The Loss of a Big Boss, LONG LIVE BOSS ABOU

Who is this guy and why does he seem so important?

This was the question on my mind way back when my band was still actively playing at Gio’s Crib and we’d get to share the bill with heavy hitters like Toad River, HH, Three Fold Section and Tamad si Juan.

It was a vibrant scene back then.

But what was always surprising for me back then was when he was around, there seemed to be this protective layer of calm within his immediate vicinity while the rest of the place was in chaos.

He held a certain air of authority that made everyone seem to be in their best behavior around him.

This was Boss Abou.

Now I don’t really know him personally but thye rest of the MusikaWabad team do. I guess because I was always the first to leave the party to go home to my then girlfriend before she became my wife.

The rest of the team are pretty close to him though. So we have very different views of hm as a person.

But the one thing we agree on is that he was very generous.

Not just with money.

But with his supportive character and nature of the music scene.

Now I’ve only seen him go up onstage to jam with Tamad si Juan, a band he truly loved and adored to play percussions. And I also heard he was once a drummer.

But life pulled him in a different direction and music took a back seat so he could focus on business and family.

And when time permitted, music pulled him back in. First through his attendance, and then through his generosity.

Until he eventually put up his own production team, Big Boss Productions.

There’s no doubt in my mind that a lot of the gigs I’ve participated in were through him playing in the background as a silent player ensuring the gigs went through.

The last one being the Alternative Night at the Commons.

Knowing that it was one of his productions, I wanted to personally thank him because it was also set on my birthday which felt like I had a big birthday celebration going on at MTS without costing me a single peso.

Sadly I had to leave early again, like right after our set because I had my son in tow and it was really past his bedtime. Plus he was getting bothered by the loud sound. I had to make sure I didn’t cause damage to his ear drums any further.

I left still scanning the crowd for his face but I wasn’t able to see him.

I said I’ll see him again next time and tell him how thankful I am that he held the gig on my birthday.

I didn’t know I wouldn’t have that opportunity anymore.

He may not have been that much out there but man did he make his presence felt in Davao’s local music scene.

This just proves a point that everyone, from the players onstage to the people just sitting in the bar enjoying a beer and the music are equally important to the local music scene’s survival.

you may not have the financial resources or logistical capacity that Boss Abou had or was able to influence but your presence alone means a lot.

It took me until today to finally write this because although we only spoke twice during the time that I met him, I felt his genuine love for music and appreciation for the music scene.

He showed it by his presence, went out of his way to give money as a form of support and even went as far as try to get back onstage to really become part of the local music scene again.

He didn’t have to.

But he did.

And for that, he will be remembered.

We grieve for such a great loss.

Long live the Big Boss, Boss Abou.