AS THE WORLD GROOVES TO the music of a new batch of female artists (Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, even our very own Charice), it has almost become a necessity for record labels to expand their roster of talents to include not only the usual male rock star wannabes.

The recent release of a film bio on ?70s band The Runaways adds to the current interest in women musicians.

In the case of Warner Music Philippines, the latest find is an all-female rock band with a macho name, General Luna. Its members ? vocalist Nicole Asensio, guitarists Caren Mangaran and Audry Dionisio, bassist Alexis Montemayor and drummer Bea Lao ? used to play in different bands, leading one kibitzer to comment that this group is certainly ?manufactured.?

Well, Rivermaya bore that tag during its early years ? a stigma that has since been obliterated through sheer evidence of talent.

So, does General Luna have what it takes to succeed as well? The hype is that its members, aside from being blessed with good looks, do know how to play good music. The band was at SaGuijo a few weeks ago and the Inquirer was there to see what the fuss was all about.

There was a hint of nervousness as the girls took some time before kicking off their first number. But as the music commenced in a blast of loud, guitar-drenched sonic wall like jet fighters whirring overhead, we thought there might be reason to believe that General Luna is worth the attention.

Asencio is no Sampaguita, but the young singer has the attitude to go with her bluesy wails.

Mangaran doesn?t have a guitar goddess pose, yet she delivered the riffs that mattered most to the predominantly male audience.

Dionisio, the other guitarist, and Montemayor, the bassist, may not be that aggressive yet in their playing, but they certainly knew how to stick to the rhythm.

Lao played the drums loud that night, but not so much in a show-off manner, perhaps more in an attempt to emphasize her time-keeping role in a band that?s only starting out ? no matter if the girls have had previous experience.

The five songs they played were mostly originals contributed by various members of male bands including Typecast?s Steve Badiola (?Red Heaven?) and Pakoy Fletchero (?Walang Bintana?), Mayonnaise?s Monty Macalinao (?Nandito?) and Rivermaya?s Japs Sergio (?Dala ng Ulan?).

Some of the tunes had anger, dejection and paranoia simmering in their lyrics ? quite perfect for the typical rock ?n? roll crowd that the band wants to capture.

Let?s wait for the album to confirm whether General Luna has the makings of a revolutionary act.