Introvoys

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. 

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Siakol

YEARS ACTIVE: 1994 – PRESENT
Member: NOEL PALOMO, WOWIE FLORES, MINIONG CERVANTES, JAMES RODRIGUEZ
 90’S HITS: LAKAS TAMA, PEKSMAN, BAKIT BA, BIYAHENG IMPYERNO, BALEWALA, AYOS LANG, KANTO, ASO

Siakol is a Filipino band with 4 members. Members called themselves ”Siakol”, pertaining to a free, happy and sometimes naughty state of mind. They made their presence felt with their hard-hitting song and gained recognition from the listening public. They best known with their song, Lakas-Tama.

Siakol was formed in a summer of 1994 by bestfriends, Noel Palomo and Wowie Flores. None of them were rich, possessing only an old guitar and songs no one ever heard but them. So they decided to form a group that would awaken the minds of troubled youths in their hometown. The alliance was formed, solidifying the line-up as Anthony Cervantes and James Rodriguez were added.

Manuel Rovera Palomo, much recognized as “Noel Palomo” was born on August 19, 1977 on Leo. One of the pioneers of the band, he is used in writing songs and particularly in into OPM Pinoy Rock. This 5’5” singer knows how to play the acoustic guitar, the first instrument he learned how to play. The other pioneer is Chris Laurence Flores or “Wowie Flores” for short. Together with Noel, they formed the group. Anthony Cervantes is sometimes called “Miniong”. He was born on August 9, 1975 and Leo was his zodiac sign. He stands 5’7” and loves Rock ‘n Roll. He joined the band later on 1994. The last but certainly not the least is James C. Rodriguez. He is simply named “James”, born on January 17 and stands 5’11”.

Noel Palomo played the vocals while Wowie wowed the bass. Anthony Cervates operated the guitar and James Rodriguez on the drums. They were managed by Jason Gerodias.

Siakol immediately let their presence felt. Their hard-hitting songs gained them respect from the public. Though new and very young, one of the most respected recording company discovered and realized their potentials. Alpha Recording Company signed them as their certified recording artist.

Their appearance as a guest in “Battle of the Bands” in their hometown Paranaque was their first exposure. From that day on, the rest remained a history. Their songs gave positive public message and served as a guide for a much better way of thinking and living. As their songs were continually played in different station, their dream of being heard came true.

On 1996, Siakol released their debut album under Alpha Records entitled Tayo Na Sa Paraiso. The album was launched at a noontime show, ‘Sang Linggo Napo Sila. The album spawned hit singles Lakas-Tama, Peksman, Bakit Ba?, Lagim, Kanto and Biyaheng Impiyerno. Immediately after its released, the band was given the title as the New Artist of the Year. The album is considered as a Quadruple Platinum Awardee.

Rekta, their sophomore album under Alpha Records was launched at ‘Sang Linggo Napo Sila on April 1998. No Problem, Ayons Lang, Balewala and Itigil Na Natin were some of the hit songs from the album. Rekta was considered as a Double Platinum Awardee.

On 1999, Siakol’s third album was launched on ‘Sang Linggo Napo Sila, dubbed as Pantasya, released under Alpha Records. The album produced hit songs like Hindi Mo Ba Alam?, Pagmamahal, Muli Bang Makikita and Inday. Sold almost 40,000 copies, Pantasya was regarded as a Platinum Awardee.

Their fourth album, Sa Pag-Ikot Ng Mundo under Alpha Records was launched in the same show that launched the previous albums last September 2000. The album contained the title track as its carrier single, followed by Sige Na Tuloy Pa. The album received a Gold Record Award.

Karoling, their fifth album was released under Alpha Records and was launched on M.T.B. first Friday of December 2001. The album’s carrier single is Maligayang Pasko. The album was awarded a Gold Record Award by Alpha Records.

Two years after, Hiwaga, Siakol’s sixth album was released on 2003 under Alpha Records. The album produced songs as Manubela and Matulog Ka Na. The album gained Gold Record Award by Alpha Records. Siakol’s latest album was entitled Kabilang Mundo, released under Alpha Records on 2005. The title track starts the playlist. Lakas Tama (Panibagong Tama) was added to the album.

They started touring outside the country, entertaining Filipino citizens with their hit songs, letting the audiences dance, rock and keep asking for more.

