A TASTE OF SANDWICH
Above: A Taste of Sandwich Band
Place of Origin: Manila, Philippines
Existence: 1998 – present
Record Label:
Sony BMG (1999 – 2002)
EMI Records Philippines (2006 – present)
Related Acts: Eraserheads, Kjwan, Pedicab, Squid 9, Imago, Cambio, The Teeth, Chicosci, Sun Valley Crew
Website: sandwich.com.ph
Band Members:
* Myrene Academia (bass/back-up vocals)
* Mong Alcaraz (guitar/back-up vocals/keyboard)
* Diego Castillo (guitar/back-up vocals)
* Mike Dizon (drums)
* Raimund Marasigan (vocals/guitar)
Previous Member:
* Marc Abaya of Kjwan (guitar/vocals)
The band Sandwich was established by Raimund Marasigan and Diego Castillo way back in 1998. Their goal was to fill-up a longing of having this communal passion of working with each other. Castillo was able to draft previous band mates during the “Aga Muhlach Experience”. He was able to recruit Mike Dizon from the band “Teeth” to be the drummer and he got Myrene Academia to take charge of the responsibility of being the band’s bassist. It just so happened that Marasigan was a judge in a contest wherein Marc Abaya jammed a song from the Beatie Boys with his then band “Shirley Beans”.
Even though “Sandwhich” and “Eraserheads” – Marasigan’s chief band during that period, concurrently existed, it didn’t seem to pose too much problem. His band “Sandwhich”, however, offered a more intense and a grittier noise that enabled them to acquire an immediate fan base. During that time, Abaya was still attending college. Marasigan, on the other hand, continued to tour from time to time with his other band, the “Eraserheads”. Mind you, this weren’t the issues that were delaying the band since there were already a number of secessionists who were more than happy to play just in case there was a member who would be absent.
The band eventually signed a contract with Sony-BMG Music. With this, they were able to launch their first album entitle: “Grip, Stand, Throw” which became an instant hit. This was due to the band’s carrier single: “Butterfly Carnival.”
Sandwich won three (3) major awards during the 1999 NU 107 Rock Awards. This included “Album of the Year”, “Best New Artist”, and the “Song of the Year”.
The band then released their sophomore album entitled: “Four-Track Mind”. This was back in 2000. This particular album garnered an award. It was given the “Album of the Year” at the Rock Awards back in 2001.
With the release of the band’s third album, they said their farewells to Sony BMG. The title of their third album under the distribution of the recording label Sony BMG was “Thanks To The Moon’s Gravitational Pull”. This was in 2003.
Soon after, it was Abaya’s turn to bid farewell to the band in 2005. He found it difficult to handle being an MTV VJ as well as maintaining his responsibilities to his other band “Kjwan”. Marasigan therefore had the sole duty of being the band’s vocalist.
Following the departure of Abaya, the band began composing songs for soundtracks. These included “Humanda Ka,” which was made for an online game. It was then followed-up with “Tantra” and “Ngining” for a television series with a similar title. This was for the leading TV network in the country – ABS-CBN.
Mong Alcaraz of the band “Chicosci” got together with “Sandwich” by the latter part of 2005. This enabled the band to solidify its fresh sounding tune. Alcaraz then took over the guitar obligation that Abaya left behind.
The band then launched their album “Five on the Floor”, which was in the earlier part of 2006.
In the latter part of 2006, particularly in October, the band’s tracks like “Sugod” and “DVDx” was now accessible online. This was made available in the online music game called “O2Jam”.
The music video of Sandwich’s “Sugod” garnered five (5) major awards. This was at the 2006 MTV Pilipinas Video Awards. It comprised of the following: “Video of the Year”, “Best Director” and “Best Editing”.
Currently, the band members’ Mong Alcaraz and Myrene Acamedia correspondingly got the honor of winning the “best guitarist” and the “best bassist” awards. This was during the NU Rock Awards 2006. In 2007, DVDX was awarded the “best music”. Sandwich released their latest album this 2008 (New Year Time) which is called “< s > marks the spot”.
Album:
Grip, Stand, Throw – launched in 1999 under Sony BMG.
o Cheese Factor Set To 9
o Butterfly Carnival
o Paano Sasabihin
o Alitaptap
o Faye
o Jetlag
o Freestyle Analog
o Klepto
o Grip Stand Throw
o Maybe
o ‘Di Sinasadya
o Twinkle
o Toppings
o Sakyan
o Art Too Di Too
o Pachyderm 5
4-Track Mind – launched in 2001 under Sony BMG.
o Feedback
o Food For The Soul
o Mom
o Ultrasound
o Hairpin
o Too Far
o Love Is
o Bottleneck
o Replete
o Tentacles
o Slowly
o Sugarstalk
o She Don’t Care
o Sabit
o Everyone Suspects
o Bingo
o Gemini
o 4-Track Mind
Thanks To The Moon’s Gravitational Pull – launched independently in 2003.
