Semana Santa Pilipinas 2010

HAVE A BLESSED HOLY WEEK!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

EARTH HOUR PILIPINAS 2010

Today is MARCH 27, 2010 and the whole world is one to make a stand and save our one and only planet "EARTH". YUP!! It's EARTH HOUR 2010 and last year 2009, I also did a blogpost of EARTH HOUR 2009 and supported this move. The Philippines ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in Earth Hour 2009 wherein over 10 million Filipinos in 647 cities and municipalities switched off their lights during the event, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity which is equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants. So KABAYANS, it would just take one hour of your time to switch off your lights tonight to be part of this advocacy to save Planet Earth. My little blog "The Doctor Is In" supports this environmental event. EARTH HOUR returns as the largest environmental event in history. Last Thursday,March 25, 2010 we experienced a 4.0 magnitude EARTHQUAKE here in MANILA with an epicenter of 6.0 magnitude in Mindoro. YUP!! We have to get out of our working areas because the whole building was dancing and just in case an aftershock happens. It was really a scary moment. Last January 2010, more than 220,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured when a 7.0 magnitude quake struck Haiti. On February 2010, an 8.8 magnitude quake(the 7th largest ever recorded)killed hundreds more in Chile. Of course who would forget TYPHOON ONDOY, one of the worst Tropical Depression here in my country last September 2009. Recently, El Niño is wreaking havoc on the nation’s water, food and power supply. Are these the signs of times? Well, many experts blames it on climate change and of course the people's careless action on Planet Earth. So guys, let's start to be aware of these things okay. So tonight switch off your lights from 8:30-9:30pm. Let's save Planet Earth for the future generations to cherish.



Now in its third year here in my country and envisioned as a celebration of climate change solutions, Earth Hour Philippines 2010 aims to inspire 15 Million Filipinos in 1000 towns, cities and municipalities to switch off and join in the revelry in an environmentally conscious manner. Cities from around the world, from Europe to Africa, are expected to join in this major environmental event. I hope everyone would join this event to show our own support to save our dearest planet. The one and only planet we live in...... PLANET EARTH!!

I'll leave you with the THEME SONG for EARTH HOUR PHILIPPINES 2010 entitled “IF WE TRY” composed by REEV ROBLEDO sung by Percival, Christina Juan and the WWF-Philippines staff: Jose Ma Lorenzo Tan, Anna Montenegro, Mayj Tolentino, Carmen Tan, Marie Sonsehrey Bretana. Recorded at NOISY NEIGHBORS.

LISTEN to "IF WE TRY" HERE:
Earth Hour Philippines 2010 Theme - If We Try by WWF-Philippines


CHECK OUT MY Interesting EARTH HOUR PHILIPPINES 2009 BLOGPOST last year which included music from DURAN DURAN, PETER WOLF, O.M.D., BMX BANDITS, and Pinoy Alternative Rock Band YANO !!

CLICK THE PHOTO:



Calling PLANET EARTH!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

The Camerawalls "The Sight Of Love"

THE CAMERAWALLS is a FILIPINO INDIEPOP BAND formed by CLEMENTINE CASTRO aka. CLEM on vocals back in 2007 after the disbandment of another Pinoy Band "ORANGE AND LEMONS" which made music buzz due to their very controversial CARE-inspired hit song entitled "PINOY AKO" for the "Pinoy Big Brother" Reality Show. The other Two Members of The Camerawalls are IAN SARABIA on drums and LAW SANTIAGO on bass. The band released their debut album “Pocket Guide To The Other World” back in 2008 under CLEM's INDIE RECORD LABEL "LILYSTARS RECORDS". What I'll be featuring in today's blogpost is the band's newest single entitled "THE SIGHT OF LOVE". I just can't seem to get enough of this great Indiepop song so I decided to make a blogpost out of it. YUP!! It's another superb song which I heard first on JAM 88.3 last month February 2010. “The Sight Of Love” is not included on the band's 2008 debut album since It's just newly released as a Free Download Digital Single. This is The Camerawalls fourth official single, following “Markers Of Beautiful Memories,” “Clinically Dead For 16 Hours” and “Solitary North Star” which were all from their "Pocket Guide To The Otherworld" album. This new single features The Camerawalls now with a fourth member PAO PERALTA on guitars. The song features guest vocalist, SARAH GAUGLER from the Pinoy Indie Electropop band TURBO GOTH. GREAT MUSIC and GREAT BAND!!

