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Pinoy rock, or Filipino rock, is the brand of rock music produced in the Philippines or by Filipinos. It has become as diverse as the rock music genre itself, and bands adopting this style are now further classified under more specific genres or combinations of genres like alternative rock, post-grunge, ethnic, New Wave, pop rock, punk rock, funk, reggae, heavy metal and ska. Because these genres are generally considered to fall under the broad rock music category, pinoy rock may be more specifically defined as rock music with Filipino cultural sensibilities. It is very easy to identify a Pinoy rock song because the lyrics are often in Filipino, Tagalog, or any other language native to the Philippines.

History[link]

One of the first popular Filipino rock stars was Bobby Gonzales, whose major hit was "Hahabul-Habol." Eddie Mesa, another teen idol from the period, became known as the "Elvis Presley of the Philippines." Back then, many Filipinos referred to Rock bands as "combos," many of which used nontraditional instruments like floor-bass bongos, maracas, and gas tanks.

1960s[link]

In the early 1960s, as electric instruments and new technology became available, instrumental American and British bands like The Shadows and The Ventures flourished. Bands that arose in this period were The Deltas, The Celtics, RJ & the Riots, The Technicolors, The Downbeats, The Hi-Jacks, and The Electromaniacs. These bands spawned the first Filipino singer-songwriters.

In 1963, during the British Invasion bands such as The Beatles rose to mainstream audiences 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. Immensely influenced by this new breed of British artists, many Filipino bands began adopting similar musical styles.

1970s[link]

Into the early 1970s, Filipino music was growing more nationalistic and socio-political in nature, as well as using Tagalog more often. Pop music still dominates the airwaves with disco and funk bands such as the Apo Hiking Society and Hotdog. Songs like Hotdog's "Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko" (You Are The Miss Universe of My Life) combined Filipino and English within the same song. This helped innovate the so-called "Manila Sound". OPM (Original Pilipino Music) also became popular.

However, emerging social and political consciousness somehow creeped in to the industry with the traditional allied genres that are folk and rock music. Folk musicians and bands included Freddie Aguilar, Asin, Heber Bartolome and Florante. (In 1978, Freddie Aguilar's debut single, "Anak", became the most commercially successful Filipino recording in history. The song became known also in other Asian countries and in Europe). Perhaps Asin, an ethnic-folk band, was the first commercial band to successfully bring a pro-environment song to the airwaves with "Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran". Also famous for providing subtle rebellious (anti-Marcos dictatorship sentiment was growing at that time) and peace messages behind its skillful vocal harmonizing, Asin gave the masses hits such as "Bayan Kong Sinilangan (Cotabato)" and "Balita".

Juan de la Cruz Band, a garage and blues-rock influenced group consisting of drummer Joey "Pepe" Smith, bassist Mike Hanopol, and lead guitarist Wally Gonzales, are often credited for ushering in the first "rock & roll revolution" in the Philippines that lasted from the late '60s to the late '70s (also known as the Golden Age of Pinoy Rock). Considered by many^[who?] to be the "grandfathers" of Pinoy Rock, they played a large role in re-awakening national pride through their bluesy Tagalog rock songs at a time when the music circulating predominantly in the local scene used lyrics in English. During a Woodstock-esque concert in Luneta Park, the group performed their original "Himig Natin" for the first time.

Being influenced by the counterculture, the bands of the '70s were known to have never been sidelined commercially and sometimes took the center stage by storm. The radio station DZRJ, particularly the AM weekend "Pinoy Rock and Rhythm" show hosted by the ex-Fine Arts student from Philippine Women's University named Dante David, a.k.a. Howlin' Dave, provided the much-needed support and publicity to Pinoy Rock during this era.

Today, many music journalists^[who?] refer to the works of these pioneering artists as Classic Pinoy Rock, perhaps to distinguish them from the works of relatively younger Pinoy Rock bands, especially those that emerged in the 1980s through the 1990s.

1980s[link]

In the early up to mid-1980s, Pinoy Rock became the music of Filipino protesters. Groups like NUKLUSBAND, Sinaglahi, UP Sintunados Patatag, Tambisan, and soloist like the nationalist folk rock singers Paul Galang & Jess Santiago, the progressive folk duo Inang Laya, the progressive Pinoy rock band The Jerks, also the very young then Noel Cabangon were a hit on Street concerts and campus tours. this groups of artists eventually reunited and formed BUKLOD [Bukluran ng mga Musikero para sa Bayan] which later Rom Donggeto, of Sinaglahi, Noel Cabangon, and Rene Bongcocan of Lingkod Sining took as their new band name when it disbanded after the EDSA Revolution. Aguilar's Bayan Ko (My Country) became an anthem during the 1986 EDSA Revolution. A subculture rejected this kind of socially-aware lyrics. Thus Recordings of these early protest group mentioned above were banned from Radio stations but not in Dzrj owned by a composer and musician businessman Ramon Jacinto. The Band NUKLUS with Joven Aguilar,Jesus Nebreja and Ariel Angus was given airplay with their winning of 1st Tuklas Songwiriting piece "Ang Mamang May Baril" . The song became the anthem of the movement against abuses of the military in the early to mid 80's sm The most popular Pinoy Rock band in the Philippines in the '80s was arguably The Dawn, whose early songs were largely influenced by New Wave and Post-punk, the dominant Alternative Music genres in the Philippines during that period. The Dawn came to prominence in 1986, when its independently-released single "Enveloped Ideas" became an instant favorite among listeners of DWXB-FM 102.7, a now-defunct FM radio station popular in the mid-'80s that heavily played New Wave, Post-Punk, and similar genres.

