YEARS ACTIVE: 1988 – 1999
90’S GROUP ROSTER: ITO RAPADAS,
JIMMY ANTIPORDA, JOSEL JIMENEZ, MARVIN QUERIDO, JACK RUFO, NINO REGALADO
Neocolours was formed 1988, out of the remnants of a mid-1980s vocal group, in Manila, Philippines. Founding members were: Jimmy Antiporda (keyboards), Ito Rapadas (vocalist), Marvin Querido (2nd keyboards), Josel Jimenez (guitar), Paku Herrera (bass) and Nino Regalado (drums). At that time the pop music genre in the Philippines was dominated by solo singers. Neocolours filled in the pop music void with the release of their first album, Making It in 1989. The said album reached platinum sales, and helped usher in a new era in the Philippine recording industry that is now known as the early 1990s band explosion.
The second album Tuloy Pa Rin came out in 1990, and created more hit singles for the band. It similarly reached platinum status and cemented several tracks as classic "OPM" songs to this day. The band, however, reached a plateau with the relatively poor sales of the third album Truth and Consequence in 1992. Various founding members made their exit in 1991 and 1992. Josel Jimenez was the first one to leave in 1991 and returned to his hometown of Davao City. Jack Rufo replaced him. Marvin Querido similarly decided to leave in 1992, and pursued a career as a session keyboardist and musical arranger. With the varying interests of the members and a dip in public interest the band, the remaining members agreed to retire the name in 1994.
Encouraged once more by a resurgent interest from its fans, the band decided in 1999 to do a "re-recording" of old hits from the past albums and compile those into a rehashed greatest hits package. Additional bonus songs were especially produced for the compilation, one of which, "Kasalanan Ko Ba", became a radio hit. The resultant album, entitled Emerge: The Best of Neocolours, reached double platinum sales in the Philippines.
Neocolours songs have been covered repeatedly by various artists through the years, which contributed to the band's stature as a relevant 1980s pop act. Their songs were utilized in various commercials, movie and television show themes.
