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Eraserheads (sometimes stylized as ƎRASERHEADS or ƎRASƎRHƎADS) are a Filipino
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band formed in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
in 1989. The band consists of lead singer and primary songwriter
Ely Buendia Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970) is a Filipino musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Eraserheads, with whom he has released seven albums since their founding in 1 ...
, guitarist
Marcus Adoro Marcus Antonius Corpuz Adoro (born December 31, 1971) is a Filipino musician who was the lead guitarist of the Eraserheads, a Filipino alternative rock band in the 1990s. He is also known by the stage name or band name Markus Highway. He is al ...
, bassist
Buddy Zabala Hector "Buddy" Avanceña Zabala (born November 13, 1971) is a Filipino musician and producer. He is currently the bassist of Filipino pop band Moonstar88, and widely known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band the E ...
, and drummer
Raimund Marasigan Raimund Emmanuel Parcon Marasigan (born May 22, 1971) is a Filipino musician and record producer. He is best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Eraserheads. Marasigan has been described as "the busiest man in the Pinoy music scen ...
. Hailed as “
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
of the Philippines”, they are regarded as one of the most influential and successful bands in the country. The band released their debut album, '' Ultraelectromagneticpop!'', in 1993, to critical acclaim and strong sales. Followed by ''
Circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
'' (1994) and ''
Cutterpillow ''Cutterpillow'' is the third studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on December 8, 1995 through BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. It became the band’s most commercially successful album in the Philippines. T ...
'' (1995), the band ushered in a second wave of Philippine rock bands in the 1990s. They also received
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
’s Viewers Choice Award at the 1997
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, the only Philippine artist to have received the award before the conception of the MTV Asia Awards. After releasing the Christmas concept album ''
Fruitcake Fruitcake or fruit cake is a cake made with Candied fruit, candied or dried fruit, Nut (fruit), nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in liquor, spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and Cake decorating, decorated. ...
'' (1996), Eraserheads experimented with electronic and
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an ar ...
styles for their next albums ''
Sticker Happy ''Sticker Happy'' is the fifth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on September 11, 1997 by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. The album saw the band experimenting with techno and experimental rock genres, inc ...
'' (1997), ''
Natin99 ''Natin99'' is the sixth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on May 18, 1999 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album was recorded in a nonlinear approach, with the members recording their individual ...
'' (1999), and ''
Carbon Stereoxide ''Carbon Stereoxide'' is the seventh and final studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, first released on March 10, 2001 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album featured a dark and mature sound, with folk and drum a ...
'' (2001). The band broke up in 2002, and all principal former members have enjoyed success as solo artists. They later reunited in 2008 for a series of reunion concerts in the Philippines and have since made sporadic touring and promotional appearances in the country and overseas.