Many music journalists and enthusiasts, as well as musicians themselves, attribute the flourishing in the mid-'80s of New Wave- and Post-Punk-influenced bands to DWXB-FM, which began playing independently-released singles of unsigned local bands. This helped many of the struggling bands in this era to achieve cult status. These bands included Dean's December, Ethnic Faces, Identity Crisis, and Violent Playground, all of which were able to record and release their respective albums in the years that followed.

Other Pinoy Rock groups took their cue from these pioneers and started recording their own songs; and this proved beneficial to the Pinoy Rock scene, which brought back creativity and originality to the awareness of fledgling musicians. Among the lot, The Dawn, Afterimage, and Introvoys proved to be the enduring and more successful groups. Each was able to sustain a relatively long career.

DWXB-FM went off the air on June 9, 1987. The new Cory Aquino-led government began sequestering properties owned by her predecessor Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies, including the home that DWXB-FM beamed from. DWXB-FM was revived as an online radio station on September 10, 2005, by Sutton Records, with the original DJs broadcasting from Manila.

1990s[link]

During the start of the decade, The Hayp, Introvoys and After Image were among the prominent bands enjoying mainstream recognition. But their collective popularity was later overshadowed by younger bands that eventually emerged. An underground music scene was already burgeoning in some unknown bars in Manila. Red Rocks (which later became Club Dredd), together with Mayric's (now Sazi's) and Kampo (Yosh in the mid '90s), were the only venues where unsigned bands were allowed to play their own songs. From Power Pop, shoegazer, postpunk, alternative rock (Eraserheads, Color It Red, The Youth, Half Life Half Death, Feet like Fins, Advent Call, Alamid) to hard rock, heavy metal (Razorback, Askals, Wolfgang, Dahong Palay, etc.) to hardcore, punk, and death metal (Skychurch, Genital Grinder, Death After Birth, Kabaong ni Kamatayan, Loads of Motherhood, WUDS, Yano, Bad Omen, Rumblebelly, Disinterment,Circle's End with Geno Georsua, Deiphago, etc.).

The late 1980s and the early 1990s marked the beginning of what was known as the era of underground rock and progressive music, with NU107.5 playing unknown bands through Francis Brew's "In the Raw". It was through this station that many of the prominent and promising rock bands were discovered (e.g., GreyHoundz, Slapshock, Sugar Free, Fatal Posporos, Itchy Worms, Peryodiko, Monsterbot, Tanya Markova, Pedicab, and many others). NU107.5 was the only radio station that played music longer than the standard radio format would allow, as well as sound tracks (The Reel Score). Apart from allotting air time to new and known foreign rock bands (e.g., Save Ferris, Veruca Salt, Metallica, Audio Slave, Sound Garden, etc.), it gave full exposure to Filipino groups such as Sugar Hiccup, Eraserheads, Imago, Cynthia Alexander, Parokya ni Edgar, Wolfgang, Razorback, Ciudad, Teeth, Urbandub, Putreska, Tropical Depression, Rivermaya, Yano, Siakol, Cheese, etc. Its prestigious NU107 Rock Awards honored the Philippine rock industry's best and brightest for 17 years. These Rock Awardees now rule the local scene.

To add to the plight of the underground bands, radio stations would not play their music due to the payola system in the radio industry despite the fact that most of these bands, if not all, had self-produced (indie) albums. But DWLA 105.9 challenged the current system by providing a venue for the bands to broadcast their original songs. Pinoy Rock enthuthiasts were finally elated to hear their favorite underground bands ruling the airwaves.

Radio station LA 105.9 advocated Filipino rock music, playing original amateur (even if poorly recorded) singles and gave new avenues for emerging bands outside organized underground concerts. Rock n' Rhythm, a local music magazine also supported this scene with news and updates, band interviews, album and concert reviews, carrying on the torch that the defunct Jingle Chordbook and Moptop (popular Philippine rock music magazines during the '70s and '80s, respectively) have entrailed. The band explosion opened avenues for non-traditional artists as well, like Intermidya, for example. Their musical instruments looked like materials from a junk shop glued together and which had names like Sandata#1, Sandata#2, Baby Sandata, etc.

The commercial success of Eraserheads paved the way for more Pinoy Rock acts (Rivermaya, Rizal Underground, The Youth) getting record deals. Some brave all-female bands got signed (Kelt's Cross, Tribal Fish, Agaw Agimat) and a few solo artists as well (Maegan Aguilar, Bayang Barrios, DJ Alvaro). Rappers crossed over with great success (Francis M with Hardware Syndrome and Erectus), despite some earlier controversy with hiphop-bashing allegedly incited by some artists. These bands adopted a variety of influences both in image and music; many fell under a particular genre; however, the crossing over of styles was most often inevitable.

Unfortunately, around 1995, the height of the Pinoy band scene was exploited up to its wits. Bands were guesting almost everywhere from noon-time TV shows and movies to drama sitcoms like Maalaala Mo Kaya. Even the Miss Universe pageant held in the country was not spared.

Although the '90s were more inclined to be about pop rock bands mentioned above, many Filipino rock fans were ardent supporters of the more creative and independent Filipino underground community. Diverse not by name alone, these underground musicians were not easily attracted to mainstream pop sensibilities and grew their own market without the support of corrupt major labels that some critics and artists viewed as responsible for damaging most Filipino music careers.One of the best underground band back then was the Circle's End of U.P Diliman with their main song writer and vocalist Geno Georsua.

A big chunk of these bands shared the same ideology of refusing to be exploited. It was only a matter of time when two factors, piracy and technology, brought major labels to reconsider their business dealings. In effect, most underground musicians secured their own spots in the Metal, Gothic rock, Punk and hardcore genres.

