Members: CHITO MIRANDA, VINCI MONTANER,
BUHAWI MENESES, DARIUS SEMANA, GAB CHEE KEE, DINDIN MORENO
90’S HITS: BULOY, TRIP, MANIWALA KA SANA,
LUTONG BAHAY, SILVERTOES,
HARANA, PANGARAP, PICHA PIE, INUMAN NA,
HALAGA
Parokya ni Edgar (English: Edgar's
Parish) is a multi-award winning Filipino band formed in 1993. The band is
famous for its original rock novelty songs and often satirical covers of
popular songs both foreign and local. The band is adept at playing in various
musical genres.
Parokya ni Edgar has been referred to by
local media as "Pambansang Banda ng Pilipinas" (The National Band of
the Philippines).
Despite having "Edgar" in the
band's name, none of the members are named Edgar.
Originally named Comic Relief, the
band's initial members were a group of high school students composed of
vocalists Chito Miranda, Jeric Estaco, and Vinci Montaner, along with
guitarists Mikko Yap and Gab Chee Kee, all hailing from Ateneo de Manila
University. They were regulars in after-school jam sessions, before performing
an opening number for an Eraserheads concert. This served as their break in the
music industry and prompted them to add a drummer and bassist – schoolmate
Dindin Moreno and Buwi Meneses, respectively. Around the same time they changed
the band's name to Parokya ni Edgar. After high school, Mikko and Jeric withdrew
from the band to pursue other interests. Soon after, the remaining band members
invited their friend Darius Semaña to take the role of lead guitar.
The band name's origin has been a long
time subject of disputes and debate from fans and audience a like as the band
members has been evasive when it comes to the said topic since the group's
inception, but not until 2013 when Chito Miranda officially posted the subject
matter and confirmed it in their Facebook page. The name "Parokya Ni
Edgar" actually came from a joke by a classmate named Bambi Cuna during
one of their high school classes. Sources state that the class subject was
Filipino. When the teacher asked Cuna where Jose Rizal's fictional hero,
Crisostomo Ibarra (in the novel Noli Me Tangere), was educated, it was said
that Cuna answered with the daft remark "sa Parokya ni Edgar". For
some reason, former vocalist Jeric Estaco then decided to declare "Parokya
ni Edgar" as their band name during an introduction on one of their first
live performances in an impromptu manner and got stuck by it ever since.
Current members
Chito Miranda – lead vocals
(1993–present)
Buwi Meneses – bass guitar (1993–present)
Darius Semaña – lead guitar (1993–present)
Gab Chee Kee – rhythm guitar, vocals (1993-present)
Dindin Moreno – drums
(1993–present)
Former members
Vinci Montaner – backup vocals, occasional percussion, monologue, live
comic relief (1993–2012) Montaner briefly reunited with the band in 2013 in a
one night only appearance during the launching date of PNE's 13th album
"Bente".
