THREE Legged Men ups the ante for every Cebuano act whose goal is to reach the national music scene. As the first local act signed to Sony Philippines, the band has carved a path for those who wish to follow. The band is composed of the following members: Michael Anthony Kindica as vocalist and guitarist, Richard Flores as drummer, Jose Mari Jabil as saxophonist, Lomel Popera as percussionist, Levin Inez as keyboardist and backing vocals, and Dabs Orat as bassist.
While remaining grounded to its Cebuano roots, Three Legged Men shares its journey to the national stage in this short article.
Can you share a short history about the band?
“We started out around August 2014 when we got invited to play for UP Cookout. We formed the band just to play for that event and eventually, everybody just kind of stuck with each other to play some more music.”
What inspired your band name?
“JM (saxophone) suggested the name jokingly out of nowhere and we just went with it the whole time. LOL.”
What genre is your music?
“Our music is mainly pop but we kind of drizzle it with hints of jazz, blues, R&B and funk.”
Who are your musical influences?
“We listen to a lot of artists all the way from folk to metal. Here are some to name a few: Led Zeppelin, Toto, Michael Jackson, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
What song do you guys feel most proud of?
“For me (Micmic, vocalist), I’m most proud of the song ‘Keep’ since it’s a song about being there for your family and/or friends especially in times of need.”
What’s the inspiration behind that song?
“I (Micmic) got inspired to write that song during difficult times when I couldn’t express my emotions that much. Through writing the song, it helped me convey the message of hope, faith and love to everyone experiencing difficulties and hardships in life.”
Which Sony Philippines band do you idolize and would like to collaborate with?
“We’d very much love to collaborate with our friends from Nathan & Mercury, and of course, Ben & Ben.”
How were you guys discovered by Sony Philippines?
“They discovered us through the Wanderbattle finals in Manila. We played alongside Kremesoda, Nathan & Mercury, and Intertwined.”
How does it feel like to be the first Bisaya band signed under Sony Philippines?
“It feels overwhelming, and it is such an honor to get our music distributed by Sony. We will raise the banner of Cebu!”
As a band, how do you think you can showcase your Cebuano roots?
“Our roots play a big role in our songwriting process. In the Cebu music scene alone, we look up to a lot of musical geniuses like Jude Gitamondoc, Cattski Espina and Jad Bantug, to name a few. We think a certain “Cebuano sound” sets us apart from the other bands in the national scene. This also counts as a salute to our music heroes, Urbandub, who made a name for themselves carrying the banner of Cebuano music.”
What can we expect from the band now that you’ve signed with Sony Philippines?
“Our listeners can expect more music and more live shows to come!”
Where do you guys usually play your gigs?
“We play a few gigs here and there for a few shows; Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu IT Park, Draft Punk. It’s also fair to say that we truly miss the old spots we used to play in: The Outpost, Handuraw Gorordo and KOA Treehouse.” (Contributed Photo/Kurt Fick)