Landscape: | yes |
Background: | group_or_band |
Alias: | Comic Relief |
Origin: | Quezon City, Philippines |
Years Active: | 1993–present |
Label: | Universal |
Current Members: |
Parokya ni Edgar (lit: Edgar's Parish) is a Filipino band formed in 1993, composed of Chito Miranda (lead vocals), Gab Chee Kee (rhythm guitar, vocals), Buwi Meneses (bass guitar, backing vocals), Darius Semaña (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dindin Moreno (drums, percussion), and Vinci Montaner (backing vocals). The band is known 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 outlets as "The National Band of the Philippines". As of 2005, the band has reportedly sold 600,000 albums in the Philippines for their first eight albums.[1]
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 – Ateneo schoolmate Dindin Moreno and Miranda's childhood friend Buwi Meneses, respectively. Around the same time they changed the band's name to Parokya ni Edgar.[2] After high school, Mikko and Jeric withdrew from the band to pursue other interests. Soon after, the remaining band members invited Darius Semaña, Meneses's former bandmate, to take the role of lead guitar.
The band name's origin had been a subject of debate among fans as the band members had never given full confirmation. It was not until 2013 that Chito Miranda officially addressed it through a post on their Facebook page. The title "Parokya Ni Edgar" came from a joke a classmate named Bambi Cuna made 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 made up a daft answer, "sa Parokya ni Edgar". Then-vocalist Jeric Estaco decided on impromptu to introduce the band as "Parokya ni Edgar" in their first live performance. From there, the band name just stuck.[3]
By the late 1990s, 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.
Parokya Ni Edgar won their "Best New Artists Award Winner in the 3rd NU 107 Rock Awards in 1996, the same year, they performed in an awards night since becoming an amateur OPM rock band in pinoy rock history, years later, PNE won 8 times overall in the NU Rock awards until 2003.
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 (Siopao Na Special)" and "Lutong Bahay (Cooking Ng Ina Mo)" 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. This included the single "Halaga", one of the most popular songs of the band. "Halaga" was such a hit in the country that it further boosted PNE's career, cementing their name in the OPM scene.[4]
In 1999, 2 years after Eraserheads won as Best Southeast Asian Music Video Award Winner for "Ang Huling El Bimbo" in 1997, Parokya won as Best Southeast Asian Music Video Award Moon Man Winner for the music video "Harana" in the MTV Music Video Music Awards 1999 which was held in New York City.[5] Parokya was the second OPM rock band & last MTV Music Video Awards Winner of the Moon Man Trophy after Eraserheads, while in 2001, Kyla won as the last Filipino OPM Performer to win the MTV Award on her entry for the music video "Hanggang Ngayon". The same year, Parokya became popular on television and radio guestings.
After a four-year hiatus, they released their junior studio album Edgar Edgar Musikahan in 2002.[6]
On July 14, 2003, they released the studio album Bigotilyo, with the main single "Mr. Suave". "Mr. Suave" proved to be just as popular as its predecessors and stayed on the music charts for more than a year. The song became so popular in the Philippines that a few commercials and political campaigns borrowed stanzas from it. In the same year of 2003, Parokya celebrated their 10th anniversary with gigs and concerts in various shows nationwide and internationally like Hong Kong, and Canadian provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. They also toured in the United States specifically in New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Arizona, and California.
In 2004, the band released Inuman Sessions Vol. 1, PNE's first compilation DVD album celebrating their 11th anniversary. The DVD showcased the band's prerecorded live studio performance of their hit songs to a selected audience. The DVD album was met with commercial success 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.
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 second 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 crew.
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 signings.
In 2014, PNE was awarded with the MYX Magna Award for their artistic contribution to OPM Rock History & also celebrating their 20th anniversary in the OPM rock scene from the mid 1990s. They are the second OPM rock band to receive this award after Eraserheads in 2009.
