This is my list.
If you want to do yours, then do so.
That’s my disclaimer.
And yeah. Almost forgot about this.
29 to 36
36 TRIAXIS
YEARS ACTIVE: 1995 – POSSIBLY LATE 90S
GROUP ROSTER: PERF DE CASTRO, WENDELL GARCIA, CLAIRE SOBEJANA, KING BALDOZ* (*King replaced Claire at bass)
90S HITS: PMST, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, I FOUND YOU, ASA KA PA, MUKHA
Remember when the first Rivermaya album was? They have five members then. One had to quit the band because of artistic differences. Perf de Castro was that guy in 1995. Quickly he formed a group that will carry the awesomeness of the sound that he yearns for. Sure, Triaxis wouldn’t have the popularity bestowed upon Rivermaya... but don’t be sad for him. The guy can play a ten-string guitar! Besides, as part of the band, he got a lot of recognition from music enthusiasts while he collaborated with a bunch of great names. How can you feel sad for a guy who got to do stuff with Francis M, Wolfgang, Backdraft, and Nonoy F'N Zuniga?
35 MOJOFLY
YEARS ACTIVE: 1999 – 2008
90S GROUP ROSTER: KITCHIE NADAL, RICCI GURANGO, JUNJUN REGALADO
90S HITS: MINAMALAS, ANOTHER DAY, HALF-WISHING, RUNAWAY ANGEL
The band was “somewhat” or “in a way” created out of spite. I have to quote accounts from Wikipedia and various blogs to prove this point. Hungry Young Poets' chaotic camp caused Ricci to move out. I have no idea if this was due to artistic differences or romantic alignments or whatever but it was enough for Ricci to part ways with Barbie Almalbis and also take the HYP name with him. Aside from taking the name, he also made a band – a la his former band. It was a trio with a girl singer and virtually the same type of songs. Their debut album entitled Birthday placed the group on the map. Luckily for Ricci, Kitchie Nadal has an awesome voice that stands out. She eventually became a glorified star. Kitchie went on to go solo with the band taking in Lougee Basabas as their new vocalist.
34 SLAPSHOCK
YEARS ACTIVE: 1996 – PRESENT
GROUP ROSTER: JAMIR GARCIA, LEE NADELA, JERRY BASCO, LEAN ANSING, CHI EVORA
90S HITS: AGENT ORANGE, EVIL CROWN, MADAPAKA, PSYCHO LOVE, SICK CURTAIN
Dubbed the Rap Metal Kings of the Philippines, the band released 4th Degree Burn – a year before the 21st Century turned. The songs in this album are awesome and they could be like Korn but they are never like Limp Bizkit. In some ways, their sound is like the other Pinoy underground metal bands but unlike these bands, their sound is rich and the quality is masterfully done. Anyway, they dish out insane energy whenever they perform onstage. Fans troop to their gigs to have body-slamming moments. Whenever they hit campus expect chaos and mosh pits near or somewhere near the stage. Plus, ever tried writing with Jamir shouting in your earphones? It is so crazy and awesome.
33 PUT3SKA
YEARS ACTIVE: 1995 – NO IDEA
GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): MYRA “SKARLET” DAVID-RUARO, BING AUSTRIA, WESLU GUIANG
90S HITS: MANILA GIRL, MY BOY LOLLIPOP, SIRANG ROMANTIKO, BIRTHDAY HOLIDAY
Remember when Joey de Leon would shout “Graciaaa” during the Rambulaga portion of Eat Bulaga and a dancer named Gracia (now known as Samantha Lopez) would come out holding a number? This was the peak of the band’s career. During the Tunog Lata period, they stood out because aside from their big band setup, they played ska. Plus, whoever thought their name... automatically gave the band PR. I remember seeing them play in some noontime show and I’m bent on the fact that no one can sing their songs like Myra. Can you even imagine Medwin Marfil covering My Boy Lollipop? HELL NO (Although I would like Basti Artadi to cover Manila Girl because if you combine his voice and make the song a bit devilish... that part of the song where it says “I dare you to follow me” would be superb)! Weslu Guiang passed a few years back. He was the dark guy that was the other prominent person in the band. He was also the guy that jumpstarted Juan Pablo Dream and before that was also part of Tropical Depression. Myra became Skarlet and was part of Brownbeat All-Stars.
