Ebe Dancel : I almost gave up writing songs

(FROM Left): Ebe Dancel, Gabby Alipe, Chito Miranda and Yael Yuzon at the 1st Elements Songwriting Camp, Dumaguete. pocholo concepcion

FATIGUE, differences in opinion and all sorts of problems led to the breakup of Sugarfree, one of the country’s biggest pop-rock bands.

“My time with Sugarfree was up,” said front man and main songwriter Ebe Dancel. He spoke to the Inquirer by phone last week to announce the release of his debut solo album with Warner Music, “Dalawang Mukha ng Pag-ibig.”

Dancel clarified, “Hindi naman kami nagsuntukan.” In fact, Sugarfree held a farewell concert last year. But while parting was stress-free, writing songs for his solo record was a struggle. “I felt like s–t [after the breakup],” he recalled.

At the 1st Elements national songwriting camp in Dumaguete last year, where he was one of the mentors, he found new inspiration. “The talks by Ryan Cayabyab, Gary Granada and the other mentors really helped. Gary V was instrumental.”

After the camp, Dancel wrote “Muli,” about “taking second chances.” The rest of the tunes for the album came in quick succession. He recorded from May to June this year, with friends — Francis Reyes, Kakoi Legaspi and Noel Mendez played guitar; Buddy Zabala and Rommel de la Cruz provided bass tracks; Raimund Marasigan guested on drums. The album hits record stores this weekend.