Behind almost every gothic event in the Philippines you will find the name Subkulture. In existence for at least a decade they arguably may be considered the progenitors, the propagators, the root of it all. Their name has become synonymous to the local Gothic movement and we can even go so far as to say that the people behind the production outfit are the movers and shakers of today's Philippine Gothic Scene.
With what has become a tradition, Subkulture will again hold their annual Halloween event called “The Eternal Death Wake 3 :All Hollows Goth Ball 2006” at Absinth Greenbelt Makati. Through all the years, all the events and activities organized, Subkulture seems to be getting stronger, always invigorated by the new eras and generations that pass by. It even seems oblivious to the ever changing trends that come with time. It has become an imposing presence through the years and will definitely remain so for the foreseeable future.
What is the inspiration behind the movement? What keeps them going? What sets them apart from the rest? We take this interview with Doi Porras as an opportunity to give you a peek into Subkulture.
Entity: Subkulture will have The Eternal Death Wake 3 at Absinth this coming hallows eve. How many other Halloween events had you organized prior to this?
Doi Porras: First off, hi guys! Hmmm, under the Subkulture banner we've done a massive amount of events since beginning around 94-95 (*prior to the Subkulture name), to the best of my knowledge our head dj and partner in darkness: DJ Runeshadow had been involved with events since the eighties. But i think the best way to answer your question would be to remember the most memorable one's and a lot of them had to do with a Bar called Absinth in Makati (*which in we will be again working with for the upcoming: eternal death wake 3) in relation to this we also have had hosted a couple of Subkulture gatherings in New york's Lower East side, when i used to live there, but due to the fact that the laws in that part of the area has incredibly choked the nightlife and clubs, & Even though a notable size of good people there got drawn to it, i personally felt that it wasn't as fun as how it's done in Manila. My memory really fails me on peculiar dates, but the upcoming website (www.subkulture.net) will include a lot of fun pictures of the past events both locally and internationally.
Entity: Halloween has always been special for us, more so this year with the release of your album Paralyzia, but with all the other costume parties, how do you make your event standout or should I say different from the rest?
Doi Porras: Good question, i do agree that Halloween is a big and special night, more so for the darkhearted, in my opinion the average person celebrates Halloween with costumes and what not, with silly looking skulls and everything associated with a shallow and unaware point of view similar to that of modern day clichés as illustrated by Hollywood movies such as the Munsters, Dracula, and the Addams Family, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but just for a clearer definition, the darkhearted folk always lives day to day as it were Halloween (so goes the saying "everyday is Halloween") just that we take it a notch higher with the music, the TYPE of people, and the atmosphere. In my opinion Halloween just validates us to have more people "experience" the world of Goth without having to be judged too brutally by their average contemporaries .
Doi Porras: I do invite everyone to join us on October 31 at Absinth bar. We will be celebrating: The Eternal Death Wake 3: Hollows Goth ball with bands and djs fit for the day.
Doi Porras: The event is FREE and everyone is invited and welcome, absinth is in greenbelt mall Makati, you can also log on at www.subkulture.net and subscribe to our email list or email us at: info@subkulture.net
Entity: The Eternal Death Wake 3, the countless number of events in the past, you've really been around for what seems like an ETERNITY. That being said you may be looked upon as the PURVEYORS of the Gothic Scene in the Philippines. Now, what keeps you going, what inspires you to keep organizing these dark gatherings?
Doi Porras: Well you see, we ourselves are big fans of GOTH music and it's common atmospheric denominations . And that we have devoted our lives to it, yes it does seem like an eternity but its an eternity well spent, one of our missions is to lift the standards and support independent bands as well as to provide and grow a positive haven for fans, supporters & musicians, we also work with an international network on the underground goth scene and have contacts over in Europe, South America, Japan and the US. Hopefully one day we may see a lot of Filipino independent bands on the international level.
Entity: Let’s take a peek into the future, what are your future plans, what can we expect from Subkulture?
Doi Porras: The future looks exciting for Subkulture and it's affiliates, were already hammering down a lot of projects within a 3-year period. A lot of these plans I cant disclose yet, but it will begin after the release of Dominion's long overdue record "Paralyzia" which will be hopefully seen this year.
Entity: With that we end the interview by going back to the beginning. What was it like at its inception? How did it get started? Could we dare say that Subkulture is more than just a production outfit but a carry over from what was once a small gathering of like-minded friends sharing common passions and dreams? Is it a tribute to all those who existed then and all those who walk the path now?
Doi Porras: I would say deeply Subkulture is more than just about throwing events and trying to look dark or going through a phase. But as you put it i do agree it is an extension of all those tight knit gatherings, and informal hang outs of close friends and definitely a tribute to a lot of the bands, people, supporters and media (existent and non existent) that have been essential in the growth of the present day Gothic scene.
Doi Porras: Subkulture is here for the music first and foremost and is a tribute to all that have made it existent.
Doi Porras: There are so many people we would like to thank but perhaps they already know who they are and maybe one day we can include that in the website if not sooner
Entity Porras: Thank you for your time, it has always been a pleasure and we all look forward to the Eternal Death Wake 3, the Online Radio and the many events to come.
Doi Porras: The pleasure is mine, thank you very much and it's always a joy to talk to you guys, I urge everyone to feel free to join our email list by emailing: info@subkulture.net, hope to see you guys on Subkulture's Eternal Death Wake 3, It's FREE to everyone so just come along , bring your friends and have a GOTH n ROLL time! Cheers!