o Astroholiday
o 2 Trick Pony
o For Your Consideration
o Homerun
o Masilungan
o Nahuhulog
o Not This Time
o Return To Center
o Right Now
o Scared Shitless
o Surrounded By Dogs
o Thanks To The Moon
Thanks To The Moon’s Gravitational Pull – Special Edition. This was launched in 2004 under EMI Philippines. The track listing is similar with the independent release, along with some bonus tracks.
o Not This Time (Version Fashown)
o 2 Trick Acoustic
o Nahuhulog (Wolfmann vs. Buddy Mix)
o Right Now (Sunfunk Mix)
o 2 Trick Pony Music Video
o Nahuhulog Music Video
Five on the Floor – launched in 2006 under EMI Philippines.
o Sugod
o Sunburn
o DVDX
o Photocopy
o View Master
o Walang Kadala-dala
o In Case Of Fire
o Resbak
o Good Night January
o Kalendaryo
o Marikina
o Let Your Cellphone Shine
<S> Marks the Spot – launched in 2008 under EMI Philippines. This album comprises of several bonus CD featuring 13 remixes of the band’s past hits. It also contains the popular single, “Betamax”. This was Marasigan’s musical ode to the Golden 70’s and 80’s era of Filipino Music.
* Disc1
o Procrastinator
o Ang Pagbabalik
o Greenpick
o Betamax
o Line Drawings
o Manila
o Partner In Crime
o Two Lovers
o Text In The City
o Her Favorite Band
o Selos
o Youth and Vitality
o Rambol
o Primera
o Fluxxe
o Candelaria
o Public Offender
* Disc2
o Zaido
o Super Noypi
o Sugod Acoustic
o Sunburn (Chilitees remix)
o Walang Kadaladala (remix)
o DVDx (Maps)
o DVDx (Mike)
o DVDx (Wow akshun)
o DVDx (Mong)
o Nginig
o View Mistress (remix)
o Humanda Ka
o Two Trick Acoustic
Several Other releases and compilations
* 2004 – Full Volume – EMI Philippines
* 2005 – Tantra Neo Oriental Fantasy – Star Records
o Humanda Ka Music Video
o Humanda Ka OST
o Humanda Ka (Minus One)
Humanda Ka was also included in Rounin OST.
* The 2 in 1 Series: Sandwich – Sony BMG Music Entertainment
* Nginiiig Soundtrack – ABS-CBN
* Super Noypi OST
* Coca-Cola Philippines Commercial Jingle
o Buhay Coke
* CloseUp Season of Smiles Christmas Album
o Close Encounter
* Throw-away singles
o DVDX Myrene version
o DVDX Mike version
o DVDX Mong version
o Sugod Almost Acoustic
o Sugod remix
o Walang Kadala-dala remix
* Kami nAPO Muna
o Bakit Ang Babae
* Mga Awit Kapuso: The Best Of GMA Themes Vol. 4
* Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan Soundtrack
o Pulis Pangkalawakan (Zaido theme)
Popular Tracks
* Grip, Stand, Throw
* Butterfly Carnival
* Sakyan
* Art To Di Too
* Maybe
* Food for the Soul
* Hairpin
* Sometimes
* Right Now
* Two Trick Pony
* Nahuhulog
* Humanda Ka (Tantra Soundtrack)
* Masilungan
* Sugod
* Walang Kadala-dala
* DVDX
* “Super Noypi” for the movie of the same name.
* Sunburn
* Zaido (Pulis Pangkalawakan)
* Procrastinator
Fun Facts:
* The band’s DVDX track allocates a similarity with Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”
chord progression.
* The song “Sunburn” is Marasigan’s contemporary respond to Dead
Milkmen’s single from 1985, “Beach”. He is also witnessed to be sporting a
Dead Milkmen t-shirt on the track’s music video. Sunburn is the band’s first
ever music video wherein no instruments were involved.
* One of Raimund’s preferred foods to snack on is a sandwich. This may have
had a huge impact as to why the band’s name is “Sandwich”.
* “Shaun at Jopet” from the single “Sugod” relatively connotes Fashion
(Shaun, a slang or wordplay on fashionistas). “ Jopet” on the other hand, is
derived from Jopet Sison – a famous 90’s Filipino afternoon weekend
program “Ipaglaban Mo”.
* Marasigan does have his very own eye make-up
* Myrene was a DJ at NU 107 for a little over 13 years
gud evening sandwichESSSS..im a proud fan of the band(sandwich)…we always cover your song,specially the songs from your first album grip,stand throw,including maybe,cheese factor set to 9,alitaptap,di sinasadya,sakyan at syempre ang paborito ko na laging covered song namin yung butterfly carnival pti bottleneck,..kip on rock’n sandwich…