Chito Miranda
Encyclopedia
Alfonso "Chito" Miranda, Jr. (born February 7, 1976) is a Filipino
singer and songwriter
who is best known as the lead singer for the band Parokya ni Edgar
.
where he met Gab Chee Kee, Vinci Montaner
, Jeric Estaco, and Miko Yap. They formed a garage band during their high school years.
The group was known in school to be class clowns. Normally in shows, they would show up in women’s clothing to entertain victims of earthquakes and typhoons and sing off-key in poetry readings.
They eventually landed the role of front act band for the locally well-known Filipino alternative rock band The Eraserheads
. Later on, Buwi Meneses
and Dindin Moreno
joined as bassist and drummer, respectively. When they graduated high school, Jeric and Miko decided to leave the group to pursue other interests. Shortly thereafter, Darius Semaña
(lead guitar) joined to complete the sextet.
Originally, Parokya ni Edgar was called "Comic Relief". However, they decided to change the name in homage to an ancient Noli Me Tangere
joke in their student days.
Later on, Parokya ni Edgar performed regularly in Club Dredd
, one of the famous clubs in Manila
during that time. The band slowly gained popularity during the height of the Filipino rock
explosion, with the local rock community opening up to the influence of foreign grunge
acts such as Nirvana
, Pearl Jam
and Soundgarden
.
Eventually, the late managing director of Universal Records
, Bella Dy Tan, signed them as contract artists after witnessing one of their performances at Club Dredd. The band garnered a triple platinum award for their first album Khangkhungkherrnitz
.
One of the band's songs, "Buloy", has lyrics inspired by a friend Miranda met in Batangas. He was a Fine Arts student at Far Eastern University
and committed suicide some time after "Buloy" was released and this caused some controversy among fans and non-fans.
Miranda is a member of Tau Gamma Phi fraternity in the Philippines. He is good friends with fellow Filipino artists, the late rapper and singer Francis Magalona, and rapper Gloc9. Miranda dated actress Kaye Abad
from the early 2000s until their breakup in 2009.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who is best known as the lead singer for the band Parokya ni Edgar
Parokya ni Edgar
Parokya ni Edgar is a Filipino band that was formed in 1993 by a group of college students. The band is famous and most lauded for its original rock novelty songs and often satirical covers of popular songs...
.
Life and career
Miranda attended grade school and high school in the Ateneo de Manila UniversityAteneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
where he met Gab Chee Kee, Vinci Montaner
Vinci Montaner
Francis Vincent "Vinci" Montaner is the backup vocalist for Filipino band Parokya ni Edgar.-Biography:Francis Vincent Rosales Montaner , is the son of Francisco and Mila Montaner. Montaner has 3 siblings nicknamed Chikko, Dikki and Chachi...
, Jeric Estaco, and Miko Yap. They formed a garage band during their high school years.
The group was known in school to be class clowns. Normally in shows, they would show up in women’s clothing to entertain victims of earthquakes and typhoons and sing off-key in poetry readings.
They eventually landed the role of front act band for the locally well-known Filipino alternative rock band The Eraserheads
The Eraserheads
Eraserheads, or E-Heads was a Filipino rock band of the 90s, formed by Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro. The band is one of the most successful, critically acclaimed, and significant bands in the history of OPM...
. Later on, Buwi Meneses
Buwi Meneses
Buhawi "Buwi" Meneses is a Filipino bassist for bands Parokya ni Edgar, and Franco.-Biography:Buhawi Francia Meneses , is the second of four children and only son of breast cancer activists Danny Meneses and the late Rosa Meneses....
and Dindin Moreno
Dindin Moreno
Ferdinand "Dindin" Moreno is the drummer for Filipino band Parokya ni Edgar.-Biography:Born Ferdinand Alvarez Moreno is one of four members of Parokya ni Edgar who attended Ateneo de Manila University during their grade school to high school years...
joined as bassist and drummer, respectively. When they graduated high school, Jeric and Miko decided to leave the group to pursue other interests. Shortly thereafter, Darius Semaña
Darius Semaña
Darius Gerard Semaña is the lead guitarist for Filipino band Parokya ni Edgar and is the oldest member of the group.-Biography:Darius Gerard Laluna Semaña along with Vinci Montaner, are the only members of Parokya ni Edgar who have a bachelor's degree...