All throughout 2015, the band toured selected cities in the United States; they headlined at the Landmark Loews Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey on March 21, 2015.[7] That same year, the band began recording for their next album and contained the tracks "Sing" and "Lagi Mong Tatandaan", the former featuring Rico Blanco. Their 9th studio album and their 14th overall album is entitled Pogi Years Old. The cover album was revealed on September 2, 2016 through their Facebook page and expected to be released by 2016. Former member Vinci Montaner was said to appear on the album as a featured artist.[8] On September 9, 2016, the band held a free surprise show at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila.[9] The album was released on October 17, 2016 nationwide and on digital format.[10] The band would held an album launch at Eastwood Central Plaza on October 16, 2016. This marks the return of Vinci Montaner, who would join permanently days later.[11]
On November 22, 2017, Parokya was named as the newest celebrity music star inductee in the 2017 Eastwood City Walk of Fame in Eastwood City Mall Quezon City for their influence in Pinoy rock music. Parokya was the third related music group and first OPM rock band to be inducted to the Eastwood City Walk Of Fame.[12] [13]
Parokya Ni Edgar also celebrated their 25th silver anniversary in October 2018 following with more concerts and gigs.
A musical adaptation of Parokya Ni Edgar's discography in cooperation with longest running gag comedy show Bubble Gang entitled Bubble Gang Parokya Na To: A Laugh Story The Musical was recently performed last February 15, 2019 at Waterfront Hotel Cebu City, produced by GMA Kapuso Concerts. This was Parokya's 1st musical stage play and also the 4th OPM music artist overall for musical staging play after Eraserheads "Ang Huling El Bimbo" in 2015, Apo Hiking Society's "Eto Na: Musical nAPO" in 2017, and Aegis's "Rak of Aegis: The Musical" in 2018.
The band also performed for their 25th silver anniversary concert in the U.S. & Canada Tour entitled Parokya 25 Live In The U.S. & Canada in March 2019.
As of 2020, Parokya is still active with more gigs and is scheduled to release their new single together with the band Kamikazee.[14] The same year, PNE releases a new single, "Pati Pato", with Gloc9 and Shanti Dope, was released in July 2020. PNE had also released a single for Chito's wife Neri; the song "Smile" was released in October 2020 exclusively on Spotify and later on digital platforms like Deezer, Apple iTunes, and YouTube.
In 2021, Parokya's brand new single, "It's Masarap" was released last January 2021, the song was a parody inspired from the longest running noon time variety show, "Eat Bulaga!", plus their official music video was also released on YouTube also the same month. Also in 2021, Parokya released their brand new album called Borbolen, their 10th studio album and also their 15th overall album and for the first time after 5 years since Pogi Years Old released in 2016.
In 2022, Parokya launched their first Vinyl Record for their original release of 1996 album, "Khangkhungkherrnitz" by Universal Records Philippines.
In 2023, PNE celebrated their 30th Year as an OPM Rock Parody Band and dubbed as The Pambansang Banda ng Pilipinas with more new concerts, TV guesting, radio guesting, endorsements and also part of their 30th anniversary of the iconic pinoy parody rock band.
In 2024, Parokya also launched their 1st independent musical stage play was entitled as Buruguduystunstugudunstuy, the recent musical play was inspired from their Parokyas 2nd album and also the casts will be performing the various OPM singers artists was held last April 26, 2024, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Newport World Resorts Manila (Formerly Resorts World Manila), the popular comedy musical has officially end their successful show last June 23, 2024.
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".[15]
Parokya ni Edgar is also known for parodying songs of famous singers and bands.
