Rock Bands

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT OPTION

THE CONYO TIMES DATE 09/20/2018 TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK

TITLE : 10 OPM BANDS WHO CHANGED THEIR VOCALIST WRITER : JAHN MARIE GEONANGA KEYWORDS: OPM BAND VOCALISTS, RICO BLANCO, JESSE GONZALES BAMBOO MANALAC, UNIQUE SALONGA, PINOY ROCK, ROCK SCENE MANILA, MUSIC SCENE MANILA, ROCK AND ROLL. VISUALS/SOURCES

TEXT (INTRO) Avid listeners of OPM, Music enthusiasts, artists and other musicians would never forget bands that marked history of Manila music scene. Aside from their music that touched our hearts and souls, OPM band members, especially their frontman would be familiar to us, stories why they disbanded, why they changed their frontman, what other bands they formed or why vocalists prefer to go solo in their music careers.

VISUALS/SOURCES

TEXT (SUBSCRIBE) But before we begin, don’t forget to hit like, leave a comment, and subscribe for more interesting content.

VISUALS/SOURCES

TEXT (TOPIC) Here are the the top 10 OPM bands who changed their vocalist.

1. Rivermaya - one of the most influencial OPM band founded in '93. Composed of the music geniuses and multi-instrumentalists, members that have formed other bands that flourished to become legends of Philippine music.

The first line-up consisted of Jesse Gonzales on vocals, Kenneth Ilagan on guitars, Nathan Azarcon on bass, Rome Velayo on drums, and Rico Blanco on keyboards. The band was called, Xaga.

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT OPTION

THE CONYO TIMES DATE 09/20/2018 TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK

The classic line-up of this group. In the process of grueling practice sessions, Ilagan was replaced with Perfecto de Castro; Azarcon's childhood friend, Mark Escueta, to replace Velayo, as well as former classmate Francisco "Bamboo" Mañalac to replace Jesse Gonzales. With Bamboo as frontman, the band members themselves decided to disband Xaga and form the band Rivermaya. Rico Blanco was mainly, the songwriter and composer (because he's such a music genius), in 1999, when bamboo departed to form his own band "bamboo", Rico took over the vocals.

Along the way and amidst all the success of this band, founding members have also formed different bands.

In 2007, Rico Blanco left and pursued a solo career.

He was then replaced by Jayson fernandez (who we knew recently joined The Voice PH) as the vocalist.

Today, rivermaya's composed of Nathan Azarcon on bass/vocals, Mike Elgar on guitars/vocals, Mark Escueta on guitar & percussion/vocals, and Ryan Peralta on drums/percussion.

2. IV of spades - In the middle of their mainstream success and popularity, indie rock band IV of spades had their frontman to depart and have a solo career.

In this case, Zild Benitez took over vocals for IV of spades after Unique went out. Also, they release a recent MV simultaneous to Unique's debut singe launch.

3. Mojofly - first established in 1999 by Ricci Gurango after his departure from Hungry Young Poets. Kitchie Nadal, who was the original vocalist of the group.

During this time, Kitchie was very popular for her unique voice that made mojofly to be well established. However, Kitchie decided to have a solo career and left mojofly. She was then replaced by Lougee Basabas, from slow ballads mojofly shifted to fast and up-beat pop songs. Mojofly's one of the most popular OPM bands of early 2000s until they disbanded in 2008.

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT OPTION

THE CONYO TIMES DATE 09/20/2018 TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK

4. Moonstar88 - Who would forget the most famoud and undying song "torete"? during the boom of OPM bands in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Moonstar was originally fronted by Acel Bisa. The band was able to release two albums, “Popcorn” and “Press To Play”.

When Acel pursued her solo career, she was then replaced by Maysh Baay.

5. Imago - Pop band fronted by Aia De Leon was first established in 1997. Who would forget "taralets", "sundo" and "akap"? But Aia also wanted to go out from her band and put up a solo career in 2013, she was later on replaced by Mayumi Gomez who's actually doing a great job.

6. Sandwich - Another music genius from Ehead, cambio and pedicab. Raimund discovered Diego Castillo and decided to form a duo, due to this they recruited Mike dizon for the drums and his girlfriend Myrene Academia (who is now his wife), he then invited Marc Abaya of Kwjan to lead the vocals.

However, Marc really wanted to focus on his band Kwjan and decided to leave, raimund then took over the vocals.

7. Freestyle - Two decades in the music industry, freestyle members says, "change is always good too".

Original frontliners, Jinky Vidal and Top Suzara has left the band, but freestyle stood the test of time. Today, original members Gerard Banzon, the former lead guiatarist and backing vocals took the drums, and Tat suzara as lead guitarist. The new members of freestyle are Rommel Dela cruz on bass, Mike Luis on vocals, Joshua Desiderio on vocals and keyboards, and Ava Santos the sole female vocalist.

8. 6cyclemind - One of the unforgettable bands of OPM's golden age, who else sang "sige", "sandalan", "I", "princesa", "upside down" and "kasalanan" on karaoke bars? Probably heard these songs during rockfests on colt45 and tanduay booths. Founded by former Afterimage band guitarist Chuck Isidro who took the lead guitars, he then invited Gilbert 'gibbz' Magat on drums, Ney dimaculangan on Vocals, Bob

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT OPTION

THE CONYO TIMES DATE 09/20/2018 TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Cañamo on bass, Rye Sarmiento on Rythm and backing vocals. When Ney departed the band to go on a solo career, Tutti Caringal took over the vocals who was formerly the drummer when Gibbz went out, he was then replaced by their current drummer Vic Aquino, when founding member Chuck Isidro left the group Herbert Hernandez took over the lead guitar.

9. Side A - The band behind the hits "forevermore" and "Hold on" has been continuing to play good music despite of the lead singer Joey Generoso's departure from the band. After Joey's pursuance of a solo career, original members remained the same, since all of them can do the vocals. Naldy Gonzalez on keyboard and vocals and Ernie Severino on drums and vocals, Leevon Cailao on lead guitar and vocals and Ned Esguerra on bass and vocals.

10. Cueshe - The all-time, catchy feels of the pop band founded in '98, behind "ulan", "borrowed time", and "back to me" that hit the mainstream back in 2005. From Cebu city, the band Cueshe was formed, rooting from the word "cue" that was taken from banana cue (sugarcoated banana), and she (shey) is the name of their former vocalist back in cebu that has left after a year. Jay Justiniani became the frontman, Jhunjie Dosdos on keyboards and backing vocals, Ruben Caballero on guitars and Mike manaloto on drums. Ruben is currently taking over the vocals, though they were both the vocalists of the band, Jay is currently inactive in the band. Other new members are Jovan Mabini, Fitz Labrado and Cesar Delos santos.

VISUALS/SOURCES

TEXT (OUTRO) Bands, often keep their sound to be different to keep their identity, but it's just another story if the vocalist isn't the same.

Remember other bands who changed their vocalist? feel free to share it in the comment section.

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT OPTION

THE CONYO TIMES DATE 09/20/2018 TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK