Parokya ni Edgar

Biography

Parokya ni Edgar (lit: Edgar's Parish) is a Filipino rock band formed in 1993, composed of Chito Miranda (lead vocals), Gab Chee Kee (rhythm guitar, vocals), Buwi Meneses (bass guitar), Darius Semaña (lead guitar), 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.

Formation and early years

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. 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.

Name origin

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.

Mainstream

The band's 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.
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.
After a four-year hiatus, they released their studio album Edgar Edgar Musikahan in 2002.

Millennium success: 2003-2009

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. 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. On September 9, 2016, the band held a free surprise show at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila. The album was released on October 17, 2016 nationwide and on digital format. The band held an album launch at Eastwood Central Plaza on October 16, 2016, marking the return of Vinci Montaner, who would join permanently days later.
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.

Current: 2020-present

As of 2020, Parokya is still active with more gigs and is scheduled to release their new single together with the band Kamikazee.

Activism

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".

Band members

Current members
Chito Miranda – lead vocals (1993–present)
Gab Chee Kee – rhythm guitar, vocals (1993–present)
Buwi Meneses – bass guitar, occasional backing vocals (1993–present; intermittent touring since 2015)
Darius Semaña – lead guitar (1993–present)
Dindin Moreno – drums, percussion (1993–present)
Vinci Montaner – backing vocals, monologue, spoken word, vocal ad-libs, occasional percussion (1993–2005, 2007–2012, 2016–present; one-off appearance in 2013; intermittent touring since 2019)
Touring and session members
Paolo Bernaldo (of Moonstar88) – bass guitar (2015–present; touring substitute for Meneses)
Andrew Panaligan (of iktus) – acoustic guitar, backing vocals (2022–present)
Timeline

Studio albums

Khangkhungkherrnitz (1996)
Buruguduystunstugudunstuy (1997)
Gulong Itlog Gulong (1999)
Edgar, Edgar Musikahan (2002)
Bigotilyo (2003)
Halina Sa Parokya (2005)
Solid (2007)
Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers (2010)
Pogi Years Old (2016)
Borbolen (2021)

Christmas albums

Jingle Balls Silent Night Holy Cow (1998)

Compilation albums

Matira Matibay: PG-13 (Singles 1994-2007) (2007)
Bente (2013)

Live albums

Inuman Sessions Vol. 1 (2004)
Inuman Sessions Vol. 2 (2012)

DVDs

Inuman Sessions VOL.1 DVD (2004)
Matira Matibay: PG-13 ("Singles 1994-2007") DVD (2007)
Inuman Sessions VOL.2 DVD (2012)
Bente: Parokya Ni Edgar 20th Anniversary DVD (2013)

Collaborative album appearances

Akustic Natin (Universal Records, 2004)
Akustic Natin Vol. 2 (Universal Records, 2004)
The Best of OPM Acoustic Hits (Universal Records, 2005)
The Best of OPM Love Ballads (Universal Records, 2005)
Pinoy Ako (Star Music, 2005)
OPM Superstars Christmas (Universal Records, 2005)
Superbands (Universal Records, 2005)
Kami nAPO Muna (Universal Records, 2006)
OPM Gold Christmas Album (Universal Records, 2006)
The Biggest OPM Hits of The Year SUPER (Universal Records, 2006)
Bandang Pinoy, Lasang Hotdog (Musiko/Sony BMG Music Philippines, Repackaged 2006)
Kami nAPO Muna Ulit (Universal Records, 2007)
Pinoy Biggie Hits Rewind (Star Music, 2007)
Level Up: The Album (Star Music, 2007)
OPM Platinum Christmas (Universal Records, 2007)
Another Biggest OPM Hits of The Year SUPER 2 (Universal Records, 2007)
Pinoy Biggie Hits Vol. 3 (Star Music, 2007)
Astig...The Biggest Band Hits (Universal Records, 2008)
Harana: OPM's Biggest Hits In Guitar (Ivory Music, 2009)
I-Star 15: The Best Of Alternative & Rock Songs (Star Music, 2010)
OPM All Star Christmas (Universal Records, 2010)
A Perfectly Acoustic Experience (PolyEast Records, 2011)
Awit Kapuso: Kay Sarap Maging Kapuso (GMA Music, 2012)
Super Astig Hits (Universal Records, 2016)

Parodies and samples

Parokya ni Edgar is also known for parodying songs of famous singers and bands.

Other projects

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,Sponge Cola in song called "XGF", 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".