16 years of music with Parokya Ni Edgar

Parokya ni Edgar has been rocking the country’s musical scene for 16 years, creating hits like Harana, Picha Pie and Mr. Suave. Filipinos have learned to love their playful style and personality as a band.

Parokya ni Edgar was recently in Cebu when the group jammed with thousands of Cebuanos during the Kapamilya Sinulog Fiesta Concert (Lupig Sila) on January 18 at the main campus of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST).

They seemed to have enjoyed the audience well because when they ended their sixth song (as agreed with the organizers), lead vocalist Chito Miranda pushed to sing another set of songs.

“Hangga’t hindi kami inaawat dito, dito lang kami,” he shouted as the band continued to play six more songs.

He added in a one-on-one interview backstage that the band has always loved playing in Cebu. “Sobrang sarap. Ang mga Cebuanos marunong mag-appreciate ng Pinoy music. Ang taas ng energy nila,” he said.

Last December 2008, the band turned 16 years old. Since 1993, when the members, who were then high school students at Ateneo De Manila University, formed the band, their friendship has remained solid and intact.

Parokya ni Edgar is composed of Alfonso “Chito” Miranda, Jr. as lead vocals, Darius Gerard “Dariuken” Semana as lead guitars, Buhawi “Buwi” Meneses as bass guitar, Gabriel Ignatius “Gab” Chee Kee as rhythm guitars, Ferdinan “Dindin” as drums and Francis Vincent “Vinchi” Montaner as second vocals.

“Alam na namin ang baho ng isa’t isa. Sa dami ng napag-daanan na namin, palaging masaya sa banda,” back-up vocals Vinchi Montaner said.

Chito admitted that what they’re earning as a band has also mattered. “Kung wala ang pera, dati na siguro kaming naghiwalay,” he laughed.

With 16 years and still counting, the band looks forward to doing more projects this year, including releasing another album mid of this year and embarking on music tours in Singapore and Dubai.

“Sa album namin, ganun pa rin, parang ‘chopseuy’ ang genre. Halo-halo ang 14 tracks kasi may rap, rock and roll, pop at iba pa,” Chito said.

Having been in the industry for quite some time, Parokya ni Edgar has been considered one of the idols for many Filipino bands. Yet, at the same time, the members themselves have appreciated Cebuano bands, giving the nod to the music of Ambassador, Faspitch and Urbandub.

With many emerging bands and young people looking to form one nowadays, the band advised them to go on. “Ipagpatuloy nila yan. At dapat i-enjoy nila kasi kapag ang gusto lang nila ay sumikat at kumita, di yun pwede. Dapat maging totoo sila sa sarili nila,” they said.

Parokya ni Edgar has indeed rocked the musical scene in the Philippines. And will continue to rock more.