History


1989–1992: Formation and early years

The members of Eraserheads met while attending
University of the Philippines Diliman The University of the Philippines Diliman (also called UPD; ), also referred to as UP Diliman, is a State university and college (Philippines), public, coeducational, Research university, research university located in Diliman, Quezon City, Ph ...
in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
in 1989. Vocalist
Ely Buendia Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970) is a Filipino musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Eraserheads, with whom he has released seven albums since their founding in 1 ...
previously had two college bands, Bluidie Tryste and Sunday School, and was a year above drummer
Raimund Marasigan Raimund Emmanuel Parcon Marasigan (born May 22, 1971) is a Filipino musician and record producer. He is best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Eraserheads. Marasigan has been described as "the busiest man in the Pinoy music scen ...
(also a session drummer for Sunday School), bassist
Buddy Zabala Hector "Buddy" Avanceña Zabala (born November 13, 1971) is a Filipino musician and producer. He is currently the bassist of Filipino pop band Moonstar88, and widely known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band the E ...
, and guitarist
Marcus Adoro Marcus Antonius Corpuz Adoro (born December 31, 1971) is a Filipino musician who was the lead guitarist of the Eraserheads, a Filipino alternative rock band in the 1990s. He is also known by the stage name or band name Markus Highway. He is al ...
; the three were part of another college band named Curfew. Ely posted an audition notice for a new band on a university message board, of which only Raimund, Buddy, and Marcus showed up. The new band called themselves Eraserheads after the
David Lynch David Keith Lynch (January 20, 1946 – January 16, 2025) was an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Lynch was often called a "visionary" and received acclaim f ...
film ''
Eraserhead ''Eraserhead'' is a 1977 American independent surrealist body horror film written, directed, produced, and edited by David Lynch. Lynch also created its score and sound design, which included pieces by a variety of other musicians. Shot in bl ...
'' (1977). The band played at campus events, usually as the crowd started to leave. They later met
Jett Pangan Reginald Jose Pangan (born June 21, 1968), better known as Jett Pangan, is a Filipino actor and musician best known for fronting the Filipino rock bands the Dawn, and the now defunct, the Jett Pangan Group. He is also an actor, appearing in s ...
of The Dawn at a sorority event, who advised them to audition. On January 26, 1991, the band recorded a nine-song demo tape at Marasigan's garage in
Candelaria, Quezon Candelaria, officially the Municipality of Candelaria (), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 137,881 people. It ...
. The demos were said to be influenced by
The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
as well as
ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...
and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
genres. The band shopped the demo tape around record labels, clubs, and radio stations only to be met with rejection; one record label commented that the demos were “not pop enough”. Marasigan gave a copy of the demo tape to his humanities professor Robin Rivera, who helped them re-record and mix better versions of the demos. The new demo tape was named ''Pop-U!'' as an irreverent response to those who turned them down. ''Pop-U!'' earned the band a spot at Club Dredd, where they initially had little success playing covers. They decided to write their own material which soon earned them a cult following. One song, "
Pare Ko Pare Ko (English: "My Pal") is a song by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads. A censored version of the song titled Walang Hiyang Pare Ko (“My Shameless Pal”) was released as the second promotional single from their debut album ...
", became popular for its explicit lyrics. The band soon landed an out-of-town gig opening for Introvoys in
Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
. Meanwhile, Buendia worked as an copywriter for BMG and wrote songs with the band at night. Their material later caught the attention of BMG A&R director Vic Valenciano, who commented that they were technically very raw but that there was something promising in them.Panaligan, J
"A trail of blazing hits at Sony-BMG"
, ''The Manila Bulletin Online'', August 6, 2006. Accessed last February 25, 2007.
In 1992, BMG signed the band into a three-year record deal.


1993–1996: Mainstream success

Eraserheads recorded their debut album, '' Ultraelectromagneticpop!'', in early 1993,De Guzman, L
"Timeline"
''Eraserheads Database'', n.d. Accessed last February 25, 2007.
with some of the tracks rerecorded from ''Pop-U!'' First released by BMG in July, the album became a commercial success, selling 300,000 copies by the end of the year. “Pare Ko” became controversial for its explicit lyrics, with the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) unsuccessfully attempting to censor it."Eraserheads"
, ''Club Dredd Online'', n.d. Accessed last February 25, 2007.
As a result, the album featured both the original and censored versions, with the latter titled “Walang Hiyang Pare Ko” (later excluded from the album’s 25th anniversary remaster). The band performed at the 43rd Miss Universe pageant held at the
Philippine International Convention Center The Philippine International Convention Center (; PICC) is a convention center located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay, Philippines. The Brutalist facility has been the host of numerous local and foreign conventions, ...
in Pasay City in May 1994. Later in November, they held their first major concert titled "Eraserheads Jamboree" at the Folk Arts Theater (now the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas) in
Malate, Manila Malate is a district of Manila, Philippines. Together with the district of Ermita, Manila, Ermita, it serves as Manila's center for commerce and tourism. Etymology The name ''Malate'' is derived from a corruption of the Tagalog language, Tagal ...
. They also released their second album ''
Circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
'' in the same month. It also became a commercial success, eventually turning quintuple platinum.De Guzman, L
"Circus"
''The Eraserheads Database'', n.d. Accessed last February 25, 2007.
Some of its tracks became classic hits for the band, such as "Kailan", " Minsan", " Magasin", " Alapaap" and " With a Smile". "Alapaap" became controversial for its suggestive lyrics, which Senator
Tito Sotto Vicente Castelo Sotto, III (; born August 24, 1948), is a Filipino politician and television personality who is a Senate of the Philippines, senator-elect of the Philippines. He is the longest-serving senator in the history of the upper chamb ...
interpreted as promoting drug use. The band denied the allegation, stating that it was a misinterpretation and that the song was the band's "ode to freedom", not drug abuse. In July 1995, the band starred as themselves opposite
Joey de Leon Jose Maria Ramos de Leon Jr. (born October 14, 1946), professionally known as Joey de Leon and also known as Henyo Master, is a Filipino comedian, actor, television host and songwriter. He is one of the members of the comedy trio, collectively ...
in the comedy film '' Run Barbi Run'', also contributing to its theme song. Later in December, the band launched their third studio album ''
Cutterpillow ''Cutterpillow'' is the third studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on December 8, 1995 through BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. It became the band’s most commercially successful album in the Philippines. T ...
'' through a free open-air concert. It became their fastest-selling record, earning double platinum after one week with 80,000 copies. The album featured classic hits such as "Overdrive", "Huwag Mo Nang Itanong", "Torpedo" and " Ang Huling El Bimbo", of which a music video directed by
Auraeus Solito Auraeus Solito, also known as Kanakan-Balintagos, is a Filipino filmmaker and indigenous peoples rights advocate who comes from a lineage of shaman-kings from the Palaw'an tribe. He was one of the first to be born outside of his tribal land of ...
premiered in February 1996. After the release of ''Cutterpillow'', the band went on a nationwide tour to promote the album. In January 1996, the band opened for
Sonic Youth Sonic Youth were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (lead guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (rhythm guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of ...
,
Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...
and
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
for
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
's Alternative Nation tour in Manila. Later in December, they released their fourth studio album ''
Fruitcake Fruitcake or fruit cake is a cake made with Candied fruit, candied or dried fruit, Nut (fruit), nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in liquor, spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and Cake decorating, decorated. ...
'', a Christmas concept album with all songs written in English. Like their previous albums, it became a commercial success, earning triple platinum after a month with 120,000 copies sold. It was followed by a companion storybook released the following year.


