Parokya ni Edgar
菲律宾国宝级乐队。 Parokya ni Edgar (English translation: Edgar's Parish) is a multi-award winning Filipino band formed in 1993. The band is famous and most lauded for its original rock novelty songs and often satirical covers of popular songs both foreign and local. The band has since transcended musical genres, varying styles from one song to another - alternative rock to pop rock, funk to rapcore - while providing comic relief. Parokya ni Edgar has been referred to by local media as "Pambansang Banda ng Pilipinas" [The National Band of the Philippines], a nickname they share with Eraserheads. Despite having "Edgar" in the band's name, none of the members go by it. Originally named Comic Relief, the band's initial members were vocalists Neil Corpuz, Gab Chee Kee, Dindin Moreno and Vinci Montaner, and guitarists Darius Semaña and , Buwi Meneses. 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 (lead guitar) to take the role of lead guitar. The name Parokya Ni Edgar came from a joke by Jeric Estaco during one of their high school classes. Sources state that the class subject was Filipino. The teacher asked Estaco where the father of Jose Rizal's fictional hero, Crisostomo Ibarra (in the novel Noli Me Tangere), was educated. It was said that Jeric answered with the daft remark "sa Parokya ni Edgar". However, the exact origin is still unknown. In the 90's, PNE became regular performers in Club Dredd, a popular club in Manila at the time. The band slowly gained popularity during the height of the Filipino rock explosion, with the local rock community welcoming the influence of foreign grunge acts such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Eventually, the late managing director of Universal Records, Bella Dy Tan, signed them as contract artists after witnessing one of their Club Dredd performances. Soon, their initial recordings Buloy, Trip and Lutong Bahay gained radio airplay. Their first album, Khangkhungkherrnitz(1996) became a triple platinum hit in the Philippines, having sold 120,000 units. The next albums were equal successes - Buruguduystunstugudunstuy (1997) was awarded triple platinum, Jingle Balls Silent Night Holy Cow (1998) with gold, and Gulong Itlog Gulong (1999) with triple platinum. After a 5 year break, they released their junior studio album "Edgar Edgar Musikahan" in 2002. This included the single "Halaga", one of the most popular songs in their career. "Halaga" was such a hit in the country that it further boosted PNE's career, cementing their name into OPM history. Shortly after, in 2003 they released the studio album "Bigotilyo", with the single "Mr. Suave". The single was just as popular as it's predecessors and stayed on the music charts for more than a year. The catchy melody and tune were so widely known that even commercials and voting campaigns used it. 2004 was the year of release of "Inuman Session Vol. 1", PNE's first compilation DVD album celebrating their 11th year anniversary. The DVD showcases the band's prerecorded live studio performance of their hit songs to a selected audience. The DVD album met success in sales nationwide. They released their 8th studio album, Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers in 2010 with the single "Paki-usap Lang (Lasingin Nyo Ako)". The album was met with moderate success in both charts and sales. During this time, Parokya ni Edgar's also often referred to as the "Banda ng Bayan" [The Band of the Nation], a nickname they share with Rivermaya. In 2011, PNE joined the roster of Tanduay's First Five and RockFest replacing long running Tanduay endorser 6cyclemind. The following year, PNE released their 2nd compilation DVD album Inuman Sessions Vol. 2 - a follow up to their Inuman Sessions Vol. 1. Later that same year, Montaner officially left the band on good terms with both the members and staff. 2013 marked PNE's 20th anniversary in the OPM industry. The band launched their 13th album Bente as commemoration, and as this was a milestone, Vinci Montaner temporarily reunited with the band for the album's cover art and during the album signings. In 2014, Parokya was awarded MYX Magna Award Winner 2014 in the MYX Music Awards commemorating their 20th anniversary and alternative rock music excellence in the OPM industry. This is considered one of PNE's greatest achievements as they are 2nd to receive the award after Eraserheads in 2009. Parokya joined PETA's Free Mali campaign in 2013. "Mali has been sentenced to a miserable life of solitary confinement with absolutely nothing to do day after day, year after year,' says lead vocalist Chito Miranda. 'Scientists, politicians, religious leaders, and tens of thousands of other concerned people have joined PETA in calling for Mali to be freed. We in Parokya ni Edgar do, too. Even if the elephant exhibit at the Manila Zoo were to be doubled or tripled in size, it would still not be adequate to house one elephant, never mind additional ones. While zoos around the world have spent upwards of 2 billion pesos on attempts at more appropriately sized elephant exhibits, more and more zoos have recognized that the needs of these complex and intelligent animals cannot be met in captivity.'
