The show goes on for APO’s Jim and Boboy

by Nathalie M. toMada Philstar.com

JIM Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo looked back on their favorite memories with the late Danny Javier, and how the “fun and friendship” from 50 years ago led to them becoming the iconic trio APO Hiking Society.

“Too many but since we’re in front of Ateneo, we met Danny in the counselor’s room, he was a new student, we were from Ateneo High School, and Basil Valdez was there. We would just sing spontaneously. It was a great memory,” Jim told The STAR during an interview held at a restaurant fronting Ateneo de Manila University, where it all began for them back in 1969. “Initially, Danny was attracted to Basil kasi pareho yung choice of songs nila. Tapos, biglang nag-gravitate si Danny towards us.”

Boboy shared, “We didn’t know Danny was older than us. He was ahead by four years… Ang nakakatuwa kay Danny talaga, when we started, we were playing the guitar, but nung humawak na siya ng gitara, sobrang mas magaling pa siya sa amin. You know, Danny even played the banjo. We thought to ourselves, ‘Who’s this person? Mukhang magaling ‘to.’ So, he became our barkada.”

“He was also able to arrange a party between our class and the girls in the international school so we became very popular,” Jim recalled. “So, our song Saan Na Nga Ba’ng Barkada, (with the lyrics), ‘Nagsimula ang lahat sa iskwela…’ that was really it. That’s how we started.”

Jim and Boboy hinted at plans for a tribute show to Danny this 2023, which happens to be the 50th year since APO performed professionally.

In October 2022, Danny died from “complications due to prolonged illnesses,” his family’s statement said. He was 75.

Jim and Boboy are aware that people expected them to do a tribute of sorts last December when they mounted an intimate yet fullhouse show at 19 East. Boboy said, “19 East was planned way, way before. Then Danny got seriously sick and he passed,” adding that it was “too small of a show to be a tribute to Danny.”

They also avoided interviews afterwards because “we didn’t want to talk about it,” Boboy admitted. “Because even if I’m in showbiz… ayokong gamitin yung pagkamatay ng isang kaibigan mo para magpromote ng something.”

According to Jim, “For us, the death of Danny wasn’t a surprise. For the people out there, it was a shock because they had no idea he was sick… Even during PAGE 13

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