Juan De La Cruz

OK, maybe you don't know these lads, judging from the less-than-enthusiastic response to the post of
the GREAT Los Natas, maybe it's to be expected.....but Juan De La Cruz (A band, not an hombre) put out some pretty bad ass stuff that those of us with the open mind just might enjoy, just a possiblity....or, maybe you prefer everything sound like Foreigner or someting, in which case I just can't help ya......Juan De La Cruz cranked out some pretty damn fine Phililipino-tinged hard rock in the early 1970's, I DO NOT have their entire body of work here, but wha I do have, I am betting, is enough to whet your appetite and get you interested, and if any of you folks have any more stuff by Juan De La Cruz, perhaps you willbe wonderful enough to share what ya got......

OK. The first album, "Up In Arms" (1968) features Wally Gonzalez on vocals and guitar, keyboardist Rene Sugeco, bassist Clifford Ho, drummer Bobot Guerrero, and multi-instrumentalist Romy Santos.....it is a fairly good album, much different than  the harder-rocking stuff to come but does feature a very enjoyable version of "Stranger In a Strange Land", also a slew of live bonus tracks.....all in all pretty good album though.

Gonzalez then shifted gears to his more envisioned "power-trio"format. While I don't have and have never heard "Himg Natin", the second album, we do have number three "Maskara" and four "Super Sessions", as well as a very good compilation "Shake Your Brains" which might be the best starting off point for novices.

Very competent, very good hard rock, some non-English lyrics, some English, I know the non-English scares some folks off, but these are worth while early-70's sounds that I think you'll enjoy.....some of this crew went on to form Speed Glue and Shinki, who I may or may not have featured here before, but they also made some very good 1970's rock n roll......

Pretty much forgotten in the US today, come on Yanks, open your ears and let your Uncle know what you think about this latest attempt at variety after the Led Zeppelin epic! 

Links coming up, I promise, and please, I ask again, check out the albums provided by Songs For Snakes from a few days ago, they are good and I may put them up directly.

UP IN ARMS-01 Justice (Where Are You)/02 Stranger In a Strange Land/03 Mystery Roach/04
Requiem For a Head/05 Lady In White Satin/06 Love of  Woman/07 Kagatan (Live)/08 Balong Malalim (Live)/09 Beep Beep (Live)/10 Palengke (Live)/11 Langit (Live)/12 Serap Ng Buhay (Live)

MASKARA-01 Maskara/02 Pinnoy Blues/03 Nadapa Sa Anina/04 Nakatangong Mata/05 Beep Beep/06 We Love You/07 Pagad Sa Panniga/08 Rak En Roll Sa Mundo/09 Balong Makela/10 Palengle/11 Nagtakbay/12 Last Song

SUPER SESSIONS-01 Langit/02 Kagatan/03 Langit/04 Great Pinnoy Antiquithes/05 Himig Natin

SHAKE YOUR BRAINS-01 Take You Home/02 I Wanna Say Yeah/03 Palengle/04 Shake Your Brains/05 Rising Nation/06 Pagoda Sa Pahinga/07 Pinnoy Blues/08 Beep Beep/09 We Love You/10 Last Song