Eraserheads, or E-Heads was a Filipino rock band of the 90s, formed by Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro. The band is one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the history of Original Pilipino Music, earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines." Eraserheads are also credited for spearheading a second wave of Manila band invasions, paving the way for a host of influential Philippine alternative rock bands.
The band released several singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one. The band achieved critical and commercial success with their third album Cutterpillow, which achieved platinum status several times. Eraserheads received the Viewer's Choice Award for Asia from the MTV Video Music Awards, so far there are only 2 Filipinos who received this award, the other being Rhythm and Blues artist Kyla.
History
The Early Years In 1989, two college bands from the University of the Philippines, Diliman were both in search of new members for a new group. Curfew, which consisted of Buddy Zabala on bass, Raimund Marasigan on drums and Marcus Adoro on guitars met up with Sunday School, which consisted of Ely Buendia on vocals and Raimund as session drummer in December of the same year. Ely's first two college bands (Bluidie Tryste and Sunday School) were too unstable, so he decided to post an audition notice on a university message board. Only Raimund, Buddy, and Marcus showed up (Raimund was first since he knew Ely and performed with him before, then Buddy and Marcus were next). According to an interview with Myx, Raimund said he first auditioned as bassist while Buddy as drummer. But they noticed that it did not sound right, the two switched places, and the rest was history.
The four decided to form a new group, calling themselves Eraserheads. The band took their name from the movie "Eraserhead" by surrealist director David Lynch, which they picked up while reading a magazine. They did mostly covers, playing every gig in school they've managed to get into. Eventually, they made the rounds of Manila's rock club circuit, achieving little success.
The band found that they weren't good at playing covers, so they concentrated on writing their own material instead.
"After all, if we committed a mistake, no one would recognize it since they don't know the song, right?" Buendia explained. Their new, original songs, played live, soon earned them a cult following in the university, which gradually spread outside the campus. One of the songs, a pop song entitled, "Pare Ko," became very popular, partly because of lyrics that included a few obscenities.
The band recorded a nine-song demo tape in the garage of Marasigan's provincial home (in Candelaria, Quezon) on January 6, 1991. They then shopped the demo cassette around record labels, clubs and radio stations, hoping to have their songs reach the public. However, they were rejected at every turn, with one recording label deeming that their demo was "not pop enough". In May 1991, a professor-friend teaching Humanities, Robin Rivera, helped them re-record and mix better versions of the demo songs on a four-track DAT recorder. The new demo was named Pop-U!, an irreverent response to those who turned them down.
Meanwhile, Buendia became employed as a student copywriter by BMG Records Pilipinas (now part of Sony BMG Music Entertainment). He worked with BMG during the day and wrote songs with the band during the night. Eventually, the songs of Buendia and the band caught the attention of BMG A&R Director Vic Valenciano. Valenciano listened to the songs and then commented that they were very raw technically, but that there was something promising in them. Subsequently, BMG gave Eraserheads' songs a try. In 1992, BMG signed up the band for a three-year record deal.
Mainstream Success
In July 1993, Eraserheads started recording their debut album called Ultraelectromagneticpop!. The album featured "Pare Ko", "Toyang" and "Tindahan Ni Aling Nena", all of which were also present in Pop-U!. The album also featured a sanitized version of "Pare Ko" called "Walang Hiyang Pare Ko". Later in the same year, BMG initially released 5,000 copies of the album. The album became a smash hit, with the songs "Ligaya", "Pare Ko" and "Toyang" topping the charts that, by the end of the year, BMG sold 300,000 copies, andUltraelectromagneticpop! turned sextuple platinum.
The album met some opposition as the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) attempted to censor "Pare Ko" but without success. The public was said to have found its OPM Fab Four in Eraserheads, opening the second wave of band invasion. The Eraserheadsmania was born.
In October 1994, Eraserheads released a follow-up album entitled Circus. The band said that the album aptly described their life since their smashing debut. The album was unpredictable and unconventional compared to the OPM ballads at that time, and established the band members as good songwriters and musicians. The songs varied in style and mood, ranging from euphoric and hilarious to tender and somber. In the same year, Eraserheads played during the Miss Universe Pageant which was held in Manila.
