By Eric S. Caruncho, Staff Writer
Sunday Inquirer Magazine
PIONEERING radio disc jockey Dante David, better known by his on-air monicker Howlin’ Dave, died last May 26 after suffering multiple organ failure. He was 52.
David was best known for having championed Pinoy rock on “Pinoy Rock and Rhythm,” his radio program on DZRJ, in the 1970s.
It was on this program that local audiences first heard the music of the Juan de la Cruz Band, Anakbayan, Mike Hanopol, Sampaguita, Asin, Heber Bartolome and the other acknowledged greats of Pinoy rock’s first flowering, in between Howlin’ Dave’s inimitable free-associating spiels.
David is also acknowledged by most informed sources as being the first DJ to play punk rock on local radio in the late 1970s and early 1980s, also on DZRJ. It was on his program that the future members of the Wuds, Betrayed, George Imbecile and the Idiots and the first Pinoy punk generation were introduced to the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees: influences that would change the course of Pinoy rock forever.
Above all, David was a true believer in the music. As hard as it might be to imagine today, 30 years after its birth, punk was considered too radical (and unmusical) by many of David’s fellow rock jocks — most of whom were into the mellow sounds of Firefall, the Marshall Tucker Band and Fleetwood Mac. It is thanks to Howlin’ Dave’s stubborn persistence that the local punk and hardcore scene was jump-started.
As he once lamented: “Lagi na lang ba ganito? Palagi akong kailangang makipaglaban para sa music ko? (Does it always have to be like this? Do I always have to fight for the music I like?)”
But he also added, with some satisfaction:
“What we fought for, at least ngayon cool na. Kahit na baduy yung Parokya ni Edgar at Kamikazee, yung style nila na-a-appreciate na ng maraming tao. Naisip ko: eto yung efforts namin noon, ngayon mainstream na.”
Eventually, David got his due when NU 107 FM gave him a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his contributions to the local rock scene.
David had been in poor health after surgery for a brain tumor in the late 1980s. By his own admission, he suffered from diabetes, hypertension, rheumatism and arthritis — “Pare, AIDS na lang ang kulang (except AIDS)!” he would joke. He also suffered long periods of unemployment, unable to fit into the new radio environment with its tightly-regimented playlists and strict music formatting. In 2006, after a long hiatus, he shared a stint on the short-lived AM station Rock 990 with fellow RJ veterans. More recently, he was on the RJ-owned UR 105.9 FM station, until he walked out of the booth and his job due to musical differences with the station management.
That was typical of Howlin’ Dave: putting the music first above his own job security. Apparently he was still too underground for the self-proclaimed “Underground Radio” station.
For more on the life and checkered career of radio maverick Howlin’ Dave, check out “The Last of the Singing Cowboys,” which came out in the Sunday Inquirer Magazine’s March 4, 2007 issue.
May 31st, 2008 at 6:45 am
to the best dj of planet pinoy rock music, pinoy folk song and pinoy oil… we salute you!
May 31st, 2008 at 2:26 am
I first heard Howlin Dave over DZRJ in AM band in the mid seventies with his pioneering Pinoy Rock & Ryhtym every early evening hours. The Rock of Manila DZRJ was delivering far out music & playing the songs of Juan de la Cruz band, Maria Cafra, Tito Mina, Anak-Bayan, Banyuhay. He was trurly indeed the Father of Pinoy Rock & Ryhtym, his Labuyo series on Sundays during the late 1970s which played Sampagiuta, Freddie Aguilar & Mike Hanopol songs opened up the interest of many of us who became jeproks. The 2 new moon concerts at Rizal Footbal Stadium in the late 1970s which featured the pioneers of PRR music were indeed great.
As I heard the music format of DZRJ in FM at present, there is no one who can replace Howlin Dave! I hope the Rock of Manila can be revive again.
To Howlin Dave, thank you for the memories, rest in peace forever.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:51 am
I came to know Howlin Dave and rock music thru my older brothers while I was still a very young impressionable girl. Howlin Dave was a unique rock DJ and he would forever be the best prototype of a great rock DJ Pinas would ever have.
When he left the airwaves, the kind of “rock radio” that my older brothers introduced to me also vanished into thin air. Together with Juan De La Cruz Band, Howlin Dave deserve to be immortalized with their own stars in Phil Entertainment Walk of Fame to let the new generations know the great contributions these two have given to the Philippine music and entertainment industries.
To Howlin Dave, may your free spirit perpetually rock!
May 30th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
he played the sex pistols on dzrj with an appeal ” heard first and only on this station we are the only one playing this kind of music, they could not stand it you know” in typical howlin’s dave booming voice . he was a genuine rocker up to the very end from the seventies new moon pocket concerts to the tragic folk-rock revival in rizal stadium ,dubbed as the biggest assembly of 50,000 screaming dyeproks inspired fanatics and his brave new world series of free concert in philtrade from 82 up to 1985 .a rockin salute to the best ever dj of our era!