It is the end of an era. With the passing this week of Albino Aichi, we have lost the last of Aichi Ngirchokebai’s sons who provided backup to the better-known singers during the electric-band phase of Palauan music history. Albino, the youngest, was born in 1960 into a very musical family, and by the late 1960s, when he was just in third grade, you could find him sitting behind the drum set at the Blue Lagoon bar, setting the beat for his brother Dennis, sister Julie, Ngiraklang, Sydney (bass), Johnny B, Singeru Sugiyama or Halley Eriich, depending on the band configuration.
Albino had been drawn to drumming by watching Tico Wong, the drummer for The Verticals band, a Guam-based Palauan electric band who came to play in Palau in 1968, including a performance at the Civic Center. The Verticals also included its leader and lead guitarist, Rogers (Radis) Renguul, Akira Wong (rhythm guitar), Wes Wong (bass) and Felix Okabe (singer). Later, Makoto and Radis’ brother, Lawrence Renguul, joined them. Listen to their instrumental version of Yoichi K. Rengiil’s “Oh! Somebody me Keleng Saingo,” especially the drum part, to hear what Albino found so attractive.
Oh! Somebody me Keleng Saingo (Instrumental), The Verticals Band, 1968?
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