Sponge Cola
Sponge Cola (sometimes spelled Spongecola) is a Filipino rock band formed in 2002. The band is composed of Yael Yuzon on vocals and guitars, Gosh Dilay on bass, Armo Armovit on guitars and drummer Tedmark Cruz. One of the most popular rock bands in the Philippines, the band produced many hit songs including "Jeepney", "KLSP", "Gemini", "Bitiw", "Tuliro", "Di Na Mababawi", "Tambay", "Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay", and "XGF". The band has released seven albums to date, and are working on their eighth full-length that's set to be released in 2022. Formation and early years. The band  formed between 1998 and 2002. Ysmael "Yael" Yuzon and Reynaldo "Gosh" Dilay (both from Ateneo de Manila High School) met through the school's theatre guild, "Teatro Baguntao". Yuzon decided to form a band with Dilay and two other members of "Teatro Baguntao". They named the group "Sponge" after R.S. Surtees' "Mr. Sponge Sporting Tour", and the band won in several high school competitions boosting their popularity on campuses and in other schools. After a couple of lineup changes, drummer Christopher "Chris" Cantada and Rampqueen guitarist Erwin "Armo" Armovit joined the band permanently. Later on, they heard of a Detroit  grunge band already using the name Sponge. "But we wanted to keep the word Sponge in our band name because people have already associated us with that name...so we decided to add 'Cola', since it's an easy enough word to remember," Yuzon said. Sponge Cola was officially formed in summer of 2003. In the midst of touring the healthy local gig circuit during their senior year in high school, they released a 5-track, all original, self-titled EP in 2003. It is from here that critics and music aficionados immediately took note of the songs "Lunes (trans : Monday)" and "Jeepney", slowly creating buzz in the underground music scene. In the same year, the band performed a cover of Madonna's seminal classic "Crazy for You", a bootlegged copy of which was shared and downloaded immensely via peer-to-peer networks. This, along with the EP, helped the band break into mainstream consciousness and popularity, gaining extensive airplay from several local pop and rock radio stations. Career. Section::::"Palabas and Mainstream Success" (2004-2006). In 2004, Sponge Cola signed a record distribution deal with Sony BMG Philippines and released their first full-length debut album entitled "Palabas (trans: The  Show)", an allusion to their roots in theatre. "KLSP", the album's lead single, further spread the band's name all over the OPM market, gaining heavy airplay in local radio stations and music channels. Other hits include the Shakespeare-inspired "Gemini", "Una (trans: The First)", and a remastered "Jeepney", all hitting number 1 in various music charts in the Philippines. This, along with a slew of other releases from other OPM bands, spearheaded the resurgence of Pinoy rock, and revitalized OPM as a whole. After a subsequent repackaged release the following year, "Palabas" was certified Gold in 2005. Section::::"Transit  (2006-2008). Their second full-length CD Transit" was released in 2006 under Universal Records. The album was certified gold in less than four months after release, mainly due to the success of lead single "Bitiw (trans: Let Go)", which enjoyed massive radio and television airplay. The song also became the theme song of the ABS-CBN television series "Pedro Penduko". The album's second and third singles "Tuliro (trans: Dumbfounded)" and "Pasubali (trans: Conditions)", were hits in their own right, and have proven to be two of the band's most requested during their live sets. Sponge Cola also  contributed on three tribute albums. They recorded covers of the Eraserheads hit, "Pare Ko" on "", and APO Hiking Society's classics "Nakapagtataka" and "Saan Na Nga Ba'ng Barkada" on the tribute albums "Kami nAPO muna" and "Kami nAPO Muna ULIT". The band won four awards in the 2007 MYX Music Awards, besting other OPM acts in both Favorite Artist and Favorite Group categories, while "Bitiw" was voted as both Favorite Song and Favorite Rock Video. In the same year, ABS-CBN once again tapped Sponge Cola for the theme song of "Pedro Penduko at ang mga Engkantao", "Tuloy Pa Rin . The band was also featured in the MYX show Myxellaneous", following their fast evolution from young upstarts to one of the more stellar acts in the Philippine Rock scene. The single "Pasubali" was released along with a deluxe edition of "Transit" in 2008, and was used as the theme song to ABS-CBN's airing of the Koreanovela "Lovers". This set includes a bonus AVCD featuring "Tuloy Pa Rin", "Nakapagtataka", "Tuliro (Semi-Emo Version)", "Pasubali (Acoustic Version)", "Intercept", and "Pasubali (Radio Edit)". It also includes the music videos of "Bitiw", "Nakapagtataka", "Tuliro", "Tuloy Pa Rin", "Movie", and "Pasubali", and hit  platinum a week after release. Section::::"Self-titled album" (2008-2010). The band released their third album in September 2008. The self-titled record was an instant success both critically and commercially, led by the official theme song for Season 71 of the UAAP – "Puso (trans: Heart)". The song would continue to be the league's anthem for the next 4 years. Other singles include the massive hit "Di Na Mababawi (trans: You Can't Take it Back)", "Wala Kang Katulad (trans: You Are like No Other)", "Makapiling Ka (trans: To Be With You) ", and "Ayt!", a collaboration with Gary Valenciano . The band also rerecorded Gino Padilla's classic "Closer You and I" for Closeup Toothpaste. During recording, Chris Cantada left the band citing that the heavy touring was contributing to his health problems. A handful of drummers joined the band on tours, most notably Pupil's Wendell Garcia. By 2009, Tedmark "Tmac" Cruz signed on as the band's official drummer. Sponge Cola became the first Philippine band to release its new album in mp3 and mp4 format. All songs, including those in the past albums are included in the music players launched on 4 January 2009 with " 'Di Na  Mababawi" on "ASAP". Section::::"Tambay" EP, "Araw Oras Tagpuan", "District" EP (2010-2012). In late 2011, the band released their much awaited and highly anticipated 4th full-length studio album under Universal Records. Entitled "Araw Oras Tagpuan" (trans: Day Time Setting), it contains 12 tracks including songs from the band's "Tambay" (trans: Hanging Out) EP, released earlier in 2010 via a Coca-Cola promo. The outstanding sales of Tambay and Araw Oras Tagpuan gave Sponge Cola a diamond record award as it sold over 200,000 units that summer. It featured the lead single "Tambay", "Araw Oras Tagpuan", "Regal", "Kay Tagal  Kitang Hinintay", and "Stargazer". Former drummer Chris Cantada appeared as a cameo guest for the music video of "Tambay". Fran of RX 93.1, Kim Marvilla of defunct radio station NU 107, film director Wincy Aquino Ong, and singer Zia Quizon also appear in said video, which is, according to the band, a homage to the film franchise, Back to the Future. In September of the following year, the band's 6-track "District" EP was released, with lead single "XGF" featuring Parokya ni Edgar vocalist Chito Miranda and rapper Los Magno. Shortly after its release, "XGF" became the top download  of MyMusicStore.com for 7 weeks. Fresh and innovative, District also ruled the sales charts of local record store Odyssey upon release. Other singles "Mahaba pa ang Gabi (trans: The Night is Young) and "Pick Your Poison" enjoyed success as well, the latter being used for GMA Films' Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Sosy Problems". Section::::"Ultrablessed" and "Thank You" (2014-2016). Sponge Cola released their 5th new album called "Ultrablessed" on January 31, 2014. The same day they release their first DVD concert called "Maximum Capacity" which was recorded last July 19, 2013. In January 2015, Sponge Cola posted a picture  of their now-released ultrablessed thank you edition Online. On February 14, 2015, they released their repackaged 5th album Ultrablessed Thank You Edition featuring their newest lead single "Move On" featuring Jane Oineza. Section::::"Sinag Tala" (2016). Following Ultrablessed, Sponge Cola released two EPs: "#Sinag" and "#Tala". These were later combined into "Sinag Tala", an 11-song LP that contains the singles Bahaghari and Butterflies, along with crowd favorites Coda and Pag-Ibig. Pag-Ibig is the opening theme song of Dangwa, a romance drama series that aired on GMA from 2015-2016 starring Janine Gutierrez. Section::::"Sea Of Lights" (2019). Sponge  Cola took to the road following the release of "Sinag Tala", playing across The Philippines and abroad to promote their latest material. New songs were written throughout this two-year period, and the band were in and out of the studio again to work on what would become "Sea Of Lights". The band worked at Tower of Doom with Eric Perlas as producer. "Sea Of Lights" contains the singles "Kunwari", "Tempura", and "Manila Bay". Section::::"Singles and Upcoming Album" (2020-present). After promoting "Sea Of Lights" with another packed year of stadium and festival shows, the COVID-19 pandemic started in December  2019, grounding all live music to a halt. The band took a short break from touring and started spending more time writing new songs. The band had also just signed on to Sony Music Philippines so an album was on order. Sponge Cola released "Lumipas Ang Tag-Araw" in July 2020, the first single from their upcoming album. The band recorded their parts at home separately, sending each other files until they had the song finished. “It’s a story of connection in separation, and how we can be a source of comfort for each other during difficult times” according  to Armo. The song is mixed and produced by Angee Rozul. Following "Lumipas Ang Tag-Araw" (and with COVID lockdowns in Manila lifted) the band went into the studio in August 2020 to write music together for their album. This time the boys worked with producer DJ Joey Santos at his Love One Another Sound Production studio, and in December 2020 they released "Siguro Nga". "Siguro Nga" is a song inspired by the K-Drama "Start Up" starring Kim Seon-Ho and Bae Suzy. The band continued to hammer away at new music, and in 2021 released the singles "Labis -Labis" and "JAIRAH". "JAIRAH" was written by Agassi Ching for his then-girlfriend (now fiancee) Jai Asuncion. Yael liked it and helped produce the song, turning the track into a sunny 90s driving soundtrack. Sponge Cola also released "Alamat" in late 2021, the theme song for the Mobile Legends 5th Anniversary celebration. The track fused an edgy electronica-meets-trap sound with the band’s signature anthemic hooks. The music video features streaming celebrities Mika Salamanca, Akosi Dogie, Benedict Repaso, and more. Heartthrob Daniel Padilla also makes an appearance in the video. In January 2022 the band released "Kung Ako  Ang Pumiling Tapusin Ito". The song was actually the first track that they worked on with DJ Joey Santos back in 2020, but it was only finished a year later. "Some songs need to simmer - to evolve and mature so they can reach their full potential. This is one such song. It benefitted from hindsight and just being able to go back and tweak instruments and refine production details,” says Santos. The music video for "Kung Ako Ang Pumiling Tapusin Ito" features actress Heaven Peralejo.