Francis Reyes

For the Australian cricketer, seeFrancis Brew (cricketer).

Francis "Brew" Reyes
Born	Francis Florentino Saludo Reyes (1967-06-20)June 20, 1967 Lipa City,Philippines
Other names	Kiko, Francis Brew
Career
Show	In the Raw
Station	NU107(1997–2010)
Musical career
Genres	Pinoy rock,alternative rock,experimental
Instrument(s)	Vocals,guitar,keyboards
Member of	The Dawn
Formerly of	Garlic,P.O.T.,Afterimage,Project 1,Peso Movement,Joey Ayala,Lou Bonnevie

Francis Florentino Saludo Reyes(born June 20, 1967, inLipa City,Batangas) is a Filipino musician. He is best known for being the guitarist for the Filipino rock bandthe Dawn.He was the chief radio announcer and musical director for the rock stationNU107.5 FMwho used the on-airstage nameFrancis Brew.He was also the editor ofBillboard Philippines,which was launched in 2016.

Early years

Reyes was born and raised in Lipa City, the second child of Florante Luz Reyes, a photographer, and Teresita Marquinez Saludo, a housewife. His youth was not particularly musical and his on-stage experiences were focused onoratoricalcontests which he regularly won. He started playing guitar at 14, helped by his elder brother Ferdinand who was a "natural" guitarist. The Reyeses were not rich, and his first proper guitar was a fakeGibsonacoustic worthPhp150.00 that his mother promised as a gift if he won a declamation contest during his junior high school year inDe La SalleLipa.

Although supported by his mother, Reyes' choice to pursue music orfine artsin university was not encouraged by the family so he majored inPolitical Scienceand minored in Literature at De La Salle University. Nevertheless, he continued to study music on his own, bringing an oldTelecastercopy–a gift from an uncle in Canada–to school and practicing behind the university library. He formed a few bands with friends and played at school events. The school's prohibitive tuition fees plus the delicate financial status of his family at the time took their toll and he went looking for writing jobs to supplement his income. In 1987, he auditioned for an FM radio station and became agraveyard shifttrainee but was eventually able to join NU107.

Career

NU107

At around the same time he joined NU107, he became a member ofAfterimage,which was then managed by Martin Galan, who also managedthe Dawn.When Reyes joined the Dawn, he was juggling school, NU107, and the band. When the schedule of the Dawn began to fill up, he became somewhat negligent with the radio station and was let go amicably in 1992. He returned in 1997 to host the show "In the Raw", and has been with the station since then. He eventually was appointed its chief announcer and musical director until NU107 went its final broadcast on November 7, 2010.

The Dawn

Reyes met the Dawn during his tenure with Afterimage, although he had already knownJett Panganin university during interpretative reading contests which Pangan regularly won. He became friendly with the group's guitarist/founderTeddy Diazand they even spoke of forming athrash metalside project with drummer JB Leonor's brother Dennis. Unfortunately, Teddy was murdered mere days after their talk. Reyes was then asked to be one of the three guitarists who were to play Teddy's parts in the tribute concert "Salamat Teddy" at theFolk Arts Theaterin September 1988.

Reyes returned to Afterimage duringAtsushi Matsuura's tenure with the Dawn and also became one of band'sroadies.In November 1989, he was asked to replace Matsuura.

Reyes recorded three albums and played with the Dawn until January 1995 when the band decided to go onhiatus.Between then and until the band reformed, he became a session guitarist forLou Bonnevie,Kulay,P.O.T.,andJoey Ayala.He credits his experience with The Dawn and their eclectic music for being able to play in different genres comfortably.

The Dawn reformed with Atsushi Matsuura in 1999, thus expanding the line-up to a five-piece. When Matsuura parted ways with the band in 2004, Reyes became the sole guitarist.

On April 16, 2009, Francis left the band after what Jett Pangan called a "hard meeting". Pangan went on to state though that Reyes is welcome to rejoin the band.

Reyes, along with bassistCarlos Balcellsreturned to the band on June 7, 2016, thus the band became a quintet once again.

Solo work and current projects

Reyes is also currently a contractual music arranger for the Roadrunner Network. He recently contributed a piece for the compilation albumMga Gitaristaunder 12Stone Records. Although constantly encouraged by peers to create a guitar-oriented solo album, Reyes is not interested, preferring to focus his energies on the Dawn.

