Parokya ni Edgar

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 – schoolmate Dindin Moreno and 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 their friend Darius Semaña to take the role of lead guitar.

Career

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.

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.

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.

After a 5-year break, they released their junior studio album Edgar Edgar Musikahan in 2002. This included the single "Halaga", one of the most popular songs in their career. "Halaga" was such a hit in the country that it further boosted PNE's career, cementing their name into OPM history.

In 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.

2004 was the year of release of Inuman Sessions Vol. 1, PNE's first compilation DVD album celebrating their 11th year anniversary. The DVD showcased the band's prerecorded live studio performance of their hit songs to a selected audience. The DVD album met success in sales nationwide.

They released their 9th 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 2nd 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 of their opm rock band of the mid 90's. They are the 2nd 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. 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. The 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 will 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 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.

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

Studio albums

Christmas albums

Compilation albums

Live albums

DVDs

Collaborative album appearances

Singles

Parodies and samples

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

Music videos

Awards and nominations

Awit Awards

NU Rock Awards

MTV Asia Awards

MTV Pilipinas

MTV Video Music Awards

MYX Music Awards

Yahoo! Philippines OMG Awards

DWLS FM (now Barangay LS 97.1)

Guillermo Memorial Foundation

1st Philippine Radio Music Awards

1st Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Philippines

1st M.O.R. 101.9 Music Awards

SOP PasiklaBAND Awards

ASAP Pop Viewers Choice Awards

Commercial endorsements

Magazine Cover & Other appearances