1997–2002: Later years and break-up


Going international

The band started touring outside the Philippines in 1997, first performing at BMG Records' Sentosa Pop Festival in
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
in March. They made their American debut in May, playing several venues in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. In September, they received the
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
's Viewer's Choice Award for the "Ang Huling El Bimbo" video at the
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
at
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, making them the first Philippine artist to receive such a distinction. The band released their fifth studio album ''
Sticker Happy ''Sticker Happy'' is the fifth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on September 11, 1997 by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. The album saw the band experimenting with techno and experimental rock genres, inc ...
'' in the same month. It also became a commercial success, selling 120,000 copies. The album saw the band experimenting with
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
and
experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, wit ...
genres, incorporating a wide range of instruments and guitar effects, with Buendia writing cryptic lyrics in songs such as “ Kaliwete”, “
Spoliarium The ''Spoliarium'' is a painting by Filipino people, Filipino painter Juan Luna. Luna, working on canvas, spent eight months completing the painting which depicts dying gladiators. The painting was submitted by Luna to the ''Exposición Nacion ...
”, and “ Para sa Masa”. In February 1998, the band represented the Philippines at the Asia Live Dream '98 for
NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...
in
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
.LIPS, Inc. & De Guzman, L
"Basic Eheads Information"
''Eraserheads Database'', n.d. Accessed last February 11, 2007.
They later toured the US to promote ''Sticker Happy'' under the Happy Box production outfit. In August, the band released the compilation album '' Aloha Milkyway'' for the Southeast Asian market, featuring five new songs including "Julie Tearjerky" and "Tamagotchi Baby" as well as select English language tracks from their previous albums. They later toured in
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
in September and in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in April 1999 to promote the record. The band released their sixth studio album, ''
Natin99 ''Natin99'' is the sixth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on May 18, 1999 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album was recorded in a nonlinear approach, with the members recording their individual ...
'', in May 1999. Recorded in a nonlinear approach, the album featured significant contributions from members other than Buendia, who wrote the promotional singles "Maselang Bahaghari" and "Huwag Kang Matakot". In November, the band performed at
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
with rapper Francis M. In January 2000, the band performed with APO Hiking Society at
Nescafé Nescafé is a brand of instant coffee sold by the multinational food and drink corporation Nestlé. It comes in many different forms. The name is a portmanteau of the words "Nestlé" and "café". Nestlé first introduced their flagship coffee br ...
's Open Up Party at
Bonifacio Global City Bonifacio Global City, also known as BGC, Global City, or The Fort, is a 240-hectare mixed-use estate and central business district located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines. It is the home of the Philippine Stock Exchange, the national ...
. They later toured the US between May and June 2000, playing venues in New York,
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, and California. The band released their seventh and final studio album ''
Carbon Stereoxide ''Carbon Stereoxide'' is the seventh and final studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, first released on March 10, 2001 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album featured a dark and mature sound, with folk and drum a ...
'' in March 2001.


