8 things you need to know about the 3 Headed Dog

Throwback: When Wolfgang and Razorback gigged back in the 1990s, the mestizo rockers more often than not treated their fans by jamming together on stage and calling themselves The Flaming Hemorrhoids. As gross as that sounds like, these onstage often on-the-spot jams were always a joy to watch.

Good news to all Wolfgang and Razorback fans: The infamous Flaming Hemorrhoids have reincarnated as 3 Headed Dog and — hey hey hey — they’re in town, playing gigs (see details below) and selling their record, Maynilad, until the end of January. What luck!

Here’s what you need to know:

1. They met via a classified web ad.
“I was really going to continue being in a band. I was never going to stop — even if I go to Africa, I’m gonna form a band there,” Wolf Gemora explains. When Wolfgang broke up in 2002, he had no reason to stay in the country and so he left and “started from zero.” He put out an ad, which Mexican-American Danny Gonzales responded to. “My high school buddy James and I ended up jamming with him and liked it so much. This is the early version of Lokomotiv,” says Danny. Things went crazy with members coming in and going out—at one point, Wolfgang vocalist Basti Artadi was with Lokomotiv—until finally the last three standing, Dave Aguirre of Razorback, Danny, and Wolf, decided to form their own band, calling it the 3 Headed Dog.

2. Wolf actually went on a hiatus.
“He fell in love,” Danny reveals the big reason, “and plus the chemistry of Lokomotiv wasn’t right.” “Then I missed playing with them,” continues Wolf, “and the relationship thing wasn’t advisable. Long distance eh.”

3. It took them two years to write, record, and produce Maynilad.
There are 13 songs on the album, two of which are covers — “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie and “Summer Wind” by Pepe Smith. The album’s title actually comes from a song, which is about “the darker side of the city. It’s always better to talk about the dark side,” says Wolf.

4. David Aguirre partied a whole lot in the 90s.
“You know what my biggest regret is? I wish I went to college and got a degree in the ’90s. Because it could’ve been done; it’s just that I got carried away. If it weren’t for the partying, it was possible,” he says emphasizing that education is important. “It’s gold! Especially when your parents are paying for it — don’t disrespect that.”

5. There’s a whole lot of things they’re embarrassed about now.
David says a litany of sins: “Let’s simplify this shit: A lot of hurt feelings, a lot of broken glass, a lot of money wasted on the wrong things.” “And a lot of brain cells damaged,” adds Wolf.

6. Beer is more expensive now, and life more complicated.
It’s not just you, guys. 3HD confirms your drunken theories: “Beer is a lot more expensive,” says Danny. “And life was really more simple then. And music, purer,” says Wolf.

7. They really are just music fans and the music they play, a tribute to their favorites.
“The older we get, the better fans we become,” says David. “That’s the most important. Because when you’re a better fan, there’s more for you to give back. And whatever we give back is just a reaction to what we’re listening to. It’s a tribute to what we’re listening to, whether we sound like it or not.”

8. They love music.
Says David: “I think the older we get, the more live shows we see. And these guys, they’re in their mid-60s and they’re touring again now! Black Sabbath, The Who, and they’re still better than everybody else. When you see that, it makes you want to keep going. It’s not about the age, or your looks. It not even about health—half of them are close to the grave, but they’re still doing it! It’s really about the love for music.”

3 Headed Dog performers their final show “with a very special surprise guest!” on Jan 20, 9pm, at B-Side, The Collective 7274 Malugay St., Makati City. 

Photo from 3 Headed Dog’s Facebook page

This story first appeared in Coconuts Manila.

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