He formed the improvisation-oriented trio Garlic withRazorbackbassist Louie Talan andImagodrummer Zach Lucero (also an NU107 alumnus) in 1998. Although the group garnered some critical accolades, they have yet to record an album.

He was part of Helenovela with former Orange and Lemons frontman Mcoy Fundales, now with KENYO and PESO Movement withJaps Sergio(ex-Rivermaya), drummer Kurt Floresca and former Jet Pangan Group bassist Macky Macaventa who is now with True Faith.

Reyes was also a part of thesupergroup,Project 1.

Billboard Philippines

In 2016, Reyes became the editor-in-chief ofBillboard Philippines,a brand dedicated to music news, charts and other related services. He later abolished it in January 2018, but the brand was relaunched in October 2023 under a new management where he became the editor-at-large.

Musical influences

Reyes creditsRitchie Blackmore's solo on the intro toDeep Purple's "Speed King"as the moment when he decided he wanted to be a guitarist, although he was an obsessiveQueen/Brian Mayfan as well. His early heroes includedEddie Van HalenandGary Moore,and actually put electrical tape on his Telecaster copy à laVan Halen.His current influences arePat Metheny,Eric Johnson,Robert Fripp,Allan Holdsworth,David Torn,Adrian Belew,Matthew Bellamy,Jonny Greenwood,Ed O'Brien,Nels Cline,andJimi Hendrix.

Equipment used

Electric guitars

Reyes used to be an endorser forHamer Guitars.He used the Hamer Standard XT and Vector XT models.

His other guitars used to include aSquierStandardTelecaster,aGretsch5235T Pro Jet, a Dame Mind 505, and a pre-lawsuitYamahaLord Player which he all sold. Now he mainly uses guitars from Lyric Music Stores which he is also a part of. He has been playing Tokai Guitars, a Yamaha Revstar and a PRS Tremonti Custom SE of late.

He also still has theCasioPG380guitar synthesizerused during his first two years with the Dawn.

Amplifiers

• VoxValvetronix AD50VT

Effects pedals

• DigitechBrian MayRed Special
• Z Vex Fuzz Factory
• Zoom G9.2tt(forpitch shift,modulation,anddelays)
• Line 6DL4 (for on-the-flysampling)
• KorgKaoss PadKP3 (for sampling and spontaneoustextures)

Keyboards

• E-mu XK6
• KorgEA-1 Electribe
• Yamahavintage Monophonic synthesizer

Other equipment

Reyes also has aVietnamesedan tranh,aXaphoonpocketsax,and assorted small instruments such as akalimbaandtin whistle,all subtly used in the Dawn's recordings.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network	Notes	Ref.
1997	SOP	Himself / Guest Performer (withThe Dawn)	GMA Network
2007	The ARAW Values Advertising Awards
2012	Pinoy Rock MYX	Himself / Host	MYX
2016	It's Showtime	Himself / Guest Performer (withThe Dawn)	ABS-CBN
2019	Studio 7		GMA Network
	It's Showtime	Himself / Guest Performer (withThe Dawnand guest drummer Kurt Floresca)	ABS-CBN
2022	Family Feud	Himself / Guest Player (withThe Dawnand Carlos Orosa)	GMA Network	(credited as Kiko Reyes)
	It's Showtime	Himself / Guest Performer	Kapamilya Channel	(forMagpasikat 2022)
2023		Himself / Guest Performer (withThe Dawn)
	2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup: Opening Ceremony		One Sports

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1994	Mama's Boys 2 (Let's Go Na!)	Himself
2006	Tulad ng Dati

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Station	Notes	Ref.
1997–2010	In the Raw	Himself / Host	NU107

Discography

The Dawn

• Heart's Thunder(1990)
• Abot Kamay(1992)
• Puno't Dulo(1994)
• Prodigal Sun(2000)
• Harapin(2004)
• Tulad ng Dati(2006)
• The Later Half of Day(2008)

Peso Movement

• The Gentle Sound of Chaos(2014)

References

• Philippine Star Article on EJ Play at CCP
• Francis ReyesatIMDb
• Hamer Guitar Page
• Ride the Rock Xpress NOKIA Event

External links

• Francis Brew Myspace