Wolfgang fans will have something to celebrate as vocalist Basti Artadi recently announced the upcoming release of the band’s re-recorded, remastered, self-titled debut album to mark their 30th anniversary.
Appropriately called “Wolfgang30,” the album will be out not on streaming platforms as most musicians do nowadays but on a limited 300 vinyl copies and a box set edition through the independent label, Eikon Records Philippines.
“For 30 years, this album has always felt like it belonged to someone else, finally the band feels like we’re taking it back,” Artadi told GMA News Online via Facebook messenger.
Eikon Records Philippines explained “Wolfgang30” is the debut album rerecorded sporadically from 2024 to 2025 by Artadi, lead guitarist Manuel Legarda, original drummer now US-based Wolf Gemora, and with some of bassist Mon Legaspi’s “last recordings” before he succumbed to cardiac arrest on October 3, 2022.
Gemora flew in to Manila before the Christmas holidays to record his drum parts. The album was remastered by Legarda.
“This will be on 12-inch black vinyl with a four-page insert and different artwork plus a bonus and unreleased track,” Eikon Records said in an announcement on social media page.
According to Eikon Records, out of the 300 copies, 285 copies “will be available to fans and re-sellers,” who can buy as many copies as they would want.
The “Wolfgang30” box set, meanwhile, is a “three-record set with a booklet,” which will be available for only 150 copies.
Lyrics of ‘Arise’ from a page off Basti Artadi’s notebook. Courtesy: Basti Artadi/Facebook
Eikon Records explained Disc 1 has the “rerecorded Wolfgang debut with the bonus track on blue and white 12-inch vinyl.”
Disc 2 has the “Wolfgang30” recorded live from various shows, “with the original line-up and is on 12-inch black vinyl.”
Disc 3, meanwhile, has five songs recorded with Artadi on vocals and Legarda on guitars. This will be on 10-inch black vinyl.
Also included in the box set is the 24-page booklet where one can find all the information about the three discs. It has notes from the band members and album producer Rick Olivares of Eikon Records plus “photos, lyrics, credits, illustrations, fan anecdotes” celebrating “Wolfgang30.”
According to Artadi, it features stories behind the songs and the recording with “never before seen pictures and original lyrics.”
Eikon Records clarified this is not the same as “Acoustica,” which was Wolfgang’s live acoustic album recorded on September 30, 2000 at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Meanwhile, Artadi said, “We are mindful of keeping prices as low as possible for you guys,” adding “Wolfgang30” will be priced P200 less than the “Wolfgang” album released last year by Viva Records.
In 1995, Wolfgang released its self-titled eight-song debut album under Tone Def, the rock label under Ivory Records.
It has six songs in English — “Arise,” “What Grows in Your Garden,” “As Oceans,” “Cast of Clowns,” “Left Alone” and the ballad “Darkness Fell” — and two songs in Filipino that became identified with the band, “Halik Ni Hudas” and “Natutulog Kong Mundo.”
Active from 1992 to 2002, Wolfgang scored various hits including “Atomica,” “Center of the Sun,” “Cathedral of Space,” “Weightless,” “A Matter of Time,” “Mata ng Diyos” and “Anino”.
After the debut album, they came up with more albums under different recording companies. They went on hiatus for a few years when Gemora migrated to the US, followed by Artadi. In 2007, Artadi went back to Manila and the band regrouped with a new drummer, Francis Aquino.
In 2012, they released a four-track EP titled “Ang Bagong Dugo Sa Lumang Ugat-Unang Kabanata” before becoming inactive again.
Artadi has since been performing in a new band he named after himself. He has also tried acting for the movies and theater. Some of his compositions, which he re-recorded, were used as movie soundtracks.
Gemora, most recently, plays with “lounge punk” band, also the US-based 3 Headed Dog. Legarda plays with Razorback. Legaspi was playing for The Dawn when he passed on.
The pre-selling of the album will be in the last week of February. Follow Artadi and Eikon Records socials for details.
As parting words, Artadi told GMA News Online: “I just want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone for all the interest and incredible support they have shown for this project. This is for Mon, for our kids, for Wolfgang and all the fans past, present and future! Cheers!” — LA, GMA Integrated News
