There is no ‘I’ in Edgar

 

The band – composed of Gab Chee Kee, Buhawi Meneses, Chito Miranda, Vinci Montaner (who left the band last year), Dindin Moreno, and Darius Semana – celebrated their 20th year with the release of the CD/DVD “Bente,” which contains all their singles, two new tracks, music videos, and a documentary. The ticket said 8 p.m., but lines for the album started at around 8 a.m.  

 

I have written about many local bands and always tried to highlight independently-produced music rather than those from big labels. There was even more conscious effort to avoid writing about Parokya, because Dindin, the drummer, became a part of the family after he married my sister 10 years ago (and consequently became the father of my two most favorite creatures on Earth). 

 

They’re always just around (and more so for me), but this album served as a reminder that they have been around for a solid 20 years. I realized I have been listening to them since their second album Buruguduystunstugudunstuy, released in 1997. Sixteen years ago. 

 

A lot of good things have been said about the band, and this article is no different. When fans line up at eight in the morning for an evening concert, and continue to listen 20 years on, there must be good things to write about. Here are some of them. 

 

Why being 'Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers' isn’t all that bad?

 

One, they changed the way we sing and remember songs made popular by foreign artists. It is highly likely that Pinoy kids who grew up in the late '90s will hear themselves sing about a pizza obsession over “I Will Survive” and have a sudden special siopao craving while listening Radiohead’s “Creep.” When System of a Down’s “Chop Suey is played, they will not talk about waking up and putting a little make-up –they’ll sing about anger towards an incompetent carinderia instead. 

 

Two, whatever they sing about – courtship (“Sayang” and “Harana”), unrequited love (“Halaga” and “Sampip”), friendship (“Buloy,” “The Yes Yes Show”), alcohol (“Inuman Na”) the power of facial hair (“Mr Suave”), and (questionable) animals (“Please Don’t Touch My Birdie”) –listeners always end up feeling good. They can make you laugh and cry like a crazy person. 

 

Three, the unique way their songs appeal to emotions without taking the sappy route may be one of the reasons why their concerts abroad for Filipinos who long for home are always successful, and why popular brands – from a lechon sauce to one of the country’s biggest telecommunications companies – get them to endorse their products.

 

Four, they can be self-deprecating without being deplorable, having album titles like Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers and lines like “ang Parokya, kahit na hindi magaling/ kami ang bandang hindi nila kayang patayin.”
 

 

And Five, they collaborate with equally talented people like Kamikazee, Gloc9, the late Francis Magalona (and more recently, his son Frank). That Inuman Sessions live performance of “The Yes Yes Show” with the Master Rapper is a gem, I’m sure the 5.2 million YouTube viewers agree. Also, can you imagine “Order Taker” without Jay Contreras and “One Hit Combo” without Gloc9? I sure can’t. 

 

Singing about love and friendship while being funny sounds like a simple formula, but Parokya are one of the great few who are able to always make it work. 

 

In “Original Song,” Chito sings: “Mahirap gumawa ng kanta / lalo na kung kailangan kumita / ‘pagkat ayoko maghanap ng trabaho / habang buhay magbabanda ako.”

 

They’ve been doing this for more than twenty years now, and I (as well as the hundreds of thousands of fans) trust that will do it for twenty more. — LBG, GMA News