Wolfmann
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Wilfrid Andrew Mirasol Hernandez (born November 17, 1976 in Manila, Philippines) is more popularly known as Wolfmann in the Philippine music industry. He is one of the pioneers of the Electronica scene and is affiliated to Electronica Manila, a group of electronica musicians dedicated to promoting genuine Filipino electronica music. Wolfmann passed away in 2005 at the age of 28 due to aneurysm.
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[edit] History
Wilfrid started learning to play the guitar at the very young age of 12 and was able to write his own musical compositions at the age of 14. He dabbled as a guitarist for upstart alternative rock music bands before deciding to go solo in 1998 and was groomed as an acoustic artist.
Wilfrid eventually ventured into electronica music in 1999, dabbling and tinkering with some software programs for remixing and investing on grooveboxes, samplers and synths in 2001 that brought out the new Wolfmann sound generally classified as breakbeat. The breakbeat genre has always fitted Wolfmann’s inner personality as it provides him an outlet to vent out his personal aggression over his own stark observations with his music that he finds difficulty expressing with his relatively calm and quiet demeanor. He then settled on his monicker “Wolfmann” because some friends of his had a difficult time calling him “Wilf” and called him “Wolf” instead. Since then, he has generally crafted his own signature synth sound from his Korg ea-1 analog synthesizer with relative ease. And true to his firm stand against intellectual piracy of any form, Wolfmann made it a point to invest on strictly using original equipment and software for his musical work.
Wolfmann’s first live set was on November 22, 2002, at Big Sky Mind. He finished recording his first independently produced Breaking the Beat Project and was able to release it mid-2003. The album was a study in organized chaos and helped him land a curious following not just from the blossoming local electronica music scene but the independent rock scene as well.
Wolfmann challenged himself to conceptualize and finish Diner to let people view and experience the different facets of electronica music from Wolf’s own perspective. When it comes to songwriting, Wolfmann prefers to write of love, hate, despair, oppression, aggression, delusion, confusion and disillusionment in this ever-shrinking world.
As a matter of fact, the aforementioned carrier single “Dalagang Bukid” is about the exploitation of the masses, the rape of our motherland by people who are intoxicated by their own selfish desires, the song’s lyrics should serve as an eye opener. The rape victim, the “dalagang bukid,” who was left in the field to decompose and fry under the sun, personifies what our country will be like if we let the oppressors take over—just another victim.
Wolfmann would eventually return to his first love – playing in a band. Following his short stint as a solo electronica articst, in 2004, Wolfmann formed Wolfmann +, a band composed of Whannie Dellosa, on drums, former Eraserhead and current The Dawn/Cambio bassist Buddy Zabala, Kathy Meneses of Daydream Cycle and Ebe Dancel as lead vocalists, and of course, Wolfmann.
On August 21, 2005, Wolfmann passed away at the very young age of 28 due to aneurysm. His sudden departure was met with a lot of grief not only in the local electronica scene, but in the local rock scene as well. He left his band, Wolfmann+, and a number of demo recordings of new songs enough to fill a new album. A song entitled “Para” was submitted to NU107 and ended up #56 on NU’s 2006 yearend countdown.
In January 2007, Wolfmann +, together with Wolfmann’s friends and family, launched the self-titled Wolfmann+, the band’s much-anticipated first album. The album, which features 12 tracks, is a collection of collaborative works by friends from the local music industry who sought to finish what Wolfmann had started. Wolfmann’s unfinished works were recreated by the band together with former Twisted Halo frontman Vin Dancel, Raimund Marasigan of Sandwich/Pedicab/Cambio, Chillitees keyboardist Dan Gil, former Teeth and current Daydream Cycle/Skies of Ember guitarist Jerome Velasco and Cris O. Ramos, Jr.
(excerpts from Cris Ramos' Press Release for the "Diner" Album Launch)
[edit] Personal Life
Wilfrid, a.k.a Wolfmann, is the only son of Wilfrido Hernandez and Aletha Mirasol. He has two siblings, Aleli who is married to Aian Arcilla, and Adele, married to RJ Nadal.
Wilfrid is a BA graduate from the De La Salle University, major in Behavioral Science. Prior to pursuing his passion in music, Wilfrid worked for Equitable PCI Bank.
Wolfmann’s hobbies and interests include music, recording, gadgets, vampires, the paranormal, the supernormal, and the abnormal. He loved to follow Formula One races and his favorite driver was Kimi Raikkonen , who was then with Team McLaren.
As a kid (and grown-up), Wolfmann loved collecting action figures and other toys. His collection included the Transformers, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, WWF Championship Belts, a precious Darth Vader Mask, and of course, the Light Saber.
Among the people he looked up to were Edgar Jopson, Che Guevarra , Rage Against the Machine, Major Dick Winters , Scott Kirkland, Ken Jordan, and his late grandfather, Jose Mirasol, Jr..
[edit] Discography
[edit] Breaking the Beat Project (2002)
- Breaking The Beat
- Identify
- Straightline (the chicane)
- We Are The Anti-Pirates
- Eddie Slaps Alien
- Leonid Storm
- Grace
- Wiseman
- Refuse The System
- Prelude To The Invasion
- Fight Scene Of The Century
- Voices
- Sniper
- Cutting Edge
- Capital E
- Wicked Evil Blonde
- Jamming 'To
- Identify (radio edit)
[edit] Diner (2004)
- Clam Chowder
- Mushrooms (feat. Squid 9)
- Calamares (feat. Reg Rubio)
- Baked Mussels (feat. Angry Aspilet & Kathy Meneses
- Fish N Chips
- Piniritong Dalagang Bukid (feat. Ebe Dancel)
- Arroz Ala Cubana
- Pork Chop
- Roast Beef
- Fillet Mignon
- Chocolate Cake
- Mud Pie (feat. DJ Rhyme)
- Lemonade
- Brown Wine
- Water
- Beer (feat. Buddy Zabala & Whannie Dellosa)
- Fish N Chips (Morse's Rotten Fish Mix)
- Mushrooms (Silverfilter's Take A Beating Mix)
[edit] Wolfmann+ (2006)
- Behind the Headlines
- Dasal
- Driving School
- Forgotten Method
- Kaizenizer
- Para
- Recluse
- Secret Army
- Shooting Mercury
- Taxes
- Voice
- Walk Slowly