This national scene influenced provincial bands as well. In the Bicol Region, the pinoy rock scene was carried by bands such as Boardwork, Bluestar, Idiocy, and Hellbent, to name a few. Local rock concerts became the go-to school fund raising activities, such that there was a concert almost every week. With the explosion of the band scene, however, came hordes of wanna-bes who wanted a part of the action, albeit lacking in talent. The proliferation of bands with a dearth of talent eventually caused the loss of interest of the locals and as such, contributed to the fading out of the scene.

2000s[link]

In the early 2000s, Hip hop-, reggae-, acoustic pop/jazz-, and R&B-influenced bands dominated the Philippine music scene, causing Pinoy Rock to take a backseat. Only a number of Pinoy Rock bands managed to stay in the mainstream during this period. In 2003 a not-so-well-known home-educated DJ named DJ RO started playing in a small bar and restaurant known as GWEILOS; DJ RO helped promote the club every Monday night while there was an emergence of Filipino Rock bands like Bamboo, Orange and Lemons and Kitchie Nadal that started performing in Gweilos and eventually became popular. In 2004, Pinoy Rock once again gained prominence, with the rise of yet another wave of Filipino Rock bands. During this time, the Pinoy Rock music scene in Cebu also gained exposure.

2001 saw indie band The Pin-Up Girls, made up of former Keltscross members and underground musicians, signing to Know-It-All Records in Tacoma, Washington, making them the first Manila-based band to sign with an American label. This development caused quite a negative reaction from the Manila rock scene as most musicians deemed the band unworthy of the break.

The Pin-Up Girls released an EP worldwide called "Taste Test" that sold out. Know-It-All then printed a new batch dubbed "Taste Test: The Expanded Menu". The lead-off single "Caress" hit number one on the New Jersey- and Internet-based radio www.flashbackalternatives.com.

2004 also saw the emergence of the first Philippine virtual band, Mistula. With the internet as their stage, Mistula comes alive through their official website, a fusion of music, graphic art, literature, photography and other art forms.

The rest of the 2000s further ushered in the mainstream buzz on Pinoy Rock, and along with it bands that leaned more towards pop sensibilities. During this time, Pinoy Rock, more than ever, gained mainstream exposure. Pogi ("pretty-face") rock was born (with such bands as Hale, Sponge Cola, Callalily and the new, post-Rico Blanco Rivermaya), although an obscure, provincial band that called itself Groupies' Panciteria tried to assert a different political path, releasing in 2009 an mp3 album for free downloading on Soundclick.com after having been inspired by the politics of ultra-independent rock artist Dong Abay; the half-send-up-of- and half-tribute-to-commercial-TV 2005 album by the band Itchyworms called Noontime Show; and the downloadable protest-folk albums of Gary Granada.^[1][2]

2006 was when Filipino band, KALA Kāla, appeared in the commercial music scene with their full length album entitled "Manila High" distributed by SonyBMG Music Entertainment. Their first hit was Jeepney which was released summer of 2006. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the band started the resurgence of the Manila Sound genre into the modern world through their own mix of funky jazzy electronic rock music.

The band was also part of the tribute album Hopia Mani Popcorn. They made a funky remake of VST and Co.'s Rock Baby Rock which hit number 1 in the airwaves.

In recent years as well, bands like Urbandub, Pupil, Chicosci, Slapshock and Typecast have also played in other countries such as Singapore and the US, amongst others. Some have even garnered nominations and recognition from internationally-based publications and award-giving bodies. This is mainly attributed to the effect of the internet and globalization on almost anything including music, as listeners from other countries can now see and hear songs and videos of bands overseas without leaving their country.

2010s[link]

In mid-2010, NU 107, known as the nation's premier FM station using a rock format, had been taken down as it was sold by its management after a declining interest by the audience. It was reformatted into a Hot AC station named WIN 107.5. This unexpected change marked a dark future on the Pinoy Rock scene.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

• List of Pinoy rock groups
• Music of the Philippines

References[link]

External links[link]

• Only Pinoy - Philippines Pinoy Rock Music Updates list Bands
• Mayrics Bar, Espana
• Cebu Reggae Community page
• The First Wave of Pinoy Punk (1976-1990)

v t e OPM Fusions and sub-genres Filipino folk ā€¢ Manila Sound ā€¢ Pinoy hip hop ā€¢ Pinoy reggae ā€¢ Pinoy rock (BisRock) ā€¢ Pinoy pop Styles Bodabil ā€¢ CariƱosa ā€¢ Kulintang ensemble ā€¢ Kundiman and Harana ā€¢ Maglalatik ā€¢ Tinikling Instruments Agung ā€¢ Babendil ā€¢ Dabakan ā€¢ Drums ā€¢ Gandingan ā€¢ Guitar ā€¢ Keyboards ā€¢ Kulintang ā€¢ Las PiƱas Bamboo Organ ā€¢ Violin ā€¢ Vocals Music Awards Aliw Awards ā€¢ Awit Awards ā€¢ Metro Manila Popular Music Festival ā€¢ Metropop Song Festival ā€¢ MTV Pilipinas Music Awards ā€¢ Myx Music Awards ā€¢ NU Rock Awards ā€¢ Philippine Hip Hop Awards ā€¢ Philippine International Jazz & Ethnic Arts Festival ā€¢ Philippine Radio Music Awards ā€¢ Urban Music Awards ā€¢ Waki OPM Awards

