Canadian drummer loved by Filipinos

Canadian drummer loved by Filipinos

JOEY MUHA
(Photo provided by Joey Muha)

By Joanne Buan

More often than not, drummers go unnoticed and perhaps, a lot of people suppose they are the easiest to replace. However, I have always believed that drummers are arguably one of the most essential keys to a good band. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to put them in a pedestal but with the rhythm and dynamics they somehow magically calculate in their heads, it seems as though they are able to completely change a song with just one beat. Back in high school, while others cheered for the vocalist or lead guitarist, there was me, the girl who always rooted for the drummer. Needless to say, I always found it fascinating how drummers manage their sharp and precise cues to keep their bandmates on beat while rocking out a “head bang”.

A few years ago, I came across a YouTube video of this certain long-haired heavy metal drummer wearing his sneakers and tattered black skinny jeans, doing a metal cover of a popular nursery rhyme. Joey Muha, an internationally recognized musician/drummer has made a name for himself by putting his heavy metal take on popular songs from different genres, including Pop, Latin, Metal, Nursery Rhyme, and…Filipino TV ad jingles! He currently has over 700,000 followers in Facebook, more than half of which are Filipinos. His popular cover of the Filipino rhyme, “Tatlong Bibe” and TV ad, “Energy Gap” have collectively garnered him over 1 million views in Facebook.

Muha was born in Port Dover, Ontario and started playing drums around the age of 14. At the age of 25, he already toured Canada and USA since actively playing back in 2006. “The Filipino community is always extremely supportive, whether that’s sharing the videos I post, buying items from my merch store, requesting a track for me to cover”, he said in a previous interview. Due to the overwhelming support and requests from his Filipino fans, including numerous features in Philippine TV, Muha finally had his first ever Philippine tour this past October 2017.

After travelling for close to 30 hours, not to mention jet lag, (there’s a 13-hour time difference between Ontario and Manila), the first thing he noticed was the crazy traffic in Manila! Muha says that Filipinos are either incredibly skilled drivers or perhaps, everyone is simply used to the chaos.

According to the Canadian drummer, he was treated very well in the Philippines. Everyone he encountered were extremely warm, kind and accommodating – whether it was his driver, sponsors, or his fans. In fact, prior to arriving at the venue for his first show, there were fans already waiting to see him. “This is a prime example of just how pleasant and welcoming the people of the Philippines are! I was met with many smiles and warm greetings. Not to mention some wonderful fan art and custom shirts that fans made for me”, as stated by Muha in an email.

On his free time, he had the chance to check out the City of Dreams, a popular casino situated in Parañaque City, where he had the opportunity to watch some local musicians. Muha comments, “There are many talented people in the Philippines!”

When asked, will he ever go back to the Philippines? “Absolutely, I had a wonderful time in the Philippines! It was far beyond my expectations and really want to return! I hope to return to the Philippines in 2018!”
Muha is currently back in Canada and will soon appear, along with his band, LITEYEARS, as one of the artists in CTV’s The Launch, a six-part, one-hour music series that gives an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at emerging artists looking to make it big in the music industry premiering this January 2018. The show features music icons like Shania Twain, Fergie, among others as mentors.

To check out this very talented drummer, follow him on Facebook @joeymuha, Twitter @JOEYMUHA or Instagram @joeymuhadrummer, and watch his videos on YouTube @VINNIESFOLLOWER.