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The Teeth

YEARS ACTIVE: 1992 – PRESENT

90’S GROUP ROSTER: GLENN JACINTO, PEDZ NARVAJA, JEROME VELASCO, MIKE DIZON, DOK SERGIO (Dok replaced Pedz when the latter moved to the US)

90’S HITS: LAKLAK, PRINSESA, STOKWA, GALIT SA MUNDO, SHOOTING STAR

 The Filipino grunge band Teeth was born during the alternative rock boom of the 1990s and exploded onto the airwaves with "Laklak", a tale of youthful excess that became an anthem for drinking. The track topped the charts of the Philippines' adventurous alternative rock station LA-105 for 12 weeks. Teeth was formed in September 1993 by Glenn Jacinto (vocals), Jerome Velasco (guitars), Dok Sergio (guitars, formerly bass), Peding Narvaja (bass), and Mike Dizon (drums). Narvaja, Velasco, and Dizon were originally in a group called Riftshifta, while Jacinto was in Loudhouse. Signed to Warner Music Philippines, Teeth released their self-titled debut album in 1995; the LP went double-platinum. "Laklak" was re-recorded and crossed over into the mainstream, stirring controversy with its alcohol-fueled lyrics; it was voted Song of the Year at the 1995 NU 107 Rock Awards.

The video for Teeth's second single "Prinsesa" directed by Odin Fernandez was even played on MTV Asia. However, in 1996 Jacinto was hospitalized for a lung ailment; his illness left him unable to promote the album or fulfill concert dates for a year. In 1997, Jacinto recovered and Teeth recorded Time Machine. Although the alternative rock scene in Manila had begun to wane. When Narvaja left Teeth to move to the U.S., he was replaced by Andrew Sergio. In 1999, the band released I Was a Teenage Tree. The album contained the single "Shooting Star", which was awarded Song of the Year at the NU 107 Rock Awards in 2000. In 2003, Dogs Can Fly (Teeth's Finest) was released.

In 1998, Teeth’s drummer, Mike Dizon co-founded Sandwich with Eraserheads’ drummer Raimund Marasigan; and later in 2005, Pedicab. After Teeth’s greatest hits album Dogs Can Fly (Teeth's Finest), was released, frontman Glenn Jacinto moved to California and he still performs regularly there. Also during 2003, former-Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia formed The Mongols with Teeth’s Guitarist Jerome Velasco which was later joined by Teeth’s bassist Dok Sergio. As Jerome Velasco left The Mongols in 2005 to pursue a career in audio engineering and recording, it was later renamed into Pupil. Meanwhile, Jerome Velasco remained as a co-writer and producer for Pupil’s Beautiful Machines song from the album of the same name.

As of 2007, Jerome Velasco is the chief musical producer for Pupil’s second album. Jerome and Dok are both members of the dreampop/electronica band, Daydream Cycle with The Mongols’/Pupil’s Bogs Jugo and Rivermaya’s Japs Sergio. After the short hiatus, Teeth still performs live without Jacinto and usually Dok Sergio takes the singing duties and sometimes other artists also take sessions as main vocals such as Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree. Sergio also sings Teeth songs with his current band, Pupil.

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Grin Department

YEARS ACTIVE: 1995 – PRESENT

GROUP ROSTER: ANDREW B, BOH PASCASIO (deceased), PEDRO PLAZON

90’S HITS: MISS U, BUY ONE TAKE TWO (SPECIAL OFFER), TABLAHAN, SYOTA NG BAYAN, MAY SAYAD, TABO

Ang Grin Department ay binansagang alternative punk rock band noong 1995 pero novelty ang mga kanta dahil sa nakakatawang pilyong lyrics. Bago pa pumutok ang kalokohan ng Parokya ni Edgar at Kamikazee ay may kakaibang sundot na ang self-proclaimed na “ma-L” na Grin Department o Grin Dept for short.

’Yung dalawang debut album nila (sila lang gumawa nun sa history ng mga banda) na Melts in Your Mouth (Nut in Your Head) at Ha He Hi Ho Hu sa Ivory Records ay nag-double platinum. Nakapaglabas pa sila ng dalawa pang album, ang Fuego at 2Nah Ahgen.

Ang ilan sa mga kanta nila ay Miss U, 2 Na, 8 Pa, Count to Ten, Friends Lang Tayo, Iskin, at Picture Mo Inday.

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After Image

YEARS ACTIVE: 1990 – 2001; 2008 – PRESENT

Members: WENCY CORNEJO, BOBIT USON, NINO MESINA, CHUCK ISIDRO, ROGIE CALLEJO, ARNOLD CABALZA

90’S HITS: NEXT IN LINE, MANGARAP KA, BAI, HABANG MAY BUHAY, TAG-ULAN

 AfterImage is a Filipino alternative rock/pop rock band who was active in the 1990s. They disbanded in 2001 after 11 years as a band, having released three studio albums. After disbanding, Wency Cornejo, the band's vocalist, pursued a solo career. AfterImage was the band behind the commercially popular songs "Habang May Buhay" (While There's Life), "Next in Line", and "Mangarap Ka" (Dream). In 2008, the band reunited and released their fourth studio album. The band became also part of 90's Filipino Alternative Rock explosion.

