Parents Can Make Wonders
For Young Musicians
The Frame-ups: ‘We are proud of our parents’
by Alex P. Vidal
A fledgling band composed of young high school students from Niles, Illinois, proved that strong parental support spiked with mutual trust and confidence can be their big sources of inspiration and vehicle to greater heights.
"We credit our parents (for our success)," gushed Anthony Sanders, 16, lead vocalist of The Frame-ups, champion of the Battle of the Bands held at Lemont, Illinois on January 6, 2008. "My mom (Catherine) is the greatest supporter in the whole planet."
Anthony, the voice behind the nail-biting and electrifying "I want you to want me" and "Unchained Melody", said Catherine is his main backer since he was a kid. His father, Jay, also saw to it that his enthusiasm to compose songs is not hampered.
"I play basketball with my dad regularly as my number one recreation," explained the matinee idol-looking Anthony. He turned 16 last March 7.
Anthony composes songs by just thinking about the subject "and the melody will just come along."
Anthony hooked up with Filipino-American Lui "Aybil" Macatual, 17, son of famous folk singer and songwriter Luisito "Chito Ilonggo" and Chicago-based Ilonggo nurse Jocelyn.
They are considered the Frame-ups’ one-two punch. Their collaboration has worked wonders for the previously unknown and unheard of band founded based on mutual trust, confidence and camaraderie.
"None of (our parents) is holding us back; they are our number one supporters and fans," said Lui, the band drummer and back-up vocalist.
Lui described Anthony as "a good musician" who has composed some 80 songs, mostly acoustic.
Another Filipino-American band member, Jake Jones, a guitarist, said his father Steven "is very proud of me but has not seen me perform; (but) he is a man who loves music."
"Music has been part of my life since I was a child," said Jake, who knew Lui and another band member, Alex Mui, since he was in the seventh grade. Jake’s mother is Francisca Familiara, a Filipina, who also approves of his being guitarist.
"If not for Alex, I wouldn’t be with the band. I was overwhelmed and shocked when we won; it was an unexplainable feeling, my adrenalin shot up," admitted Jake referring to their Battle of the Bands conquest where they bested 11 other tough competitors that were mostly veterans.
Despite their growing popularity that could someday bring them to other states for tougher competitions, Jake still values education stressing "I will continue to work hard, enjoy what I like to do and finish my high school."
Alex, a bass guitarist, admitted "he is not so good in composing music" but takes pride of being responsible for introducing Jake "to the rest of the guys." Alex’s father, Tony, passed away in July 2006, and his sister is in college.
His mother, Selina, is a regular visitor of the Macatuals and is comfortable seeing her son in the company of Lui and others. "Alex is like our adopted son," hissed Jocelyn Macatual, a nurse in the United States for 14 years.
Another band member, Spiros Loukopoulos, 16, considers his Greek father, George, as his inspiration. "He came from poor background and has given me the tools to succeed. He came from a small village in Greece," said Spiros, a junior high school at Maine East in Niles.
Spiros, bassist of their other band Business Casual, met Luis when he was in the seventh grade, "I learned to meet so many friends; I’ve grown up as a person and I feel comfortable for the first time."
Members of The Frame-ups are remnants of "Captain Crunch" which Lui, Jake and Alex first organized in February 2007. When another band "Squid Rocket", composed of Lui, Anthony and Spiros broke up, they formed the Frame-ups (composed primarily of Lui, Alex, Jake and Anthony) and Business Casual (composed of Lui, Spiro and Anthony).
The Frame-ups debuted in a serious competition in the battle of the bands held at the Golf Mall in October 2007 and wound up second.
On May 31, The Frame-ups will defend the crown they won on January 6, 2008.
Anthony said: "We will try to make everything as unique as we can to differentiate ourselves (during the May 31 competition)."
He is confident that among their legions of fans from all walks of life, "no one has been bored yet."
"People now know the Frame-ups. We get support after we won the battle of the bands (last January 6). We just want to be our own and with our own identity," added Anthony who will join Lui to travel and study in England, Italy, and France in the summer of 2008 in an educational exploration program for excellent students of People to People.