Four of the songs became successive hits: "Kailan", "Magasin", "Alapaap" & "With A Smile". Circus turned gold in just 30 days with 20,000 copies sold. Eventually, it turned quintuple platinum with 200,000 copies sold. But like Ultraelectromagneticpop!, it too had its share of controversy. In August 1995, Senator Tito Sotto, who was involved in an anti-drug campaign at that time, called for a ban on the airplay and sales of "Alapaap" over an alleged promotion of drug abuse in the lyrics of the song. In response, the Eraserheads denied the allegation, saying that the it was just a misinterpretation, and that the song was the band's "ode to freedom", not an "ode to drug abuse".
Later that year, the band came up with a conceptual Christmas album called Fruitcake. This was shortly followed by a release of a companion storybook of the same title.Their much-awaited third album, Cutterpillow, was launched via a colossal open-air concert attended by fans and followers. With Christmas barely a month over, the Eraserheads opened 1996 by making history in the Philippine music scene once more. Cutterpillow turned gold, even before it hit the record stores, as a result of the pre-selling promo campaign. Soon, the band shot the music video for the song "Ang Huling El Bimbo" (The Last El Bimbo) from the album.
Also in 1995 the band was given a shot at acting when they co-starred with Comedian/TV Host Joey De Leon of "Eat Bulaga" in a comedy film produced By GMA Network's Cinemax Studios (now GMA Films), "Run Barbi Run".
Break-up
After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed that the main songwriter and lead singer, Ely Buendia, had left the band in mid-March 2002 for "reasons unknown". However, in subsequent interviews, Buendia pointed to business matters as the cause of the band's break-up.
In PULP Magazine , Buendia's wife and manager, Diane Ventura, claimed that the breakup started with a miscomunication between Buendia and the band's roadie, the result being that Buendia and Ventura turned up late at a mall gig. This upset the roadie who snidely referred to the couple as "unprofessional". Buendia's band colleagues and crew at the gig gave Buendia "a cold shoulder", related Ventura, being under the impression that Buendia had come late deliberately. The next day, Buendia brought the incident to the attention of the band's management boss, Butch Dans, to which he allegedly reverted the blame to the roadie's "unprofessionalism". Dans, however, allegedly chose to consider the roadie's account over Buendia's without much deliberation. Dans allegedly quipped that Buendia and Ventura were "probably too high on drugs" to remember the gig's schedule. Ventura stepped in to dispute the allegation and vehemently denied that she and Buendia were even told of the schedule. Unfortunately, the other three Eraserheads also believed the roadie's story, which disturbed Buendia because he felt betrayed of their longstanding friendship. Buendia later announced to his mates through SMS that he was quitting the group.
In another interview, Marasigan said he was eating in SM Megamall, a local shopping mall, when he heard of the news (how he heard of it, was not clear). He said he was "semi-surprised" and wondered if Zabala already knew about it. Adoro told of the story now famous among Eraserheads fans about Buendia's cryptic text message. He said Buendia stated in the text message that he had already "graduated." Adoro quipped in the same interview that it was natural for Buendia to graduate first, since he was in batch '87 of their college (UP Diliman), while the rest were in batch '88.
Zabala confessed in an interview that disbanding had not been that far away from the members' minds. He said that there were many occasions wherein they could have disbanded but did not.
Adoro expressed the belief of some people that the band was getting too old, and that it was "selfish" for the band to continue, likely referring to comments about how it's time for other bands, besides Eraserheads, to shine. The band made it clear, though, that Buendia's departure from the band wasn't in any way violent and that there was no shouting (sigawan) or any confrontation involved.
Without relenting, the three remaining Eraserheads decided to continue. Within a few weeks, the "new" Eheads debuted at Hard Rock Cafe in Makati City on April 19, featuring a female singer-guitarist, Kris Gorra-Dancel, from the band, Fatal Posporos. However, after a few months, Adoro had quit the band as well. The remaining members of the Eheads added Diego Mapa and Ebe Dancel to their lineup and renamed their band, "Cambio."
