Pinoy Rock Bands

Sandwich is a Filipino rock band that was formed in 1995 by Raimund Marasigan and Diego Castillo for the purpose of fulfilling their mutual desire to work together. Castillo recruited former band mates from The Aga Muhlach Experience Mike Dizon (of The Teeth & Pedicab) to play drums and Myrene Academia (of Imago & Duster)to handle bass duties. Sandwich was searching for a vocalist when music video director Marie Jamora recommended her friend Marc Abaya. A few years earlier, Marasigan was a judge at a contest where Marc Abaya jammed to a Beastie Boys song with his high-school band, Shirley Beans. Abaya then joined Sandwich, but was later replaced by Mong Alcaraz of the band Chicosci.Although existing simultaneously with the Marasigan's foremost band at that time, Eraserheads, Sandwich provided a heavier, grittier sound, and built up their own fan base. Abaya was still in college at the time, and Marasigan would still tour occasionally with the Eraserheads, but these weren’t hindering factors for Sandwich, as there were many session musicians ready to take over in case of a member’s absence. In 1999, they signed with Sony Music and released their debut album Grip Stand Throw with much success, thanks to its carrier single, Butterfly Carnival. The band won three awards at the 1999 NU 107 Rock Awards: Album of the Year, Best New Artist, and Song of the Year. The following year, Sandwich released their second album 4-Track Mind, which was honored as Album of the Year at the 2001 NU Rock Awards. In 2003, Sandwich parted ways with Sony Music, and released their third album Thanks To The Moon’s Gravitational Pull under distribution by PolyEast Records. Abaya left Sandwich in 2005, in an effort to cope with the difficulty of juggling his job as an MTV VJ, and his obligations to his other band, Kjwan. Marasigan has since taken over sole vocal duties. After Abaya’s departure, the band wrote songs for soundtracks, including Humanda Ka for the online game Tantra, and Nginiig for the ABS-CBN television program of the same name.

Rocksteddy is an alternative rock Filipino band recording on 12stone Records, which is a Sony BMG imprint, which are now part of PolyEast Records.Formerly known as Acoustic Faith, Rocksteddy was founded in March 2003. In 2005, the band released "Lagi Mo Na Lang Akong Dinededma," "Gising Na," and the Close Up single "Smile at Me" as their singles. They also provided the theme song, "Superhero," for the ABS-CBN fantasy show Super Inggo and contributed to the "Kami nAPO Muna: Tribute to the Apo Hiking Society" album with a cover of "Blue Jeans". They became part of the Manila sound tribute album, "Hopia, Mani, Popcorn", with their rendition of the Juan dela Cruz song, "No Touch". Teddy Corpuz is a cousin of TV reporter, host and radio anchor Niña Corpuz-Rodriguez. In 2007, the band launched their sophomore album with their single, "Break Na Tayo". In 2009, Rocksteddy launched their 3rd album, "Ayos Lang Ako", now under PolyEast Records, with their single "Boy Kulot".

Rivermaya is one of the most influential, critically acclaimed and significant Filipino rock bands in the Philippines. Formed in 1994, they are one of the several bands who spearheaded the 90s Philippine alternative rock explosion. Rivermaya is composed of Mark Escueta, Mike Elgar, Japs Sergio, Ryan Peralta and Norby David. They are the fourteenth biggest-selling artists in the Philippines.[1]The first line-up consisted of Jesse Gonzales on vocals, Kenneth Ilagan on guitars, Nathan Azarcon on bass guitar, Rome Velayo on drums, and Rico Blanco on keyboards and backing vocals. They were managed by Lizza Nakpil and director Chito Roño who had the intention of molding the group into a rock show band. The band was then called Xaga.In the process of grueling practice sessions, Ilagan was replaced with Perfecto "Perf" de Castro; Azarcon's childhood friend, Mark Escueta, to replace Velayo, as well as former classmate Francisco "Bamboo" Mañalac to replace Gonzales. With Bamboo as frontman, the band members themselves decided to disband Xaga and form the band Rivermaya. They started putting together original songs like "Ulan" [Rain], "214", and "Awit ng Kabataan" [Song of the Youth] (mostly composed by Rico Blanco) in demo form for prospective recording companies. Nathan Azarcon was one of the members of Rivermaya from 1993 to 2001. By November 1994, the band had released its first album, the self-titled Rivermaya, and its first single, "Ulan"; followed by "214". Critically praised for its fresh, excitingly new pop/rock sound, the album went on to become one of the best acts in the 1990s.

Pupil is a Filipino rock band composed of Ely Buendia on frontman duties and guitars, Yan Yuzon on lead guitar, Dok Sergio on bass and Wendell Garcia on drums.Pupil was formed when Dok Sergio from the bands The Teeth and Daydream Cycle joined The Mongols' line-up during the fourth quarter of 2004, making it a five-man band. The Mongols' bassist Yan Yuzon moved to third guitar duties while Dok Sergio handled bass. The transitional five-man line-up was witnessed in The Mongols’ last single and music video entitled “Heroine”. In May 2005, guitarist, Jerome Velasco, a.k.a. J. Astro, left to pursue a career in producing and recording studio engineering. The group's last gig under the name "The Mongols" was on July 7, 2005. Velasco’s departure shook things up for the group as they were trapped into the decision of whether to stay as a band or not. As they decided to continue and as they progressed, the band noticed that they were producing a different sound without Velasco on the lead guitar and decided to form a "new" band. “We got a better bass player and dumber guitarist,” jokes guitarist Yan Yuzon, who left bass playing duties to Dok Sergio to take Velasco’s place. Upon the determination of forming a “new” band, the group’s first move was to change their name.[1] Frontman Ely Buendia chanced upon the name "Pupil" while browsing a medical book. The band wanted a classic name for a rock band. Before using Pupil, they tried several other names, such as Villain, Lords of Nasdaq, The Gets, Trochlean, Traitors, and Tyrel Corp. They chose the name Pupil because Buendia liked the fact that it is the part of the eye where light enters. Guitarist Yan Yuzon likes its double meaning, as well as the “eternal learning” connotations of the name. Pupil's launch gig was on July 13, 2005 at the UP Bahay ng Alumni.[2] Pupil also joined Livestock Productions. It was an event group with members such us Sponge Cola, Kiko Machine, Menaya, Tawo, Sleepyheads, and Elytistas.

