| *
Regine’s Solution to Piracy
by Danny Vibas
( Take them to Luneta and have
them all shot? J.kidding )
To produce albums that come with desirable mementoes
and premiums that fans would love to own and gladly pay for.
That’s Regine Velasquez’s “antidote” to piracy for her latest
album from Viva Records: The mysteriously titled "Reigne."
Wrapped in an elegant and glossy gray box, the album’s CD
copy goes with a glossy photo-songbook showing Regine
in various luscious thigh-exposing poses. The photo-
songbook’s inside back cover has her sitting in bed
in a flimsy nightie with her left nipple subtly visible.
Some random CD boxes also carry a certificate for a golden
necklace with a “Reigne” pendant.
“My idea is: Make it really tempting for people to buy original
copies of the CD album instead of pirated ones by offering
the buyers album features that pirates will most likely not bother
to reproduce when they illegally copy the album,” explains
Regine to the press one afternoon at the Viva Entertainment
conference room at E. Rodriguez Ave., QC.
“'Yun bang hindi nila panghihinayangang magbayad ng P300
para sa isang CD album dahil it’s not only the album that they
will get but everything else that go with it,” she points out.
Maybe it will work.
Or for the sake of a predominantly Christian nation that has
been crying out for honesty from its political and business
leaders, let us make it work. ( Will someone please do a
survey of how many good Catholics and good Christians
of whatever denomination have been lapping up those
pirated CDs! )
"Reigne," as explained in earlier press releases about the
album, is but a play on the singer’s first name. The album
features 18 songs, 17 of which are OPM and practically
all newly written. The songs are a blend of Filipino and
English.
The album’s carrier single is “To Reach You” (by Liza Dy
Chat Zamora), which already has an engrossing music
video airing on some cable stations.
Is Regine’s suddenly controversial brother-in-law, Raul Mitra
(husband of sister Cacai), involved in the album?
( How can anyone be called 'suddenly' controversial when
he didn't do anything at all? He didn't even say anything. He
was dragged into something not of his or Regine's doing.-mm)
Yes, as one of Regine’s arrangers and one her six co-producers.
At the mention of Raul’s name by one of us, Regine launches
into an almost lengthy defense of the guy who suddenly became
controversial for doing the musical score of her recent movie
with Aga Muhlach - "Pangako…Ikaw Lang":
“You know, all I did was give the guy a big break because he
really has the talent for music like all the other people reaping
success in the industry now. After the break I gave him in
'Pangako…Ikaw Lang,' yung mga movie and album producer
na ang kusang lumalapit sa kanya.
“I don’t think what I did was a crime. We all do it for our relatives
na alam naman nating may talent, may kakayahan at
nangangailangan lang ng break. Raul has been composing and
arranging even before he met Cacai. So why should I be faulted
for what I’ve done for a talented and very capable person.
'Di ba dapat purihin pa ako ng mga tao dahil sa
pagmamalasakit ko?”
Of course, people should praise her for what she has done.
Praise her in the same vein they should stop buying pirated CDs
that feed the greed of some people (including foreigners, we hear)
from the military and from the ranks of supposedly legit
businessmen. -Manila Times, Dec. 20, 2001
( Say, what is this writer trying to say? That people from our own
military is benefit from piracy? And some businessmen? Speak up,
dude! Spill the beans! Maybe this is why piracy can't be stopped
so easily. -mm )
* |
