BIO
Born in Dagupan City, Philippines, Jerick Alegarbes picked up guitar in high school through the influence of his father, and later became known for being a member of the band Paper Gliders. Alegarbes immigrated to the States when he was 14 after his father secured a job in Houston. Connecting with Vaughn Chung over a meme page in 2010, he eventually auditioned for and joined Chung’s band, known as “The Big Sexy Time”, which morphed into Paper Gliders. To this day, Alegarbes still functions as lead guitarist and percussionist of this band. Additionally, Alegarbes pursues painting and works with Filipinx Artists of Houston and the Filipino American National Historical Society’s Houston, Texas chapter. In this interview, Alegarbes walks through his childhood and adolescence, with a focus on how music and online communities were a vital part of his high school experience and career trajectory. He discusses his band, Paper Gliders, including his role in the band and his perspective on band collaboration, and expands on his supplementary musical interests as well. Alegarbes also offers perspectives on dealing with racism, elaborates on his community involvement, and imparts advice to other Filipino or Filipino-American individuals.