Sponge Cola

Sponge Cola is a Philippine pop-rock band that has become very successful, with multiple hit singles and top-selling albums. They are currently one of the most successful and longest-lived veteran bands that are actively recording and touring.

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Album and song list

Sponge Cola Demo EP (2003)

Araw Oras Tagpuan (2011)

Expanding and evolving

Music

Band Members

Yael Yuzon – Lead Vocals, Guitars

Armo Armovit – Guitars

Gosh Dilay – Bass, Vocals

T-Mac Cruz – Drums, Vocals

Former Member

Awards and Recornition

NU 107 Rock Awards 2004

RX 93.1 2004

99.5 RT 2004

0NU 107 Rock Awards 2005

ASAP Pop Viewer’s Choice 2006

Myx Music Awards 2006

ASAP Pop Viewer’s Choice 2007

Myx Music Awards 2007

OPM Songhits Awards 2007

ASAP Pop Viewer's Choice 2008

Myx Music Awards 2008

ASAP Pop Viewer's Choice 2009

40th Box Office Entertainment Awards 2009

MYX Music Awards 2010

MYX Music Awards 2012

4th PMPC Star Awards for Music 2012

44th Box Office Entertainment Awards 2013 (Guillermo Mendoza Awards for 2012)

Music Video and Other Media

Tower Sessions

Lunes

Kailangan Kita

Official Music Videos

Tambay (EP)/ Araw Oras Tagpuan

Tambay

Regal

Stargazer

Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay

Anting-Anting (Featuring Gloc 9 and Denise Barbacena)

+63 (featuring Yeng Constantino)

Singapore Sling (Dahil Kilala Na Kita)

References

Album and song list

Sponge Cola Demo EP (2003)

1. Lunes

2. Saturn

3. A Tear

4. Cigarette

5. Jeepney

Palabas (2004)

1. 22

2. Partisan

3. KLSP

4. Neon

5. On The Floor

6. Stone's Throw

7. Jillian

8. Lunes

9. To The Sly And Cunning

10. Una

11. Dragonfly

12. Gemini

13. Jeepney

14. Closure

Palabas – The Romeo and Juliet ExperienceAdditional tracks were added for an expanded version of the original album.

15. Gemini (Music video)

16. Gemini (Remastered version)

17. KLSP (Acoustic version)

18. Boundless

19. Jeepney (Acoustic version)

20. Gemini (Piano version)

Transit (2006)

1. Nakapagtataka

2. All We Need

3. Do You Know The Feeling?

4. Gunita

5. Harapin

6. Intercept

7. Movie

8. Myself In You

9. Nocturne

10. Pasubali

11. Pasubali (Acoustic Version)

12. Pasubali (Radio Edit)

13. Sa Bingit Ng Isang Paalam

14. The Wandering

15. Tuliro

16. Tuliro (Acoustic)

17. Tuloy Pa Rin

18. Bitiw

Sponge Cola (2008)

1. Ayt!

2. Puso

3. Step Back

4. Di Na Mababawi

5. In Another Life

6. G.K.T.

7. A Tear

8. All The Time

9. Wala Kang Katulad

10. Makapiling Ka

11. Lights

12. Meteor Shower

13. Saturn

14. Keep the Fire Burning

15. Tuliro

16. Tuliro (Acoustic)

17. Tuloy Pa Rin

18. Bitiw

Tambay EP (2011)

1. Tambay

2. Stargazer

3. Regal

4. E-Z as PI

5. Walang Wakas

6. Tambay (Acoustic)

Araw Oras Tagpuan (2011)

This album follows a release pattern done once before, where a Sponge Cola EP album would be a precursor or a short version of a full-length follow-up album. The first of these bookend EP/album pairs is the original Sponge Cola EP and Palabas. In the case of Palabas, it can be argued that the second album version, the Romeo and Juliet Experience version, is a third expansion on the original EP.

1. Tambay

2. Stargazer

3. Regal

4. Ok Dito

5. She Weeps

6. Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay

7. She Wants You To

8. Walang Wakas

9. New Steel (featuring Paolo Valenciano, Ria Redulla, & Los Magno)

10. Warning: (featuring Norma Love, Iwa Motor, & Mowmow)

11. Scenic View

12. Araw Oras Tagpuan

District EP (2012)

1. Mahaba Pa Ang Gabi

2. Pick Your Poison

3. Fireworks

4. XGF

5. It's About You Girl (XGF What She Said REMIX, featuring Los Magno & Sitti)

6. Twelve

7. Mahaba Pa Ang Gabi (Acoustic Version)

Ultrablessed (2014)

1. Hawla

2. Kailangan Kita

3. Anting-Anting (Featuring Gloc 9
and Denise Barbacena)

4. Iyong-Iyong-Iyo

5. 9 To Sawa

6. +63 (featuring Yeng Constantino)

7. Walk Away

8. R.I.C.E. (Filler)

9. Singapore Sling (Dahil Kilala Na
Kita)

10. The Answer

History

Sponge Cola was initially known as Sponge, named after R.S. Surtee’s Mr. Sponge Sporting Tour. The origins of the band started around 1998, when Yael Yuzon and Gosh Dilay met as members in the Ateneo de Manila High School’s theater guild.