Pinoy is an informal demonym referring to the Filipino people in the Philippines and overseas Filipinos around the world.^[1][2] Filipinos usually refer to themselves as Pinoy or sometimes the feminine Pinay.^[1] The word is formed by taking the last four letters of Filipino and adding the diminutive suffix -y in the Tagalog language (the suffix is commonly used in Filipino nicknames: "Ninoy" or "Noynoy" for Benigno, "Totoy" for Augusto, etc.). Pinoy was used for self-identification by the first wave of Filipinos going to the continental United States before World War II and has been used both in a pejorative sense as well as a term of endearment similar to Chicano.^[3][4] Both Pinoy and Pinay are still regarded as derogatory by some Filipinos though they are widely used and gaining mainstream usage.^[5]

Pinoy was created to differentiate the experiences of those immigrating to the United States but is now a slang term used to refer to all people of Filipino descent.^[1] Mainstream usages tend to center on entertainment (Pinoy Big Brother) and music (Pinoy Idol) which has played a significant role in developing national and cultural identity. Pinoy music impacted the socio-political climate of the 1970s and was employed by both Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and the People Power Revolution that overthrew his regime.

Origins[link]

Pinoy was coined by expatriate Filipino Americans during the 1920s and was later adopted by Filipinos in the Philippines.^[1] According to historian Dawn Mabalon, the historical use has been to refer to Filipinos born or living in the United States and has been in constant use since the 1920s.^[1] She adds that it was reclaimed and politicized by "Filipino American activists and artists in the Fil-Am movements of the 1960s/1970s".^[1]

Motivations[link]

Map of the dominant ethnolinguistic groups of the Philippines.

The desire to self-identify can likely be attributed to the diverse and independent history of the archipelagic country - comprising 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean - which trace back 30,000 years before becoming a Spanish colony in the 16th century and later occupied by the United States, which led to the outbreak of the Philippineā€“American War (1899ā€“1902).^[6] The Commonwealth of the Philippines was established in 1935 with the country gaining its independence in 1946 after hostilities in the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War had ended.^[7] The Philippines have over 170 languages indigenous to the area most of which belong to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. In 1939, then president Manuel L. Quezon renamed the Tagalog language as the Wikang Pambansa ("national language").^[8] The language was further renamed in 1959 as Filipino by Secretary of Education Jose Romero. The 1973 constitution declared the Filipino language to be co-official, along with English, and mandated the development of a national language to be known as Filipino. Since then, the two official languages are Filipino and English.^[9]

As of 2003 there are more than eleven million overseas Filipinos worldwide, equivalent to about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.^[10]

Earliest usages[link]

The earliest known usages of Pinoy/Pinay in magazines and newspapers date to the 1920s include taking on social issues facing Pinoy, casual mentions of Pinoys at events, while some are advertisements from Hawaii from Filipinos themselves.^[11][12][13] The following are the more notable earliest usages:

United States[link]

In the United States, the earliest published usage known is a Philippine Republic article written in January 1924 by Dr. J. Juliano, a member of the faculty of the Schurz school in Chicago - "Why does a Pinoy take it as an insult to be taken for a Shintoist or a Confucian?" and "What should a Pinoy do if he is addressed as a Chinese or a Jap?"^[11][14]

Philippines[link]

In the Philippines, the earliest published usage known is from December 1926, in History of the Philippine Press, which briefly mentions a weekly Spanish-Visayan-English publication called Pinoy based in Capiz and published by the Pinoy Publishing Company.^[11][15] In 1930, the Manila-based magazine Khaki and Red: The Official Organ of the Constabulary and Police printed an article about street gangs stating "another is the 'Kapatiran' gang of Intramuros, composed of patrons of pools rooms who banded together to 'protect pinoys' from the abusive American soldados."^[11][14]

Notable literature[link]

Pinoy is first used by Filipino poet Carlos Bulosan, in his 1946 semi-autobiography, America Is in the Heart - "The Pinoys work every day in the fields but when the season is over their money is in the Chinese vaults."^[11][16] The book describes his childhood in the Philippines, his voyage to America, and his years as an itinerant laborer following the harvest trail in the rural West.^[16] It has been used in American Ethnic courses to illustrate the racism experienced by thousands of Filipino laborers during the 1930s and 40s in the United States.

Pinoy music[link]

In the early 1970s Pinoy music or Pinoy pop emerged, often sung in Tagalog - it was a mix of rock, folk, and ballads - marking a political use of music similar to early hip hop but transcending class.^[17] The music was a "conscious attempt to create a Filipino national and popular culture" and it often reflected social realities and problems.^[17] As early as 1973, the Juan De la Cruz Band was performing "Ang Himig Natin" ("Our Music"), which is widely regarded as the first example of Pinoy rock.^[18] Pinoy gained popular currency in the late 1970s in the Philippines when a surge in patriotism made a hit song of Filipino folk singer Heber Bartolome's "Tayo'y mga Pinoy" ("We are Pinoys"). This trend was followed by Filipino rapper Francis Magalona's "Mga Kababayan Ko" ("My Countrymen") in the 1990s and Filipino rock band Bamboo's "Noypi" (Pinoy in reversed syllables) in the 2000s. Nowadays, Pinoy is used as an adjective to some terms highlighting their relationship to the Philippines or Filipinos. Pinoy rock was soon followed by Pinoy folk and later, Pinoy jazz.^[17] Although the music was often used to express opposition to then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his use of martial law and the creating of the Batasang Bayan, many of the songs were more subversive and some just instilled national pride. Perhaps because of the cultural affirming nature and many of the songs seemingly being non-threatening, the Marcos administration ordered radio stations to play at least one - and later, three - Pinoy songs each hour.^[17] Pinoy music was greatly employed both by Marcos and political forces who sought to overthrow him.^[17]

