Keep the Music Playing

Long before Monchito Mossesgeld became a well-loved teacher and mentor to young leaders, he wowed the Manila pop music scene of the Seventies with a singing group called The Ambivalent Crowd

Who knew that Simon “Monchito” Mossesgeld used to sing for adoring fans as a member of The Ambivalent Crowd, a popular singing group from the 1970s? Not quite today’s BTS, but still a big thing back then.

“It was really a group because we had around 20 to 24 people. It was not like a band—it was a crowd,” Monchito says. “We were rather popular back then. We managed to sell ‘standing-room only’ shows at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.” 

The Ambivalent Crowd was initially composed of Monchito’s group of friends from the Ateneo Glee Club. In the beginning, they sang frequently at friends’ weddings. It’s their extraordinary friendship that’s been keeping them together even after Monchito left the group in 1974. “Up to now we have remained friends, and there is a bond among members that I don’t think is true of any other singing group of that time,” he recalls. The group got bigger as more members joined them over time. Eventually, they started performing for larger crowds.

Monchito recalls their career taking off when they started getting invited to TV shows, and later performing on stage. “I remember one TV show we used to appear in—it was called ‘Two for the Road’. Then, we started performing on stage. I also remember our very first stage show.” He stops for a split second then laughing, he continues: “Oh God, I will reveal my age! There was a singer named Matt Monroe. He came to Araneta, and we were his front act. It was our very first performance as a group professionally, I think. Then we had annual concerts… That was one of the achievements of my life.” It even helped him build confidence as he confesses to being a truly shy person.

He also regards his time with The Ambivalent Crowd as a period that had a great impact on his life. It was where he met his wife, Tina, who was also a member of the group. 

He affectionately shares, “It literally changed my life! We were usually partners. Usually, basses and baritones are paired off with altos or second sopranos, and she was an alto, so we would talk. We were friends before we even had romantic feelings for each other. I think that’s the base of our relationship—it enabled us to stay so long together and hurdle the challenges of marriage.”