Previously
on this blog...
Most
of my Holy Week was spent at home which is why I had time to do this.
Anyway,
if you clicked the link, you’ll find the criteria... the almost made it list...
and the numbers 50 to 45.
The
first comment that greeted me here is why Queso/Cheese is ranked 46. The only
answer I can give here is that their super album Pilipinas happened in 2001. If
I make a 2000’s version, Queso will definitely be somewhere higher.
Anyway,
let’s repeat the rules.
CRITERIA:
It’s
important to have a gauge on who’s in and who’s not on the list. Aside from the
fact that I have evidence to shield myself from stupid and baseless queries, it
can make my article extremely credible!
YEAR: This part is very important.
Very, very important! The particular band in the list must have released an
album from 1990 to 1999. I don’t
care if this was their debut or their swan song. I don’t care if this is an EP,
a full-pledged album, or a live album (although I will give a shit on
compilations and collaborations). While I could care on whether or not they
released this particular album for a major label, it is important that they at
least became recording artists during this span!
MAINSTREAM: When you say their names and
the person you’re talking to would say “Who
are they” or “I almost forgot about
them” then chances are, they won’t make the list. Bands need to sell themselves.
I don’t believe in the whole “I am an
artist and I won’t stoop to mainstream” act because if they were the ones
that succeeded, they wouldn’t think like this. If the band can ride a jeepney
without attracting any buzz, this means they have yet to be enjoyed or they are
nobodies.
MAN AND CHICK FRIENDLY: Men would definitely pick on
the bands who love to growl. Women won’t. Chicks would pick on the sappy
seducers. Men won’t. If there is a way
that man and chick could like the same kind of music, chances are they’ll rank
up top.
INFLUENCE: Are they relevant? Did they do
something awesome in OPMlandia? Kulay
brought funky, hiphop stuffs on their gigs while Put3ska brought ska. Tropical
Depression brought reggae while Francis
Magalona introduced rap-rock. Because of the Eraserheads, the tunog lata movement exploded but they have to
thank acts like Juan dela Cruz and The Jerks for opening the rock world
for their generation.
GETTING SYDRIFIED: Of course, my inputs matter.
Sure I had help from a lot of internet researches, interviews conducted in
Facebook, MP3 download sites where I would listen to a particular band’s song.
Fact is, I am a huge fan of the alternative rock genre. I wasn’t really a fan
of the underground stuff then and although I am a fan now, I still find some
acts amateurish.
I
hate:
Shouting expletives for the
sake of being cool.
Stupid lyrics.
Emo.
Songs with zero harmony.
Annoying vocalists.
Repetitive melodies inside one
album.
With
that said...
This
is my list.
If you
want to do yours, then do so.
That’s
my disclaimer.
37 to 44
44 FATAL POSPOROS
YEARS ACTIVE: 1998 – I DON’T
KNOW (POSSIBLY WHEN KRIS BECAME THE EHEADS’ NEWEST VOCALIST)
GROUP ROSTER: KRIS GORRA, DONNA
MACALINO, ANNETE ORTIZ
90’S HITS: COCOBOY GOODNIGHT,
PUDGY, HARVEY DENT, SILI SONG, PISO, PEDRO
It all
started with a Christmas party and it ended with these girls gaining fame and
recognition for their music. While their brand of music barely had airplay
(settling in NU107), their gigs are
swarmed with appreciative fans. Their songs are danceable and funky and Kris Gorra would later be known as Mrs. Ebe Dancel. She would also sub for
Ely Buendia when the latter leaves
the Eraserheads. She sustained mixed
reviews fronting the epic rock band and she breathe sigh of relief when the
“New Eraserheads” became Cambio.
43 HALF-LIFE HALF-DEATH
YEARS ACTIVE: 1988 – 2003
90’S GROUP ROSTER: ALFIE VERA
MELLA, RAINALD PAGGAO, RAMIL AZNAR, BIMBO BALLESTEROS
90’S HITS: HIGH SCHOOL, KAPIT
TUKO, WE ARE THE SAINTS, NOSI BALASI (LALA MIX), BUTTERFLIES, ALIMANGO,
KAPALARANG KUWAGO
I have
been hunting down that band that covered Sharon
Cuneta’s High School and turned that song into well... something else. Until this day, that cover is
the band’s claim to fame. They released an album in 1995 under recording giant Viva Records but even if their songs
are bent to attract the Tunog Kalye faithfuls, for some reason... it didn’t.
Still you can’t say that their career was a dud because their New Wave-like
treatment gained a lot of followers especially in the gig circuits. Otherwise
known as “The Cure” of the
Philippines according to their Wiki account, I finally got that tag when I
heard We Are The Saints.
42 ORIENT PEARL
YEARS ACTIVE: ALBUMS WERE
RELEASED IN 1994, 1996, & 1997
GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS):
NALDY PADILLA, DEXTER PANLILIO, LEO AWATIN
90’S HITS: PAGSUBOK, KASALANAN,
MAABOT KA LANG
I
refuse to think that they are one-hit wonders but you have to admit that it is
hard to really think of a big Orient
Pearl song that is not Pagsubok.
Pagsubok was one of the important singles in that decade that launched the band
to mainstream success. The vocalist of the band looks like a glam rocker and I
think they had a big commercial at the peak. Anyway, Pagsubok was covered by Kitchie Nadal when she turned solo.
41 NEXXUS
YEARS ACTIVE: 1991 – PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER: FRANK
SINGCOL, JASON SINGCOL, BOBBY CALICA, MICHAEL JOHN DE CASTRO, MARK ANTHONY DE
CASTRO
90’S HITS: I’LL NEVER GO, I
KEEP ON SAYING
Among
the bands in this list, Nexxus is
the most “boybandish”. When I first found out that I Keep On Saying came from a local band I was shocked. When I saw
the MTV and I saw these guys flapping their arms “boybandishly”, I was like...
holy fuck! The song sounds so foreign! Anyway, the two songs I listed here
received massive airplay for the OPM band fanatics. I’ll Never Go is a song that is covered a lot because it registers
well in people’s ears. I think they are bent for a comeback in the near future
but with female members.
40 DATU’S TRIBE
YEARS ACTIVE: 1987 – 1998; 2004
– PRESENT
GROUP ROSTER: CABRING CABRERA,
DEL VISPERAS, MEL VISPERAS, IAN CABANILLA,
90’S HITS: GALIT KAMI SA BABOY,
PRANING, AND I SEE, SARSA PLATOON
This
band epitomizes non-stop head-banging action. The band toured metro joints like
Mayric’s and Club Dredd to acquire rabid following. Their music can only be
heard in heavy metal stations like LA
and NU. However this didn’t stop the
band from getting critical acclaim. Music critics hailed their slambanging-ness
and it even gained a nomination from the Awit
Awards. The band had a facelift but nonetheless they retained their music.
39 SANDWICH
YEARS ACTIVE: 1995 – PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER: RAIMUND
MARASIGAN, MARC ABAYA, DIEGO CASTILLO, MIKE DIZON, MYRENE ACADEMIA
90’S HITS: BUTTERFLY CARNIVAL,
DI SINASADYA, CHEESE FACTOR SET TO 9
Once
upon a time there is a band called The
Aga Muhlach Experience. Yes, there is a band named The Aga Muhlach Experience.
Then-Eraserheads drummer Raimund wanted to work with guitarist Diego Castillo formerly from... yes,
The Aga Muhlach Experience. When I watched Dredd
Sessions on VTV, I heard The Aga
Muhlach Experience song entitled Aga
Muhlach’s Refrigerator. Yes, there is a single called The Aga Muhlach
Refrigerator. With Myrene and Mike on board, they tapped Marc Abaya as the frontman of the
group. Butterfly Carnival is a great
song and it cemented the band’s climb to success. The band scored Album and Song of the Year honors as
well as Best New Artist at the 1999 NU Rock Awards. However, Raimund’s
commitments with the band kind of caused a rift with Ely Buendia and it more or less played on the E-Heads’ disbandment.
Marc Abaya eventually left the band in 2005 and was replaced by Chicosci’s Mong Alcaraz. Raimund has
resumed vocal duties.
38 GREYHOUNDZ
YEARS ACTIVE: 1997 – PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER: REG RUBIO,
NINO AVENIDO, AUDIE AVENIDO, TJ BRILLANTES, ALLEN CUDAL
90’S HITS: PIGFACE, MR. P.I.G.,
PARTY AT 802, Y?
Making
the 90’s with 1999’s 7 Corners of Your
Game, this band was one of the major players behind the Pinoy rap-metal
genre. Kill me but I am a fan of their rhythmic prowess. I am a huge fan of Party at 802. The band delights on
displaying their mellow side before making people unleash their menacing edge. I
kind of like this because it gives their music a story and it points out the
fact that these guys are not merely shouting nonsense. Perhaps their biggest claim
to fame is when their song Hole was
used in J-Horror movie, The Ring. In 2004, they lost Allen Cudal from a car accident and as
a sign of respect... they never placed a sub in his spot.
37 ADVENT CALL
YEARS ACTIVE: LATE 80’S –
PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN
MEMBERS): KARL ROY, HENRY VITALLI
90’S HITS: PUTING ILAW,
MEMORIES OF OUR DREAMS
I had
a hard time looking for the band’s info online. It’s a shame because I am a fan
of this punk rock act. There was a story on the web that when the band was
singing Puting Ilaw live, there is a
spotlight stalking the vocalist. The band drew mainstream status with the two
songs. Puting Ilaw was an enchanting rock ballad while their Eddie Pelegrina cover was just a fun
song to sway your hips at. The band has since returned to the spotlight with a
female vocalist and an entirely different look and feel (the Henry guy is the
only remaining original member of the band).
NOTES:
Sandwich only had one big song then (Love Is and Two Trick Pony propelled them to the top) and they were known then
as Raimund Marasigan’s side project
which is why it was ranked low. Greyhoundz
is there because they are awesome. You can never go wrong with Fatal Posporos, Datu’s Tribe, and Half-Life
Half-Death in the list. Nexxus?
No girl will break up with you if you sing “I’ll Never Go” awesomely. Advent
Call’s Puting Ilaw is one of the best songs I have ever heard. Ditto for Orient Pearl but most of their songs
sound alike (it was like the many incarnations of Keith Martin’s Because of You... only much, much better).
Hopefully
you’ll stick for Part 3.
For
comments and suggestions (before I finish this list), contact me now!
Game
over.
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