Nathan Azarcon | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Nathan Peter Hachero Azarcon |
Born | Philippines | 29 January 1975
Origin | BF Homes Parañaque |
Genres | |
Occupations | |
Instruments | |
Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | EMI Music Philippines, Inc. |
Nathan Peter Hachero Azarcon (born January 29, 1975) is a Filipino musician, nationalist, songwriter, and producer. He is currently the bassist, vocalist and one of the founding members of Filipino rock band Rivermaya. He was also a member of the rock bands Pinikpikan, Kapatid and a founding member of Bamboo and Hijo (where he was the lead vocalist).
His complete body of work includes hits produced while he was a member of four different bands. In recognition of his work, he has been honored by NU Rock Awards; Katha Music Awards; MTV Pilipinas Music Awards; and the Awit Awards, which are presented and organized by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI).
A fierce advocate of South East Asian culture, Azarcon, who was a prominent fixture on magazine covers during the '90s and 2000s is partially credited (along with Karl Roy, MMA fighter Brandon Vera) for the popular resurgence of the Austro-Polynesian/Indo-Malay script Baybayin in modern Filipino culture.
Azarcon first started playing bass during the early '90s with punk funk rock band, Bazurak. They covered songs from Sex Pistols, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Ramones. The members included Junji Lerma, guitar player for Radioactive Sago Project; Richard Recto on vocals; Paolo Lerma on drums; J-John Valencia on guitars; and Mark Escueta on drums.
In 1998, Azarcon started his apprenticeship under Sammy Asuncion, guitar player of Pinoy funk-reggae-rock band Spy and ethnic rock group Pinikpikan, a group renowned for reinventing musical pieces using indigenous tribal instruments. Azarcon eventually joined Pinikpikan. Notable members include Grace Nono, Rene "Chong" Tengasantos and Bob Aves. Azarcon under the moniker "Elqpal", fit well with the band's ethno-tribal rhythms.
In 2000, the band released their album Atas on the Tropical Records label, a subsidiary of A&M Records. The recording won the Philippine's 2001 Katha Music Award for Album of the Year, Best World Song, and Best Performance for "Kalipay". Other standout tracks on the album include "Aumoon", "Salidumay", and "Singkilan".
In February 2001, Azarcon departed from Rivermaya after a 7-year stint with the band since its inception in 1994. He eventually went back to the band 15 years later.
The band Kapatid (lit. English: sibling) came together through an informal gathering of friends with diverse musical talents in other bands. The original lineup included Karl Roy of Advent Call and P.O.T.; Marinito "J-hoon" Balbuena of Kjwan; Ira Cruz previously of Passage; Azarcon; and Chico Molina. [1]
In 2002, the band went on to release their debut album Edsa 524. The album contains the singles "Pagbabalik ng Kwago", "I Like It Like This", and "Visions". The band split apart rather quickly, with a couple of members leaving for other bands under less than amicable circumstances. Roy later stated of the breakup, "There was lots of talk about brotherhood and respect and the joy of playing music together. Unfortunately, things didn't turn that way". First, guitarist Ira Cruz left, and then Azarcon followed, and the two eventually hooked up with former Rivermaya bandmate Francisco "Bamboo" Mañalac." [1]
In 2003, after living in Los Angeles following the Rivermaya tour in America, Mañalac returned to the Philippines. Azarcon introduced Mañalac to Cruz and Vic Mercado (drums) and together, they formed the band Bamboo.
Sometime in 2010, Nathan's brother Nick left his band Sinosikat? while Nathan's bandmate Ira Cruz became the new guitarist for Sinosikat?.
In January 2011, news had been circulating that Bamboo had allegedly disbanded. DJ KC Montero of Wave 89.1 confirmed the breakup on Wave's The KC Show and via Twitter. Montero clarified that all the members of the band "have decided to move on," and that he did not know why they called it quits. The group did not initially release an official statement on the issue, according to ABS-CBNNews.com.
Bamboo's lead vocalist Bamboo Mañalac finally confirmed the breakup of his band in an official statement posted before midnight of 11 January on the group's website.
Three months after the breakup of Bamboo, Azarcon, Cruz and Mercado reunited to form the band "Hijo" [pronounced as ee'-ho] (a Spanish word that pertains to a male human offspring or a son). The new band was composed of Nathan Azarcon on vocals and bass, Ira Cruz on guitar, and Vic Mercado on drums. The band also includes Junji Lerma on guitar and Jay-O Orduña on keyboard synthesizer and backing vocals. [2] They performed their first gig at Route 196 on 16 April 2011. In 2012, Orduña was replaced by Wowee Posadas on keyboards and backing vocals and Mercado was replaced by Paolo Manuel on drums. Posadas later left the group on the same year. Two years after Hijo was formed, other band members left the band and left Azarcon as the sole member. Azarcon posted on his Facebook account that new members will be introduced in 2015. [3]
Azarcon posted teasers on Facebook of his new band called "Disband" which features Bea Lao of General Luna as the drummer. Azarcon then later posted that instead of renaming the band, it will still bear the name Hijo but would be called Hijo 2.0.
The band's music influence and genre is described by critics as "alternative metal" however the band rather label themselves as "Kung-Fu rock".
On January 9, 2016, Azarcon re-united with his former Rivermaya co-members, Perf de Castro, Mark Escueta and Rico Blanco for a "surprise mini semi-reunion", following de Castro's gig at 19 East, Taguig. Months later, Azarcon returned full-time to the band replacing Norby David for the first time since his departure in 2001.
Azarcon is a member of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity. He is married and has two kids.
Azarcon has been known to use Fender, Music Man and Modulus bass guitars. He now uses Warwick basses exclusively.
Rivermaya is a Filipino alternative rock band. Formed in 1994, it is one of the several bands that spearheaded the 1990s Philippine alternative rock explosion.
Bamboo was a Filipino alternative rock band formed in 2003 by Nathan Azarcon and Bamboo Mañalac. The band was composed of lead vocalist Mañalac, bassist Azarcon, lead and rhythm guitarist Ira Cruz, and drummer Vic Mercado.
Francisco Gaudencio Lope Belardo Mañalac, popularly known as Bamboo Mañalac or simply by the mononym Bamboo, is a Filipino musician, singer, and songwriter. He began his career as vocalist and original frontman of Rivermaya and later fronted his own band, Bamboo. Bamboo band disbanded in 2011 and Mañalac then pursued a solo career and released his first solo album, No Water, No Moon.
Kapatid was a Filipino rock supergroup fronted by Karl Roy, the brother of Kevin Roy of Razorback. He was also the vocalist of bands Advent Call and P.O.T.
Anthony James Arias, better known for his stage name Junji Arias, is a Filipino singer, record producer, composer, and was the former vocalist and chief songwriter for the band, Excerpts (1993–1999) and Velcro (1999–2008). Arias has been well known for his raw, sharp-edged raspy vocals. He was one of the pioneers of the acoustic Rock alternative scene during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is also musically versatile, playing a wide range of instruments, including the guitar, keyboards, and several percussion instruments.
Ira Cara Cruz is a Filipino musician, songwriter and producer. He was a founding member of Filipino rock bands Hijo, Bamboo, Introvoys, Passage and Kapatid.
Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo is the eighth studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya, released on October 10, 2006, through Viva Records. Except for original track "Isang Bandila ", it is a covers album featuring songs by Filipino artists in the 1980s, including The Jerks, Joey Ayala, and Wuds.
Rivermaya is the self-titled debut studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya, released in November 1994, by Musiko Records & BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc.
Tuloy ang Ligaya is the sixth studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya. It was released in October 15, 2001 under Viva Records. The album features newly recruited guitarists Mike Elgar and Kakoy Legaspi, as well as bassist Japs Sergio; the three were recruited after founding bassist Nathan Azarcon left the group.
Trip is the second studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya. It has 13 tracks and was released by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. in 1996. It is the first album to introduce Rico Blanco as the band's full-time guitarist following the departure of Perf de Castro the previous year. Since the album release, the album went gold overnight and reached platinum status in six days and the carrier single "Kisapmata" became the most requested tune in Top Rating FM Stations. On June 30, 1996, the band launched their first Music Video for their next single "Himala" at the TV show ASAP.
Atomic Bomb is the third studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya. It has 16 tracks and was released by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. on 31 January 1997.
It's Not Easy Being Green is the fourth studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya, released on January 14, 1999.
Free is the fifth studio album from the Filipino rock band Rivermaya. It has 10 tracks and was released on August 30, 2000 by the band independently, literally given away for free which was a first for any Filipino artist previously signed to a major label. Free was named Album of the Year at the NU Rock Awards 2000. This was the last album to feature Nathan Azarcon who left the band in 2001; he eventually returned in 2016.
SinoSikat? is a Filipino band that started September 2004, performing music influenced by a number of musical genres, but which has been described as "Filipino soul", reflecting an expansion of genres active within the Philippine music industry during the mid-2000s. The band released its eponymous first album in 2007, receiving media attention and critical acclaim when vocalist Kat Agarrado won Vocalist of the Year at the NU107 Rock Awards. The band has been named as a nominee for the People's Choice Award at the 2008 Awit Awards.
Tomorrow Becomes Yesterday is the fourth and final album of the Filipino alternative rock band Bamboo, originally released in 2008. It is the first release of original material by the band since 2005's Light Peace Love. It achieved platinum status on September 28, 2008.
"Ulan" is the debut single by Filipino rock band Rivermaya, released in 1995 from their self-titled debut album (1994). The song was produced by Chito S. Roño and Lizza G. Nakpil.
Mark Edward Penabella Escueta is a Filipino musician and one of the founding members of the Filipino rock band Rivermaya. Escueta has been the only constant member of Rivermaya since its inception in 1994.
Michael Maximino C. Elgar, more commonly known as Mike Elgar, is a Filipino musician currently performing as a guitarist and one of the lead vocalists for the band Rivermaya. He has been the band's longest serving guitarist ever since he joined in May 2001, and the second overall longest serving member next to Mark Escueta. As of 2024, he is currently performing under the moniker Greenman Six, his side solo project.
"Hinahanap-Hanap Kita" is a song recorded by Filipino rock band Rivermaya in 1997. It was released as the first single from their third album Atomic Bomb.
Sa Kabila ng Lahat is the twelfth studio album by Filipino rock band Rivermaya. The album was released on September 15, 2017 nationwide and digital format through Star Music. This is the first album to feature bassist Nathan Azarcon after his departure in 2001 and the last album to feature drummer Ryan Peralta who left the band a year later.