Wolfgang's Basti Artadi says band 'not supporting' Ivory/Vicor for paying P2.40 per P1,900 vinyl recording

Basti Artadi, the frontman of Filipino rock band Wolfgang, said they're "not supporting" the record labels Ivory Music and Vicor Music over issues on royalty fees.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Artadi said Ivory and Vicor, which are under the Viva Music Group, will pay Wolfgang P2.40 per P1,900 vinyl record of its eponymous debut studio album. The post came with a photo of the album, as well as P2.40 with a denomination of two one peso coins, one 25 centavo coin, and three five centavo coins.

He noted that it would be split among himself, guitarist Manuel Legarda, the kids of the late bassist Mon Legaspi, and drummer Wolf Gemora.

"That means if the record company makes 1,900,000 pesos of album sales Wolfgang gets 600 pesos each," Artadi said. "2024 and this is the type of stuff that still goes on today when honestly there is enough to go around if people weren’t so greedy."

Artadi noted that next year will be the 30th anniversary of the Wolfgang album, released in 1995.

"I have plans, if you can wait I will make it worth your while," he told his fans, "and the band would appreciate it because we will finally get paid for fighting to put that album out."

Industry colleagues expressed their support for Artadi.

Former Rivermaya guitarist Perf De Castro shared Artadi's post with the caption, "Gahaman na record company."

Dash Calzado of the hip-hop duo Legit Misfitz didn't mince words in cursing such recording companies.

"F**k these labels!!! Same ol BS and this is the story we tell cuz it’s the same ol thing they do," Calzado said, adding that these record labels don't give them their value and worth as artists, who "poured out the hours... just [to] come up with a masterpiece."

Director Quark Henares also wrote in the comments section, "Grabe naman! Tama ka, in this day and age pa. Looking forward to Halik ni Hudas - Basti’s Version." It was a reference to their hit song and American pop star Taylor Swift, who is re-recording her music so she can own her master recordings, as the label Big Machine Records owns her first six albums.

One fan directly told Artadi to do it "the Taylor Swift way" by rerecording the album and releasing a new version.

Another fan said it "won't have Mon's magic anymore" and suggested remastering their albums instead but Artadi replied, "I have Mon's magic on tape!!"

Wolfgang was formed in 1992. The Filipino rock band is known for the songs Halik ni Hudas, Mata ng Diyos, Natutulog kong Mundo, Atomica, and Cast of Clowns.

PhilSTAR L!fe reached out to Ivory and Vicor for comment but has yet to receive a reply.