The band's first album, entitled Touch the Sun, was released in 1992 on Dyna Records (now Dyna Music). Among the eight songs that the album contained, four were released as singles: "Bai (Sa Langit ang Ating Tagpuan)", "Only You", "Next in Line", and "Pagtawid". The title of the album, which was the concluding part of the lyric to "Next in Line", was said to have just been a spontaneous utter of phrase which Cornejo made during the recording session for the said song. The band, having thought that the phrase, "touch the sun" had captured the essence and concept of the entire album, prompted them to use it as the album's title. The recurrent theme of the songs in the album was a personal expression of hopes, frustrations, and self-renewal - which the band hoped to touch not only their own lives but also the lives of other people.

The album is also said to be a celebration of about 4 years of musical experimentation. According to them, "It is quite difficult to put all the songs in the album in one perspective, considering they encompass so many growths the band has undergone.

The band was composed of five members: Bobit Uson on bass guitar, Chuck Isidro on lead guitar, Rogie Callejo on drums, Arnold Cabalza on keyboards and Wency Cornejo on vocals. Francis Reyes (The Dawn) was the former guitarist of this band before Chuck Isidro (6cyclemind).

In 1994 at the height of the first band craze in the Philippine music scene, AfterImage released their second album titled Tag-Ulan, Tag-Araw. The album's name was taken from two singles from the album. "Tag-ulan", the album's carrier single, topped various charts in the Philippines and was awarded a Gold Record Award, and later the follow-up single "Mangarap Ka" also became a great hit for the band. At the 1995 Awit Awards the album was named Album of the Year. A few months after winning the awards, Niño Mesina became the band's newest bassist leading Bobit Uson to play on guitar alongside Chuck Isidro.

In 2001, AfterImage disbanded due to management conflicts.

In 2008, after 7 years of disbandment, the band returned and reunited again for their new album, Our Place Under the Sun from Viva Records, 12 years since their last album in 1996 from Dyna Music (formerly Dyna Records).

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Tropical Depression

YEARS ACTIVE: 1984 – PRESENT

GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): PAPA DOM, BONG EUDELA, ANABEL BOSCH   

90’S HITS: BILOG NA NAMAN ANG BUWAN, KAPAYAPAAN, BAGYO-BAGYO

Tropical Depression was a Filipino reggae band formed in 1990 by vocalist Dominic "Papadom" Gamboa (1965-2013), guitarist Lito Crisostomo, bassist Pexx Holigores, keyboardist TJ Espinola and Mike Llacar and drummer and back-up vocalist Lala Lejeune. The group disbanded in 2013 following the death of original lead vocalist Papadom Gamboa. Gamboa died a day before his 48th birthday. The wake of his burial was held private as per his family's request. The cause of death was said to be due to kidney failure.

The band was one of the several bands who spearheaded the 1990s Pinoy rock explosion and popularized the songs Kapayapaan, Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan and Alaala.

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Joey Ayala At Ang Bagong Lumad

YEARS ACTIVE: 1980’s – PRESENT

GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): JOEY AYALA

90’S HITS: KARANIWANG TAO, NAKITA KITA, HARING IBON, HITHIT BUGA, PADAYON, MAGKABILAAN, MINDANAO, LUMAD SA SYUDAD, MAGKAUGNAY

Joey Ayala (born José Íñigo Homer Lacambra Ayala; 1 June 1956, Bukidnon, Philippines) is a Filipino singer, songwriter and former chairman of the music committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He is well known for his style of music that combines the sounds of Filipino ethnic instruments with modern pop music. His public music life started when he released an album recorded in a makeshift-studio in 1982 in Davao City. To date, he has released fourteen albums. He is the brother of singer-songwriter Cynthia Alexander.

Some of the Filipino ethnic instruments Ayala is known to use include the two-stringed Hegalong of the T'Boli people of Mindanao, the Kubing, the bamboo jaw harp found in various forms throughout the Philippines, and the 8-piece gong set, Kulintang, the melodical gong-rack of the indigenous peoples of the southern part of the country. He also uses modern instruments in his music, such as the electric guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer/sequencer and drums.

The name of his band "Bagong Lumad" literally means "New Native" - a name and philosophy that has been carried over into Bagong Lumad Artists Foundation, Inc. (www.blafi.org), now a UNDP Responsible Party working on SiningBayan (Social Artistry) capacity-building projects with the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Education, and other GOs and NGOs in the Philippines. He served as the (2008–10) Chairman and Vice-Chairman (2011–13) of the National Committee on Music under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

In 2013, Ayala entered the second Philippine Popular Music Festival as a composer and interpreter for the song called "Papel" where it was named as one the twelve finalists. The song features collaborations with rapper Gloc-9 and guest vocals of Denise Barbacena. He previously participated in 2012 as an interpreter for the song "Piso" written by Kristofferson Melecio.

In 2014, Joey Ayala was featured in the BBC Travel show episode for Philippines.

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