Meet Filipino band General Luna

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General Luna - RED HEAVEN (Official Music Video) [HD]

NANDITO - General Luna (Official Music Video)

TILA - General Luna (Official Music Videos)

Meet the femme fatales of General Luna

Introducing General Luna - five individual talents who have come together to give the male-dominated band scene a genuinely good n' hard kick in the butt: vocalist Nicole Asensio, guitarists Caren Mangaran and Audry Dionisio, bassist Alexis Montemayor and drummer Bea Lao are five seriously gifted and drifted individuals who have both the looks and skills that kill.

Though the individuals that make up this musical quintet are no strangers to the local band scene - vocalist Nicole formerly fronting Red Horse Beer Muziklaban finalist Crowjane, guitarist Caren being the lead vocalist and guitarist of power metal group Sanctus and Audry having sessioned with various local rock bands with her involvement in organizations like Fly High Productions and RockEd, bassist Alexis having played for local group Blush and drummer Bea Lao having wowed legends like Wally Gonzales with her impressive background under the tutelage of greats like Mar Dizon and Jun Regalado (not to mention has done a few drum clinics...), it seems almost unfair for their male contemporaries and counterparts that this "female first five" hone their chops together to create a sound that is sure to dominate both the airwaves and the live circuit. No doubt all eyes will be on them, and with the band's characteristic merging of classic rock riffage reminiscent of classic Pinoy Rock acts, and a driving rhythm section that's obviously young in its dynamic complexity, with a beat ala Tool's Danny Carey, yet also in respectful homage to the traditional rock grooves of John Bonham, audiences will hear that they are the real deal. It might be saying a lot, but trust us- these girls deliver more than a punch; it's definitely a rock n' roll wallop!MORE

Q&A: General Luna

Would you say that your first single, "Red Heaven," captures what General Luna's sound is about?
Audry Dionisio (guitarist) : Oo, puwede!

Caren Mangaran (guitarist) : Yeah!

Nicole Asencio (vocalist) : If you add all the ingredients from all our influences, you can hear metal in there, you can hear the blues, definitely. It's all there.

How does each of you contribute to the process of writing songs?
Nicole: I think every song's writing process turns out to be different. Songs, at least the ones we decided to keep for the album, are usually not planned. Kasi when you plan a song, iba yung approach—may formula, alam mo na yung market mo but there are songs in the album that just came out. "Red Heaven" was actually a series of five songs that we did over and over.

Audry: Maraming version yan. It started out as an acoustic number, then we jammed it at a friend's place and then he threw in his ideas. And then it changed, up until recording day when Steve of Typecast rearranged it. So, maraming pinagdaanan'yung “Red Heaven.” MORE

Apparently they were accused of being too pretty to play. Because the fact that they look good is entirely their problem doncha know, instead of whatever reaction to their beauty that society has. In any case, has anyone ever yelled at guys for being too pretty to have bands? And I am sure if they were not societally approved in terms of looks, they'd be screamed at for being ugly. I swear!

2010 General Luna is ‘the real deal’

All-girl Pinoy hard rock group, General Luna, whose single “Red Heaven” is currently number one on NU 107, is refuting allegations that they’re a “manufactured” band.

According to the members, the notion is “absurd” if “hurtful” considering the amount of work they did to get to where they are.

It’s easy to see where the critics of the band are coming from. The band looks poster perfect. Indeed, as one pundit accurately pointed, “They’re an A & R representatives’ wet dream come true.”

More than that, they were also signed under Warner Music Philippines, quicker than one could say, “General who?”

In an exclusive interview with Bulletin Entertainment recently, the band—composed of singer Nicole Asensio, drummer Bea Lao, bassist Alexis Montemayor, guitarists Caren Mangaran and Audry Dionisio—revealed most of them are actually commercial models who have known each other prior to holding jobs.

“We knew each other for so long,” Mangaran attests.

“I knew Audry since we were kids. We were gymnastic team mates. We are barkada,” Asensio divulges.

They also know how to play their instruments prior to joining General Luna.

“We’ve paid our dues. We all came from different bands. Toiled as hard as any,” adds Asensio, the most forthcoming—and seemingly most passionate—of the group.

Asensio, who is also chief lyricist [the music is a collaborative effort] for the band is formerly of Crowjane, a group known for playing classic rock covers. She also did theater; most famously a part in a local staging of "Rent."MORE

General Luna: Years-old rock chicks

At a time when many local labels are scrambling to look for counterparts to K-pop artists, comes General Luna; an all-female rock band who could probably eat bullets for breakfast served with a jackknife for a side dish.

Is the band manufactured?

“Giant hell NO!” they chorused at a recent interview.

General Luna vocalist Nicole Asensio claims that members of General Luna have known each other for 15 years now. And if they appear “hot” onstage, it’s likely because of the genes (or hormones for males) and not some marketing ploy.

“People have said, ‘You look too dressed up for a rock band.’ But who wants to look scruffy? This is how we’ve always dressed up even before we became a band. It’s not as if we tell each other what to wear onstage just so we look like a unit,” said she.

Asked if male-dominated bands or rock fans have ever given them a hard time for being all-female, General Luna admits so. Still, they are not the type to take it sitting down.

“Like if someone throws an empty beer can at us onstage, we’d probably give him hell,” muses bass player Alex Montemayor.MORE

All-female band General Luna releases their debut album

After being delayed for almost three months, the eponymous debut album of the five-member General Luna band has finally been released in the market.

Originally slated for release in the last week of June, the 12-track General Luna album officially saw the light of day via thunderously rocking launch at the Teatrino in Greenhills, San Juan City last September 10.

Why the delay?

"The marketing people of Warner [Music] wanted to plan it right... They wanted to release it at the right time," discloses the band's lead vocalist Nicole Asensio in a short interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) after the hour-and-a-half-long show. "And I think now is really the right time to release the album. Siyempre, tine-tiyempuhan din 'yung NU Rock Awards so it's good timing that it's released now."

During its infancy, so to speak, of General Luna, NU107 served as home to their rock-based music. The all-girl quintet was hailed as the radio station's first "Rock Recruits" for the month of April, thanks to the members' killer looks, pure talent and fresh take on the music genre adored by many aficionados. MORE

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