So guys I present you "THE SIGHT OF LOVE" by "THE CAMERAWALLS feat. SARAH GAUGLER"!! I hope you'll also like the song and the music video as much as I did. I also uploaded the song just in case you still don't have a copy. Feel free to download the song. Another PINOY PRIDE!! THANKS AGAIN for dropping by!!

LISTEN and WATCH the MUSIC VIDEO of

"THE SIGHT OF LOVE" here:

DOWNLOAD THE SONG HERE:

Wake Up To
"The Sight Of Love"!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

The Thought

THE THOUGHT was a FILIPINO NEW WAVE/PROG ROCK BAND which was formed back in 1987 composed of JOJO ARMAS on vocals, JOEL YU on guitars, and BOY RAMOS on sequencers and drums. This band should not to be mistaken from the early 80s band from NETHERLANDS of the same name. YUP!! This is PHILIPPINE MADE!! I was able to get in touch with one of the band members Boy Ramos via POGZ of Dead Pop Stars and one of the DJ Host of "Ballad Of The Times". Boy would eventually be the new addition to this great New Wave Radio show on NU107. THE THOUGHT was featured on "Ballad Of The Times" last January 27, 2010 and Boy was the only band representative present on the show that evening. He then referred me to their lead vocalist Jojo Armas to complete this blogpost of mine. So big THANKS to BOY and JOJO that we are featuring them here in my little blog "The Doctor Is In". So how did the band started? Jojo and Boy unofficially met at La Salle Greehills High School Fair back in 1986 when Boy's band beat Jojo's band on a band contest back then. Then in 1987 both Jojo and Boy decided to get together and jam with the former band mates of Jojo. Boy was the classmate of Jojo's sister so that's why Jojo considered this as their official meeting. Hmmmp? Unofficial and official? Interesting!! He He He!! After sometime, they decided to join a band contest at DLSU and this time they were already in one group and this was also the first time that they were introduced as "THE THOUGHT".


THE THOUGHT was known for their inclusion on this PINOY BANDS NEW WAVE COMPILATION entitled "NU ROCK: THE ALBUM" made by none than NU 107 back in 1988. They were one of the eight PINOY Bands featured on that great compilation which I will also feature here on my blog in the future so watch out for that too. Although, not as popular as the other bands on that NU107 compilation album, still I give credits to these guys since they were part of that movement back in the 80s here in MANILA. And having a song released on a Vinyl back on those days, then this band really made a mark on Philippine Music especially on the underground scene. Not so many PINOY Bands during those times have that great opportunity to record their songs on a major record label. That's THE THOUGHT for you!!


I asked JOJO a couple of questions and his answers are well indicated.

Why the name "The Thought"? Was it related to a Foreign New Wave Band of the same name?
JOJO: I think I came up with the name. I only found out about the "other" (hehe) a couple of years later from mobile DJ friends of ours in DLSU. I wish I had the net then so that I wouldn't have used the name. Since we formed in 87 and the album came out in 88, maybe we were really the original The Thought? He He!! Anyways, I thought The Thought was appropriate because I wanted to convey in music the thoughts, ideas and psychological reactions to the things that happen not only to one's self but also to the societal, philosophical and environmental aspect of life in general. Among the 3 tracks we recorded, Listen and I Am Was Not What exemplifies those thoughts. Mirrors of Conscience which was written, words and music, by Joel Yu, talked about love which also affects us all. It is actually a rearranged cover version of his other band's material. As of now, I still do not know how the other Thought looks or sounds like.

Who were the original members?
JOJO: Initially there was Boy, myself, my cousin Joel Yu on guitars, Anthony Reyes on keys, Alain on bass and another guy on drums but I forgot his name. Wala pa kami kasing sequencer noon. He He!!

What was your very first gig?
JOJO: The 2nd Crescendo in 1988, a DLSU band contest.

What was your most memorable gig?
JOJO: For me it would have to be Mayrics in 1990 which was aired live on NU.

