KJWAN burst onto the scene in 2003. They came down hard, raw, in your face, and coined the now-familiar catchphrase, “Bastusan na!” to signal some heavy rocking. Their hit song, “Daliri,” became an anthem to a new generation of rockers and being true to yourself became the order of the day. Three years later, at the height of the new music renaissance, Kjwan is braving a second album, 2 Step Marv, which promises to be many things more than their first.

STARTING OUT

Long-time friends and former high school band-mates Marc Abaya (vocals) and Kelley Mangahas (bass) got together with fellow Ateneans Jorel Corpus (guitar) and J-hoon Balbuena (drums) to form the band’s initial lineup. They were joined in 2004 by Boogie Romero (second guitar), another high school friend and former band-mate of Marc and Kelley, soon after the release of their self-titled debut album.

Kjwan was nominated for Favorite New Artist at the MTV Pilipinas Video Music Awards 2005 for their breakthrough single “Daliri.” The song appealed to rock listeners who were fans of A Perfect Circle, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, and grunge bands that defined early 90s rock.

The first one was a venture among good friends. Eventually, we wanted to form the ultimate band, I mean, every kid in college, everyone in high school wants to form the ultimate band. We started off as great friends and musicians who respect each other. The first album was very raw, very the-four-of-us-in-your-face with our ideas, not as whole or as focused as the new album. (Marc Abaya)

A NEW SOUND

If the first album was a simpler matter of coming out, the two-year journey of making 2 Step Marv was a more complicated matter of growing up—musically. They were able to craft better songs, hone individual skills, introduce new musical elements to their primarily rock sound, and put more thought, heart and soul into their new sound.

Actually, the second album was a long process, over a year’s worth of writing, writing songs, jamming, fighting, recording, everything, it was one whole year of us figuring out how we’re gonna go from the first album, how we were gonna sound on the second. It’s also an influence of what we’ve been listening to, what we’ve been hearing, exploring since the first album. And siyempre, Boogie. (Kelley Mangahas)

New influences, besides rock, have inspired Kjwan. J-Hoon, who didn’t grow up listening to rock, introduced his bandmates to music he was originally interested in, jazz, drum ‘n bass and electronica. This plus Kelley’s RnB, hiphop and emo punk inspirations, Jorel’s recent interest in samba percussion, and the band’s original rock orientation were the diverse elements that inspired Kjwan’s collective songwriting for 2 Step Marv.

For me, parang hinahanap namin ang tunog namin dito. Tingin ko hindi pa namin nahahanap yung talagang sound namin, pero we’re one step closer in this album. (Jorel Corpus)

LEARNING PROCESS

With 2 Step Marv, Kjwan got to exercise their other “muscles”. Each of them was involved in the creative processes, from songwriting, recording, mixing, packaging, down to the video production of the first single “Pintura” (directed by Marla Ancheta of Up Dharma Down’s “Pag-agos”). Guitarist Jorel also had the opportunity to incorporate his samba percussion skills in a couple of the songs (“Invitation” and “One Look”) while drummer J-hoon did some of the track programming. With the addition of a second guitar, it also became an important learning process for both Boogie and Jorel (who were both used to being the only guitarist in a band) to put their heads together and cooperate in order to come up with different but complementary guitar parts, while each still retained his own playing style.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Marc, who writes almost all the words of Kjwan, points out that in writing, it is easy for him to bare his soul to his bandmates, without fear or insecurity. This open friendship is a big factor contributing to the maturity and confidence of the new album. “This band is composed of my brothers.,” he says.

KJWAN RECOMMENDS

Everything from CDs to TV shows to shampoo.

TEN THINGS PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KJWAN (BUT OFTEN FORGET)

A few not-so-well-known facts about Marc, Boogie, Kelley, J-Hoon and Jorel.