See also[link]

• Demographics of the Philippines
• Ethnic groups in the Philippines
• Flip (slang)
• Race and ethnicity in the United States Census

External links[link]

• The Pinoy Warrior

References[link]

v t e  Philippines topics History Prehistory Spanish colonial period Battle of Mactan Manila Galleon Spanish East Indies Philippine revolts against Spain Philippine Revolution Philippine Declaration of Independence First Republic Philippine-American War American colonial period Tydings-McDuffie Act Commonwealth of the Philippines World War II Second Republic Third Republic Marcos era 1986 People Power Revolution 2001 EDSA Revolution EDSA III Fifth Republic Geography Island groups Administrative divisions Regions Provinces Cities Municipalities Barangays Bays Islands Lakes Mountains Peninsulas Rivers Volcanoes Environmental issues Water supply and sanitation Tourism Landmarks Governance Constitution President Cabinet Vice President Executive departments Congress Senate House of Representatives Supreme Court Military Law enforcement Foreign relations Politics Political parties Elections Liberalism Human rights Economy Companies Central Bank Philippine peso Stock Exchange Transportation Communications Fiscal policy Society Demographics Filipino people Education Ethnic groups Languages Religion Immigration Culture Art Cinema Cuisine Dance Literature Music Public holidays Sports Traditional beliefs Martial arts Olympics Symbols Name Flag Coat of arms Lupang Hinirang Philippine Eagle Sampaguita Narra Arnis Portal

Arnel Pineda
Background information
Birth name	Arnel Pineda
Born	(1967-09-05) September 5, 1967 (age 44) Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Genres	Rock, hard rock, soft rock, OPM
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bandurria
Years active	1982ā€“Present
Labels	Universal Music Group
Associated acts	Ijos Band, Amo, New Age, Most W@nted, The Zoo, Journey

Arnel Pineda (born September 5, 1967) is a Filipino singer-songwriter who has served as the lead singer of the American rock band Journey since 2007.^[1] Pineda has had a successful musical career in the Philippines for the last 25 years.

Biography[link]

Arnel Pineda was born in Sampaloc, Marikina Sampaloc, Manila, in the Philippines. His mother instilled his love for singing at an early age, encouraging him to sing along to songs from his favorite singers like Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand. Growing up, his parents entered him in many singing contests.^[2]

His mother, who had been suffering from heart disease, died when he was thirteen. Her illness had left their family deep in debt.^[3] Being 6 months or one year behind on their rented apartment and unable to sufficiently provide for the family, his father decided to move out and ask relatives to take in Pineda's siblings. To ease his father's burden, Pineda quit school and volunteered to strike out on his own.

About two years of his life were spent out on the streets, sleeping wherever he could: in public parks, or on a narrow bench outside a friend's crowded house. He earned meager money by collecting glass bottles, newspapers, and scrap metal and selling them to recyclers. He would also go to the pier with his friends and take on odd jobs like cleaning scrap metal and docked ships. He didn't have much to eat, sometimes rationing a small package of Marie biscuit as his meal for two days.^[4]

Singing career[link]

In 1982, when Pineda was 15 years old, he became the lead singer of the Filipino group Ijos. He used to sing in Shakey's Taft. In 1986, some members of Ijos formed a group called Amo. Amo entered and won the Rock Wars contest in the Philippines.^[5]

In 1988, Amo entered and won the Philippines leg of the Yamaha World Band Explosion. They went on to the finals in Hong Kong, but were not qualified to win due to a technicality. The rules stated the winning song had to be an original composition. However, they also stated that the song entry in the finals had to be the same song with which the band won their country's leg of the competition. Amo's winning song in the Philippines was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. After the contest, the band continued as Amo, performing live. They opened for Robert Palmer in Manila in 1989.^[5] Amo played in clubs in Quezon City, Olongapo City and Makati City, which are located in Luzon, the biggest island in the Philippines. Amo was very popular in the Chinese-owned California Jam club in Olongapo City, which was frequented by United States military personnel.^[5]

In 1990, Pineda and other members of Amo formed another band called Intensity five and once again entered the Yamaha World Band Explosion. Pineda won the Best Vocalist award and the band came in as first runner up.^[5]

Later in 1990, five of Amo's original members split from the band leader, Ulysis Ablang and formed another band behind Pineda, New Age. This occurred prior to the release of Amo's only album released in 1990 titled Ang Tunay na Amo ("The Real Master") on BMG records which spawned one popular radio hit called "Running Away". (The song gained recognition in 2006 by another Filipino artist Erik Santos, who won an American Idol type Filipino TV show, Star In A Million.) The remaining members of Amo went on to become The Boss Band, while Pineda's band, New Age, played regularly at Fire and Rain in Makati City.

In 1991, during one of those performances, a talent agent spotted Pineda and New Age and asked them to move to Hong Kong to perform at a very popular entertainment restaurant called Grammy's. With New Age, Pineda performed six nights a week, Tuesday through Sunday, for several years thereafter.^[5] After a long-term serious relationship failed in 1994, Pineda suffered health problems, which almost destroyed his voice. He returned to the Philippines. After six months of recuperation, he was able to sing again.^[5][6] He returned to Hong Kong and resumed singing with his band. In 1998, the owner of Igor's, the premiere theme restaurant/nightclub in Hong Kong, asked New Age to perform there. Dressed in skeleton outfits, they called themselves The Rolling Bones.^[5]

In 1999, Pineda caught the attention of Warner Bros. record label and flew back to the Philippines on his days off to record a solo album, the self-titled Arnel Pineda. Most of the albumā€™s ten original songs were slow ballads, with only two upbeat numbers, one of which carries a Latin style. One of the songs, ā€œIiyak Ka Rinā€ (You Will Cry Too) became a karaoke favorite in Asia, while another song "Sayang" (Too Bad) became a radio favorite. Pineda wrote and arranged several songs. Pineda continued to perform with New Age while making his album and for several years thereafter. In 2001, Pineda sang one song with Filipino band, South Borderā€™s album The Way We Do. The song is called ā€œLooking Glassā€. Earlier that year, Pineda formed a new band,eventually called "9mm" and played around the city's top bars including The Hard Rock Cafe in Makati City.The band played a three month stint at ā€œThe Edgeā€ in Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong in 2002.

