In 1993, vocalist Chito Miranda, guitarist Gab Chee Kee, bassist Buwi Meneses, lead guitarist Darius Semana, drummer Dindin Moreno, and vocalist Vinci Montaner went onstage for the first time to open for Eraserheads, who at the time were promoting their debut album, Ultraelectroagneticpop!. It was their first time playing for a big crowd. They had to make a great first impression, especially when one of the country’s biggest alternative rock bands was set to show up.
The group was wearing colorful striped ties, boxer shorts, and wigs that resemble soccer moms and hippies. Their performance was sloppy but in a charming way. They used their awkwardness as an asset — their guitar lines out of tune, and stage presence teetered between painfully cringe or amazingly quirky. The band threw a curveball in the same set — a parody of Radiohead’s radio hit “Creep,” their first of many parodies, which they’d eventually be known for. The formula worked, and it defined the band’s career moving forward.
And just like that, Parokya ni Edgar was born.
Formed in Ateneo De Manila High School, the group went on to catch one milestone after another. Last weekend, the group received the “Dangal ng Musikang Filipino” during the 37th Awit Awards. After 31 years, the music industry has recognized Parokya ni Edgar as one of the country’s greatest bands. It is a coveted prize for music artists whose work has transcended and uplifted Filipino music through generations. Throughout its existence, Paryoka ni Edgar’s influence has surpassed many trends and cycles, making them one of the most iconic mainstream bands in the country.
Creating OPM Classics
First releasing Khangkhungkherrnitz and Buruguduystunstugudunstuy in 1996 and 1997 respectively, both albums had a tinge of grunge and alternative rock to their flavor. The band always had a commanding vocalist from the very start: Miranda balances the charm of a happy-go-lucky college kid if sung in Filipino, and a country singer serenading their best friends if sung in English. Their effortless code switching won over so many generations of singer-songwriters, even when he’s joking about the “birdie” with an acoustic guitar (“Please Don’t Touch My Birdie”), or simply reminiscing with someone who they hold dearly in real life (“Buloy”).
Both singles helped launch their careers, but their acoustic singles struck a particular chord among their audiences, which made most of them eventually pick up the guitar and study tabs in an old songbook.
As the 1990s came and went, Parokya ni Edgar stayed in the echelon of Original Pilipino Music relevancy with more hits throughout the 2000s like “Sorry Na,” “The Yes Yes Show,” “Gitara,” and their most streamed song to date, “Your Song,” which, as of the time of writing, has reached more than 190 million streams on Spotify. Their most heartwarming songs became karaoke classics, and their parodies achieved a definitive status in elementary school classrooms. Parody songs like “Order Taker” took System Of A Down’s “Chop Suey” into a dissection of the menu in nu-metal form while “Chikinini” took Yano’s “Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo” frustration to wacky territory. But as the band turned 20, they were still at the top of their game, performing like it was their first day on stage.
Surpassing Novelty
In 2012, the band showcased their chemistry in Inuman Sessions Vol. 2, a live performance album inspired by the sessions of MTV Unplugged with a heavy setlist of comedic moments and moving songs. Bente was released in 2014 as a double CD compiling their greatest hits over the years. Funnily enough, the inclusion of “Papa Cologne” and “Boys Do Fall In Love” are considered their greatest hits, even if the former was inspired by indie pop bands like Soft Pillow Kisses and the Buzz Night events, while the latter is a cover of the Robin Gibb hit single of the same name. Both singles eventually became permanent fixtures in the Parokya ni Edgar lore as crowd favorites.
The band faced the toughest of times in the early 2020s. Reaching their 30th anniversary, Chee Kee was diagnosed with lymphoma. The OPM industry came to the guitarist’s aid by auctioning most of the Paryoka ni Edgar archive — from music video costumes and signature guitars to many other precious items that would help cover his hospital bills. After two months, Chee Kee was discharged and went on to play with the band again. Parokya ni Edgar soldiered on.
27 years after the release of Buruguduystunstugudunstuy, the Full House Theater Company decided to do the unthinkable: turning Paryoka ni Edgar’s distinctively iconic songs into a musical. Adapting its slapstick comedy into a colorful stage of characters and performances, it welcomed new fans who grew up in the 2020s while serving nostalgia for their loyal listeners from the ‘90s.
Parokya ni Edgar’s illustrious career has surpassed novelty, proving they’re not just a one-trick pony. Upon receiving their award in the Awit Awards, drummer Dindin Moreno jokingly said in their speech “Ang tanda na namin!”.
As they mature, Parokya ni Edgar has redefined the limits of what OPM can be.
