By Gay Ace Domingo
A surprising thing happened when US record producer Hadley Murrell rode a hired vehicle during his visit to Zamboanga City. The ride brought him (literally) to his newest artist, a Filipino band named Rockin’ Like Thunder.
It turns out that Hadley’s driver, Efren Calumpong, is a band member. Efren took Hadley and his group to a roadside bar where they were playing. Hadley was impressed and signed them up with his label HDM Records.
Rockin’ Like Thunder is a rock group composed of vocalists Honey Jimenez, Anabel Perez and Alkabir Tarabi, lead guitarist Efren Calumpong, drummer Errol Calumpong, bassist Romar Tanjil and keyboardist Richie Reyes. All are residents of Zamboanga City and are professional musicians who hold day jobs as small business owners.
Since Hadley met them in September 2022, the band has achieved a number of milestones. The members were mentored by the Los Angeles-based Stank Brothers.
Rockin’ Like Thunder performed for a crowd of more than 2,000 at Zamboanga City’s Paseo del Mar. They recorded 10 songs (a combination of covers and originals) that are now being played on radio stations in 17 countries and are also available on Spotify and other online music platforms. It is worth mentioning that Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated sound engineer Dennis S. Sands did the final mix of Rockin’ Like Thunder’s album in California.
Hadley is throwing his full support behind Rockin’ Like Thunder as he feels they have what it takes to be a major music act. “They are a cover band that can do originals and has a great live performance,” Hadley told Malaya Business Insight in an email interview.
Being involved in recording, music publishing, film, TV radio, artist management and concert promotion for three decades now, Hadley knows how to spot and nurture talent.
For vocalist Anabel Perez, Hadley’s guidance is what they need to get their music out there and hopefully make it big. She said, “Hadley shares his insights, tips and training so that we can improve individually and as a band. Plus, he has been in the music industry for a long time. He has a vast network not only in the US but many parts of the world and he can help increase recognition of the band. All these boost and motivate us.”
Hadley has worked his magic on other singers. The former DJ from Arizona was instrumental in the singing career of football quarterback-turned-actor Carl Weathers, an R&B artist of HDM. Carl Weathers, who passed away in February 2024 at the age of 76, starred in movies such as the “Rocky” film series, “Happy Gilmore” and “Action Jackson”, and TV shows such as “Law & Order” and “The Mandalorian.”
The other HDM Records artists Black Ice, Freddi/Henchi and the Soulsetters, Stank Brothers and Tommy Gé are all American. Rockin’ Like Thunder is the first Filipino musical act that Hadley has signed. Likewise, Hadley is the band’s first manager. “We only dealt with bar managers in the past,” revealed bass guitarist Romar Tanjil.
Hadley believes the Pinoy band is of global caliber and is best appreciated in person. “Their ability to sing and play is at par with any other successful international artist. They make their live show stand out where they can compete with many other top shows in the world,” the producer/manager reiterated.
Concerts outside the Philippines are in the works as Rockin’ Like Thunder continues to play and create music in their hometown of Zamboanga City. This group of true-blue musicians seem to shy away from producing attention-grabbing TikTok videos or quirky YouTube vlogs, preferring to focus on their craft instead of taking a quick route to becoming “the next big thing.”
Certainly, their music speaks for themselves. “We’ll just do a good job and continue to trust in Hadley’s plans for us,” said Omar.
