The Story So Far...

People say that old habits die hard...

...If it is true then, such may be the case with PayItForward. Which is a relatively new band that admittedly rose up from the ashes of an old one.

The story revolves around the friendship and musical collaboration of four kindred souls who've found solace in the form of punk rock. The genre that would become the cornerstone of their music and the soundtrack of their lives.

Originally known as M35B, which derived its name from Chuck Baclagon's suburban pad in Quezon City, the refuge that spawned the forming of the band which composed of:

Chuck - vocals

Laix - guitar/vocals

Cedric - bass

Jarme - drums

This lineup played several gigs on Chuck, Laix, and Cedric's alma matter PUP and practiced at the legendary Alberto's Studio. But as time progressed so did Jarme's priorities and musical pursuit drifted farther from the rest of the band. It almost ended with a tragic demise but then came Mark who saved the day for the band, after agreeing to play some practice sessions with them, after meeting Cedric at a video game arcade somewhere in Marikina.

Eventually, Mark finally came as a well and able replacement for Jarme b the time he debuted for a band fest in PUP Masscom's Foundation Day. Which up to now proves as one of their best performances.

As time went on the band decided to change its name to Life Is Trying, this time adding their longtime friend Reggie on bass and moving Cedric on 2nd guitar, this time playing a combination of original compositions and covers from bands such as MxPx, Blink-182, Greenday, The Offspring and Goldfinger.

It was during this time that the band was able to play alongside bands such as: Agaw Agimat, Radioactive Sago Project, Cheese, Kamikaze, Itchy Worms, The Jerks, The Wuds, 3rd Degree Burn, Too Late The Hero etc. on several occasions at PUP and on other venues it was also during this time when Cedric temporarily left the band to go to Davao, to visit his father's wake.

So as time went on each of the band members shifted to their different priorities at the time. So after a couple of canceled gigs and rehearsals Chuck decided to leave and pursue his newfound career in web design, and to shortly sing for the notorious underground crust band NSA but later on left to give more time for his new work in web development.

The rest of the band continued to write songs with Laix filling on on the vocals. And so they pressed in with the music with Cedric also doing guitar duties to Moodswing, a two-tone ska outfit that composed of some of his grade school friends.

With Chuck somewhat busy with his work, church activities and work. The band proved themselves to be more than capable to continue with their music in his absence. But it didn't take Laix long to realize the void left by the departure of Chuck, and so after a few months of visiting and convincing Laix finally got to convince Chuck to be part of Life Is Trying again.

Whereupon the talks with Laix and Mark, made Chuck realize just how much of an egocentric schmuck he has become during the preceding days before he left and that he'd forgotten the very reason for their existence as a band was simply to have fun and make music while they're at it.

And so with renewed enthusiasm for playing Chuck, Laix and Mark returned to their roots and practiced their songs with Chuck's battered acoustic guitar and then finally deciding to change their name so as to move on from where Life Is Trying left off...

...Thus the name PayItForward was born whereupon they eventually added Cedric on guitars they were able to play their first gig courtesy of Bong (Philippine Violator's) Espiritu's RMD Productions in San Juan, where later on they finally got to play with their teenage heroes like the legendary Bad Omen, Philippine Violators and the Askals and right now their also a regular band under Slumber Army Productions an outfit that has Cedric as one of the organizers together with their friend Peejay and Joel of the straight edge hardcore band All Wound Up.

So all in all in the short span of time that they've been playing they have played along side such legendary punk bands like BadOmen, the Philippine Violators and the Askals as well as with some obscurely famous poppish artists like Julia Clarete, Tado & Live Tilapia to some of the most awsome underground punk outfits today like: Mobstar Manila, Strap On 7-Inch, Jeepney Joyride, Beauty of Doubt, Aunt Audrey etc. To medicore rock outfits such as Grin Department and Cover Me Quick to the most promising unknowns in the underground like All Wound Up and Ginseng.

As of now no one knows what the future holds for the band but rest assured that as long as their friendship is in tact their still music to be heard from these kindred punks who find music a very old habit that they find hard to kill.

For reference visit Chuck's essay A Requiem to Life Is Trying which can be read on his blog http://www.m35b.blogspot.com