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Champ Lui-Pio – vocals
Roll
Martinez – guitar
Sheldon Gellada – bass
Omnie Saroca – drums | It all began with a simple song called “Broken Sonnet.” When this ode to
love hit the airwaves in the first quarter of 2005 as the carrier single of EMI’s Full Volume Pinoy rock collection,
nobody―not the listeners, the band scene shakers and movers, nor the song’s creators themselves―fully expected
the musical maelstrom that would propel an unknown young band called Hale to the top and spawn a new pop rock genre, “melodrama”.
Hale. Love it or despise it, HALE’s 2005 triple-platinum (as of May 2006) eponymous debut album is a testament
to the band’s gift both as musicians and songwriters. More than a highly commercial success that made them a household
name virtually overnight, this is the record that gained Champ Lui-Pio, Roll Martinez, Sheldon Gellada, and Omnie Saroca artistic
recognition from industry titans and earned them even the grudging respect of critics and haters alike. As an upstart, barely
a year old band back then, all this foursome wanted was to musically express themselves and be heard. But they didn’t
count on the massive chart-topping power of their sound’s “musical sincerity,” “melodrama (melodious
drama)” undertones, and “stream of consciousness lyrics”-- catch phrases now exclusively identified with
HALE.
2005 to 2006 was definitely the Year of HALE. Beginning with carrier single THE DAY YOU SAID GOODNIGHT, their
songs monopolized the #1 slot in music charts across the nation with one impressive hit after another.
THE DAY YOU
SAID… never left the radio charts as it was hailed as “Song of the Year on 97.1 WLS-FM, and “OPM Song of
the Year” on RX 93.1 and Magic 89.9 WTM. HALE was also named “OPM Band of the Year” on RX 93.1 and “Best
New OPM Artist” on TM 89.9.
In preparation for their sophomore album, the band released HALE REPACKAGED in February
2006. It’s new and fourth single, TOLL GATE, shoot straight to #1 followed closely by fifth single, BLUE SKY.
Indeed,
the band could have gone on forever with this one album alone. Thanks to its roaring success, they’ve also become product
endorsers of the country’s most renowned and commercially acclaimed brands.
But Hale, by this time established
as one of the country’s most-acclaimed bands, have more ambitious plans in store.
Twilight. “There
was pressure on us to duplicate the success of our debut album,” says Champ. “But in effect, we experimented [with
our sound] and did the exact opposite. This album was caught in the band’s adjustment phase.”
In October
2006, Hale gave the OPM scene an unexpected jolt by creating an album that moves away from their perceived image as a band.
TWILIGHT features raw, tough riffs and darker, more intricate lyrics, while encompassing a wider spectrum of musical arrangements(read:
non-Hale like).
Many believed this “pulling away from what is” to explore one’s artistic depth was
a risk-laden, courageous move lesser music artists wouldn’t have dared to do at such an early stage. For this alone,
Hale proved they’re artistic and musical integrity to one and all.
Hale’s sophomore album scaled up to
the top of the charts on both radio and music channels, with 15, 000 units sold only one week after its release. This certified
gold album produced three brilliant singles: WALTZ, HIDE AND SEEK and SHOOTING STAR.
While the band retained their trademark
insightful lyrical content and melancholic sonic ambiance Omnie Saroca insists, “Hale tries to be a not-your-typical
‘drama core’ band.” Instead, the album is, according to Sheldon Gellada, “a musical journey through
the various pitfalls we’ve come across.”
Hale’s bassist might as well be talking about the reason
for their decision to keep a low profile and take what the public saw as a hiatus from the scene after the release of their
second album. “There was a time when we were at the point of exhaustion. It was just too much that our friendship and
performance were suffering. It [became] obvious back then that we needed to slow down and rejuvenate. That triggered the decision
to lay low,” vocalist Champ explains at length.
The scene waited with bated breath for a long time for Hale
to quickly emerge from this self-imposed hibernation. Three years after their first album put them in OPM rock history, Hale
prepares for chart domination once again.
Latest album. The second wind. The newfound passion.
ABOVE
, OVER AND BEYOND is another “pulling away” that sees Hale braving ankle-nipping waters with a new sound that
showcases the band’s further artistic abilities without repeating what they’ve done before.
“We’re
definitely back with a new level of confidence. People said it was a huge risk and that it could cost us everything we’ve
worked hard for. And that I think is out biggest challenge: proving those people wrong. We took a break to recharge and now
we’ve come back with a fresher album,” says Champ.
“This new album is closest to Hale’s heart.
It took ten months to make. And we enjoyed every minute of it,” adds Roll.
Don’t expect any selling out
on Hale’s part though. After their first-hand encounter with the high and lows of this “business is business”
industry, this band has learned the most difficult yet significant lesson in every true artist’s career: “Never
sacrifice the quality of the album for popularity and money.”
They’ve enjoyed being on the zenith of fame
and have come face to face with disappointments. So this time around, the band makes sure their presence in this fickle music
cosmos would not be end up as tragic ephemera. It’s time for genuine substance and lasting significance.
“Right
now the band is working on helping people through music. We created Treehouse Productions so we could contribute to society
in our own little way. And that is how we want to be remembered.”
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Awards and Achievements
Gold Award (15,000 units) for self-titled Hale
(June 2005)
Platinum Award (30,000 units) for self-titled Hale (August 2005)
Double Platinum (60, 000 units)
for self-titled Hale (November 2005)
Triple Platinum (90, 000 units) for self-titled Hale (May 2006)
Gold
Award (15, 000 units) for TWILIGHT (October 2006)
MTV Pilipinas 2005
-- Best New
Artist
97.1 WLS-FM Year End Awards (2005)
--Song of the Year for THE DAY YOU SAID GOODNIGHT
RX
93.1 Year End Awards (2005)
-- OPM Song of the Year for THE DAY YOU SAID GOODNIGHT
Magic 89.9 WTM Year End
Awards (2005)
-- OPM Song of the Year for THE DAY YOU SAID GOODNIGHT
RX 93.1 Year End Awards (2005)
--
OPM Band of the Year |
TM 89.9 Year End Awards (2005)
--
Best New OPM Artist
2006 Awit Awards
-- Best Ballad for “The Day You Said Goodnight”
-- People’s
Choice Award for Favorite Band
2006 SOP Pasiklaband (GMA 7)
-- Best Pop Rock Band
2006 MTV Pilipinas
Video Music Awards
-- Best Pop Video for “Kung Wala Ka”
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