Pedicab is composed of the country’s seasoned artists. Daddy Maps (Diego Mapa of Monsterbot and Cambio) is the band’s lead vocalist. Sugar Raims (Raimund Marasigan) is on synths and back-up vocals. The master of drums is Masterbeat (Mike Dizon of Sandwich and Teeth). J.Sonic (Jason Caballa of Twisted Halo and Blast Ople) is the guitarist and back-up vocalist. Just Toni (RA Rivera) is responsible for the band’s visuals and multimedia. Around August 2004 the band Pedicab was formed. They did their first gig in September that year. On 2005, the band released their debut album entitled Tugish Takish under Vicor Music. The name was taken from the onomatopoeia of the drum’s banging sound. Containing 12 tracks, the album’s singles include: Dixzy Boy, Dito Tayo Sa Dilim, Konti Na Lang, and Bleached Streaks. Its videos were directed by its own member RA Rivera. Prior to that, they released a two-track sampler dubbed as “For Hire” with tracks Bago Pa Mag Pasko and Pa-Experience. Pa-Experience was included in the compilation of Rock Against The Round: Musicians Against The WTO in 2005. Songs Isasayaw Ko and Awitin Mo were included in Hopia Mani Popcorn 2: The Best Of Manila Sound on 2007 under Viva Records. The group signed a recording deal with MCA Records Philippine for their second album. Entitled Shinji Ilabas Mo Na Ang Helicopter, the album was released on April 2008 under MCA Music. The album is a logical progression from the raw, dance-punk sound of their first record, with more beats, more guitars, more sonic elements and more singing. The release contained carrier single Ang Pusa Mo. Its video, directed by RA Rivera, featured the band members being abused physically by eight lovely ladies. Other tracks incorporated are FX, Follow Through, Breaking Away and the remake of Pa-Experience ("Pa-Taste").

The name Parokya Ni Edgar came from a class joke Jeric Estaco recited in one of their classes in high school. Sources state that the class subject was Filipino, and it all started when the teacher asked him where the father of Jose Rizal's fictional hero, Crisostomo Ibarra (in the novel Noli Me Tangere), was educated. It was said that Jeric answered the teacher with the daft remark "sa Parokya ni Edgar". In the early 1990's, the band started performing regularly in Club Dredd, one of the famous clubs in Manila during that time. The band slowly gained popularity during the height of the Filipino rock explosion, with the local rock community opening up to the influence of foreign grunge acts such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Eventually, the late managing director of Universal Records, Bella Dy Tan, signed them as contract artists after witnessing one of their performances at Club Dredd. Soon their initial recordings such as Buloy, Trip and Lutong Bahay were heard across Philippines through radio stations. Their first album, Khangkhungkherrnitz became a triple platinum hit in the Philippines having sold 120,000 units. The other 3 albums include Buruguduystunstugudunstuy (triple platinum), Jingle Balls Silent Night Holy Cow (gold), and Gulong Itlog Gulong (triple platinum).[3] They recently released their 8th studio album, Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers in 2010 with the carrier single "Paki-usap Lang (Lasingin Nyo Ako)". It is PNE's 11th album in total. In 2011, Parokya joins the roster of Tanduay's First Five replacing long running Tanduay endorser 6cyclemind who has recently left the group with Bamboo, who is now replaced by Wolfgang. Parokya and Wolfgang are now part of the concert event together with the remaining original Tanduay members, Sandwich, Chicosci and Kamikazee.

Orange and Lemons was a Filipino pop rock band formed in 1999. The band name "Oranges and Lemons" was initially recommended by a former member of the group. Apparently the band was not aware at that time that the name was actually derived from a British nursery rhyme and a title of an album by the British band "XTC". So they changed it to "Orange and Lemons". With a style of retro music combined with alternative rock, the band has become few of Pinoy Rock bands that have definitive sound that separated them from the rest of pure pop and rock. The band's main musical influences ranged from The Beatles and The Smiths, to The Cure and The Eraserheads. Orange and Lemons or ONL was a grand and swift crossover story from their humble beginnings as a virtually unknown act in the scene to being independent artists to being artists under major label Universal Records Philippines. Their songs enjoyed massive airplay in radio stations and music channels in the country resulting to the band gaining popularity and winning fans of different ages and backgrounds. Their hit songs as of 2006 included "Just like a Splendid Love Song", "Hanggang Kailan (Until When)", "Heaven Knows (This Angel Has Flown)", "Abot Kamay (Within Reach)" and the controversial hit song "Pinoy Ako ('I'm Filipino)," which was the official soundtrack of Pinoy Big Brother, Philippines' franchised version of the reality TV show Big Brother.