Initially, aside from Gosh and Yael, the lineup was rather fluid. However, after winning some band competitions, Erwin Armovit (from another school band, Rampqueen), and Chris Cantada eventually rounded out the band. The problem, however, was that there was another band known as Sponge: a Detroit grunge band. They avoided all name issues simply by adding the term cola to their names, on the simple reason that it was easier to remember. This version of the band finally kicked into gear in 2003.

It was also in 2003 that they released the Sponge Cola demo EP, which included future hits Lunes and Jeepney. The band also became famous for their cover of Madonna’s Crazy for You.

Getting into gear

2004 was the year the band finally hit their stride, with their first major-label album, Palabas. The various singles from that album, such as KLSP, Una, and a re-released Jeepney all gained heavy airplay, and rode the resurgence of OPM bands at the time.

After jumping record labels, Sponge Cola released their follow-up album, Transit. This album had the monster hit, Bitiw. That single became the theme song for the Pedro Penduko television series, starting another facet of Sponge Cola’s overall career. Tuliro and Pasubali followed as singles, with the latter becoming the local theme song for the Korean TV romance series Lovers.

This era in the band’s history also saw them contribute to tribute albums – arguably a very effective way of connecting to other audience market segments. Their presence was felt in tribute albums for the Eraserheads and the APO Hiking Society (in the latter case, two albums). As can be expected, the band’s popularity and strong output earned them many awards.

Chris leaves

In 2008, Sponge Cola had a major concern, as their drummer Chris had to leave due to health reasons (said to be a heart condition). However, with the help of drummers from allied bands like Wendell Garcia (from Yael’s brother Yan’s band, Pupil), and T-Mac Cruz from The Out of Body Special, the band continued to tour heavily and record for their upcoming album release.

Sponge Cola, the self-titled album, was released in 2008. As can be expected, among the many singles from the album, Puso would become the anthem of the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) for the next four years, Ayt! was a collaboration with OPM legend Gary Valenciano, and the band would record Gino Padilla’s identifying single Closer You and I for Close-Up Toothpaste.

Expanding and evolving

In 2009, Sponge Cola made their songs available through online distribution outlets, and again used multimedia as a tool, by announcing the digital library through an appearance in a local noontime show.

Starting in 2010, the band shifted their release strategy to using EP releases, such as Tambay (as part of a Coca-Cola promotion). They then followed up Tambay with a full-album release version – in this case, Araw Oras Tagpuan (2011).

They released an EP album for 2012, District. This EP album had the single XGF, featuring Chito Miranda of Parokya ni Edgar, and Los Magno of The Out of Body Special. Another single from the EP, Pick your Poison, was used in the Metro Manila Film Festival movie entry, Sosy Problems.

In 2013, they recorded one of their concerts on video, eventually releasing it in 2014, titled Maximum Capacity. They also released their fifth album, Ultrablessed, in the first quarter of 2014.

To date, Sponge Cola is an active and influential force in the local music industry, being one of the most successful pop-rock bands of their generation, while at the same time finding a unique multimedia niche for themselves.

Music

Sponge Cola’s sound can be classified as pop-rock, particularly in later albums. However, there are many alternative rock facets to their sound. Notable musical excursions in the recent albums include a rap section in the song XGF from Los Magno, lead singer and rapper from The Out of Body Special. It should be noted that a good number of Sponge Cola’s singles have been used as theme songs for movies and TV series (please see the examples cited in the history section).

Band Members

Yael Yuzon – Lead Vocals, Guitars

Yael’s family can trace their origins to Spain’s Basque region. His brother, Yan, is a member of two bands, Pupil and Archipelago. He is married to Karylle (Tatlonghari), the famous pop singer. He had a band prior to Sponge Cola, known as White Chapel

Armo Armovit – Guitars

He is also the guitarist for the band Rampqueen.

Gosh Dilay – Bass, Vocals

Gosh is the primary composer and lyricist of the band, aside from being a founding member and the bass guitarist.

T-Mac Cruz – Drums, Vocals

T-Mac started out as a session drummer after Chris Cantada left the band. He was later confirmed to be the new drummer for the band. His past bands include The Out of Body Special and Happy Meals.

Former Member

Chris Cantada – Drums, Vocals, Keyboards, Guitars

Chris eventually had to leave the band to deal with a worsening health condition, said to be a heart infection. However, once he recovered, he eventually released a solo album, Heartbeat. The album was co-produced by Yael.

Awards and Recornition

As noted before in this article, Sponge Cola has become a multimedia entity as time goes on. It is no surprise that they have awards not in the usual range for most rock and alternative bands.