Buendia's departure, new vocalist and break-up

Buendia left Eraserheads in March 2002. In an interview, Adoro revealed that Buendia sent a cryptic text message to his band members that “it’s graduation time”, referring to him being a year ahead of them at UP. Buendia later recalled in a podcast interview in 2021: “We had a very, very good working relationship. It’s just that I don’t like it when people say that it was the wrong way to go, ‘yung dynamics within the band.” The remaining three members later debuted with new vocalist, Kris Gorra-Dancel of Fatal Posporos, at Hard Rock Manila in April. Naming themselves “EHeads”, they released a promotional EP titled '' Please Transpose'' in August which featured the single “U Make Me”, of which a music video was directed by Marie Jamora. Adoro left the band in November, and the rest of the band recruited Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree and Diego Mapa of Monsterbot and renamed the band Cambio, ending the Eraserheads.


2003–2007: After the break-up

The band received the Hall of Fame award at the
NU Rock Awards The NU Rock Awards was an annual accolade presented from 1994 to 2010 by the Metro Manila-based radio station NU 107, known for prominent performances by the most influential pinoy rock artists of each year. History The first NU 107 Rock Award ...
X in November 2003. Buendia, who also performed at the awards show with his band the Mongols, accepted the award. In May 2004, Adoro (as Surfernando) jammed with Zabala and Marasigan at the Millennia Club in UP. In 2005, the first Eraserheads tribute album '' Ultraelectromagneticjam!: The Music of the Eraserheads'' was released. “I don’t have a problem with that,” Buendia reacted to the release. “I just feel it’s not yet the right time to do such tribute because I’m still doing something worthwhile.” He appears in the album through Francis M.’s re-recording of “Superproxy” titled “Superproxy 2K6”. In February 2007, the essay anthology book, ''Tikman ng Langit: An Anthology on the Eraserheads'', was launched at
Makati Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
with acoustic performances from Cambio and Adoro’s band Markus Highway, marking the first time members of the Eraserheads performed together since their break-up. Buendia was not able to attend due to a meeting with his heart surgeon. In July 2007, the band were listed as performers with
Teeth A tooth (: teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...
,
Rivermaya Rivermaya is a Filipino alternative rock band. Formed in 1994, it is one of the several bands that spearheaded the 1990s Philippine alternative rock explosion. Rivermaya is currently composed of original members Mark Escueta and Nathan Azar ...
, and Parokya ni Edgar for a live show at the Saguijo Bar in Makati. However, Buendia and Adoro did not show up as they had separate engagements.


2008–present: Reunions


2008–2009: ''The Reunion Concert'' and ''The Final Set''

In July 2008, the band confirmed they would reunite for a concert at the CCP Open Grounds on August 30. Initially sponsored by Philip Morris, the company later backed out after facing criminal charges by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) for violating the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 prohibiting tobacco companies from sponsoring artistic events; they had also promised a free but invitation-only show for adults and smokers. The concert was later sponsored by Radiohead Productions with tickets being sold and the venue moved to the
Bonifacio Global City Bonifacio Global City, also known as BGC, Global City, or The Fort, is a 240-hectare mixed-use estate and central business district located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines. It is the home of the Philippine Stock Exchange, the national ...
Open Grounds in
Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig (), is the List of cities in the Philippines, fifth-most populous city in the Philippines situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila, the national capital region. It is a center for culture, finance ...
. The band went ahead with the reunion concert as planned, with Jazz Nicolas of
Itchyworms The Itchyworms is a Filipino rock band. The band is composed of Jazz Nicolas on lead vocals, drums and piano, Jugs Jugueta on co-lead vocals, keys and guitars, Kelvin Yu on bass guitars, Chino Singson on lead guitars, Weckl Mercado on guitars, an ...
joining in as session musician. However, it was cut short due to Buendia being rushed to Makati Medical Center after experiencing chest pains. The remaining band members went to Saguijo and played what would have been the second set of the concert, with Ebe Dancel on vocals. Buendia later recovered after an
angioplasty Angioplasty, also known as balloon angioplasty and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, is a minimally invasive procedure, minimally invasive endovascular surgery, endovascular Medical procedure, procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructe ...
. The concert was later released as a
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...
in November, with an accompanying concert film also released in theaters. In January 2009, the band announced a second reunion concert to be produced by
MTV Philippines MTV Philippines was a 24-hour music/entertainment television network owned by All Youth Channels, All Youth Channels, Inc., through a partnership with MTV Networks Asia Pacific. The network originally started its broadcast on January 1, 2001. ...
. Called The Final Set, the sold-out concert was held at the
SM Mall of Asia SM Mall of Asia (also abbreviated as SM MoA, or simply Mall of Asia or MoA; ), is a large shopping mall in the Philippines, located at Bay City, Metro Manila, Bay City, Pasay, Metro Manila within the SM Central Business Park, a reclaimed area w ...
concert grounds in Pasay City on March 7, with an estimated 100,000 people in attendance. The band also paid tribute to Francis M., who had died of
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...
the previous day and was slated to be a guest performer. The concert was later aired on
GMA Network GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...
as a TV special in April. In February 2009, the band received the MYX Magna Award, which was accepted by Marasigan.


