Bamboo (band)

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Bamboo
Bamboo during a live performance
Bamboo during a live performance
Background information
Origin Manila, Philippines
Genre(s) Pinoy Rock, Rock, Alternative Rock, Jazz Fusion
Years active 2002–present
Label(s) EMI Philippines, Inc.
Associated acts Rivermaya
Passage
Kapatid
Introvoys
Website bamboo.com.ph
Members
Francisco "Bamboo" Mañalac (Vocals)
Nathan Azarcon (Bass)
Ira Cruz (Guitars)
Vic Mercado (Drums)

Bamboo is a Filipino alternative rock band founded in 2003 by the former vocalist of Rivermaya, Bamboo Mañalac.

Contents

[edit] Band Origin

Bamboo Mañalac serves as the band's frontman. Contrary to popular belief, the band is not named after him. According to Ira Cruz, the guitarist, the word bamboo relates to strength and durability with an island feel to it. Also, it's very Filipino and Asian at the same time. Their first priority for a band name during the 2000's was "Audio Barangay" which means "Audio Neighborhood" in English. However, they realized that its a bit hard to pronounce and it is not that catchy compared to just "Bamboo." They also dropped the name "Audio Barangay" because Audioslave was formed roughly the same time during their band's formation, to avoid confusion.

Four years after their departure from Rivermaya, Mañalac and Azarcon caught up again with each other, during which Azarcon introduced him to Ira Cruz and Vic Mercado. Two of its members, Bamboo Mañalac and Nathan Azarcon, were formerly part of Rivermaya. The other two members, Ira Cruz and Vic Mercado, were former instrumentalists of another band, Passage.Ira Cruz and Nathan Azarcon were also former members of the band Kapatid during that time.

[edit] Music career

Bamboo released their debut single in 1998 on Virgin records, "The Strutt" UK Catalogue VCED35. The debut album, As The Music Plays, released in February 2004 where it received positive response from fans and critics alike. The album also won numerous awards at the AWIT Awards, NU107 Rock Awards, and MTV Pilipinas 2004.

Their second album, Light Peace Love, which was released in 2005, consists of ten songs with differing moods and subjects, and took only 3 months to record. This album has a softer sound with both its lyrics and delivery. For this album, the band added more strings and a variety of other instruments, including a trumpet. The band admitted that this album had a personal feel to it. They experimented with several new styles that may please new listeners, at the risk of disappointing fans of the more conventional rock of their first album.

Their third album, We Stand Alone Together, was released in 2007. It contains revived local songs such as Buklod's "Tatsulok" and international songs such as Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" from different generations. It also includes bonus tracks like unplugged versions of their hit songs from previous albums such as "Mr. Clay", "These Days", and "Hallelujah". Once again, opting to do away with the conventional rock image that was attached to them , they produced sounds which were more jazzy than expected.

Star Records--backed up by ABS-CBN TV Production and MYX--produced and created the official soundtrack for the tele-epiko "Rounin", wherein the title track “Argos” was performed by Bamboo. A new avenue was opened to the band, as “Argos” is said to be the band’s first venture to record a song for a primetime television show. It is also the first time for the multi-awarded band and Star Records to work together.

The band is also part of the “Days of Peace” Campaign by UNICEF with Gary Valenciano.[1]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Compilations

  • Full Volume:The Best Of Pinoy Alternative (2005 EMI Philippines)
includes As The Music Plays (Jam Version)
  • Rounin OST (2007 Star Records)
includes Argos
  • Astig...The Biggest OPM Hits (2008 Universal Records)

[edit] Singles

Year Single Album
2004 Noypi As The Music Plays
Mr. Clay
Masaya
2005 Hallelujah Light Peace Love
F.U.
Much Has Been Said
Truth
Peace Man
2006 Argos Rounin OST
2007 Tatsulok We Stand Alone Together
Probinsyana
So Far Away

[edit] Awards

  • SOP Music Awards 2005
Strictly Alternative Category Winner: "Hallelujah" - Bamboo
  • SOP Pasiklaband 2006
Best Rock Band: Bamboo
Vocalist of the Year: Bamboo Mañalac
  • MTV Pilipinas 2004 Music Awards
Favorite New Artist/Group: Bamboo for "Noypi"
Favorite Song: "Noypi" - Bamboo
Favorite Group: Bamboo for "Noypi"
  • MTV Pilipinas 2005 Music Awards
Favorite Media Soundtrack: "Fiesta Amazing" (Smart) - Bamboo
  • MTV Pilipinas 2006 Music Awards
Best Cinematography in a Video: Bamboo for "Much Has Been Said"
  • 18th Awit Awards 2005
Best Performance by a New Group Recording Artist: "Noypi" - Bamboo
Best Rock Song: "Noypi" - Bamboo
People's Choice Favorite Song: "Noypi" - Bamboo
  • 19th Awit Awards 2006
Album of the Year: Light Peace Love - Bamboo
Best Performance by a Group: Bamboo
Song of the Year: "Hallelujah" - Bamboo
Best Ballad: "Much Has Been Said" - Bamboo
Best Rock Song: "Hallelujah" - Bamboo
People's Choice Award: Bamboo
Most Promising Entertainer: Bamboo
  • NU Rock Awards 2004
Vocalist of the Year: Bamboo Mañalac
Song of the Year: "Noypi" - Bamboo
Drummer of the Year: Vic Mercado of Bamboo
Listeners' Choice Award: Bamboo
Band of the Year: Bamboo
  • NU Rock Awards 2005
Vocalist of the Year: Bamboo Mañalac
Album of the Year: Light Peace Love - Bamboo
Listeners' Choice Award: Bamboo
  • NU Rock Awards 2007
Guitarist of the Year: Ira Cruz
Bassist of the Year: Nathan Azarcon
Drummer of the Year: Vic Mercado
Best Live Act: Bamboo
Artist of the Year: Bamboo
Listener's Choice Award: Bamboo
  • 93.1 RX Year End Awards 2004
Song of the Year: "Masaya" - Bamboo
New Local Artist of the Year: Bamboo
Local Group of the Year: Bamboo
  • 89.9 TM Year End Awards 2004
Song of the Year: "Masaya" - Bamboo
New Local Artist of the Year: Bamboo
Song of the Year: "Noypi" - Bamboo
  • 19th ALIW AWARDS 2006
Most Promising Entertainer - Bamboo
Best Major Concert - (Group) Bamboo
  • THE 2bU! CLICK AWARDS 2006
Most Clickable Band - Bamboo

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Languages