Eraserheads
Eraserheads was one of the most popular Pop rock bands in the Philippines during the alternative rock explosion of the early 90s. The Eraserheads was also regarded as the band that opened the commercial doors for other aspiring Filipino Rock bands, like Rivermaya, Parokya ni Edgar, and Yano. Their fans affectionately call them "E-heads."
The band's debut album, Ultraelectromagneticpop, released in 1993 by BMG Records, was a commercial success. The album also brought the underground "college-rock" scene into public awareness.
Their influence and contribution to Philippine music today is so great that they have often been called the "Beatles of the Philippines."
Members
- Ely Buendia - lead vocals, rhythm guitars (1989-2003)
- Raimund Marasigan - drums, samples, percussions, background vocals
- Marcus Adoro - lead guitar, background vocals (1989-2004)
- Buddy Zabala - bass guitar, background vocals
- Kris Dancel - lead vocals (after Ely Buendia left)
History
Eraserheads was formed in 1989 by the four University of the Philippines students named above, taking its name after the David Lynch movie Eraserhead. The group performed regularly at campus gigs and at Club Dredd on Timog Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila, a now-defunct club popular in the '90s which served as a breeding ground for many Filipino Alternative Rock acts. The group submitted a demo to RJFM but were immediately turned as their music did not fit the classic pop-rock format of the station. Fortunately, BMG Records-Pilipinas snatched them up and released their debut affort "ultraelectromagneticpop" under their newly formed "Musiko" label. Their debut album was comprised mainly of ska-tinged pop hooks layed down on a traditional guitar-bass-drums foundation. Buendia's catchy melodies and witty, at times caustic lyrics helped fuel the album's success.
Split-up
One day, while driving in his car, bassist Buddy Zabala received a text message from their vocalist. According to some fans, Ely said (through the text message) that he wanted to quit the band (the exact reason/s behind this remains unknown except to those directly involved). Zabala stopped his car and all four band members met up. After leaving the band, Buendia was later replaced by Kris Gorra-Dancel (of the Fatal Posporos). The "new" Eraserheads shocked fans in a Hard Rock Cafe gig when the new vocalist showed up instead of Buendia.
After the Eraserheads disbanded, the band members disintigrated into other bands, such as Pedicab, Cambio, Surfernando, Sandwich, The Mongols, and Pupil.
Discography
| Album | Album Cover | Date of release | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 
|
1993 | UltraElectroMagneticPop! - The name of the album is derived from a pun on the technique "Ultra Electro Magnetic Top!" from the Japanese 1970's cartoon cult classic, Voltes V (Voltes Five). This album is the only one where the songs are the result of jamming sessions. Famous songs include "Toyang" and "Ligaya". |
| 2nd | File:Circus94.jpg | 1994 | Circus- One of the most popular albums they ever recorded 2nd to Cutterpillow. This album is known for the controversial "Alapaap" and as well as their famous love song, "With A Smile". |
| 3rd | 
|
1995 | Cutterpillow- One of the biggest albums in the history of Philippine Music. Churned out one of their biggest hits, "Ang Huling El Bimbo", which won them the Best Video Award in the MTV Asian Music Awards. |
| 4th | 
|
1996 | Fruitcake |
| File:FruitcakeEP.jpg | 1996 | Fruitcake(EP)- This album contains the country's well-known Rock-Christmas song composed by the band... "Fruitcake" | |
| 5th | File:Bananatype.jpg | 1995 | Bananatype(EP) |
| 6th | File:Stickerhappy.jpg | 1997 | Sticker Happy - This album was notable for the heavy usage of samples and synthesizers, which the members of the band purchased in the United States during a concert tour. The songs in this album tend to be surreal in nature; two of them alluded to artworks: Spoliarium was named after the Juan Luna painting; however, the song was about alcoholism. Another song, Andalusian Dog, alluded to the film Un Chien Andalou by the Spanish surrealist director Luis Buñuel. |
| 7th | File:Alhoamilky.jpg | 1998 | Aloha Milkyway (1998) - This album was the Eraserheads' first international release, in response to their success in the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Composed mostly of previously-released English tracks, it also featured the Tagalog song "Ang Huling El Bimbo", the video to which won the group the Asian Viewer's Choice Award the previous year. |
| 8th | File:Natin99.jpg | 1999 | Natin99- The band's 8th album. |
| 9th | File:Carbonstero02.jpg | 2001 | Carbon Stereoxide - This happens to be the last Eraserheads album with Ely Buendia on vocals before Kris Dancel took his place. |
| 10th | File:Pleasetranspose.jpg | 2003 | Please Transpose (EP) - The last official recording of the Eraserheads. Features Kris Dancel (of the all-girl group "Fatal Posporos") on vocals, replacing Buendia who abruptly left the group. A few months later, due to legal issues surrounding their name, the group adopted the monicker "Cambio". |
| 11th | File:Anthology.jpg | 2004 | The Eraserheads Anthology |
| 12th | 2005 | Ultraelectromagneticjam- This is not an official Eraserhead album, this album is actually a tribute for the band with some of Philippine's top-leading artists covering some Eraserheads songs. One of the 2005's top-selling album in the Philippines. | |
| 13th | 2006 | Ultraelectromagneticjam: Vol.2- The sequel to the popular album "Ultraelectromagneticjam". Soon out by this year. |