32 DA PULIS
YEARS ACTIVE: THEIR TWO ALBUMS WERE RELEASED 1996 & 1999 RESPECTIVELY
GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBER/S): GABE MERCADO
90S HITS: POGI, MUKHANG PAA, SUNGIT QUEEN, TAE SONG, BASTED, REMEMBER M
If only they took their music seriously... they wouldn’t have become famous. Yes, this comedy rock band became famous for their narcissism, raunchiness, and immense hatred for athletes’ feet. Led by TV, film, and stage personality Gabe Mercado, most of their songs reflect on matters of the heart. Giving comedy over tragedy is something that you can expect from a band whose name was taken to spoof The Police. Their song Mukhang Paa brings a lot of memories. In college, I was about to go home with my friends when we saw my former classmate and her boyfriend. Her BF stared at us awkwardly and that ended when we rode an FX. We were seated at the back and they were seated in the middle. When this song played we were singing the chorus part and we saw my former classmate giggling. Perhaps she thought we were singing that song directed to his BF?
31 COLOR IT RED
YEARS ACTIVE: 1989 – PRESENT
90S GROUP ROSTER: COOKIE CHUA, BARBI CRISIT, MARICAR FLORENDO, BOPIP PARAGUYA, GP EVARISTO, MINCO FABREAGAS
90S HITS: PAGLISAN, NA NAMAN, A HAND-PAINTED SKY, SA DIYOS LAMANG, PERSLAB
I remember when I was in elementary and I was a keen listener of Campus Radio WLSFM. There were two songs competing prominently in their Top 20 for almost two months now. One was On Bended Knee and the other was Paglisan. The band started out as an all-girl rock band and their name came up while doing a crossword puzzle. Cookie Chua was one of the more recognizable girl singers of that generation. She can mix it up with the Sampaguita/Coritha/Lokal Brown generation as well as the Barbie/Kitchie/Acel Bisa generation. Color It Red wouldn’t be as popular as it is today if not for her. There was a time when she bolted out of the band and released a solo album. Pretend I Don’t Love You is an awesome track.
30 SUGAR HICCUP
YEARS ACTIVE: 1994 – I DON’T KNOW
GROUP ROSTER: MELODY DEL MUNDO, CZANDRO POLLACK, RUSSELL DACASIN, MERVIN PANGANIBAN
90S HITS: FIVE YEARS, WOMB, MODEN DE
Basically, they are like Enya on steroids. Imagine a drunken angel when hearing this. Yes, she sings well... but you can’t understand anything she says. Take Five Years for instance. Melody... just... hums here! But if you think Five Years is an easy song to sing, then you are in for a treat. The blare of the instruments, combining it with Melody’s awesome humming (eventually she’ll stop humming, speak a few lines and melodically shriek) made this song a delightfully amusing sonic blast. Even if Moden De’s lyrics for the uneducated mind could be gibberish, the arrangement here is top-notch. And Womb? I heard a live version of this song and it was great. Actually, Womb is my favorite song in their repertoire but of course, it is easy to memorize the lyrics of Five Years. The band is back in gig-landia with Russell being the only remaining original member of the band.
29 RIZAL UNDERGROUND
YEARS ACTIVE: 1993 – PRESENT
NOTABLE MEMBERS: STEPHEN LU, MIKE VILLEGAS
90S HITS: SABADO NIGHTS, YAN NAMAN, BILANGGO, POWDER OR LOTION, ROLLERS ON HER HAIR, SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
They were one of those bands that got their fame from having their tune in some commercial. However, that TVC isn’t just a commercial... it was THE commercial of the decade. This is not like the Mirahel band doing a song for PCSO but rather a smoking hot band doing a song for food giant San Miguel Corporation. That Sabado Nights commercial jumpstarted Ina Raymundo’s shot to fame and that’s cool! The song became a commercial and eventually a film that starred Ina Raymundo alongside Pia Pilapil and the bewitching Michelle Parton. Whatever happened to her? Anyway, Rizal Underground is not a one-hit-wonder band because their other singles are just as impressive. Bilanggo is a cool song and like Kamikazee’s Narda, the produced acoustic version of the song brings a different dimension. Powder or Lotion has a bluesy/ 50’s rock and roll feel and unlike what the title suggests, the song seems too sophisticated to be mistaken as a prosti song. And who can ever forget Yan Naman... yan naman... yan namahahan...
NOTES:
Rizal Underground was ranked lower at the beginning but after downloading their first album and finding out they are more than jingle singers, they charged up on the list. That’s also the case with Sugar Hiccup. Color It Red’s Paglisan is such a good tune but sometimes I think their music is too inspirational for me. Mojofly happened in 1999 but like Slapshock did awesomely to qualify into the ranks. Put3Ska needs to be in here because of their contributions to OPM and Da Pulis is a favorite of mine. Triaxis is another band that needs to be on the list.