YEARS ACTIVE: 1986 – PRESENT
Members: JONATHAN
BUENCAMINO, PACO ARESPACOCHAGA, JJ BUENCAMINO, PAKU HERRERA
90’S HITS: LINE TO HEAVEN, WILL
I EVER SURVIVE, DI NA AKO AASA PA, KAILANMAN, HOWEVER WHICH WAY
INTRoVOYS was formed
in Manila, Philippines in 1986 by 3rd-G Cristobal, Paco Arespacochaga,Jonathan
Buencamino. 3rd-G and Paco were classmates in high school, but have known each
other since elementary. The first incarnation of INTRoVOYS had Jonathan Buencamino,
Paco Arespacochaga and 3rd-G Cristobal in a small rehearsal space on the corner
of Katipunan and Santolan in Quezon City, Philippines. During their first
rehearsal, 3rd-G taught Paco how to play the drums. Later, they added Jonathan
Buencamino's younger brother Jj to play keyboards, Ira Cruz, lead guitars, and
Jobert Buencamino for bass guitar. They recorded the song Just a Dream which
was released in the 10 of Another Kind compilation album in 1988.
Due to other
priorities, 3rd-G had to give up his position as the band’s rhythm guitar
player. The band released their debut album, Back to the Roots in 1990. Their
first two singles received a lukewarm response and the band's label, Dyna
Records, was ready to drop them. In spite of this, their third single However
Which Way, went to No. 1 in Metro Manila in just two weeks. It became the No. 1
song in the country after a month, paving the way for a national tour. Culled
from the same album are certified No. 1 singles such as, Calling All Nations,
Maynila and Lullabye among many others. Ira Cruz left the band in 1991.
When Cruz left
INTRoVOYS, Vic Carpio replaced him as their new guitarist. The band's second
album, Breaking New Grounds, was released in 1992. Included in this album were
the hits Will I Survive, Di Na Ako Aasa Pa, Binibini and Are You Happy. The
album achieved quadruple platinum status, earning INTRoVOYS the tag "The
No. 1 Band in the Land". In 1993, the band released their third album,
Line to Heaven, wherein the carrier single was written after Arespacochaga
suffered the tragic loss of his parents. This album also included another hit
song, "Kailanman".
Jobert Buencamino left
the band in 1994 for health and personal reasons. The band invited Paku Herrera
of Neocolours to take on Jobert’s chores. They released their first greatest
hits concert Greatest Hits...Live followed by their carrier single Living My
Life in 1995. The band's fourth album One released in 1996, included hits Tell
Me Why, More Than A Friend and Magkaisa Tayong Lahat. This was Arespacochaga's
last album and he left the band in 1996 and was replaced by Toto Villanueva as
the new drummer. They released their fifth album Eroplano with their rendition
of Rey Valera's hit Kung Kailangan Mo Ako. A year later, Jonathan Buencamino
was forced to leave due to an illness that caused him to lose his voice
indefinitely.
