THE JERKS front man Chickoy Pura, now on his fourth year as a judge for ?Sessionistas,? the annual college band contest of the Greenhills Shopping Center, reveals what it takes to win the competition.

?Playing ability isn?t the only basis. In fact, what matters most sometimes is the fraternity among the band members when they perform,? he says.

Parokya ni Edgar as example

As someone who has seen bands get famous and then break up, Pura points to Parokya ni Edgar to illustrate his point. ?Parokya?s members were already friends before they became a band, and that?s reflected when they?re onstage, and in the songs they produce together, even if their playing ability is limited,? he explains.

But not all bands are like Parokya, admits Pura, and they differ in their potential: ?There are those who go for a pop sound, there are some who like rock, others prefer hardcore. They all deserve a fair listen, and a fair judgment.?

Sense of abandon

Rockers, however, have one quality that should never be amiss when they perform, says Pura: ?Have a sense of abandon when you?re onstage. Play your heart out and let it rip, because you might never get another chance. Of course, I think you always need to adopt that kind of attitude in whatever discipline you're in.?

Eliminations

Preliminary screenings for ?Sessionistas 2010? are ongoing this month, with nine finalist bands set to play for Pura and the rest of the judges at the start of eliminations on Sept. 3.

Call 726-4472 or log on to greenhills.com.ph to download registration forms or to register online. Amy Mosura, contributor