In 2004, three members of New Age reformed with a female singer sharing lead vocals with Pineda and called themselves Most W@nted. This band played 3ā€“4 hour sets Monday through Saturday at The Cavern Club in Hong Kong.^[7] On their only day off, Sundays, the band often performed at Filipino community events.

In 2005, Arnel recorded the theme song of the short-lived Filipino radio show "Dayo". A band named The Visitors was briefly formed for promotion purposes of the "Dayo" soundtrack consisting of three members from Ijos/Yjoz, Amo, New Age and Most W@nted.^[5]

The Zoo[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

In 2006, encouraged by well-respected Filipino talent manager and TV director, Bert de Leon, Pineda moved back to the Philippines with Monet Cajipe, the guitarist who had been in all of Pinedaā€™s previous bands. They formed The Zoo with Emil Bondoc on bass, Edgar Mendoza on keyboards, and Mckoy Alcantara on drums. They signed on with de Leon's company, Sundance Entertainment Corporation. The Zoo performed several nights a week at clubs in Manila and Olongapo during 2006 and 2007. Shows regularly spanned 3ā€“5 hours. The Zooā€™s first album Zoology was released by MCA Universal in September 2007 featuring 12 original tracks and one cover song ("Pain in My Heart," originally recorded a decade earlier by Second Wind), five of which were penned by Pineda, and another was co-written by Pineda and Mark Valliente.

Journey[link]

Arnel Pineda at the PNC Bank Arts Center, New Jersey, 8/11/2008

Videos of The Zoo performing cover songs by Journey, Survivor, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Air Supply, The Eagles, Kenny Loggins, Stryper and other popular acts from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, began appearing on YouTube.com in February 2007. On June 28, 2007,^[8] Neal Schon of Journey contacted Noel Gomez, a longtime fan and friend of Pineda who uploaded many of these videos, to ask for Pineda's contact information. Schon sent an e-mail to Pineda inviting him to audition for Journey. Pineda initially dismissed the e-mail as a hoax, but after being persuaded by Gomez, he finally replied to Schon's e-mail. Ten minutes later, Pineda received a phone call from Schon.^[9] On August 12,^[10] Pineda, along with his manager Bert de Leon, flew to Marin County, just north of San Francisco, for a two-day audition.^[11][12] The star-struck Pineda was welcomed warmly but he described the audition as "nerve-wracking, tense".^[13] On December 5, 2007, Pineda was announced as the lead singer of Journey. CNN Headline News ran the story as part of their "News to Me" segment.^[14]

Pineda debuted as the lead singer of Journey on February 21, 2008 at the ViƱa del Mar International Song Festival held at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater in ViƱa del Mar, Chile.^[15][16]

Chilean media acclaimed Pineda's performance (translated to English): "The new vocalist fits very well with the band, his vocal aptitudes shining through, which are very similar to the legendary musician of the band, Steve Perry."^[17] Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain described Pineda's performance in a radio interview: "We went to Chile just recently, where we had never played and they went crazy, they absolutely went nuts...Arnel's first show ā€” talk about a stressful thing ā€” we had a televised concert for 25 million people...Is the guy a winner? Yeah, he's a winner. He's a clutch player."^[18]

Journey returned to the US for a private RE/MAX Convention event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 6, 2008, then performed at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood on March 8, 2008 (this concert was recorded and used, in part, for the Revelation DVD).

On February 1, 2009 he performed with Journey at the Super Bowl XLIII Pregame Show.

[edit] Revelation album and tour

Journey's first album with Pineda, Revelation, debuted at No. 5 in the Billboard Top 200 album charts in the week following its release (released June 3, 2008), and remained in the Top 20 for six weeks. It was certified gold by the RIAA with more than 336,000 units sold within the first few days.^[19] It achieved platinum status by October 1, 2008.

The US version of the album (distributed exclusively through Wal-Mart) consists of 10 new songs ("Faith in the Heartland" was co-written and originally recorded by vocalist Steve Augeri and S. Augeri is credited as song writer in the liner notes of this album) and 12 re-recorded classics, plus a live in-concert DVD filmed during the March 8, 2008 concert in Las Vegas. The European version distributed through Frontiers Records contains 11 new songs, 11 re-recorded classics, plus one new bonus track, but does not include the DVD. All of the music on Revelation was produced by Kevin Shirley (who previously worked with Journey on their Platinum-certified Trial by Fire album).^[20]

Jonathan Cain described the album in an interview: "We recorded our greatest hits with our brand new singer from the Philippines, Arnel Pineda, and it's unbelievable when you listen to it. We paid a lot of attention to the details because everybody loves those hits and we weren't about to step all over it. We've got that and a brand new CD as well, and then there's a bonus DVD of what the band looks like now, about an hour of songs... It's a 3-disc package... We're excited because we think Arnel is the future for our franchise... We knew that if we were ever gonna move on, we had to get somebody that was really gonna be our future and sound like Journey is supposed to sound...I think Journey fans are in for a real treat."^[18]

