Eraserheads facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eraserheads
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Eraserheads during the Huling El Bimbo reunion concert in 2022. From left: Marcus Adoro, Ely Buendia, Buddy Zabala, and Raimund Marasigan
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| Origin | Quezon City, Philippines |
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Eraserheads (sometimes written as ERASƎRHEADS or ƎRASƎRHƎADS) is a famous Filipino rock band. They started in Quezon City in 1989. The band members are Ely Buendia (lead singer and songwriter), Marcus Adoro (guitarist), Buddy Zabala (bassist), and Raimund Marasigan (drummer). Many people think they are the most important band in Philippine music history. They are even called “the Beatles of the Philippines” because they sold over 9 million copies of their music!
The band released their first album, Ultraelectromagneticpop!, in 1993. It was very popular and sold many copies. After that, they released Circus (1994) and Cutterpillow (1995). These albums helped new Philippine rock bands become popular in the 1990s. Eraserheads also won an award from MTV Asia in 1997, which was a big deal for a Filipino artist.
Later, they released a Christmas album called Fruitcake (1996). They then tried out new music styles like electronic and art rock in their albums Sticker Happy (1997), Natin99 (1999), and Carbon Stereoxide (2001). The band broke up in 2002, but all the members continued to make music on their own. They got back together in 2008 for special concerts in the Philippines and have played shows around the world since then.
Contents
Band History
How the Band Started (1989–1992)
The members of Eraserheads first met at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City in 1989. Ely Buendia, the singer, had been in other bands before. Raimund Marasigan (drums), Buddy Zabala (bass), and Marcus Adoro (guitar) were in a band called Curfew. Ely put up a notice looking for new band members, and the other three showed up. They decided to call their new band Eraserheads, named after a movie called Eraserhead (1977) by David Lynch.
At first, the band played at school events. They often played as people were leaving. They later met Jett Pangan from the band The Dawn, who told them to try out for bigger shows. On January 26, 1991, they recorded nine songs in Raimund's garage. These songs were influenced by bands like The Cure and also by ska and reggae music. They tried to get record labels, clubs, and radio stations interested, but no one wanted their music. One record label even said their songs were "not pop enough."
Raimund gave a copy of their songs to his professor, Robin Rivera. He helped them record better versions of their songs. They called this new collection Pop-U! to playfully respond to those who had rejected them.
Pop-U! helped the band get a chance to play at a club called Club Dredd. At first, they mostly played cover songs. But then they started writing their own music, and soon they gained many fans. One of their songs, "Pare Ko", became very popular even though it had some strong words. The band then got a chance to play a show outside of Manila, opening for another band called Introvoys in Cebu.
Ely Buendia also worked as a writer for BMG, a music company, and wrote songs with the band at night. Their music caught the attention of Vic Valenciano, a director at BMG. He thought they were a bit rough but had a lot of promise. In 1992, BMG signed the band to a three-year record deal.
Becoming Famous (1993–1996)
Eraserheads recorded their first album, Ultraelectromagneticpop!, in early 1993. Some of the songs were new versions of their Pop-U! demos. BMG released the album in July, and it became a huge hit, selling 300,000 copies by the end of the year.
The band performed at the Miss Universe pageant in Pasay City in May 1994. Later that year, in November, they had their first big concert called "Eraserheads Jamboree" in Manila. They also released their second album, Circus, in the same month. This album was also very successful, selling five times the amount needed to be called "platinum."
In July 1995, the band appeared as themselves in a comedy movie called Run Barbi Run. They also helped create the movie's theme song. In December, they released their third album, Cutterpillow, with a free outdoor concert. This album sold even faster, reaching double platinum (80,000 copies) in just one week. After Cutterpillow, the band went on a tour all over the country to promote it.
In January 1996, Eraserheads opened for famous international bands like Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, and Beastie Boys at an MTV Asia concert in Manila. In December, they released their fourth album, Fruitcake. This was a Christmas-themed album with all songs in English. It was also a big success, selling 120,000 copies in a month. A storybook that went along with the album was released the next year.
Later Years and Break-up (1997–2002)
Touring the World
The band started playing shows outside the Philippines in 1997. Their first international show was in Singapore in March. In May, they played their first shows in the United States, performing in California. In September, they won the MTV Asia Viewer's Choice Award for their music video "Ang Huling El Bimbo" at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City. This made them the first Filipino artist to win such an award.
Their fifth album, Sticker Happy, was released in the same month and sold 120,000 copies. With this album, the band tried out new styles like techno and experimental rock. They used many different instruments and guitar effects. Ely Buendia wrote songs with mysterious lyrics, like “Kaliwete”, “Spoliarium”, and “Para sa Masa”.
In February 1998, the band represented the Philippines at a big music event in Tokyo, Japan. They later toured the US again to promote Sticker Happy. In August, they released a collection of songs called Aloha Milkyway for the Southeast Asian market. It had five new songs and some English songs from their earlier albums. They toured Singapore and Australia in 1999 to promote this album.
The band released their sixth album, Natin99, in May 1999. This album had more songs written by the other band members, not just Ely Buendia. In November, they played a concert in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with the famous rapper Francis M..
In January 2000, the band performed with another popular group, APO Hiking Society, at a party in Bonifacio Global City. They also toured the US again in May and June 2000, playing in New York, Chicago, and California. The band released their seventh and final album, Carbon Stereoxide, in March 2001.