What were your influences as a band?
JOJO: Initially music from XB, then NU. Each band member had a different favorite genre or influence and I really feel that combining those differences made us what we were. I believe that these difference also contributed to the fact that none of the original members stayed on. The other reason being is that some of them also eventually left for abroad. Oh well... Speaking for myself, I was initially heavily influenced by The Cure and The Smiths.

Who are the other members?
JOJO: Aside from the guys mentioned above, we were also able to play officially as The Thought with the ff:

GUITARS:
Jonathan Khonghun
Uri Djemal

BASS:
Robert Dungca
Derek Ileto
GJ Torres
Frank O' Connor

DRUMS
Ned Javier


Do you remember the band's final gig together and when was this?
JOJO: The last big crowd event we played in was at the Ateneo for a San Miguel contest. That would probably have been in 91 or 92. Boy and Joel Yu came out once as the Thought sometime in 07 in a bar in Makati that was formerly Kalye. They played with other bands from our era (yes, we can't deny our age anymore!) including The Dawn.



As what I've mentioned a while ago, The Thought was one of the PINOY BANDS featured on the NU107 "NU ROCK: The Album" compilation. Definitely, we have to know the story behind it so here's my question again for Jojo regarding this said compilation.

Can you share your experiences regarding the making of the NU ROCK compilation, the recording process, the promotional tours, and the TV appearances? How were you guys picked by NU107 to be part of the compilation?
JOJO: The song on the album was actually a song we recorded for the purpose of airing in NU when they started accepting locally recorded stuff. The song was recorded in 1 day (if only we knew better then!) at the 16 track RJ recording studios along Makati Ave and the street of Tia Maria's. Only 3 members recorded that song namely Boy, myself and Joel Yu. Engineered by Voltaire of Warhead. I'm not sure how Octo Arts picked it but I supposed it was passed to them by the folks in NU. We were a bunch of noobs then so when we were asked who produced the track, our immediate reply was ourselves thinking it was a who-financed-it question! The song started out with Boy letting the original incarnation of the group hear his keyboard part during a jam. Soon everyone started to put his instrument and the song was eventually completed. We performed it live for the very first time at Crescendo. The cash prize we won there was added to our recording budget for the song and the rest, as they say is history. The Thought came out in only 3 TV shows, all noontime variety game shows! It was Regal Family on IBC 13, Eat Bulaga GMA 7 and another lunchtime show that I do not remember. I remember this instance where Keno, a former local singing idol, asked us if we had Pond's facial cleanser and from that moment on feeling showbiz na kami! Ha ha ha!


So I guess that's a lot of information for you guys regarding PINOY 80s band "THE THOUGHT". When I was making this blogpost I realized that the photos of The Thought on the "NUROCK: The Album" Vinyl and the Cassette Tape were two different photos. Wheeew!! So what I did was I also took a photo of my original "NUROCK: The Album" Cassette Tape cover which I apologize for It's poor quality since I don't have any scanner right now. Btw, the Blogpost Header Photo of The Thought I used was from the Vinyl Record Cover which I just modified. I hope that both photos help spice up this exclusive blogpost of mine of "The Thought". Btw, I remember Boy Ramos saying on air that one of his memorable experience of The Thought was the "NUROCK: The Album" launching at the Legendary Skating Rink at ALI MALL in CUBAO called "SKATE TOWN". He remembered the place being full of audiences trying to catch all the bands featured on the said compilation album performing their songs.

Here are three more questions I asked JOJO:

How are the band members right now? Any of you still in the music scene?
JOJO: As far as I know, only Boy is the most active. Joel Yu plays for him once in awhile. Boy told me that Uri Djemal is with a NY recording studio. They get to talk over in Facebook. I don't have a Facebook account. hehe I am still active in the music scene but on the TV and concert production side of it. I do get to play on stage with other bands but only seldomly. The last gig I played in was at the Phil. Jazz Festival last Feb. 21 at The Fort as a guest player for one of the bands.

Do you have anything to share other than what we have tackled?
JOJO: Among the 3 tracks that we recorded, only 2 got airplay - Listen and Mirrors of Conscience. Mirrors was recorded in 89 and got the most airplay on NU. It stayed in the Sprite 7 at 7 segment for 3 months. I Am Was Not What, which NU turned down, actually made it big in Boston college radio stations. The Thought gets the last laugh on that one. hehe

Any final messages for those people who still remember your band and to those who will read this exclusive blogpost?
JOJO: Be well. Peace and love to everyone. As Master Yoda said "Do or do not. There is no try." Enjoy music and let's enjoy more of it. Success and more music to you guys!!

Btw, Boy played the three songs of The Thought on "Ballad Of The Times" when the band was featured on the radio show. Aside from "LISTEN", the other two songs were "MIRRORS OF CONSCIENCE" and "I AM WAS NOT WHAT" which I included here on my blogpost just for your listening pleasure since the band decided not to make these songs available for download. LISTEN to these songs by PRESSING THE PLAY BUTTON.

"I AM WAS NOT WHAT"

Find more The Thought songs at Myspace Music

"MIRRORS OF CONSCIENCE"

Find more The Thought songs at Myspace Music

Visit THE THOUGHT:
http://www.myspace.com/thethought

I'll leave you with their trademark song from the "NUROCK: The Album" compilation entitled "LISTEN". This song reminds me of PINOY GOTHIC band IDENTITY CRISIS especially the sound on "TALE OF TWO" album. So listen to "LISTEN" by THE THOUGHT. You can download the song just in case you don't still have a copy of it. I wanna THANK Jojo and Boy for helping me out and trusting my blog to feature THE THOUGHT!! This is "The Dr. Stirring Rhod Way" of giving tribute to the band that was there on the New Wave Scene when it matters here in MANILA. THANKS for dropping by!!

Listen to "LISTEN" here:



DOWNLOAD THE SONG HERE:



Btw for added info, here's a photo of The Thought, the obscure 80s band from the Netherlands that released three albums from 1982-1989.

So what are your thoughts about
THE THOUGHT?
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

masaGHANAng PACMANalo!!

CONGRATS AGAIN PACMAN!! I guess my KABAYAN Manny Pacquiao is really unstoppable these days since PACMAN has now won 12 straight bouts. Wheeew!! That's what you call a TRUE CHAMPION!! YUP!! That's a total of 8 World Titles in 8 Different Weight Divisions and it's indeed a World Record Achievement for Manny who just won over Joshua Clottey via Unanimous Decision at the sold-out Cowboys Stadium last Saturday MARCH 13, 2010 (U.S. Time). Let's still give credit to Clottey since he is the first opponent after two years to hear the final bell while fighting with Pacman. YUP!! Clottey managed to stay alive up to the 12th round of the fight. Well, It was a very lopsided fight that didn't have much intesity running throughout, but the important thing for my KABAYANS is that Manny won again. That's PROUD TO BE A FILIPINO!! This would be my 4th Blogpost regarding PACMAN's bout here in my little blog "The Doctor Is In" and all of those were indeed "CONGRATULATION" blogposts. I'm not anymore going to the details of the fight and let's leave it again to the experts okay. Btw, Rock Band JOURNEY's Filipino Lead vocalist ARNEL PINEDA sang our PHILIPPINE NATIONAL ANTHEM.


So why the blogpost title "masaGHANAng PACMANalo"? MASAGANA is a Tagalog word that means "BOUNTIFUL" and PANALO is also a Tagalog word which means "VICTORY". Of course I used GHANA since It's the country of origin of Joshua Clottey. Everybody knows why I used PACMAN. So I guess that's my little tribute again to my KABAYAN Emmanuel D. Pacquiao aka. PACMAN "The Greatest Fighter Of The Era". THANKS for dropping by again guys!!

CHECK OUT all my PACMAN Blogposts on my Blog's "SPORTS PAGE" by clicking MANNY's photo:


