Drinks with Marcus Adoro

Catching up with musician, baker, and all-around cool cat Marcus Adoro over shots of rum

What can be said about musician Marcus Adoro that has not been said before in his previous interviews? I’m not quite sure, but I’ve noticed, this man has been a bit elusive with all these things: the interviews, the media hype, basically part of what his life was like back when he devoted most of his time with his band the Eraserheads.

It’s inevitable not to talk about the Eraserheads when you discuss anyone of its members but I’ll try not to delve into that too long. Marcus together with the rest of the Eraserheads did several reunions in this century, two of which was held here in the Philippines but the most were outside our territory. Last year though, the band graced the cover of Esquire Philippines and during the launch of the said issue at Dusit Hotel, they held an impromptu mini-gig that almost gave everyone a mini-heart attack. It was nostalgic. It was amazing. Best mini-reunion ever. 

 At the Eraserheads' Esquire Philippines cover launch

But going back to the reclusive Mister Adoro, who is mostly enjoying the peace and quiet in his kubo in La Union, I paid him a visit to do this guerrilla interview. It was 3pm, and I asked him what his favorite drink was and it was local rum. This project wasn’t called Drinks with Denise if I will not drink but consuming an alcoholic beverage early afternoon wasn’t really a habit of mine but hey, I’m a team player, ginusto mo yan! Game! I was off to the nearby sari-sari store and returned holding a long neck. It seemed like I was in luck because Marcus just baked a batch of really tasty bread stuffed with adobo. The man is a baker now and he loves it! It was a bit surprising for me to see a heavy duty oven inside a kubo, but it was there, fully functioning with freshly baked bread on top of it. He is the midnight baker; it did not occur to me to ask why he named this new business / hobby The Midnight Bakery but just in case you see him, feel free to do so. He invited me to hang out at the second deck of his kubo. It was like an outpost where he can survey the land and spy on possible intruders. He settled in on one of the two hammocks that were there, and then I started with my questions. Read on.

How did we meet?

His version:

Marcus: I don’t remember, maybe on the beach?

During my 33rd birthday. He gave me an orange as a birthday present

My version:

This is probably one story that I’ve told some of my friends over and over. My first encounter with the Eheads was back when I was in high school; Ultraelectromagneticpop days. My childhood friend’s organization produced a concert at the Perpetual Help in Binan wherein the Eheads was the main act. After that awesome concert, I went to my friend’s house because I was told that the Eraserheads will go there to relax and eat before heading back to Manila. And true enough, all four members came walking through my friend’s house gate and I didn’t know what to do. I’m a fan of the Eraserheads, always will be. So, I tried to act cool, you know, a chill high school student talking to her music heroes. I remember they ate corned beef, they played with my friend’s swing set, and listened to Rico Blanco play all there songs on the piano. Yes, Rico was there, pre-Rivermaya days. But that’s a totally different story. I remember Marcus was really enjoying that swing set like he was on a roller coaster. Hands up while letting out an occasional “wwweeeee!!!!” My friend’s family owned a school bus, and that’s what they used to bring the Eheads home.

Do you think that marijuana should be legal here in our country?

Marcus: Not yet. I think kailangan muna maperfect yung garbage disposal system, kailangan munang matuto magdrive ng tama ang bawat pinoy, kailangan muna na maging maayos yung mga highways at transport system. Wag muna kayong magisip ng legalization ng marijuana. Okay yan sa may sakit, sa may cancer, pero kung legalize gaya ng sa US, hindi pa. Kaya sila legal na dun kasi maganda na yung mga daan nila, wala na silang problema sa traffic, maayos na ang garbage disposal system nila. Pero, okay din kung legal, hindi lang ako sasama sa rally ng legalization. Mabuti pa yung drive papunta dun! “Sir, ayusin na natin ang bansa para malegalize na!” parang ganun, parang movement to raise awareness and how to improve our country. Yung progress ng bansa is yung speed mo papunta from A to B, pero kung yung trabaho mo 7am to 5pm pero gising ka na ng 3am dahil sa traffic, puta, hindi progress yun, progress muna before legalization of anything. Kung medicinal sha, okay lang yun.

Describe an ordinary day for you

Marcus: Ordinary day? Lahat ng araw ko extraordinary e.

Me: Ha ha! Okay. Describe an extraordinary day for you.

Marcus: I wake up and I run to the beach or raise my Go Pro flag to check the waves. And then base my day on that. Will I surf tomorrow? Will I bake today? Do I need to bake? And then distribute my energy. Sometimes drive the Combi around and drink buko. Sometimes I go to the beach, chit chat, and enjoy the sight of the foreigners on their holiday.

 His surfboard

 Pandesal with adobo filling baked by Marcus (photo grabbed from his Instagram account) 

What do you think is your greatest achievement in life?

Marcus: Right now, my greatest achievement in life is that I can bake bread. Matagal ko na shang gustong gawin, magbake ng isang loaf. The perfect loaf.

What for you are the best three songs ever written?

Marcus: I can’t answer that.

Me: Bakit?

Marcus: Depende yan sa mood e.

Me: Kung happy ka?

Marcus: *starts singing* The long and winding road…

How would you spend your last day on Earth?

Marcus: Me surrounded by my family and my cats in my kubo and looking at my garden.

If you can switch places with someone and live his or her life for a week, who would it be?

Marcus: Siguro si Garfield. Cute si Garfield e! Kain lang sha ng kain. Mataba at pusa lang sha.

Why is rum your favorite drink?

Marcus: Gusto ko ng rum pagnasa beach ako tsaka pirate trip. Yun ang iniinom ni pareng Jack Sparrow. Tsaka gusto ko yung local rum.

 

Follow Marcus on Instagram and download new music from him here!