Signing A Filipino Phenomenon

I worked as a Label and A&R Manager for Universal Records for a while back in the early 1990's handling mainly jazz and classical music. When the company missed out on the Eraserheads, Color It Red, Tropical Depression, and Teeth, I had enough and asked the late Bella Tan if I could scout and sign local bands since I was the one immersed in the local music scene.

The first one I signed was Datu's Tribe (out of UPLB and managed by my Ateneo Grade School classmate Patrick Reidenbach). Then I went after three outfits: Parokya Ni Edgar, Indio I, and Fatal Posporos. I was able to snag Parokya way ahead of everyone. In hindsight, it's a no-brainer, right? But back then, people weren't sure. It took balls back then to sign them and am glad I did. If Mrs. Tan wasn't too enamored of Datu's Tribe, then she liked PNE right away. They guys even at that age were consumate showmen. At that time, the band was then managed by another classmate, Ricky Santillan who then worked at Saatchi. He then left to work in Singapore and Richard Tan picked up the band. The rest is history.

See how young we were back then. I was wearing a WORLD YOUTH DAY tee featuring the band THE YOUTH (of "Multong Bakla" fame) and the late Pope John Paul II. Those were the days and am damn proud of Parokya Ni Edgar.