Sugarfree (band)
Encyclopedia
Sugarfree was a band composed of Ebe Dancel (vocals/guitars), Jal Taguibao (bass/back-up vocals) and Kaka Quisimbing (drums) who replaced Mitch Singson (drums) in 2006. They have five albums: Sa Wakas (2003), Dramachine (2004) and the repackaged version of Dramachine (2006), Tala-Arawan (2006), Sugarfree Live! with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (2008), and Mornings and Airports (2009) --all under PolyEast Records (formerly known as EMI Philippines).

Profile

Sugarfree was a pop-alternative group that was formed in 1999. Their sound was heavily influenced by the likes of Popsicle, 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...

, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...

, and Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...

. The initial line up had The Pin-Ups'
The Pin-Ups
The Pin-Ups, formerly The Pin-Up Girls, is an independent band formed in 1995 by Mondo Castro along with Keltscross members Pamela Aquino and Jennifer Tan.”...

 Mitch Singson on drums. Singson left the band in August 2006 for personal reasons. Quisumbing immediately took place.

They were signed to Viva Records
Viva Records (Philippines)
VIVA Records is Philippine record label. It is subsidiary of VIVA Entertainment.- Artists & Album Releases :* 18 Greatest Hits ** Andrew E.** Basil Valdez ** Jun Pulistico...

 but their album was shelved. By 2003, thanks to the help of Tracks Studio's Angee Rozul, their freshman offering was picked up and released by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 Philippines (now known as PolyEast Records).

Sugarfree has worked with a some of the Philippines' premier record producers such as Angee Rozul and Rico Blanco for Sa Wakas (2003), Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan (members of the Eraserheads) for Dramachine (2004), Robin Rivera (also an album producer of the Eraserheads) for Tala-Arawan (2006), and Buddy Zabala and "Sancho" Sanchez for "Mornings and Airports" (2009). These albums have produced more than a handful of hit songs. "Hari ng Sablay" and "Makita Kang Muli", in particular, are the songs that brought Sugarfree into every home.

In 2007, Sugarfree held their first major concert at Music Museum. They shared the stage with the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

In 2008, Sugarfree created and released the song "Pugad" as endorser of Dencio's, a local restaurant chain. On the same year, Sugarfree revived the song "Bawa't Bata", an APO Hiking Society original, as endorser of the milk brand Alactagrow. The band continues to endorse San Miguel Beer and Converse.

In August 2009, Sugarfree returned to the Music Museum with "Dekada: Sugarfree with the Manila Symphony Orchestra" which was a two-night concert in celebration of the band's 10th anniversary.

In 2010, Sugarfree together with other young musical artists sang ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs MTV for the 2010 Presidential Elections
Philippine general election, 2010
Elections for all positions in the Philippines above the barangay were held on Monday, May 10, 2010. The elected president will become the 15th President of the Philippines, succeeding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is barred from seeking re-election due to term restrictions...

 which is entitled as "Ako ang Simula". And at the same time they also sang "Panata Sa Bayan" for the theme of ABS-CBN's arch rival GMA 7 Presidential Elections MTV, 50th Anniversary & its theme song of the GMA News & Public Affairs.
GMA News and Public Affairs
GMA News and Public Affairs is the news department of the Philippine broadcaster GMA Network and its sister network GMA News TV...



In a tweet early January 2011, Ebe has stated that he will be leaving the band by the end of February. He is also set to record his first solo album under Warner Music Philippines.

Ebe Dancel also sang the OST for TV 5's "8 Kingdom", entitled "Hanggang Sa Dulo".

Last March 1, 2011, Sugarfree held their farewell concert called "Paalam Pilipinas" at Eastwood Plaza, Libis Quezon City.

Discography

  • Sa Wakas (January, 2003)

(Telepono, Mariposa, Burnout and Taguan)

Sa Wakas was finally launched at Freedom Bar in 2003. Sugarfree's first two singles "Telepono" and "Mariposa" became staples on every pop-alternative station 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,...

 and it wasn't long until they hit the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....

 with the hit song Burnout. Within the same year, Sugarfree won Best New Artist, Album of the Year, and Best Alternative Recording for "Burnout" at the NU Rock Awards. They also won Best Rock Recording for "Mariposa" at the Awit Awards.
  • Dramachine (July, 2004)

(Sinta, Hari ng Sablay, Prom, Kwarto, Tulog Na, Makita Kang Muli)

It earned Sugarfree their first platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...

 record award (signifying over 30,000 copies sold) and made Sugarfree a household name. Dramachine churned out the hits "Sinta", "Prom", "Tulog Na", "Kwarto", and the massive hit "Hari Ng Sablay". EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 Philippines decided to release a re-packaged Dramachine album bearing additional tracks such as "Cuida" and the anthemic "Makita Kang Muli" (theme song of the TV series Panday). The AVCD also features a collection of the band's music videos.
  • Tala-Arawan (November, 2006)

(Batang Bata Ka Pa, Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin, Dear Kuya, Wag Ka Nang Umiyak, Nangangawit)

This album, which means "diary" in English, introduced Kaka Quisumbing as the band's new drummer. The first single "Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin" was launched simultaneously in more than forty radio stations nationwide. "Tala-Arawan" turned "gold" by April 2008.
  • SUGARFREE Live! with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (August, 2008)


On September 29, 2007, Sugarfree held its first major concert at the Music Museum. This was captured on a two-disc album with the same title, released the following year. The live album (exclusively distributed by Dencio's) comes with a Pugad Dencio's premium AVCD which includes the single Pugad, the Pugad Dencio's jingles edits, and behind-the-scenes footage of the music video and album launch.
  • Mornings and Airports (July 2009)

(Hay Buhay, Feels Like, Hang Over)

Their 4th studio album and 5th over-all album was released last July 24, 2009. Their lead single was Hay Buhay, their 2nd single and 1st english single, Feels Like, followed by their 3rd and last single, Hang Over. It will be the last Sugarfree album before former lead singer Ebe Dancel decided to become a solo artist sometime in March or April 2011.

Studio Albums

  • Sa Wakas (2003)
  • Dramachine (2004) (Repackaged version released in 2006)
  • Tala-Arawan (2006)
  • Mornings & Airports (2009)

Collaboration Albums

  • UltraelectromagneticJam (Sony Music Philippines, 2005)
  • Pinoy Ako! Blue Album (Star Records, 2006)
  • KaminAPOmuna (Universal Records, Inc., 2006)
  • Pugad Dencio's (Single, 2008)
  • I-Star 15: The Best Of Rock & Alternative Songs (Star Records, 2011)
  • A Perfectly Acoustic Experience (PolyEast Records, 2011)
  • Awit Kapuso: Kay Sarap Maging Kapuso (GMA Records, 2011)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK