Hotdog's "Pers Lab"... with Ella del Rosario

Ella was one down-to-earth Assumptionista who's true passion (and calling) was singing.

And, boy, what great pipes -- effortlessly shifting from Bette Midler's "Drinking Again" to Maria Mauldur's "Midnight at the Oasis" to Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child".

She tried some gigs with several 'conyotic' local bands but truly soared when she opted to be one of Hotdog's founding members.

Here, in this extremely rare footage, Ella performs one of Hotdog's greatest hits as only she can interpret it.

Ella & Zsazsa: First and Last Time Together on Stage

Hotdog band has a reputation for consistently recruiting the most exciting female singers to frontline the group along with brothers Rene and Dennis Garcia.

Two of the most fabulous - Ella del Rosario & Zsazsa Padilla - once shared the spotlight.

But only for one night... at an intimate concert in 1988 -- held at the soon-to-be-demolished Rizal Theater in Makati (where the Shang now stands).

This extremely rare footage demonstrates why the adjective 'legendary' is quite often associated with the band.

Maso Diez: Hotdog Singer at Age 16

The year was 1980.

Then a senior high school student at an exclusive school, Maso turned 'professional' and joined Hotdog (who had just returned from successful stints in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur).

She was sizzling hot at a tender young age -- with riffs that betrayed her jazz leanings.

The advent of consumer video cameras around that time made this rare footage possible. (Taken at a debut party at the Chinabank building in Makati.)

It was also the first and last time that Maso and singer Ella del Rosario worked together.

Birth of an 'Anthem'

 B.A.D.A.F. Forever

Before there were boy bands... there was Charing.

Out of the blue one day in 1980, my brother Rene and I (inspired by Julie Diego, our flamboyant 'gaysha' production assistant) decided to produce a gay band as a counterpoint to the then popular Hagibis.

Bong, Jet, Leslie and Tom quadrupled their male admirers/prospects.

A gold record was mined. 

An anthem was born. 

(And Hagibis got pissed off big time.)