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Date Posted: 06:54:55 07/21/05 Thu
Author Host/IP: ppp241.dyn172.pacific.net.ph/210.23.172.241
Martin Nievera outs album of heartbreak
By JOJO PANALIGAN
After the platinum success of "Best Wishes," Martin Nievera’s album of songs for newlyweds, the Concert King releases a follow-up under EMI Polyeast dubbed "When Love Is Gone" that contains tunes about love lost.
The promotional track of the CD, "Goodbye," is one that the Concert King originally wrote for a Regine Velasquez album in the 90’s that he now does as a duet with ex-wife Pops Fernandez.
"The concept for ‘When Love Is Gone’ started as a joke," Martin revealed during a press conference at the Discovery Suites Lounge. "During an autograph signing session at the Megamall for ‘Best Wishes,’ I joked to Chris Sy (managing director of EMI Polyeast), ‘Why not do a counterpart?’ Everybody laughed. Little did I know they would take the idea seriously."
Why not when many of Martin’s hit songs in the past follow the same theme? Biggest among these was "Kahit Isang Saglit;" a revival of an old Vernie Varga tune that attained national anthem status when Martin did his version just a few years ago.
Besides, it’s not as if Martin’s love life is strewn with roses. He says that he still relates to sad love songs as he and Pops remain in that limbo of being "just friends still." Though the two recently went on a cruise with their kids, Martin maintains that there is no future between them yet as both are comfortable "living in the meantime."
"Pops is happier this way," Martin said. "And because I love her more than I love myself, I won’t deprive her of this. She’s happy with no obligation, no commitments between us at this point. We can text each other ‘I love you’ without hesitation because we know our place."
As a result, the chemistry between them professionally is never better. They recently shot the video for "Goodbye" and during breaks, the two got along the way best friends do. They also have another duet in "When Love Is Gone;" a medley of "Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin" and "Kahit Isang Saglit" that’s given a new, toned down arrangement by Louie Ocampo.
"Working with Pops is always a breeze because she knows me only too well," Martin disclosed. "She knows instinctively when I’m going to hit the high notes or when I’m about to throw my punch lines. For her, I am no mystery."
And despite their annulment, Martin and Pops never stopped ‘bonding’ if only because they have kids, Ram and Robin, to think about. According to Martin, more than he, their children are more fervent in seeing mom and dad back together again.
"I know because they tell their cousins about it and I sometimes here them pray for it," Martin said. "Do you know that Robin and Ram once locked Pops and I inside their room? It was a joke, of course, but I think they also wanted to see if that would lead to a reunion."
What was the most stupid thing he has done to cope with the pain of heartbreak?
"I once drove around in the car Pops gave me looking for a truck," Martin shared. "I wanted to ram myself into one and injure myself——not to the point of killing myself but just to see how Pops would react once she sees me in the hospital."
He also confessed to having cried during a concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) when introducing a song called "Before You Say Goodbye."
"The spiel was about this character who was on the verge of break-up. Somehow, it got me thinking of what happened between me and Pops and, well, I just couldn’t stop myself from crying. Ang hirap pa naman kumanta, kapag umiiyak."
Martin had come to realize though that he has the choice and power of turning the negative in his life into something positive for others.
"I am a soldier of emotions," he stated. "My job is to fire bullets of love songs that hopefully would hit people in the heart."
Also included in "When Love Is Gone" are "Hanggang Langit," "The Sorry Song," "Minsan Lang," "Naghihintay" and "She’s Out Of My Life."
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