After Eraserheads
Tribute albums
Just a few years after the break-up, the tribute album Ultraelectromagneticjam!: The Music Of The Eraserheads was released in honor of the band. The artists who did their own renditions of Eraserheads classics include Kitchie Nadal, Imago, Orange and Lemons, South Border, Brownman Revival, Sugarfree, MYMP, Sponge Cola, 6Cycle Mind, Francis M., Rico J. Puno, and Radioactive Sago Project. The second volume is in the works.
Many questioned whether the time was right for a tribute to a group that had just disbanded four years ago, with its former members still active in the music industry. Buendia had mixed feelings about the tribute album, saying that "It’s too early to be taking part in it and I don’t see myself being part of it kasi (because) I’m still doing something here...To be part of it is like acknowledging na tapos na ako (that I am finished); isa na lang akong trophy na itatago na (I'm just a trophy to be shelved). Siguro kung uugud-ugud na ako (Maybe when I'm really old), that’s the time I’m gonna look back." Ironically though, he does guest vocals in one of the tracks, "Superproxy 2k6" by Francis Magalona.
Book launch and mini-reunion
On February 28, 2007, the official launch of the book
Tikman Ang Langit: An Anthology on the Eraserheads (2007) was held at the second level of Powerbooks bookstore in Greenbelt 3, Makati City. The launch was accompanied by acoustic performances by Cambio (whose members include Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Kris Gorra-Dancel), Markus Highway (Marcus Adoro's band), and Lei Bautista of Prettier Than Pink. The performers covered Eraserheads songs such as "Ligaya" (performed by Lei Bautista), "With A Smile" (also performed by Bautista) and "Magasin" (performed by Cambio with Marcus Adoro). The event was dubbed a mini-reunion of the Eraserheads, with Marasigan, Zabala and Adoro performing together for the first time in four years. Buendia did not attend because of a scheduled meeting with his surgeon and the manufacturers of the stents in his heart. The launch was attended by around 50 people.
Tikman ang Langit is a collection of essays about Eraserheads originally written by fourteen journalists who are mostly fans of the band. The book itself was compiled by Melvin Calimag and Jing Garcia, with a foreword by Eraserheads producer Robin Rivera.
Another mini-reunion happened and it was in Saguijo on July 26, 2007. Visitors were startled as the venue's schedule listed "Eraserheads" as a performer along with Rivermaya and Teeth. Jugs Jugueta of Itchyworms and Kris Dancel of Cambio played guitars, Zabala on bass, Marasigan on drums, Jett Pangan of The Dawn on vocals, and producer Robin Rivera played drums when Marasigan sang. They called themselves "Eraser X" that night. Buendia and Adoro knew about the event but did not go there as they have other gigs as well. Pupil was in Hard Rock Cafe Makati, while Adoro had gigs with Markus Highway. Although Pupil's bassist Dok Sergio was able to follow and played for Teeth.
Ely Buendia
When Jerome Velasco left The Mongols to study abroad, the other members of the band added The Teeth bassist Dok Sergio to their lineup and renamed their band Pupil. In November 2005, Pupil released an album entitled Beautiful Machines under Sony BMG and label Musiko, with the song, "Nasaan Ka?" as its first single. The song got fair airplay and became quite popular. Pupil's music is relatively more mainstream than The Mongols'.After leaving Eraserheads, Ely Buendia, under the stage name, Jesus "Dizzy" Ventura, joined guitarist Jerome Velasco (of then disunited band, The Teeth (Filipino band)), bassist Yan Yuzon, and drummer Bogs Jugo (of the indie pop band Daydream Cycle) to form the band, The Mongols. After putting out an underground E.P. A Fraction of a Second, the Mongols decided to have their self-produced album distributed by the major label VIVA Records. The result is a thirteen-track album called Buddha's Pest. The Mongols' singles did not get the kind of airplay that the Eraserheads' songs used to have, attributed to the band's leanings towards heavy underground music.
Buendia also had a broadsheet column entitled "CURSOR," which was published weekly in the Entertainment Section of The Manila Bulletin newspaper. Due to Buendia's busy musical career, CURSOR had ended and was last published during the first Saturday of September 2006.
