Hastang of Yesteryears

“Groupie ka pala,” an old friend recently remarked, in a somewhat mocking, mildly condescending tone.

If you google my name, you’d easily find out that the biggest mark I’ve left in the internet is right here, in the world of Hastang. I guess I’ve been a groupie for far too long. And I’m not embarrassed to admit it to the world. Yes, I’m a groupie. But more importantly, I’m a Hastang groupie.

What does being a groupie in the Hastang context mean?

Well, okay, a basic premise is that I’m sleeping with the band. That’s true, but only to a certain extent. I’m not doing the entire band, no. Just the drummer, I’m afraid. And while that part (sleeping with the drummer, that is) is certainly an important aspect of my groupie life, it does not define the entirety of my groupie existence.

There are others like me, too. — Individuals, both male and female, who are proud to call themselves Hastang groupies. And no, not all of them are sleeping with the band. Truth be told, with one minor exception (or as far as I can tell, anyway), the members of this band are monogamous. (Dear fans of Guile, I’m sorry. I’m very, very sorry. )

So, we go back to the same question: what does it mean to be a Hastang groupie?

For me, being a groupie equates to being a fan, a friend, a sister, even a mother to the band.

Oh, we’ve been through so much — Hastang and I.

I’ve fed the band through times of famine (and by that, I mean those parched times after a particularly grueling songwriting session), cleaned up after their mess (postcoital, it seemed at times, when I had to pick up their beddings after a whole night of brainstorming), acted as their personal cheerleader (sans pompoms, doing the pre-gig pep talk with each of the members), moonlighted as their blogger and chronicler (case in point: this post), briefly acted as their manager, devoted precious hours to designing their marketing materials, written lyrics for their album, occasionally acted as matchmaker to Guile (though another Hastang groupie was far more successful than I was ), and even gave those stubborn asses a strong kick in times of low morale.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not all work and no play. There are perks, too:

• A Hastang groupie gets to hang out with cool people like Tessa, Gaw, Guile, Makoy, and (occasionally) MoiMoi. Not just hang out, no. But actually bond with them. Actually get to know them - eccentricities, corny knock-knock jokes, insatiable appetites for beer and all. Getting to know these people has been the greatest ride of my life.
• A Hastang groupie gets to sneak past ticket watchers in Hastang gigs. Shhhh. Nobody has to know.
• A Hastang groupie gets to eat at Tessa’s, Guile’s, Gaw’s, and Mark’s great parties. It doesn’t matter whose birthday it is - a brother’s, a mom’s, a nephew’s, even a dog’s. Hastang groupies can sniff food from an ocean away. No kidding. And oh, (even better) a Hastang groupie gets to eat my pasta.
• A Hastang groupie gets to hang out with other groupies who are far cooler than I am. I’m talking, of course, of such truly beautiful women as Mai, Bon, Gen, Alli, Ela, ZsaZsa, and Phoebe, to name a few. Most of the names in Hastang’s groupie roster, I’ve met only through Hastang. And I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.
• A Hastang groupie gets to listen to all of Hastang’s original songs whenever, wherever. At a time when only a small percentage of Hastang’s music has been publicly released, we already know all of their songs by heart - Oblivion, Mid-flight, When Misery Speaks, Random, Deep Descent, Waiting for Murray, Old Lovers’ Mantra, Guileless, Drowned, Ghost of my Waking, and Plot of my Revenge. (Hah! Got that in the first try.)
• But more importantly, a Hastang groupie gets to share the Hastang dream. Not only do we get to share the dream, we get to live it. Hardships, struggles, successes, and all. When Hastang experiences a setback, we all despair. When Hastang experiences a victory, we all celebrate. While Hastang attempts to break into the music scene, we all cross our fingers and pray for the best.

In essence, being a Hastang groupie means becoming a member of the band. An honorary member, perhaps. But a member nonetheless.

– One whose heart accelerates as the band (sans roadie) sets up on stage.

– One whose pulse raises during a sound check.

– One whose eyes bulge each time Tessa saunters oh-so-seductively into the frame.

– One who experiences pure ecstasy as the crowd grows wild during a performance.

– One whose heart swells in pride at each scream for an encore.

– One who defines sublimity in the poignant melody of Oblivion, the sheer energy of Mid-flight, the subdued elegance of Old Lovers’ Mantra, and the profound sadness of When Misery Speaks.

– One who orgasms at Gaw’s blues-rock style, Guile’s eclectic riffs, Mark’s intense rhythm, and Tessa’s hauntingly beautiful vocals.

– One who lives the dream.

– One who breathes the dream.

That, my friends, is a Hastang groupie.

Do you have what it takes to be a Hastang groupie?

Yan claims to be Hastang's biggest fan. She's the founding president of Hastang's own groupie club and the conflicted voice behind FubarGenre.
©2008 Hastang.com | Read articles written by Yan