblog. Uno works for an advertising agency. He is a frequent traveler, or in his own words, "extra luggage". He chronicles all of his bandmates' lives through an online journal called Fully Articulated. Uno is a customized Volks Limited Edition Super Dollfie 13 Tsukasa Konoe.
- Manx Minuet (vocals and guitars/lyricist and composer) - A former pornstar, Manx Minuet joined the band with Uno after an invitation from Bella Lugosi. She puts Mistula's poems to music. The song, "Nuestra Señora Dolorosa", is her solo work, made during a bout with depression after Dragan decided to quit the band and lead a more private life in the UK. Manx Minuet is a Cerberus Project Limited Edition DELF Sweety Lingerie Lishe.
- Bella Lugosi (drums/lyricist and composer)- Bella Lugosi is Mistula's founder and bandleader, taking his rightful seat at the drummer's throne. He writes all of Mistula's poetry and makes every vital decision for the band. Bella Lugosi is deeply influenced by Catholicism in the Philippines, which can be seen through his writing. He is a customized Volks Limited Edition Super Dollfie 13 Tsukasa Konoe.
- Lobo (rhythm guitar) - Lobo arrived as a replacement for former rhythm guitarist, Dragan, on April 4, 2006, but was not recruited into the band until after the Mistula auditions (entitled Rock Idol.) Lobo left school at a relatively young age, hitting the streets to seek his fortune and earn money to support himself and his younger sister, Veritas. His abuse of a [...] that he and his comrades called "Full Moon" has caused severe damage to his memory, and he now sports two personalities: the wild, violent Lobo with the untamed red hair, and the meeker Lobo with dark, spiky hair. The wild Lobo is a customized Volks Limited Edition Super Dollfie 13 Shiro Tachibana, while the tame Lobo is a customized Volks Limited Edition Super Dollfie 13 Shiro Tachibana After School Version.
- Dragan (former rhythm guitarist) - Bella Lugosi recruited Dragan for the Second Coming update to bring British influence to Mistula, and to exploit the advantages of being an Internet-based band. Dragan used the Internet to send his musical contributions to Mistula, until he was compelled to physically join the band during the Mysteries update to shoot a music video for the single, "Mulat". On February 19, 2006, after experiencing the band's tumultuous life, he quit in favor of a more peaceful existence in the UK. He continues to correspond with Mistula through the Internet. Dragan is a customized Volks Super Dollfie 13 FCS-28.
- The Mistula Disciples - A group of musicians, artists, writers and web designers work behind Mistula. The disciples are not bound by genres or any specific art forms, choosing to venture into unexplored themes to offer new ways of thinking.
Song Releases
- (2004.09.02) Mulat
- (2004.11.30) Baptized
- (2005.03.27) The Last Supper
- (2006.04.16) Nuestra Señora Dolorosa
- (2006.11.17) Pista ng Patay
Mistula Custom Instruments
Custom guitars have been crafted exclusively for Mistula by renowned Filipino guitar maker, Lumanog. The instruments are named after historic Philippine landmarks, such as Cebu and Cutud.
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See also
- Virtual band
- Pinoy rock