Inspiration for Writing

A few days ago I got a random text message from a friend of mine, it was one hell of a busy week for everyone and then this question just got me. "What inspires you to write?" - I said to myself "yeah, that's a good question, time for some self assessment". So I sent her a reply with my reasons and after that I started to think when did I first start anyway?

I sat for awhile to remember the first song I've written out of my Love for music (I was in a punk-rock band before during my high school days.) was called "To be with you" and I wrote it during my band's out of town party in a beach in Zambales. 

This is the latest I've written. Just last week in a mall.

But before I wrote songs, I've written quite a lot of poetry although I wasn't inspired by poets. Musically I was inspired by Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Rico Blanco (in Rivermaya) and local band Join The Club. My music world revolved around them, especially with Michael Jackson's incredible music. I remember the first song and my most Loved song of his was when I heard it in the end credits of "Free Willy" and it was called "Will you be there" and that just makes me levitate when hearing the song and not one day today will I sleep without hearing that song.

My biggest musical inspirations in my life. Michael Jackson, on the top right is Coldplay and Rico Blanco at the bottom.

I had a lonely youth experience, not that I didn't have friends or I didn't have a good time, there were lots and lots of good times with my friends and drinking here and there when we were 16 (only in the Philippines!). But I always felt that I didn't belong to this nightlife thing or this party thing, it was fun but it didn't make me fully happy and contented, I prefer to be in a quieter place with a few and sometimes I prefer to be alone. I didn't feel I belonged in a certain group of people, I had good and bad friends, friends who were there for the good times and friends who'll stay by your side during the bad times.

In high school when I was lonely I'd write at the back of my notebook with poems and lines from songs I could relate to. 

Today in college whenever I feel stressed and lonely, I usually go out in my own solo photo walk, I always have with me my camera of course, a face towel, a small notebook and a pen where I would write in songs. My favorite place to hang-out in Manila would be the Rizal Park because it's where all sorts of people are, there are tourists, local tourists, passers-by, bystanders street people. I love to watch people do what they do without disturbing them, just watch them around while I listen to music.

Lovely couple by the bay.

My Inspiration for writing? It would be the people I see, usually I write about Love because for me it is both the greatest and most dangerous thing in the world, I've seen people get well and get worst with Love. If I wanted to write something but I haven't experienced yet (like having a relationship), I listen to my friends' stories and when I'm in my photo walk, I sit under a shade (usually under a tree) and start writing with the things I see.

A lonely and depressed man in the streets of Intramuros.

So far I've written myself 12 songs and although all of it is about Love, it tells differently from another. I've written a song called "MANILA SKY" while I was in Manila bay and saw two people being introduced to one another and then I watched them for awhile while I wrote the song and when I write the music automatically comes in like setting the mood of the song.

The inspiration for me comes from something we don't have that others have, it is our longing to have whatever it is that makes us happy, for me when I see a sweet couple I can't help but smile because I'm happy for them that they have their own world and they are Loving each other and they are happy. 

I Love sunsets and the breeze of the cold air.

What everyone wants around the world is to be happy and contented, and for me, LOVE is the answer, people forgot what True Love is, it is not buying the diamond ring or the cars and houses, the expensive dates, those are expressions of Love but True Love is being contented and happy with the person without even doing anything. And if you find that person who needs nothing but only you? NEVER EVER LET THAT PERSON GO. 

What's my inspiration? LOVE. BECAUSE IT LIVES FOREVER.

here's the song "Manila Sky" - written in 2010