2010s: International tours, ''Sabado/1995''

The band embarked on a North American reunion tour in 2012, playing venues in California,
Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
, and
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. They also performed at Dubai in two separate occasions, as well as Singapore in 2013 and
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in April 2014. In 2012,
Star Music Star Music (also known as Star Records and corporately as Star Recording, Inc.) is a Philippine record label owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation. It was formerly a separate company operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corpora ...
released the second Eraserheads tribute album as a soundtrack to the
Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., trade name, doing business as Star Cinema and also known as ABS-CBN Films (since 2018), is a Philippines, Philippine film studio, film, television production company, production and distribution (marketing), di ...
film '' The Reunion'', titled '' The Reunion: An Eraserheads Tribute Album''. On September 2014, the band released two new songs, “ Sabado” and “
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
”, as part of the September issue of ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
'' magazine. They also held a surprise performance at the magazine issue’s launch party in Makati. On June 2016, the band reunited for a live performance at a rebranding launch event of
PLDT PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service company. PLDT is one of the Philippine's major telecommunications providers, along with Globe Te ...
and its subsidiary
Smart Communications Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart, is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provider based in the Philippines. As of November ...
. They also appeared in a promotional campaign by Smart. A musical adaptation of the band’s discography titled '' Ang Huling El Bimbo'' premiered in July 2018 at Resorts World Manila. Buendia approved of the musical: “I love the way they stitched all those songs together into one solid musical," he said. Buendia's record label Offshore Music reissued the band's first three albums, which were remastered by
Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman (born 16 December 1943, Minneapolis) is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chr ...
. They were later released on vinyl. Meanwhile, Marasigan, Zabala, and Adoro formed the band Ultracombo in 2019. Adoro left the band shortly after.


2022-present: ''Huling El Bimbo'' world tour, ''Combo on the Run'' documentary

In 2020, Noisemakers released a third Eraserheads tribute album, '' Pop Machine the Album'', featuring covers by
Lola Amour Lola Amour is a Filipino rock band formed in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines in 2013. The band consists of Pio Dumayas on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, David Yuhico on background vocals and keyboards, Manu Dumayas (who had previously serve ...
, Oh, Flamingo!, and Reese Lansangan. On September 2022, the band announced a third reunion concert in the Philippines. Titled “Huling El Bimbo”, the reunion concert was held at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City on December 22, 2022, with an estimated 75,000 people in attendance. The band played the album ''Cutterpillow'' in its entirety for the first set, saving “Ang Huling El Bimbo” for the last set while also performing with guest performers such as
Gary Valenciano Edgardo Jose "Gary" Santiago Valenciano (born August 6, 1964) is a Filipino singer and actor. Known for his musical versatility and performances, he is a recipient of various accolades, including 12 Awit Awards, 3 FAMAS Awards and the Myx ...
and a
hologram Holography is a technique that allows a wavefront to be recorded and later reconstructed. It is best known as a method of generating three-dimensional images, and has a wide range of other uses, including data storage, microscopy, and interf ...
of Francis M. The concert was later released as a
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...
to streaming services in March 2024. The band embarked on a world tour from 2023 to 2025, playing venues in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Dubai, Qatar, New Zealand, and Australia. Some of the concerts featured guest musicians like True Faith lead vocalist Medwin Marfil, former
Rivermaya Rivermaya is a Filipino alternative rock band. Formed in 1994, it is one of the several bands that spearheaded the 1990s Philippine alternative rock explosion. Rivermaya is currently composed of original members Mark Escueta and Nathan Azar ...
guitarist Perf de Castro, Kamikazee lead vocalist Jay Contreras, and Moonstar88 lead vocalist and guitarist Maysh Baay. In November 2022, the band were honored as Artists of the Year by Esquire Philippines. They also returned to UP to receive the Gawad Oblation award in August 2024. Additionally, they headlined the
UAAP Season 87 UAAP Season 87 was the 2024–25 season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). It will be hosted by the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP) under the theme "Stronger, Better, Together". The opening ceremony was he ...
opening ceremony on September 2024 and made a surprise appearance at the UP Sunken Garden to celebrate the university's championship teams three months later. A documentary titled '' Eraserheads: Combo on the Run'' premiered in Philippine cinemas on March 2025, which tells the story of the band leading up to their 2022 reunion. The band also announced the Electric Fun Music Festival, to be held at SMDC Festival Grounds on October 18, and teased new music at the end of the documentary. Commenting on the announcements in a press conference, Buendia declared that the band is "here to stay." He later announced in April that Adoro will be stepping back from the band's upcoming projects due to newly unveiled allegations of sexual abuse against him. However, Adoro rejoined the following month, while also addressing the allegations.


