Band Preview: The Eraserheads

I believe that The Eraserheads is the greatest band in Original Pilipino Music history. The popularity of their music is endless and there songs can be sung by all walks of life. The quartet of Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, and Markus Adoro improved from mediocre gig pay to an epic array of moolah because of their music.

Who knew that a mere browse from a magazine could give them the name that people adore? Who knew that they can manage to make a simple jingle a massive hit? Who knew that their breakup would haunt their followers... as their reunion eventually rocked the nation?

There are a bunch of songs I love from the Pinoy Fab Four. Some of them were born from the gigs they had in UP. Some of their songs sound as if The Beatles sung it but they managed to reinvent their tunes as they mature. Ultraelectromagneticpop, Circus, and Cutterpillow albums are considered as the Heads’ Holy Trinity. Joey de Leon, Apo Hiking Society, Francis Magalona, and Ryan Cayabyab at some point used the Heads' popularity to give them a further hook with the younger audience. Aloha Milkyway, an album they made later in their career, was their first and only international album. Aloha was launched after the Eraserheads won an MTV award where they took centerstage in New York and Ely shouted his unforgettable “Mabuhay ang Noypi” line.  From the Eraserheads spawned a lot of bands where one of them either played or produced. The ascension of Sandwich, a band Raimund and Buddy as well as Marc Abaya starred, alongside other side projects from all four members, was partly responsible for the band’s demise.

The biggest reason? It seems as if they have outgrown each other. The principal players were Ely, Raimund, and Diane Ventura. Sure, you can say that the John-Paul-Yoko/Ely-Lemon-Diane shtick could be a factor, but I’d probably say that after years of being with and needing each other, they got fed up with one another.

But even apart, you know the Heads are tight-knit. After years of being away from each other, the Heads reformed twice for their “farewell” concert. Before that, Ely, Raimund, Buddy, and Markus collaborated with one another at some point. When the concert happened, they wanted to work with each other. Sure, they were also offered a ton of money but they really want to jam with each other. Fans of their generation and the current generation felt the chemistry which is why they rallied and pack the place as they sang along with their hits.

I listed 50 of my favourite Eraserheads hits.

1. ANG HULING EL BIMBO / CUTTERPILLOW
2. ALAPAAP / CIRCUS
3. MAGASIN / CIRCUS
4. PARE KO / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
5. TUWING UMUULAN AT KAPILING KA / RYAN CAYABYAB’S THE SILVER ALBUM
6. SEMBREAK / CIRCUS
7. SHIRLEY / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
8. TIKMAN / BANANATYPE (THE BURGER MACHINE JINGLE)
9. LIGAYA / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
10. WITH A SMILE / CIRCUS
11. SPOLIARIUM / STICKER HAPPY
12. SCORPIO RISING / ALOHA MILKYWAY
13. RUN BARBI RUN / BANANATYPE (OST OF THE SECOND BARBI MOVIE)
14. HARD TO BELIEVE / STICKER HAPPY
15. OVERDRIVE / CUTTERPILLOW
16. BACK2ME / CUTTERPILLOW
17. KALIWETE / STICKER HAPPY
18. FRUITCAKE / FRUITCAKE
19. SINO SA ATIN / NATIN99
20. TORPEDO / CUTTERPILLOW
21. HARANA / BANANATYPE
22. TRIP TO JERUSALEM / FRUITCAKE
23. SHAKE YOUR HEAD / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
24. HUWAG MO NANG ITANONG / CUTTERPILLOW
25. UNSTRUNG HEROES / FRANCIS MAGALONA’S HAPPY BATTLE ALBUM
26. SUPERPROXY / CUTTERPILLOW
27. POORMAN’S GRAVE / CUTTERPILLOW
28. PLAYGROUND / CARBON STEREOXIDE
29. PARU-PARONG NINGNING / CUTTERPILLOW
30. TOYANG / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
31. MINSAN / CIRCUS
32. MALING AKALA / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
33. KAILAN / CIRCUS
34. HEY JAY / CIRCUS
35. HUWAG KANG MATAKOT / NATIN99
36. ALKOHOL / CIRCUS
37. TINDAHAN NI ALING NENA / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
38. KAMASUPRA / CUTTERPILLOW
39. BUTTERSCOTCH / CIRCUS
40. MANILA / BANDANG PINOY LASANG HOTDOG
41. WALANG NAGBAGO / CUTTERPILLOW
42. PUMAPATAK NA NAMAN ANG ULAN / NESCAFE OPEN UP PARTY LIVE
43. JULIE TEARJERKY / ALOHA MILKYWAY
44. EASY KA LANG / ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP
45. POP MACHINE / NATIN99
46. BLUE JEANS / NESCAFE OPEN UP PARTY LIVE
47. SATURN RETURN / ALOHA MILKYWAY
48. WAITING FOR THE BUS / CUTTERPILLOW
49. WISHING WELLS / CIRCUS
50. MASELANG BAHAGHARI / NATIN99

While I think a lot would disagree with my picks, I believe my picks are solid.

I’ll probably agree with most suggestions... except for Para sa Masa.

I like almost all of the Heads’ works except for this song.

The Heads’ can do without Para sa Masa.

Anyway, I’m going to single out a couple of my favourites in separate articles.

Game over.