Raimund Marasigan
Marasigan started "Planet Garapata" also in 1996, a short-lived hip-hop and electronica project that featured Eraserheads bassist Zabala, Eraserheads sound engineer Mark Laccay and Jeng Tan. The project debuted in Francis M's 1996 Happy Battle album and featured Marasigan's early rapping skills.After Buendia and Adoro left Eraserheads, Marasigan, Zabala and Gorra-Dancel's group was renamed "Cambio," adding Diego Mapa to their lineup. They came out with an album called Derby Light.
Marasigan's band, Sandwich, was formed in 1996 with his girlfriend Myrene Academia (also with the band Imago) on bass, Marc Abaya on lead guitars and vocals (later replaced by Mong Alcaraz of the band, Chicosci), Diego Castillo on rhythm guitars, and Mike Dizon (from Teeth) on drums. Although existing simultaneously with the Eraserheads, Sandwich built up their own fan base. Abaya left the band in 2005 to concentrate on his own band, Kwjan and Marasigan has since taken over as the sole vocalist and lead guitarist. They have released five albums: Grip Stand Throw, 4-Track Mind, Thanks to the Moon's Gravitational Pull, Five on the Floor, which saw Marasigan handle vocal duties in lieu of former singer Marc Abaya, and their latest release, Marks the Spot.
Marasigan also has a hip-hop influenced project band called Squid 9. In early 2005, Marasigan once again formed another project band called Pedicab. The band is composed of artists in their stage names, Marasigan as "Sugarraims" on synths and backup vocals, Mike Dizon as "Masterbeat" on drums, Jason Caballa (of Twisted Halo and Blast Ople) as "J. Sonic" on guitar and backup vocals, and Diego Mapa as "Daddy Maps" on lead vocals. They call their music "dance-punk." Pedicab’s first album. Tugish Takish, was released later that year.
And in 2008, Marasigan formed yet another project band called Project 1 which is composed of Marasigan himself on vocals, Francis Reyes (of The Dawn) on lead guitars, Clem Castro (formerly with Orange and Lemons, currently with the Camerawalls) on rhythm guitar, Jazz Nicolas (of Itchyworms) on drums, Carlos Calderon (of Chicosci) on bass, and Katwo Librando (of Duster) and Uela Basco (of Chillitees) on vocals.
Buddy Zabala
For his bass work for Cambio ("Derby Light") and Twisted Halo ("In Loving Memory of the Fearless Exploits of the Bolo Brigade"), Zabala was awarded the 2004 NU Rock Awards"Bassist of the Year".Zabala currently plays bass for another legendary Pinoy rock band, The Dawn, as well as for Cambio, Twisted Halo and Sun Valley Crew.
He also helps produce albums for other local bands such as Boldstar, Twisted Halo, Itchyworms, Fatal Posporos and Sugarfree.
Zabala had also scored a number of movies, TV commercials, documentary shorts and stage plays.
Marcus Adoro
Adoro, Zabala, and Marasigan performed for an event at the Millennia Club called "
Marooned," a production of UP bands from past and present. Buendia was invited to the gig, but did not attend. The song, "Batch 88" from "Belma en Luis," was one of the songs that was jammed by the trio.After Buendia left Eraserheads, Adoro also decided to quit a few months later. He then moved to La Union and was unheard from until April 2005. An email from him was sent to
PhilMusic.com about a new project he was working on, called "Belma en Luis".The EP turned up at a shop called "Sarabia Optical" in his former collegiate school, UP Diliman. It became available in different album covers and titles:
Urfer Magazine (Mag:Net Café),
Duckdive (Bigsky),
American Gurl (United States version), and
Submarine (Marikina version).
Adoro was interviewed by GMA 7 newscaster Jessica Soho on her show, "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" about La Union, which is now popular for all beach surfers in the Philippines. Adoro now enjoys a new lifestyle as a surfer in La Union.
Adoro has a new band named Markus Highway under Warner Music Philippines. Their first album, "Behold, Rejoice! Surfernando Is Hear Nah", was released in February 2008.
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They also entered the Philippine music scene with their singles Stars, Take My Hand, their breakthrough single Magbalik, Pasan, which was also included in the soundtrack of Lineage II, Insane and Sanctuary, all from their debut album Destination XYZ. Their second album Fisheye 'followed not long after, which scored its first single Susundan. A commercial jingle Eto na ang Summer that was especially composed for Sony Ericsson, also ran into airplays.