(lead guitar) joined to complete the sextet.
Originally, Parokya ni Edgar was called "Comic Relief". However, they decided to change the name in homage to an ancient Noli Me Tangere
Noli me tangere
Noli me tangere, meaning "don't touch me" / "touch me not", is the Latin version of words spoken, according to , by Jesus to Mary Magdalene when she recognizes him after his resurrection....
joke in their student days.
Later on, Parokya ni Edgar performed regularly in Club Dredd
Club DREDD
Club Dredd was a nightclub originally located in a small space on Timog Ave, Quezon City, Philippines. It was opened on 8 December 1990. The Timog venue had been a home for another rock venue called Red Rocks that closed down. It was put up by young rock musician Patrick Reidenbach and rock band...
, one of the famous clubs in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
during that time. The band slowly gained popularity during the height of the Filipino rock
Pinoy rock
Pinoy rock, or Filipino rock, is the brand of rock music produced in the Philippines or by Filipinos. It has become as diverse as the rock music genre itself, and bands adopting this style are now further classified under more specific genres or combinations of genres like alternative rock,...
explosion, with the local rock community opening up to the influence of foreign grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
acts such as Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
and Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
.
Eventually, the late managing director of Universal Records
Universal Records (Philippines)
Universal Records Philippines Inc. is a Filipino record label founded in 1977 as a part of Warner Music Group. Since 1992, it became independent.-History:URPI was founded in 1977 as WEA Records Philippines Inc...
, Bella Dy Tan, signed them as contract artists after witnessing one of their performances at Club Dredd. The band garnered a triple platinum award for their first album Khangkhungkherrnitz
Khangkhungkherrnitz
Khangkhungkherrnitz is debut album of the Filipino alternative rock band Parokya Ni Edgar, released in 1996 by Universal Records.-Track listing:#Galactic Lady Intro #Bato #Pangarap Ko Sa Buhay #Nakaw Ang Wallet Ko...
.
One of the band's songs, "Buloy", has lyrics inspired by a friend Miranda met in Batangas. He was a Fine Arts student at Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
and committed suicide some time after "Buloy" was released and this caused some controversy among fans and non-fans.
Miranda is a member of Tau Gamma Phi fraternity in the Philippines. He is good friends with fellow Filipino artists, the late rapper and singer Francis Magalona, and rapper Gloc9. Miranda dated actress Kaye Abad
Kaye Abad
Katherine Grace Cosme Abad , better known as Kaye Abad, is a Filipino-American actress. She is the sister of former child star, Sarah Jane Abad-Contreras, Kaye's sister Sarah Jane now married to a Kamikazee lead singer Jay Contreras.She is a member of ABS-CBN's Star Magic...
from the early 2000s until their breakup in 2009.
With Parokya ni Edgar
- KhangkhungkherrnitzKhangkhungkherrnitzKhangkhungkherrnitz is debut album of the Filipino alternative rock band Parokya Ni Edgar, released in 1996 by Universal Records.-Track listing:#Galactic Lady Intro #Bato #Pangarap Ko Sa Buhay #Nakaw Ang Wallet Ko...
(1996) - BuruguduystunstugudunstuyBuruguduystunstugudunstuyBuruguduystunstugudunstuy is album of the Filipino alternative rock band Parokya Ni Edgar, released in 1997 by Universal Records.-Track listing:#G.L.I. #Intro Ni Mr...
(1997) - Gulong Itlog Gulong (1999)
- Edgar Edgar Musikahan (2002)
- Bigotilyo (2003)
- Halina Sa Parokya (2005)
- Matira Matibay: PG-13 (Singles 1994-2007) (2007)
- Solid (2007)
- Middle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop RockersMiddle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop RockersMiddle-Aged Juvenile Novelty Pop Rockers is the 9th studio album of the Filipino alternative rock band Parokya Ni Edgar, released in 2010 by Universal Records.-Track listing:#Original Song#Ganito O! #Reunion...
(2010)