In an interview soon after Pineda joined the band, Neal Schon said, "We feel reborn. I think thereā€™s a lot of chemistry among the five of us. At first we were going to go into the studio and just write 4 songs, but now itā€™s escalated to a lot of great new and diverse material. The stuff sounds tremendous. Everyoneā€™s so stoked about it. We feel very fortunate to have found Arnel."^[21]

Journey's 2008 tour accompanying the release of Revelation began on June 8, 2008, in Spain, followed by four dates in Germany, and one date in the Netherlands. Journey toured the United Kingdom and Ireland from June 17 through June 28, 2008. The US tour (with Heart and Cheap Trick) began on July 9, 2008, in Denver, Colorado, and continued through October 4, 2008, in Albuquerque, NM. Many dates were already sold out, well in advance. Pineda celebrated his 41st birthday on September 5, 2008 during a concert at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto, Canada. In September 2008, Journey performed back-to-back sold-out concerts at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.^[22] Pineda sang in 57 concerts during the 2008 Journey World Tour. Journey's recent visit to the United States Gulf Coast performing at the Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, Alabama and at the Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida was a tremendous hit due to the large Filipino communities living in that area.

In the second leg of the tour, Journey went on an Asianā€“Hawaiian tour, going to Tokyo, Japan; Nagoya, Japan; Osaka, Japan; Manila, Philippines; Macau, China; Kahului, Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Waikoloa, Hawaii.^[23] The Manila concert was released as a live concert DVD. Total concert revenue for Journey in 2008 was $35,695,481.^[24]

Television[link]

• Protege (Mentor of Nomer Limatog - replacement of Rachelle Ann Go) (GMA Network)
• ASAP (Co-host; 2008ā€“present) (ABS-CBN)
• Simply KC (Guest) (ABS-CBN)
• Showtime (Guest judge) (ABS-CBN)
• Eat Bulaga! (Guest) (GMA Network)
• Boy and Kris (Guest) (ABS-CBN)
• Ellen DeGeneres Show
• CBS Early Show (Guest with Journey) (CBS)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (Guest with Journey)
• NBC Today Show (Guest with Journey)

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

• Arnel Pineda (1999)

With Zoo[link]

• Zoology (2007)

With Journey[link]

• Revelation (2008)
• Journey: Live in Manila (2009, DVD)
• Eclipse (2011)

Other lead vocals[link]

• South Border ā€” The Way We Do (track "Looking Glass") (2001)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Arnel Pineda Official Site
• Arnel Pineda Foundation Inc. - Non-profit organization, Philippines

Rico Blanco
Blanco during a live performance.
Background information
Birth name	Rico Rene Granados Blanco
Also known as	Rico Blanco
Born	March 17
Origin	Manila, Philippines
Genres	Alternative rock, Pop rock, Progressive rock, Electronic rock, Synthpop
Occupations	Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Arranger, Dancer, Actor, Host, Multi-instrumentalist
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard, Bass, Synthesizers, Drums, Percussions
Years active	1993ā€“2007 (with Rivermaya) 2008ā€“present (as a Solo artist)
Labels	Warner Music Philippines
Associated acts	Rivermaya
Website	Official site
Notable instruments
Keyboards Fender Stratocaster Gibson SG Robot CF Martin D28 Analog Synthesizer Drums Bass Godin Guitars

Rico Blanco is a Filipino singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur.

Career[link]

Rico was one of the founding members of Filipino rock band Rivermaya, in varying roles as vocalist, keyboardist, guitarist, and main songwriter from 1993 to 2007.

Aside from his songwriter credits in his solo album and in Rivermaya, Blanco also arranged and wrote music for various side projects such as the United Nations MDG theme "Tayo Tayo Rin", The Philippine Department of Tourism theme "Biyahe Tayo" (both of which were performed by veteran Filipino musicians, such as Freddie Aguilar, The Apo Hiking Society, Lea Salonga, and Sharon Cuneta). He also co-wrote a theme song for the Southeast Asian Games, "Posible".

Rico Blanco was also a stage and film actor. He starred alongside Noel Cabangon and Joey Ayala in the Music Museum and 1970s Bistro production of Jesus Christ Superstar and also starred alongside Epy Quizon and Christopher de Leon in the independent film Nasaan si Francis?. He is also the voice behind Ryusuke (Ray) Minami in the Philippine edition of BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad. [4] He also directed several music videos, won an award for his work as musical scorer/arranger for HIT Productions. Blanco also dabbles in oil painting and photography.

Among the albums Blanco produced are Slapshock's Project 11-41, Sugarfree's Sa Wakas, The Dawn's Salamat (Millennium edition single), Teeth's I Was a Teenage Tree and Rivermaya's Free album which won him a NU Rock award for Producer of the year. Blanco also used to host MYX Live. He also composed scores for many commercials & other various corporate functions around the Philippines.

In May 2007, Blanco announced his departure from Rivermaya. His last performance with Rivermaya was on May 4, 2007 at the Metro Bar (wherein two other high profile Filipino bands opened the show, Pupil and Sandwich; two spin-off bands of the legendary pop-rock group Eraserheads). It was coincidental that Ricoā€™s first gig as singer for Rivermaya was also held at the Metro Bar (formerly known as "Kampo"). Furthermore, first ever Rivermaya gig (where Blanco was keyboardist) was in Las PiƱas City in 1993 where the band was the opening act for Eraserheads.^[1]

In 2007, he launched a clothing line for a clothing brand in the Philippines, Human.^[2] He also spent his time with philanthropic work. In late 2007 he came out of retirement to sing for the Sumilao farmers who walked 1,700 km from Bukidnon to reach Department of Agrarian Reform in Metro Manila. Blanco also wrote and produced an electronic dance music song titled "Control" for the album of Nancy Castiglione.