Ely Buendia Leaves and the Band Changes
Ely Buendia left Eraserheads in March 2002. He later said that he didn't like the way things were working within the band.
The remaining three members tried to continue with a new singer, Kris Gorra-Dancel. They called themselves “EHeads” and released a short album called Please Transpose in August. However, Marcus Adoro left the band in November. The rest of the band then got new members and changed their name to Cambio, which marked the end of Eraserheads.
After the Break-up (2003-2007)
In November 2003, Eraserheads received a special Hall of Fame award at the NU Rock Awards. Ely Buendia, who was performing with his new band The Mongols, accepted the award.
In 2005, a tribute album called Ultraelectromagneticjam!: The Music of the Eraserheads was released. This album featured other artists singing Eraserheads songs. Ely Buendia was okay with it, but he felt it was a bit too soon for a tribute album since he was still making music. He even appeared on one song on the album.
In February 2007, a book about Eraserheads called Tikman ng Langit was launched. Some of the band members performed acoustic songs, which was the first time they played together since the break-up. Ely Buendia couldn't make it because of a doctor's appointment.
Reunions (2008–Present)
The Reunion Concerts (2008–2009)
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In July 2008, the band announced they would reunite for a concert on August 30. This concert was later released as a live album and a concert film.
In January 2009, the band announced a second reunion concert called The Final Set. This concert was held on March 7 and was completely sold out, with about 100,000 people attending. The band also honored Francis M., who had passed away the day before and was supposed to perform with them. The concert was later shown on TV. In February 2009, the band received the MYX Magna Award.
International Tours and New Music (2010s)
The band went on a North American reunion tour in 2012, playing in California, Jersey City, and Toronto. They also performed in Dubai, Singapore, and London.
In 2012, a second Eraserheads tribute album was released as a soundtrack for a movie called The Reunion.
In September 2014, the band released two new songs, “Sabado” and “1995”. They also gave a surprise performance at a magazine launch party.
In June 2016, the band reunited for a live performance at an event for PLDT and Smart Communications, two big companies. They also appeared in a TV ad campaign for Smart.
A musical based on the band’s songs, called Ang Huling El Bimbo, started in July 2018.
Ely Buendia's record label re-released the band's first two albums, Ultraelectromagneticpop! and Circus, which were improved for better sound. They were also released on vinyl records. In 2019, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, and Marcus Adoro formed a new band called Ultracombo, though Marcus later left.
Huling El Bimbo World Tour (2020s)
In 2020, a third Eraserheads tribute album, Pop Machine the Album, was released, featuring covers by newer bands.
In September 2022, the band announced a third reunion concert in the Philippines. This concert, called “Huling El Bimbo”, was held in Parañaque City on December 22, 2022. About 75,000 people attended. A live album of the concert was released in March 2024.
The band went on a world tour in 2023 and 2024, playing in the United States, Canada, Singapore, and Dubai. Some of these concerts featured guest musicians.
In November 2022, Eraserheads were honored as Artists of the Year by Esquire Philippines magazine. They also returned to the University of the Philippines to receive the Gawad Oblation award in August 2024. Additionally, they performed at the opening ceremony of the UAAP Season 87 on September 7, 2024.
Band Members
- Ely Buendia – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1989-2002, 2008-2009, 2012-2014, 2016, 2022-present)
- Buddy Zabala – bass guitar, backing vocals (1989-2002, 2008-2009, 2012-2014, 2016, 2022-present)
- Marcus Adoro – lead guitar, backing vocals (1989-2002, 2008-2009, 2012-2014, 2016, 2022-present)
- Raimund Marasigan – drums, backing vocals (1989-2002, 2008-2009, 2012-2014, 2016, 2022-present)
Additional Musicians Who Played with the Band
- Noel Garcia - keyboards (1998-1999)
- Mike Dizon - session drummer (1999)
- Kris Gorra-Dancel - lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2002)
- Jazz Nicolas - session musician (2008-2009, 2022)
- Romel "Sancho" Sanchez - session guitarist (2012-2014)
Music Albums
- Ultraelectromagneticpop! (1993)
- Circus (1994)
- Cutterpillow (1995)
- Fruitcake (1996)
- Sticker Happy (1997)
- Natin99 (1999)
- Carbon Stereoxide (2001)
Movies and Documentaries
Movies with the Band
- Run Barbi Run (1995)
Documentaries and Concert Films
- Eraserheads: The Reunion Concert (2008)
- Eraserheads Live! The Final Set (2009)
- Pop-U-Mentary (2010)
- Combo on the Run (2024)
Awards and Recognition
Eraserheads has won many awards throughout their career, including:
- Album of the Year for Ultraelectromagneticpop! (1993) and Circus (1995) at the NU Rock Awards.
- Band of the Year at the NU Rock Awards (1995, 1997).
- Best Music Video for "Ang Huling El Bimbo" (1996).
- Viewer's Choice Award for Asia at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards for "Ang Huling El Bimbo".
- Hall of Fame at the NU Rock Awards (2003).
- Lifetime Achievement Award at the MTV Pilipinas Music Awards (2004).
- MYX Magna Award (2009).
- Record Breaking Concert of the Year for Eraserheads: The Reunion Concert (2009).
- Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino Award (2012).
- Esquire's Artist of the Year (2022).
- Gawad Oblation Award from the University of the Philippines (2024).
See also
In Spanish: Eraserheads para niños
