Parokya ni Edgar is a Filipino band that was formed in 1993 by a group of Ateneo de Manila High School students. The band is famous and most lauded for its original rock novelty songs and often satirical covers of famous songs. The band has since transcended musical genres, varying styles from one song to another - alternative rock to pop rock, funk to rapcore, and so on - while providing comic relief to their listeners. Before Parokya ni Edgar Naming themselves Comic Relief, the band originally consisted of three vocalists - Alfonso "Chito" Miranda, Jr. , Gabrielle Ignatius "Gab" Chee-Kee, Francis Vincent "Vinci" Montaner, and two guitarists, Miko and Jerick. The honed their musical skills through after-school jamming, before performing an opening number for an Eraserheads concert. This break prompted the band to add a drummer and a bassist - enter Dindin Moreno and Buhawi Meneses. This same performance also marked the change of the band's name to Parokya ni Edgar.[clarify] After high school, Miko and Jerick, the two guitarists, left the band to pursue other interests. As a replacement, the remaining band members invited to their fold guitarist Darius Semaņa. (lead guitarist) Parokya ni Edgar The band's name has been said to have been derived from an old classroom joke involving the main character in the Jose Rizal novel Noli Me Tangere, one of their school subjects. The band soon started playing at the legendary local band hub, Club Dredd. Coming out during the height of the Pinoy rock explosion, with the Filipino rock community giving in to the influence of foreign bands, especially grunge acts such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, Parokya ni Edgar played like no other. Their jokes, silly antics, and outrageous performances paved the way to the popularity that they currently enjoy. Eventually, the late Bella Dy Tan, managing director of Universal Records signed them up as contract artists after viewing a gig at Club Dredd. Soon their initial recordings such as Buloy, Trip and Lutong Bahay were heard across the nation. Their first album, Khangkhungkherrnitz became a triple platinum hit in the Philippines. Musical legacy Since their inception, Parokya ni Edgar's have enjoyed unmatched staying power in the recording scene of the Philippines. Chito Miranda has served as the band's frontman, filtering the band's output to the taste of its audience. Close associates and friends of the band point out that the band's easy-going, self-effacing persona is calculated and, to a certain extent, planned.
Alfonso "Chito" Miranda, Jr. (lead vocals)
Francis Vincent "Vinci" Montaner (backup vocals / dialogue / comical acting / dancing)
Buhawi "Buwi" Meneses (bass)
Darius Gerard "Dariuken" Semaņa (lead guitars)
Gabrielle Ignatius "Gab" Chee-Kee (guitars / vocals)
Ferdinand "Din-Din" Moreno (drums)
Parody covers
Trip from "Creep" by Radiohead
Alimango from "Animal" by Pearl Jam
The Crush from The Clash's song "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
Picha Pie from "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
Chikinini from "Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo" by Yano
Nakaw ang Wallet Ko from "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Guns N' Roses (originally by Bob Dylan)
The Ordertaker from "Chop Suey!" and "Toxicity" by System of a Down
Macho from "Macho Man" by Village People
Nakaka-inis from "The Promise" by When in Rome
Tange from "The Popeye Theme"
Awards
Nominated, 1996 AWIT Awards Album of the Year [Khangkhungkernitz]
Nominated, 1996 AWIT Awards Best New Group
Nominated, 1996 AWIT Awards Best Rock Performance
Winner, 1999 MTV South East Asia Viewers' Choice Award
Winner, 1st MTV Philippine Video Music Awards 2000, "Video Of The Year"
Winner, 1st MTV Philippine Video Music Awards 2000, "Favorite Group
Winner, 1996 NU ROCK AWARDS "Best New Artist"
Winner, 1996 NU ROCK AWARDS "Best Live Act"
NU 107 Best Drummer
NU 107 Best Bassist
NU 107 Best Vocalist
AWIT Awards Best Novelty Recording for Don't Touch My Birdie
AWIT Awards Best TV Theme Song [!Okatokat]
Winner, Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Foundation Best Group
NU 107 Band of the Year
NU 107 Bassist of the Year
Winner, MTV Ayos! Award for Best Dance Sequence Parokya ni Edgar First Day Funk
Winner, 2004 MTV Asia Awards' Favorite Artist Philippines