Year | Award Giving Body | Category | Nominated Work | Results | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Awit Awards | Album of the Year | Khangkhungkherrnitz | ||
Best New Group | |||||
Best Rock Performance | |||||
Music Video of the Year | "Buloy" | ||||
DWLS FM | New OPM Artist of The Year | ||||
NU Rock Awards | Best New Artist | ||||
Best Live Act | |||||
1998 | NU Rock Awards | Song of the Year | "Don't Touch My Birdie" | ||
Best Album Packaging | Buruguduystunstugudunstuy | ||||
1999 | Awit Awards | Best Novelty Recording | "Don't Touch My Birdie" | ||
Best TV Theme Song | " | Oka Tokat" | |||
MTV Music Awards | International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Southeast Asia | "Harana" | |||
NU Rock Awards | Artist of the Year | "" | [17] | ||
Bassist of the Year | (for Buwi Meneses) | ||||
2000 | Awit Awards | Best Alternative Recording | "Inuman na" | [18] | |
Guillermo Memorial Foundation | Best Group | ||||
NU Rock Awards | Artist of the Year | "" | |||
2001 | MTV Pilipinas | Favorite Group Video | "Inuman Na" | ||
2002 | MTV Pilipinas | Favorite Song | "Swimming Beach" | ||
NU Rock Awards | Best Album Packaging | Edgar Edgar Musikahan | |||
Artist of The Year | |||||
2003 | Awit Awards | Best Album Package | Edgar Edgar Musikahan | ||
Best Novelty Recording | "This Guy's In Love With You Pare" | ||||
NU Rock Awards | Artist of the Year | ||||
2004 | Awit Awards | Best Performance By a Duo or Group Recording Artist | "Mr. Suave" | ||
Record of the Year | "Mr. Suave" | ||||
Music Video Performance | "Mr. Suave" | ||||
Best Novelty Recording | "Mr. Suave" | ||||
Best Rap Recording | "The Yes Yes Show" | ||||
Best Rap Recording | "Bagsakan" | ||||
MTV Asia Awards | Favorite Artist Philippines | ||||
2005 | Awit Awards | Album of the Year | "Halina sa Parokya" | ||
MTV Pilipinas | MTV Ayos! Award for Best Dance Sequence | "First Day Funk" | |||
NU Rock Awards | Bassist of the Year | (for Buwi Meneses) | |||
Best Live Act | |||||
Song of the Year | "Mang Jose" | ||||
Artist of the Year | |||||
2006 | Awit Awards | Best Selling Album of the Year | "Halina sa Parokya" | ||
Best Novelty Recording | "Mang Jose" | ||||
Best Dance Recording | "First Day Funk" | ||||
Music Video of the Year | "Mang Jose" | ||||
MYX Music Awards | Favorite Music Video | "Mang Jose" | [19] | ||
Favorite Rock Video | "Mang Jose" | ||||
Favorite MYX Live Performance | |||||
Favorite Media Soundtrack | "First Day Funk" | ||||
2007 | ASAP Pop Viewers Choice Awards | Best Pop Band | |||
MYX Music Awards | Favorite Rock Video | "The Ordertaker" with Kamikazee | [20] | ||
Favorite Collaboration | "The Ordertaker" with Kamikazee | ||||
2008 | ASAP Pop Viewers Choice Awards | Best Pop Band | |||
Awit Awards | Best Soundtrack | "Walang Susuko" from Lastikman | |||
Album of the Year | Solid | ||||
Best Ballad Recording | "Iisa Lang" | ||||
MYX Music Awards | Favorite MYX Celebrity VJ | [21] | |||
1st Nickelodeon Philippines Kids Choice Awards | Favorite Musical Act | ||||
SOP PasiklaBAND Awards | Best Rock Band | ||||
Best Song Revival | "Boys Do Fall In Love" | ||||
Favorite Vocalist | (for Chito Miranda) | ||||
Best Favorite Band of The Year | |||||
2009 | MYX Music Awards | Favorite Remake | "Macho" | [22] | |
Philippine Radio Music Award | Best Alternative Group | ||||
2011 | Awit Awards | Best Ballad Recording | "Pangarap Lang Kita"(Feat. Happy Sy) | [23] | |
Best Collaboration | "Pangarap Lang Kita"(Feat. Happy Sy) | ||||
Best Performance by a Group | "Paki-usap Lang" | ||||
Best Song of the Year | "Paki-usap Lang" | ||||
Guillermo Memorial Foundation | Most Popular Recording/Performing Group | [24] | |||
MYX Music Awards | Favorite Group | [25] | |||
Favorite Song | "Pakiusap Lang (Lasingin Nyo Ako)" | ||||
Favorite MYX Celebrity VJ | |||||
Favorite Artist | |||||