Among their hit songs are "Alien", "Painted Smile", and "The Fall of Icarus." /MP
"We credit our parents (for our success)," gushed Anthony Sanders, 16, lead vocalist of The Frame-ups, champion of the Battle of the Bands held at Lemont, Illinois on January 6, 2008. "My mom (Catherine) is the greatest supporter in the whole planet."
Anthony, the voice behind the nail-biting and electrifying "I want you to want me" and "Unchained Melody", said Catherine is his main backer since he was a kid. His father, Jay, also saw to it that his enthusiasm to compose songs is not hampered.
"I play basketball with my dad regularly as my number one recreation," explained the matinee idol-looking Anthony. He turned 16 last March 7.
Anthony composes songs by just thinking about the subject "and the melody will just come along."
Anthony hooked up with Filipino-American Lui "Aybil" Macatual, 17, son of famous folk singer and songwriter Luisito "Chito Ilonggo" and Chicago-based Ilonggo nurse Jocelyn.
They are considered the Frame-ups’ one-two punch. Their collaboration has worked wonders for the previously unknown and unheard of band founded based on mutual trust, confidence and camaraderie.
"None of (our parents) is holding us back; they are our number one supporters and fans," said Lui, the band drummer and back-up vocalist.
Lui described Anthony as "a good musician" who has composed some 80 songs, mostly acoustic.
Another Filipino-American band member, Jake Jones, a guitarist, said his father Steven "is very proud of me but has not seen me perform; (but) he is a man who loves music."
"Music has been part of my life since I was a child," said Jake, who knew Lui and another band member, Alex Mui, since he was in the seventh grade. Jake’s mother is Francisca Familiara, a Filipina, who also approves of his being guitarist.
"If not for Alex, I wouldn’t be with the band. I was overwhelmed and shocked when we won; it was an unexplainable feeling, my adrenalin shot up," admitted Jake referring to their Battle of the Bands conquest where they bested 11 other tough competitors that were mostly veterans.
Despite their growing popularity that could someday bring them to other states for tougher competitions, Jake still values education stressing "I will continue to work hard, enjoy what I like to do and finish my high school."
Alex, a bass guitarist, admitted "he is not so good in composing music" but takes pride of being responsible for introducing Jake "to the rest of the guys." Alex’s father, Tony, passed away in July 2006, and his sister is in college.
His mother, Selina, is a regular visitor of the Macatuals and is comfortable seeing her son in the company of Lui and others. "Alex is like our adopted son," hissed Jocelyn Macatual, a nurse in the United States for 14 years.
Another band member, Spiros Loukopoulos, 16, considers his Greek father, George, as his inspiration. "He came from poor background and has given me the tools to succeed. He came from a small village in Greece," said Spiros, a junior high school at Maine East in Niles.
Spiros, bassist of their other band Business Casual, met Luis when he was in the seventh grade, "I learned to meet so many friends; I’ve grown up as a person and I feel comfortable for the first time."
Members of The Frame-ups are remnants of "Captain Crunch" which Lui, Jake and Alex first organized in February 2007. When another band "Squid Rocket", composed of Lui, Anthony and Spiros broke up, they formed the Frame-ups (composed primarily of Lui, Alex, Jake and Anthony) and Business Casual (composed of Lui, Spiro and Anthony).
The Frame-ups debuted in a serious competition in the battle of the bands held at the Golf Mall in October 2007 and wound up second.
On May 31, The Frame-ups will defend the crown they won on January 6, 2008.
Anthony said: "We will try to make everything as unique as we can to differentiate ourselves (during the May 31 competition)."
He is confident that among their legions of fans from all walks of life, "no one has been bored yet."
"People now know the Frame-ups. We get support after we won the battle of the bands (last January 6). We just want to be our own and with our own identity," added Anthony who will join Lui to travel and study in England, Italy, and France in the summer of 2008 in an educational exploration program for excellent students of People to People.
Among their hit songs are "Alien", "Painted Smile", and "The Fall of Icarus." /MP
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