Band members

*
Ely Buendia Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970) is a Filipino musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Eraserheads, with whom he has released seven albums since their founding in 1 ...
– lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar *
Buddy Zabala Hector "Buddy" Avanceña Zabala (born November 13, 1971) is a Filipino musician and producer. He is currently the bassist of Filipino pop band Moonstar88, and widely known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band the E ...
– backing vocals, bass guitar, keyboards *
Marcus Adoro Marcus Antonius Corpuz Adoro (born December 31, 1971) is a Filipino musician who was the lead guitarist of the Eraserheads, a Filipino alternative rock band in the 1990s. He is also known by the stage name or band name Markus Highway. He is al ...
– lead and backing vocals, lead guitar *
Raimund Marasigan Raimund Emmanuel Parcon Marasigan (born May 22, 1971) is a Filipino musician and record producer. He is best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Eraserheads. Marasigan has been described as "the busiest man in the Pinoy music scen ...
– lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, rhythm guitar, keyboards


Additional musicians

*Noel Garcia - keyboards *Mike Dizon - session drummer *Kris Gorra-Dancel - lead vocals, rhythm guitar *Jazz Nicolas - keyboards, rhythm guitar, drums, percussion, backing vocals *Romel "Sancho" Sanchez - session guitarist


Discography

*'' Ultraelectromagneticpop!'' (1993) *''
Circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
'' (1994) *''
Cutterpillow ''Cutterpillow'' is the third studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on December 8, 1995 through BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. It became the band’s most commercially successful album in the Philippines. T ...
'' (1995) *''
Fruitcake Fruitcake or fruit cake is a cake made with Candied fruit, candied or dried fruit, Nut (fruit), nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in liquor, spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and Cake decorating, decorated. ...
'' (1996) *''
Sticker Happy ''Sticker Happy'' is the fifth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on September 11, 1997 by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. The album saw the band experimenting with techno and experimental rock genres, inc ...
'' (1997) *''
Natin99 ''Natin99'' is the sixth studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on May 18, 1999 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album was recorded in a nonlinear approach, with the members recording their individual ...
'' (1999) *''
Carbon Stereoxide ''Carbon Stereoxide'' is the seventh and final studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, first released on March 10, 2001 by BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. The album featured a dark and mature sound, with folk and drum a ...
'' (2001)


Filmography


Fictionalized

* '' Run Barbi Run'' (1995)


Documentaries and filmed performances

* '' Eraserheads: The Reunion Concert'' (2008) * ''Eraserheads Live! The Final Set'' (2009) * ''Pop-U-Mentary'' (2010) * '' Eraserheads: Combo on the Run'' (2025)


Awards and nominations


Bibliography

*''Pillbox'', Vol. 1, Issue 1, 1996. Published by Pop Infinity Limited Laundry Corporation. *''Fruitcake'', edited by Jessica Zafra and illustrated by Cynthia Bauzon. Anvil Corporation, Inc., 1997. *''Pillbox'', Vol. 3, 1998. Published by BMG Records Pilipinas. *''Tikman Ang Langit: An Anthology on the Eraserheads'', compiled by Melvin Calimag and Jing Garcia. Visual Print Enterprises, 2007. *''Alternate Endings: The Making of The Final Set and The Unmaking of an Era'', words by Aldus Santos and design by Gelo Lagasca. Offshore Music, 2020.


References


External links

* Allmusic Eraserheads Biographybr>Eraserheads Experience
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eraserheads Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups disestablished in 2002 Musical groups reestablished in 2008 Musical groups disestablished in 2014 Filipino musical quartets Filipino alternative rock groups Musical groups from Quezon City Sony Music Philippines artists