Isang Masaganang Panalo!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

The Collector's Disease

It's MARCH 2010 and I'm still infected with such disease. Well, being a Music Collector I just can't think of it If I'll get tired of getting these stuffs that I really love listening to. Music is my form of relaxation and enjoyment. It's my own little way of getting out of the real world. I've started collecting music mostly from the New Wave/Post Punk Genre and It's subgenres since the early 80s and up until now the journey continues. This musical genre was really big here in MANILA back on those days and so by traveling back to the past with my little blog "The Doctor Is In" gives a great relief of remembering the good old days. Although, I don't have anymore the luxury of time to listen to all my Vinyl Records, CDs, Cassette Tapes, DVDs, VCDs, and other materials related to the music that I love unlike before, It's still nice looking at what I've collected the past decades. It's a sort of a time machine that you wouldn't like to stop riding. Any treatment or cure for the so-called "The Collector's Disease"? Hmmmmp? I guess none. He He He!! It's just your daily dose of medication in the form of music. Like what I've always stated here in my blog "MUSIC MATTERS, AND MEMORIES OF IT MATTERS MOST". This is more than just a Swine Flu or your regular illnesses...... It's a disease that a lot of people are infected with. He he he!! I'm sure you are too. Right regular visitors and lurkers? Ha Ha Ha!! Of course, I don't have the complete discography of all the bands since up to now I'm still on the never ending process of buying the stuffs that I love and even discovering lost gems. Unfortunately, these stuffs are getting more expensive as the years passed by so It's getting more difficult to squeeze it in to your budget unless you are really filthy rich I guess. Do you want to be treated? Naaaah!! This is one disease you might have second thoughts of curing it. Ha Ha Ha!!


Most of my blogposts here on "The Doctor Is In" usually features the music that I really love listening to. I usually mention WXB102, POWER105 DZBM-FM, and NU107 since these three radio stations have really influenced my kind of taste in music a lot. Although, there were New Wave radio shows back in the 90s and the millennium here in MANILA that added to my awareness to the genre, but nothing compared to the intensity back in the 80s. Many of the music materials I have were one way or the other were played by these radio stations. They were the ones who made a big difference on MANILA RADIO back in the 80s. I've noticed lately that the music of the 80s keeps on coming back and It even influenced a lot of Artists/Bands of the new generation so that's how powerful the Eighties Decade was in terms of music. I also love collecting obscure ones since It adds up flavor to my listening pleasure and It's also nice discovering and exploring gems of the past that you weren't able to hear during those times. The younger generations right now are very lucky with the presence of the Internet. It's a powerful medium to discover music and unlike in those days we just have to rely on imported magazines and even the local ones to know about the bands we want to listen to or we want to discover. The audiences for today's music are vast with those websites and video sites that an artist/band could expose their creativity. Nowadays, It's just right on your fingertips and kaboom... "Google It!!". I guess that's all for today's blogpost guys!! THANKS AGAIN for dropping by!!

ARTISTS/BANDS materials on the photos:

APRIL SHOWERS
THE LOVERS SPEAKS
H2O
THIS MORTAL COIL
SEONA DANCING
FRUITS OF PASSION
VOICE OF AMERICA
LITTLE MURDERS
TEARDROP EXPLODES
DEPECHE MODE
THE SMITHS
THIS FINAL FRAME
BAMBOO INDUSTRY
HAPPY DEADMEN
BONNIE HAYES WITH THE WILD COMBO
LAURIE ANDERSON
THE JACK RUBIES
EYELESS IN GAZA
GENERATION X
THE ESSENCE
THE CREATURES
THE DAMNED
THE SOUND

YUP!! That's some of the list of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi causing the infection. Ha Ha Ha!! I'll leave you with the LIVE VERSION of a DEPECHE MODE song taken from their classic "101 Live album".......... none other than "SHAKE THE DISEASE"!!

LISTEN to SHAKE THE DISEASE here:



Let's Shake
The Collector's Disease!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD

