Pinoy rock
Pinoy rock is a genre of music, specifically rock and roll produced in the Philippines or by Filipinos. Rock is a style of American music, invented in the 1940s and popularized in the followed decade. Artists like Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and the Everly Brothers were among the stars who brought rock across the world, including to the Philippines.
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History
The first popular Filipino rock star was Bobby Gonzalez, whose major hit was "Hahabol-Habol". Eddie Mesa, a teen idol from the period, was known as the Elvis of the Philippines. Filipino rock bands were known as "combos", and they used non-traditional instruments like a floor-bass bongos, maracas and a gas tank.
1960s
In the early 1960s, instrumental American and British bands like The Shadows and The Ventures became popular, as electric instruments and other new technology were added to the scene. Pinoy instrumental bands from this period included The Deltas, The Celtics, RJ & the Riots, The Technicolors, The Hi-Jacks and The Electromaniacs; these bands spawned the first Filipino singer-songwriters.
In 1963, the British Invasion brought bands like The Beatles to mainstream audiences across the worldwide. Their widespread popularity and their embrace of the counterculture injected the possibility of socio-political lyrics with mature comments on real life into popular music. Filipino bands imitated the British Invasion groups, spawning such acts Downbeats, Tilt Down Men, The Moonstrucks, The Dynasouls and Bits & Pieces. Other groups added a horn and brass section, including instruments like the trumpet, flute and saxophone; these included the Drop Outs, The Howlers, The Originals, The Houserockers, Clubmen and The Imperials.
1970s
Into the early 1970s, Pinoy rock was growing more nationalist and socio-political in nature, as well as using Tagalog more often. Performers included Freddie Aguilar, Asin, Florante, Apo Hiking Society, Anakbayan, Juan de la Cruz Band and Banyuhay. OPM (Original Pinoy music) also became popular. The songs like "Ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko" (Miss Universe of My Life) of the Hotdogs used both Tagalog and English lyrics within the same song, which helped innovate the Manila sound. Asin, Aguilar and Florante fused Pinoy rock with folk music while other artists mixed Pinoy rock with other influences.
In 1978, Freddie Aguilar's debut recording, "Anak", became the most commercially successful Filipino recording in history and became popular in Asia and Europe. The breakthrough success of Aguilar.
Today, the works of these artists are sometimes referred to as Pinoy classic rock. This is to differentiate with the Pinoy rock that emerged during the 1990s.
1980s
In the early up to mid-1980s, Pinoy rock became the music of Filipino protestors. Gary Granada and the band Buklod had socially relevant lyrics in their songs. Aguilar's "Bayan Ko" (My Country) became an anthem during the 1986 EDSA Revolution. A subculture rejected this kind of socially aware lyrics. Pinoy punk rock was also been developed during this time, which led by The Jerks and Urban Bandits. On the other hand, Joey Ayala combined ethnic music with Pinoy rock while Cocojam had reggae influences in their music.
The Pinoy rock band that become prominent among the youth of the late 1980s was The Dawn whose music was heavy influeced by New Wave music.
1990s
Introvoys and After Image were prominent and rivals during the early 1990s. But their popularity were later overshadowed by The Eraserheads, the Pinoy rock icon of the 1990s. In 1993 with the release of the Eraserheads' first commercially released album, Ultraelectromagneticpop, a new type of Pinoy rock emerged and other Pinoy rock bands followed their lead. It was also in this time that NU Rock Awards was born. Also, socially relevant lyrics did not escape this era with the release of Yano's self-titled album.
Those bands that followed the Eraserheads' lead have a variety of influences in their music:
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In the late 1990s, nu metal bands became standard in the Pinoy rock music scene but they were not as popular as the bands that precede them. Those bands include Greyhoundz, Cheese, Slapshock and Sandwich.
2000s
In early 2000s with hip-hop and R&B dominated the music scene in the Philippines, Pinoy rock was not that as popular as during the previous decades. Only a few managed to be in the mainstream like Barbie's Cradle and Moonstar88. Noel Cabangon, formerly of Buklod, re-released the song "Kanlungan" and became popular.
In 2004, Bamboo, former lead singer of Rivermaya, formed a band bearing his name and their debut album As the Music Plays became Double Platinum. Pinoy rock music scene was somewhat recharged because of this. A number of performers emerged after this such as Kitchie Nadal, Sugar Free, 6 Cycle Mind, Sponge Cola, Kamikazee and Kjwan.
External links
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