In 2011, Blanco co-wrote the song "Chemistry" with Solenn Heussaff for the latter's self-titled debut album.^[3]

Solo artist[link]

On June 12, 2008 Warner Music Philippines, launched Rico Blanco's first single ā€œYugtoā€ which marked his entry in the Filipino music industry as a solo artist. Critics and music fans immediately hail it as a "neo-epic".^[4] The song won a host of awards, among them 4 major Awit awards including Song of the Year.^[5] His first album titled "Your Universe" was released on August 8, 2008 (08/08/'08). The 10-track CD is a unique fusion of diverse sounds, among them the ethno-rock "Yugto", the heart-tugging title track "Your Universe", the rockabilly/punk feel of "Ayuz", the sweet, Pinoy-folk "Para Hindi Ka Mawala", and the sing-along anthem "Antukin".^[6] Also notable is his return to his roots as a keyboard player as evidenced by the infusion of synthesizer and electronic elements throughout the album. Incidentally, Warner Music Philippines are known for disbanding bands and turning their respective lead vocalists into solo artists.

Currently, Rico's live band is usually composed of Robert de la Cruz (of Queso and Skychurch) on drums and Ricci Gurango (formerly of Hungry Young Poets and Mojofly) on bass, while Rico plays guitars and keyboards. Many other session musicians join him on stage from time to time.

In November 2008, Blanco won the "Vocalist of the Year" award in the NU Rock Awards. In December 2008, he was heralded RX93.1 "OPM Solo Artist of the Year. He also opened for Myx Mo 2008 and performed "Yugto". Aside from his band, The Mandaluyong Children's Choir, Manila Symphony Orchestra, Kulintangan musicians (headed by Malou Matute), and various Percussionists (headed by Iggy de Dios), all performed with him. The opening set was touted to be the biggest in the event's history.

In February 2009, he won as "Best New Artist" in the MYX Music Awards 2009. Then, Blanco was picked by Unilever Philippines to re-write and sing a version of the regional campaign song of Close Up toothpaste, released a single entitled "Come Closer".

Rico sang together with Imago vocalist Aia de Leon, and Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan, on ā€œAko ang Simulaā€, the theme song for a campaign which calls on Filipinos, especially the youth, to actively participate in the 2010 elections.

When super typhoons ravaged the Philippines in September 2009, Rico responded quickly by writing and recording and releasing "Bangon", to raise awareness and ultimately, funds to help the victims of the typhoons. Rico gave away the song as a free download to give hope to the victims, salute the heroes and inspire people to continue helping. Blanco also said that he is waiving all royalties due to him for the mobile downloads of the song, which he will instead give to affected families.^[7][8]

In December 2009, Blanco launched his new music video for the single "Ayuz", it features his dance tribute to Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, with Cristine Reyes as special guest.

In May 2010, Blanco was announced to be on the cast of ABS-CBN's newest supernatural-political thriller TV series Imortal which stars John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin, Blanco also sang the song "Kahit Walang Sabihin" for the said TV series. This was followed by the launch of Rico Blanco's very own company, Balcony Entertainment, in cooperation with Warner Music Philippines.

The same year, Rico Blanco launched his first album "Your Universe" in other Asian countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong. The Asian release featured a new single "Neon Lights", the song quickly gained the number 1 spot in Hong Kong charts beating other artists such as Justin Bieber, Wonder Girls and Mika.^[9]

In March 2011, Sesame Street Philippines went into partnership with Blanco to launch the new education campaign called Sesame Street "Kid Ako". The campaign will launch in schools which will use Sesame Street books and videos to help encourage learning among kids at an early age. Blanco is also set to make two songs for the campaign.^[10]

Rico is set to release his second solo album in early 2012.^[11]

Musical influences[link]

At a young age, Rico listened heavily to his uncle's records which included The Beatles, jazz and 1970s rock. He moved on to appreciate late 1970s to 1980s punk rock, post punk, synth pop and new wave artists (mostly from the U.K.) such as XTC, The Cure, The Smiths, U2, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, OMD, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, New Order, Madness, Terry Hall, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Midnight Oil (Aus), among others. He also listened to Filipino artists such as Deans December, Violent Playground, Identity Crisis, Urban Bandits, Joey Ayala, among others. The music he listened to while growing up is largely credited for his musical style.[5]

Endorsements and Business interests[link]

A trendsetter, Rico Blanco and his wide influence has always made him one of the most sought after endorsers. He has already endorsed brands in telecom, fastfood, clothing, home entertainment, alcoholic beverages, and chocolates among many others.

Rico Blanco is also a partner in Capone's Makati with Mark Escueta (former bandmate in Rivermaya) and many others, and also Aruba Metrowalk, two restaurant/bars located in Metro Manila. He also currently serves as the company President of Time in Manila club in Makati Avenue.^[12]

In 2010, Rico established Loudbox, an audio production/post studio mainly catering to the Advertising industry. His business partners are Manuel Legarda of Wolfgang, Sach Castillo, Allan Feliciano and Edsel Tolentino.^[13]

Also on the same year, following his endorsement in Human clothing brand, Rico launched his own brand named Koboi, located at San Juan City, Metro Manila.

Appearances[link]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Awards and recognitions[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Blanco's Official Website [6]
• Blanco's Official Facebook Artist Page [7]
• Blanco's Official Blog [8]