Manager and original APO member Butch Dans passes away

The local music scene is mourning the loss of veteran talent manager Butch Dans.

Dans, 69, succumbed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in his Quezon City home in the early morning of April 8, Thursday.

A member of the 15-man Ateneo de Manila University band Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, Dans would pivot into managing the group instead when it became a trio composed of Jim Paredes, Danny Javier, and Buboy Garrovillo.

He would help the group rise to mainstream prominence starting in the late '70s, churning out hits that are considered today as Original Pilipino Music (OPM) classics.

Dans formed The Thirdline Inc. to initially provide management and production support to the Apo Hiking Society.

The company would later manage more local artists throughout the years including other OPM big names such as Leah Navarro, Florante, Joey Ayala at ang Bagong Lumad, Mike Hanopol, Mon David, Vernie Varga, Bituin Escalante, Yano, and the Eraserheads during the latter part of the band's career.

Dans also managed the careers of bands such as Cambio, Imago, Peryodiko, and Sugarfree.

In a Twitter post, Apo member Jim Paredes expressed grief over the passing of his longtime friend.

Other artists who were once managed by Dans also took to Twitter to pay tribute to him.