Members: KEVIN ROY, DAVID AGUIRRE, LOUIE
TALAN, MIGUEL ORTIGAS, TIRSO RIPOLL, BRIAN VELASCO* (*replaced Ortigas when he
left the band in ’96)
90’S HITS: GIYANG, TABI NG BULKAN, PEPE
THE HEPE, PAYASO, IKOT NG MUNDO, VOODOO WHO DO, MY BANYO SONG, MUNTING PARAISO,
AS SPICY AS IT GETS
Razorback is a Filipino hard rock band
formed in 1990. Originally known for being regulars at the now-defunct Kalye, a
club in Makati, the band has performed at full-scale concerts and opened for
Silverchair, Rage Against the Machine and Metallica.
Razorback first began performing covers
of legendary rockers such as Led Zeppelin, Juan de la Cruz Band, Black Sabbath
and Iron Maiden. The group was put together by drummer Miguel Ortigas and
guitarists Tirso Ripoll and David Aguirre.
In 1982, Miguel Ortigas met Tirso Ripoll
through Ripoll's cousin in LSGH. Ortigas first handled guitars then later moved
on to drums. Ortigas also studied in Yamaha School of Music, under Benjie
Zialcita, who also taught Tirso Ripoll, Louie Talan and David Aguirre. It was
in 1988, when they would usually watch their idols Pepe Smith, Sampaguita,
Billy Bonnevie, Edmund Fortuno, and many others, in Electra Bar, Makati, where
they decided to create something better.
One of their first songs was
"Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, and with only Tirso, Miguel and David in
the line-up, they first recruited Tirso's brother, Junus as bassist and Isabel
Lozano as vocalist. During their formative years, the band was known as
“Outrider”, with their first gig at Big Bang, Alabang. The group later joined
Upsilon Sigma Phi-NU107's Battle of the Bands and won. From here on out, the
band as “Razorback” was officially formed and played regularly in local bars
such as Kalye, Club Dredd and Peligro.
Members of Razorback and Wolfgang used
to jam onstage billed as the Flaming Hemorrhoids. Five years later, the band,
original vocalist Jose Mari Cuervo was replaced by Kevin Roy on vocals,
alongside Ripoll and Aguirre on guitars, Ortigas on drums and Louie Talan on
bass, released their debut album entitled "Hebigat Sounds Volume
One". (Hebigat is a portmanteau, created by fusing the words Hebi, a play
on the English word heavy, and the Filipino word bigat, literally, heavy.) The
album contained such tracks as "Giyang", "Tabi ng Bulkan (Beside
the Volcano)" and "Pepe D' Hepe".
David Aguirre is now the lead guitarist
for the Southern California-based band 3 Headed Dog. Manuel Legarda, also of
Wolfgang, has taken over his guitar duties for Razorback. Brian Velasco, who
was a drum instructor at RJ Guitar Center, later joined and replaced Miguel
Ortigas on drums.