THE DYLANS

THE DYLANS were a Neo -Psychedelic British band formed in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England back in 1989 by Vocalist/ Bassist Colin Gregory who was a former member of 1,000 VIOLINS. Together with Colin were Jim Rodger and Andy Curtis both on guitars, Quentin Jennings on keyboards and Garry Jones on drums continuing the 60s tinged retro style of 1,000 Violins but with a nod to that so-called "Baggy" scene. The band got their name from one of the characters on a children television program called "The Magic Runabout". DYLAN was the Spacey Rabbit character and so the band's name was not really related to Rock And Roll. He He He!! It was back in 1990 when THE DYLANS were signed to Beggars Banquet Records Indie subsidiary Situation Two which is RCA Records in the United States, who released their debut single, "Godlike" back in January 1991. The song reached #5 on the Top 10 of the UK Indie Chart back then. The band subsequently replaced Curtis with Andy Cook and then released two follow-up singles namely "Planet Love" and "Lemon Afternoon" just before the band's Stephen Street-produced self-titled debut album was released in October 1991. THE DYLANS were introduced here in MANILA by NU107 back in 1991 by playing their one and only MANILA hit "PLANET LOVE" coming from their self-titled debut album. I first got to hear the band when I bought this PHILIPPINE Alternative Compilation Cassette Tape entitled "THIS IS MODERN ROCK : Beggars Banquet.... The Experience Continues" back in 1991 when it was released here in MANILA same year. The song "PLANET LOVE" was included in the said compilation. YUP!! It was only released on cassette tape format and we will be featuring this compilation here in my little blog "The Doctor Is In" in the future since I still have it on my vaults so watch out for that too. "MODERN ROCK" was the term used by NU107 back in 1989 describing this form of music that seems to be another term for New Wave on the late 80s since the decade is about to end and the 90s is about to begin that time. I can still remember that NU107 was "The Home Of New Rock" and "The Rock Of The 90s"!! Those were the good ol' days indeed!! After that extensive 1991 Tour, The Dylans returned in 1992 with another single entitled "Mary Quant in Blue" with further line-up changes wherein two members namely Jones and Jennings leaving the band to be replaced by Craig Scott and Ike Glover which definitely makes the band very different from their original line-up in 1990-1991. The Dylans were signed up to Atlantic Records due to the growing interest in the band in the United States then moved to the main Beggars Banquet roster in the UK for subsequent releases. Two more singles were followed by the band's swansong 1994 Spirit Finger album which were "Grudge" and "I'll Be Back To Haunt You". The band released two albums and these were The Dylans (1991) and Spirit Finger (1994) before splitting up in 1994 due to the disappointing album sales



If you'll be talking about THE DYLANS here in the PHILIPPINES then there's no question about it that PINOY NEW WAVERS would remember their song "PLANET LOVE" which remained to be their signature song here in MANILA. Definitely every PINOY New Wave collector should have their 1991 self titled album "The Dylans" in their music collection since the NU107 classic "PLANET LOVE" is in the album. YUP!! I have my original CD of the album so get your copy too guys!! The album contains 12 cool tracks which also includes the UK INDIE Top 10 Hit "GODLIKE" which unfortunately didn't made it big here in MANILA during those times. Well, If you're interested to have a copy then I uploaded the entire CD just for your listening pleasure but I still encourage you to get the original one okay. This is clearly for promotional use only. ENJOY THE MUZIC!!

THE DYLANS (Self-Titled)
TRACKLIST

1) She Drops Bombs
2) Planet Love
3) I Hope The Weather Stays Fine
4) Sad Rush On Sunday
5) No Coming Down
6) Mine
7) Particle Ride
8) Ocean Wide
9) Godlike
10) (Don't Cut Me Down) Mary Quant In Blue
11) Love To
12) Indian Sun

DOWNLOAD MY CD HERE:

PASSWORD: http://docmuzic.blogspot.com/



Aside from "PLANET LOVE", I uploaded two more songs for you to listen to here in my blogpost namely "GODLIKE" and "(DON'T CUT ME DOWN) MARY QUANT IN BLUE. As usual, just PRESS PLAY to Listen to the songs and Watch the video.

LISTEN TO "GODLIKE" HERE:


LISTEN TO "MARY QUANT IN BLUE" HERE:



Finally, I was able to upload again a Music Video directly here on Blogger which I haven't done for the longest time due to difficulty since the previous MTVs I used on my blogposts were linked on YouTube. I really love listening to"PLANET LOVE"!! Great song indeed and It brings back memories!!

WATCH AND LISTEN to "PLANET LOVE" here:





Btw, do you know who the real DYLANS are? Well, it just pop up my mind that Legendary Rock Icon BOB DYLAN and his son JAKOB DYLAN (Lead Vocalist of THE WALLFLOWERS) are THE DYLANS too. He He He!! This father and son musicians of their generation are the real Dylans right guys? That's all about my "THE DYLANS" blogpost for today folks and I hope you enjoyed it again the way I did making and conceptualizing it. THANKS AGAIN for dropping by!!

This is
THE DYLANS Planet!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD