Ely Buendia - Eraserheads, The Mongols, Pupil: 2009

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Show me the Manny

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Ely Buendia & Francis M. - Higante

Friday, August 28, 2009

Pupil Manila's Photos (from facebook)

Pupil(ely buendia) - SALA @ SM Davao LIVE

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Singing out loud to rock impossibilities

MANILA, Philippines - With the continuous innovations shaping our times, young Juans of today explore many inventive means to express themselves and be heard. Daring to carry on the task of representing these bold individuals is a challenge that I willingly take on. After all, the title “OPM icon” bestowed on me by those who have found their own voice in my music, comes with a price — and that is to rise above eras and boundaries and diminish differences.

Reminiscing over my college days in UP as a film major, everything seemed to be very limited. Too little dough, too little time. But that didn’t stop us, a group of four musikeros, from daring to start with the little that we had. We knew that if there’s one thing that we had a lot of, it was spirit and love for music. Who would have expected that a simple pastime of a band of brothers would bloom into a nationwide phenomenon? Who would have thought that we would come to be known as the Eraserheads? No one probably, but it didn’t really matter. I wanted to leave my mark on this world.

Starting with zero brings with it both the excitement for the surprises that lie ahead and the setbacks that might happen. When we were beginning, the hardest push was probably the struggle to establish our own identity. Before we got the whole nation singing along to our own musical mumblings on the album “UltraElectroMagneticPop!”, we were just like every youth of today, trapped in the habit of imitating what the mainstream brands as “cool,” imitating who and what seems to be “in.” At that time, we did covers of other artists’ hits but it wasn’t long till we find out that like most copycats, we sucked at it. So, we decided to write our own material, the kind of songs that spoke about the most common of things and expressed the most candid of thoughts and feelings — relatable stories that gave us that unique flavor and sound. In no time, not only was the whole campus singing “Pare Ko”, a string of other “novelty tales” spread throughout the country like wildfire.

BMG Pilipinas was the instrument that gave us the chance to be heard on a larger scale. Underground college rock became a secret no more. Some called it “Eraserheadsmania” in 1993, the time when we gained friends more than just fans, when we rocked harder, not just performed in sold-out concerts and became the youth’s voice rather than merely producing successive chart-topping singles. From then up to this point, I’d say it’s great singing hit songs but nothing compares to knowing you have been able to tell a story that otherwise might have never been told, one that someone could honestly identify with and share better through a song.

I continued rocking with every Filipino youth even after Eraserheads — this story I’m sure has been told many different ways. From my departure from E-heads to my new gigs with first the Mongols down to my continued passion as the front man of Pupil at present, what’s important is that I remain an artist, trying to stand for generations of young Pinoys, wrapping their angst, euphoria, dilemma and visions within musical notes, happy to see them still singing to the tune of what I see as this world’s true universal language: music.

“Aloha Milkyway” and a bunch of glorious studio albums, a “Moon Man” for being the MTV Asia Viewer’s Choice, a column called “Cursor” in a major broadsheet, a few records written and produced for other striving Pinoy artists, a couple more record deals, Indie films, gigs here in abroad, two angioplasties, two beautiful children (Eon and Una), two E-heads reunion concerts and a lot of other things cherished and swooshing by almost unnoticeably — it’s great to know it’s that one thing that remains unfaltering. Indeed, music is as much a part of me as carbon and water.

With Coke Zero, the world-renowned beverage that made possible the combination of real Coke taste with zero sugar empowering me to continue my jam sessions with Pinoys everywhere, I am now singing my heart out, daring each one to prove that there are no impossibilities we could not overcome. Even if that entails starting out with zero. Though starting from scratch may give the impression that your aspirations are beyond reach, have solid faith and dare to extend your beliefs. We only have one life to live; we should live it how we want it.

I remember once being dubbed “the John Lennon of OPM.” Although it was a huge honor to be compared to a legend in the music biz, I still prefer to be known as “Ely Buendia of OPM.” And in the coming years, “Ely Buendia of OPM” will continue to be a unifying voice, embracing his individuality through his melody, urging the young to establish their own. Dare to start with Zero! It’s possible!

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=497749&publicationSubCategoryId=8

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Disconnection Notice - Pupil feat. Gary Valenciano [Live @ Gary V. Tribute Night V.3]

Thursday, August 6, 2009

follow real Ely Buendia on Twitter

You can now follow the real Ely Buendia at Twitter.com

I got this info from Pupil's official mailing list.

search and add: elybuendia9000

or click this link: http://twitter.com/elybuendia9000

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Pupil in GSC M2 Commonwealth

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pupil on singing bee

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Coke Zero Advertisement

Ely is chosen to be the endorser of Coke Zero.

Pupil - Different Worlds at SOP Rules

Pupil promoting their new album called Willife: Special Edition, July 19, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009

Ely Buendia to release collaboration album with Francis Magalona

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Nine Inch Nails to rock the Big Dome on Aug. 5 with Pupil as front act

The Big Dome is all set to rock the loudest ever in its 50-year history when Nine Inch Nails (NIN) roars into town on Aug. 5 for Wave Goodbye, a one-night only show. The American band is credited with putting industrial rock in the hit charts during the past two decades. You ask what is industrial rock? I’m not sure if I can give an accurate description. All I can say is that it uses more electronic sounds than the rock tunes we get to listen to.

To get a better idea, you might want to check out the recordings of NIN. Among its hit songs are The Hand That Feeds, March of the Pigs, Wish, Happiness in Slavery, La Mer, Every Day Is Exactly the Same and Survivalism. Its most successful albums are The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, With Teeth and the latest, The Slip, which aside from being in the stores has a digital version that can be downloaded free.

Unfair competition for the music stores, you say? Maybe but Nine Inch Nails front guy Trent Reznor has always advocated artistic freedom and probably sees free downloads as a way of making his music accessible to everybody. That must also be why he prefers to do all the music himself. Reznor is not only NIN vocalist. He plays all the instruments and is also songwriter, arranger and producer and whatever else of the band, which therefore is not really a band, but only Reznor playing all the required roles.

For gigs like Wave Goodbye, though, Reznor puts together a band of competent musicians who perform his works the way he wants. Raw and loud. But never plain noise. Reznor has this gift for finding melodies in the sound of chaos and that’s why he can rock hard without ever sacrificing the music.

Tapped to front act for NIN is our very own Pupil. This was the band formed by former Eraserheads leader Ely Buendia. NIN has listened to Pupil’s music and given its go-ahead to the group. This should truly gladden Ely whose recent illness and involvement with two huge E-heads reunions have sort of sidelined Pupil. But times are about to change. Make sure to come early to the Big Dome on Aug. 5 to also catch Pupil’s performance.

For ticket inquiries, log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph or call 911-5555 or visit www.splintr.com. Splintr is the first independent on-line music channel in the country, which boasts of exclusive videos of today’s top artists.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=484798&publicationSubCategoryId=70

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Ely Buendia to continue working with ex-wife

Although they have been estranged for a spell, Pupil singer-songwriter Ely Buendia is still willing to work with ex-wife Diane Ventura.

“She is still part of this group and she is still my manager,” Buendia said at a recent media gathering for the band’s repackaged “Wildlife” album.

Ventura, who was was part of the band’s many activities in the past and who has a son with Buendia named Eon , is in the US studying film, he added.

So, who inspires Buendia nowadays?

“Uhmm…animals?” he retorted, to which guitarist Yan Yuzon added: “This is in line, of course, with the title of our album.”

Asked about the mestiza he was with at the launch, Buendia initially refused to comment but merely smiled.

Prodded further, however, he replied: “She’s a friend.”

Although some people continue to speculate that it was Ventura who primarily caused Buendia to leave The Eraserheads a few years ago, many see her now as a vital cog in Buendia’s artistic resurgence.

Ventura wrote some of Pupil’s earlier songs including the runaway hit, “Nasaan Ka.”

In an interview published by men’s magazine Maxim, Ventura assured their fans that she will continue working with Pupil while “eager to carve an identity” disconnected from Buendia’s.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/210812/ely-buendia-continue-working-with-exwife

Friday, July 17, 2009

Nine Inch Nails with Pupil Invitation

Pupil pays tribute to Michael Jackson

Sony Music recording artist Pupil paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson by performing “Man In The Mirror” during the band’s fourth anniversary concert at Skydome on July 10.

Pupil lead vocalist Ely Buendia and drummer Wendell Garcia performed the song as a surprise encore. The two sat on the floor with Ely playing an acoustic guitar while Garcia sang. The audience joined in midway through the performance.

Guitarist Yan Yuzon then went onstage to simply say, “We love you, Michael.”

“Man In The Mirror” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1998. It is one of Jackson’s most critically acclaimed songs which was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

An instrumental version of the song was played at Jackson's memorial service on July 7.

The performance can be regarded as a rare moment in Pupil’s history. The band is not known to do cover versions except those of Eraserheads which Ely fronted in the 90s.

The Skydome concert also launched the remastered version of the band’s “Wildlife” CD which has produced the hit songs “Sala,” “Monobloc,” “Disconnection Notice” and “Teacher’s Pet.”

The repackaged version called “Wildlife: Special Edition” contains all the tracks from the original version, plus demos, videos and a live EP. It also has the Pupil’s latest single, “Different Worlds” which they performed in the show.

Other tracks from “Wildlife” and “Beautiful Machines” which Pupil performed that night are “Disconnection Notice,” “Here I Go,” “Matador,” “Sumasabay,” “Talon,” “All This Time,” “Blow Your House Down,” “Animal Lover” and their seminal hit, “Nasaan Ka.”

Fans of the band sang along to all these as they seemingly know the words by heart. They flocked to the front of the stage as soon as Pupil went up; abandoning the seats they have paid for that night.

Some made fans out of the “Wildlife” inlay cover which they then waved in the air throughout the show. Many also bought copies of “Wildlife: Special Edition” that night which the band signed later.

Rounding up the Pupil line up is bass player Dok Sergio. “Wildlife” was named 2008 Album of the Year at the NU Rock Awards which also honored them as Artist of the Year, Producer of the Year (Pupil and Jerome Velasco), Drummer of the Year (Garcia) and Best Music Video (for “Monobloc”).

Pupil’s fourth anniversary concert was sponsored by Sony Music, SM Supermalls, Coke Zero, Levi’s, Puma, Rayban, NU107 and MYX.