2012 | Guillermo Memorial Foundation | Most Popular Recording/Performing Group | [26] | ||
MYX Music Awards | Favorite MYX Live! Performance | [27] | |||
Favorite Guest Appearance in a Music Video | for JM de Guzman "Pangarap Lang Kita" | ||||
Favorite Collaboration | "One Hit Combo" (feat. Gloc9) | ||||
Favorite Artist | |||||
Favorite Song | "Pangarap Lang Kita"(feat. Happee Sy) | ||||
Favorite Group | |||||
Yahoo! Philippines OMG Awards | Band Of The Year | [28] | |||
2014 | M.O.R. 101.9 Music Award | M.O.R. Rock Icon Award | [29] | ||
MYX Music Awards | MYX Magna Award | [30] | |||
Favorite Group | [31] | ||||
Yahoo! Philippines OMG Awards | Band Of The Year | [32] | |||
2017 | Eastwood City Walk Of Fame | Celebrity Music Category Star Inductee | [33] |
Parokya ni Edgar band vocalist member Chito Miranda is also an occasional movie actor, starring in his debut movie appearance "Coming Soon" which was released in 2013. Miranda is also an occasional solo artist, having collaborations with Abra, Gloc-9, Maysh Baay of Moonstar88, former Rivermaya frontman Rico Blanco, and Eunice Jorge of Gracenote. Parokya also had collaborations with Francis M and with former Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia for the single "Hosanna Ngayong Pasko" as part of the band's Christmas album, "Jingle Balls Silent Night Holy Cow" which was released in 1998. Miranda is also a T-shirt brand ambassador endorser of Uniqlo Philippines in 2012 together with former singer-actress Nikki Gil-Albert and other actors and sports personalities. Miranda was also their first solo T-shirt endorser. Miranda has recently endorsed, with wife Neri and his Miggy, for a Bonakid Kids Milk Commercial in 2021. Chito is now also a celebrity bank endorser of an oldest bank in Southeast Asia, Bank of the Philippine Islands Chito is now the recent newest judge in a brand new season of Idol Philippines replacing original judge James Reid and comedian Vice Ganda now replaces Gary V. as the newest judge while original Idol PH judges Asia's songbird TV host and actress Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and commercial jingle singer and TV host Moira Dela Torre will return again also in a recent new season in 2022.
Parokya's backing vocalist Vinci Montaner is also a solo artist and also worked with Pinoy hip hop artist Gloc-9 in 2019. Monataner also covered Jose Mari Chan's iconic signature song, "Beautiful Girl", which was his all-time favorite love song. This cover single becomes a rock ballad cover song and was also part of Parokya's 14th overall album, "Pogi Years Old" released in 2016.
Buwi Meneses is also a commercial endorser for "RJ Guitars" which he had his first solo commercial, playing bass. Meneses is also a former member of the band Franco in 2010, with Franco Reyes. Buwi is also venture into acting aside from playing bass guitar as he also joined as a former contestant of a filipino adaptation of Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles Showdown and was formerly Aired on GMA Channel 7 in 2010, but he was lost to Japanese model & actor Akihiro Sato.
Paolo Bernaldo is the band's regular touring and session bassist filling in for long time bassist Buwi Meneses who is currently residing in the US. Meneses still plays in the band in US tours and occasional visits in the Philippines. Bernaldo is also a former member of the band Moonstar88 along with Maysh Baay who also had a duet with Parokya lead singer Chito Miranda.
Andrew Panaligan is now currently the recent newest band member Parokya replaced from long time back up singer Vinci "Vinch" Montaner who is now currently migrated and also residing in California, Montaner is also part of the band where he still sings in mostly U.S. & Canada Tours and he also occasionally visits the Philippines. Panaligan is a former band member of "Iktus".