90’S

ALTERNATIVE

MUSIC

GRUET

GUZMAN

PORTILLO PCOPOMU

90’S ALTERNATIVE

Alternative music started with the underground indie music

(i.e. punk and new wave) of the late 70s through the 80s, with

American and British bands like Blondie, David Bowie, Patti

Smith (Godmother of Punk), R.E.M. (said to be the pioneer of

the alternative music genre), The Flaming Lips, The Sex

Pistols, The Cure, The Smiths, and Slowdive.

Alternative

(adjective) – as

another possibility

or choice; relating

to activities that

depart or

challenge the norm Alternative rock

consists of other

sub-genres like

grunge, indie rock,

shoegazing, dream

pop, post-rock,

and riot grrrl.

Alternative music gained popularity in the 1990s. Nirvana’s

second album, Nevermind, gained incredible commercial

success and became partly responsible for bringing

alternative music to a mainstream audience (and the start of

the grunge revolution).

Other bands like Pearl Jam,

Smashing Pumpkins,

Radiohead, and Green Day

followed suit.

SOME EVENTS AND

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

DURING THE 90’S

• Revolutions against communism

• World Wide Web (1989)

• Creation of Ebay, Yahoo, and Email (1995)

• Dolly the Sheep

• Y2K

• 7.7 magnitude earthquake (1990)

• Explosion of Mt. Pinatubo (1991)

• End of Cory Aquino’s term (1992) succeeded by Fidel Ramos

• Unemployment and overpopulation in the Philippines

• Power shortage

• External debt from Martial Law

• Threat from Moro and communist insurgents

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC

IN THE PHILIPPINES

Local rock music (mostly progressive rock and underground) was being played on air. Unknown local acts were featured in NU107.5 during Francis Brew’s segment “In The Raw”.

DWLA 105.9 also provided a venue for underground bands to broadcast original music, since most radio stations at the time wouldn’t allow it due to payola (illegal practice of payment; bribing for airplay).

LA 105.9 also supported the local music scene by playing badly recorded singles and demos.

Rock n’ Rhythm magazine (90’s equivalent of Jingle magazine) provided updates, interviews, and reviews regarding the alternative music scene.

The Dawn, Introvoys, and AfterImage were the prominent bands at the time, but due to exposure (live gigs and frequent airplay), music by younger bands and artists like Eraserheads, Wolfgang, Teeth, Rivermaya, Parokya ni Edgar, Cynthia Alexander, and others dominated the alternative music scene.

The Eraserheads (signed with BMG Records Pilipinas) gained commercial success with the release of their debut album Ultraelectromagneticpop! (1993). The album featured the songs Pare Ko, Toyang, and Ligaya. It’s success brought about Eraserheadsmania.

Since then until their break-up in 2002, the band received both local and international success, and repeatedly made OPM music history with each release of their albums: Circus(1994), Cutterpillow (1995), Fruitcake (1996), Sticker Happy(1997), Natin99 (1999), and Carbon Stereoxide (2001).

The band held a reunion concert in 2008 which was flocked by loyal fans and fellow musicians influenced by their music.

ISSUES

• Hip Hop-bashing

• Exploitation of Pinoy bands (TV guesting)

• Piracy

• Lack of talent in wannabe bands