He is probably one of the most underrated and most unrecognizable lead guitarists in the Philippines in the past 40 years. However, for those who know him, he is considered an idol and a legend. Pepe Smith calls him “the silent one”. Ely Buendia considers him a mentor. Noel Cabangon has only good words for his unique guitar playing. Lolita Carbon says he plays the guitar from the heart. And Ira Cruz considers him a miracle man on his red guitar. For years, he has showed the music scene his unique way of playing his iconic red Stratocaster guitar.
They say he doesn’t know how to play guitar scales but relies more of playing by his heart when he starts plucking his guitar strings. For years also, he has been known as the lead guitarist of the first-ever Pinoy punk rock band The Jerks whom he has been a founding member since 1979. Together with frontman Chickoy Pura, they have been the Glimmer Twins of the Pinoy rock scene. The Mick Jagger-Keith Richards of the Philippines. The Ozzy Osborne-Tony Iommi partnership. The Steven Tyler-Joe Perry duo. However, in 2011, things changed when he was reported to have been kicked out of the band. What really happened? What triggered his dismissal from the band he has been with for the past four decades?
This is the story of guitar legend Nitoy Adriano, his life, his music, his art, his red guitar, his strums, his plucks, his riffs, his scales. The film features interviews with Filipino rock legends Pepe Smith, Lolita Carbon, Wally Gonzalez, Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Noel Cabangon, Bobby Balingit, Buddy Trinidad, Chong and Chang Tengasantos of Reggae Mistress, Rolly Maligad of Cocojam, Ira Cruz, Ebe Dancel, Hilera's Chris Padilla, Kettle Mata, Edwin Aguilar and Paolo Manuel of The Jerks, and former Jerks sessionists Brutus Lacano, Bombi Plata, and Dwight Gaston. It will also feature Pinoy rock figures such as Patrick Reidenbach and Robbie Sunico of Club Dredd, Sazi Cosino of Mayrics, Ramon "The Doctor" Zialcita, and former Jingle Magazine writers Tony Maghirang, Edwin Sallan, Pocholo Concepcion, and legendary indie filmmaker Rox Lee as they talk about the evolution of rock music in the Philippines. "Ang Gitaristang Hindi Marunong Magskala" is not only the journey of Nitoy Adriano. It is also the journey of all struggling, neglected, starving yet still surviving musicians and artists in the Philippines.
Catch this documentary at the 1st CineTotoo Philippine International Documentary Film Festival presented by GMA News TV Channel 11. Eleven documentaries in competition will be screened from September 24 to 30 in SM Megamall, SM Manila, and Trinoma Cinemas.
