Rivermaya

Rico Blanco auditioned as a rhythm guitarist/keyboard player for a yet unnamed new band that was managed by Lizza Nakpil and Chito Roño. He, along with Nathan Azarcon became the first two members of that band. Guitar player Kenneth Ilagan and drummer Rome Velayo completed the initial lineup with Blanco singing vocals. Jessie Gonzales was recruited later on to do the vocals, and Marc Escueta replaced Velayo on drums. Later on, Perfecto de Castro and Bamboo Manalac replaced the guitarist and vocalist, respectively.

With regards as to how the band's name was formed, Blanco really liked the name of Pinoy band Rizal Underground. He came up with hundreds of other possible names but Rivermaya was the one his bandmates chose. They were still planning to change it, but the first time they publicly called themselves Rivermaya, they all thought that it sounded right for them.

In the beginning, Rivermaya was at odds with the percolating music scene. In 1994, most of the bands had risen through the underground club scene. Their membership belonged to a loose community that gravitated around clubs such as Red Rocks and later, Club Dredd. They had paid their dues, but they hardly played any gigs until they landed a record deal, and almost immediately scored a hit single with "Ulan."

Rock snobs immediately came up with reasons not to like Rivermaya: They were too popular, too good-looking, their performances too tight, they were put together by managers who knew nothing about music, in effect, "manufactured." They were pitted against the Eraserheads, who according to Blanco were arguably the best band ever. He believed that to be pitted against a phenomenon was great training for the future.

One thing was undeniable, however: Rico Blanco could write songs. A string of radio hits followed, each one winning converts. "Ulan" was followed by "214," "Elesi," "Himala," "If," "Kung Ayaw Mo, H'wag Mo"-each an instant pop classic, each bearing an unmistakable stamp of authorship.

Shortly after the first album's release, guitarist de Castro departed to form his own band. Rather than look for a new guitar player, Blanco filled in. That whole second album ("Trip," 1996) is a documentary of Blanco's learning to play guitar. The keyboardist is always the dorkiest member of the band. Playing guitar pushed Blanco forward, into the spotlight. Fans began to notice him more.

The band released a third album, "Atomic Bomb" in 1997, which yielded four No. 1 hits. They marked time the following year with a remix album, then released a fourth album in 1999 called "It's Not Easy Being Green."

And then, following a successful US tour, Bamboo announced that he was leaving. Rather than look for a new frontman, Blanco was again pushed forward against his will, this time to be lead singer. Something clicked into place when Blanco became Rivermaya's frontman, and fans noticed immediately.

As if to seal the changes that had taken place, Rivermaya released their fifth album independently in 2000, and gave it away for free on the Internet. "Free" remains the favorite album for many hardcore fans, not only because it was a gift from the band, but also because it marked Blanco's recorded debut as frontman, and included the highly-charged "emo" anthem, "Faithless," revealing hitherto unexplored emotional depths.

Earlier this year, Rico Blanco has left the band for unclear reasons. Jayson Fernandez replaced him after winning in a search conducted by the band. He joined Mike Elgar(guitars), Japs Sergio(bass), and Mark Escueta(drums).