Franco - Tower of Doom

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Franco (Reyes) / Franco (Band; Philippines) Franco is a Philippine rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Alternatively, Franco is a Filipino band whose lead singer or songwriter is Franco Reyes. His musical style is a mix of pop and rock music, with reggae influences. His style and history is linked with the Cebuano or Visayan musical scene.

Franco’s same-named band formed in 2009 is a modern Filipino example of the superband concept, where various members are already either famous in their own right, or are members of other notable bands. In this case, members from Urbandub, Queso, and Parokya Ni Edgar came together.

Franco Products in the DoomShop

Franco – Lunar Logo Shirt

Franco – Mondaze Tank Top (Black Trim)

Franco – Best I Ever Shirt

Franco – Mondaze Tank Top (White Trim)

Listen to Franco

Franco: Latest News

Franco Releases New Single – Best I Ever

Franco – To Survive (Tower Sessions OSE)

Franco Releases New Single – Mondaze

History

Frank: Franco’s first band

Formed in 1996, Frank is the earliest successful band formed by Franco Reyes. They were a Cebu-based rock band that was influential in both the Cebu and Manila. They had two releases, Tripped-out in 1999, and Drink, Drama, Dream in 2003. The band gained a sizable following in the underground scenes in Cebu and Manila, and they toured as far north as Baguio, and Davao in the south. The band was named Band of the Year in the 2001 San Miguel Beer Music Awards. The band’s life would be cut short when Franco migrated to the United States.

InYo (or Inyo): Franco In America

After Franco migrated to the United States, he formed a band in 2006 with Mike Sylvia and other like-minded people. This band was known as InYo, named as a reference to the balance of natural forces (yin and yang). The band played songs from Frank’s discography, aside from originals. InYo’s members were all experienced musicians, with some having professional careers with American pop artists at that point. The eponymous and only album was recorded with only Franco and Mike on board as members. Franco had to take over guitar, bass and vocal duties. “Castaway,” one of the songs from that album re-recorded from Frank, would gain airplay on local Philippine radio station NU107 (107.5 on FM Radio). It would ranked ninth during the rock music station’s 2008 year-end countdown.

Franco (rock band): The "Superband"

In 2008, the band that would eventually become Franco was originally a collaboration project between Gabby Alipe of Urbandub, Ocho Toleran of Queso, Buwi Meneses of Parokya ni Edgar, and Janjan Mendoza of Glitch (and later Urbandub). They were looking for a frontman for their music project, and when Franco returned to the Philippines in late 2008, he started collaborating with them, and Franco as the “superband” (due to the high-profile members) was born. The band spent 2009 recording their first album, and finally releasing it in 2010, to much critical and commercial success. The band had four awards in the NU Rock Awards for that year, and were nominated three times as well in the 2010 Awit Awards, winning for Best Performance by a Group of Recording Artists.

In 2012, the original line-up decided to go their separate ways, with Franco continuing on a hybrid band/solo career. The reason for this was that Franco himself realized that the issue with a superband was that sometimes, the band members could not be available for a performance, thanks to their main band’s other commitments. Worse, it was possible that all band members would be too busy at certain times, so that even playing with substitute musicians would be difficult. He then decided to take in new members who had no other main bands, so that the members could concentrate on the band itself, without any major external commitments. He collaborated with former band mates in Cebu before touring with a solidified line-up. Franco then released Soul Adventurer in 2013, and followed it up with regular performances. Outside of music, Franco has appeared in a number of independent films, such as Di Ingon Nato, a zombie horror film. However, the unpredictable schedule of film production has limited his interests in film appearances.

In November of 2014, he released an EP, Frank!, in Singapore. He is currently touring and recording, and planning to have a new release out within 2015.

Franco's Music

Franco’s first band, Frank, had a musical style that was influenced by reggae, and leaned more to that sound, incorporating reggae sensibilities into rock music. On the other hand, InYo had a more alternative-rock feel. Franco, however, would merge both styles in a way that has been seen as an example of Cebu- or Visayas-based rock music. This puts it in the same sub-genre as former Franco member Gabby Alipe’s band Urbandub. This is an interesting fact, given that Franco’s old band, Frank, was considered as one of the bands that first put the spotlight on the Cebu rock band scene. Aside from that, some of Franco Reyes’ songs – “Touch the Sky” and “Song for the Suspect” among them – have Rastafarian themes, such as the use of marijuana in spiritual matters, and belief in the almighty being Jah. It should be noted that Franco is also a surfing enthusiast, and is known to participate as both a musician and a surfer in many surfing events. This explains many of the imagery and lifestyle themes prevalent in his music.

Franco: FRANK Album and Songlist Discography

Tripped - Out EP (2001)

1
Franco (FRANK) - Tripped-Out

Drink, Drama, Dream (2003)

1
Franco (FRANK) - Blame
2
Franco (FRANK) - Prophetic Eyes
3
Franco (FRANK) - Manipulator
4
Franco (FRANK) - Castaway
5
Franco (FRANK) - Song for the Suspect

Franco: INYO Album History and Songlist Discography

InYo (2007)

1
Franco (INYO) - Touch the Sky
2
Franco (INYO) - A Mass for the End of Time
3
Franco (INYO) - Manipulator
4
Franco (INYO) - I Want You
5
Franco (INYO) - Stupid Me
6
Franco (INYO) - Cast Away
7
Franco (INYO) - Memory Kill
8
Franco (INYO) - Song for the Suspect
9
Franco (INYO) - Spin and Fall
10
Franco (INYO) - Last Train Out
11
Franco (INYO) - This Gathering

Franco Album and Songlist Discography

Franco - Franco (2010)

1
Franco - Seasons
2
Franco - Touch The Sky
3
Franco - Castaway
4
Franco - Memorykill
5
Franco - A Mass For The End of Time
6
Franco - Last Waltz
7
Franco - Next Train Out
8
Franco - Song for the Suspect
9
Franco - Tetrahydrochloridedub
10
Franco - This Gathering
11
Franco - For My Dearly Departed

Franco - Soul Adventurer (2013)

1
Franco - 032
2
Franco - To Survive
3
Franco - Moonset
4
Franco - Better Days
5
Franco - What Is To Be Must Be
6
Franco - Renewal
7
Franco - Drifter
8
Franco - A Beautiful Diversion
9
Franco - Across the Milky Way
10
Franco - Razor
11
Franco - Blame
12
Franco - Follow That Light
13
Franco - Uprising
14
Franco - Babylonian Politicians
15
Franco - Muse
16
Franco - Lover's Fire
17
Franco - A Prayer

NOTE: "Muse” is a song from Cebu band Capsule; the original songwriter and vocalist is Simon Nunez/”Boobop,” who would go on to be a member of both Glitch and Powerspoonz.

Franco - Frank EP (2014)

1
Franco - Spin and Fall
2
Franco - Manipulator
3
Franco - Stupid Me
4
Franco - Faded
5
Franco - Prophetic Eyes
6
Franco - I Want You

Franco - Flight (2018)

1
Franco - Afterburn
2
Franco - Last Word
3
Franco - All Nighter
4
Franco - Mondaze
5
Franco - Lost In Your Universe
6
Franco - Best I Ever
7
Franco - Aurora Sunrise
8
Franco - Rebirth
9
Franco - Breaking For The Weekend
10
Franco - Goodbye, Goodnight
11
Franco - For My Dearly Departed

Franco Members

Franco Current Lineup

Franco Reyes - Vocals, Guitars

Paul Cañada - Guitars

Dave Delfin - Bass, Backing Vocals

Victor Guison - Drums

Member Name - Instrument

Franco Past Lineups

Former Frank Band Members

Ritze Arriba - Bass
Czar Delos Santos - Drums

Former INYO Band Members

Anton Cortes - Guitars
Tommy Jamin - Bass
Mike Sylvia - Drums

Former Franco Band Members

Gabby Alipe – Guitars (Urbandub)

Janjan Mendoza – Drums (Urbandub)
Paolo "8/Ocho" Toleran – Guitars (Queso)
Buhawi Meneses – Bass (Parokya ni Edgar)

Franco Music Videos and Other Media

Franco Official Music Videos

Franco Official Lyric Videos & Other Content (Playlist)

Franco Awards And Recognition

San Miguel Beer Music Awards 2001

Winner - Band of the Year - Frank

NU Rock Awards 2010

Winner - Band of the Year - Franco
Winner - Artist of the Year - Franco
Winner - Song of the Year - This Gathering (Franco)
Winner - Listener's Choice Award - Franco

Nominated - Guitarist of the year – Gabby Alipe

Nominated - Guitarist of the year – Paolo Toleran
Nominated - Bassist of the Year – Buhawi Meneses
Nominated - Drummer of the Year – Janjan Mendoza
Nominated - Vocalist of the Year – Franco Reyes

Awit Awards 2010

Winner - Best Performance by a Group of Recording Artists - Franco
Winner - Best Alternative Recording - Franco
Nominated - Performance by a New Group of Recording Artists - Franco

MYX Music Awards 2011

Nominated for Favorite New Artist

MYX Music Awards 2014

Nominated for Favorite Rock Video

References:

https://www.facebook.com/Franco.official
https://www.facebook.com/FrancoSuperBand
http://Franco.piktos.frih.org/home.php
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Franco
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_%28band%29
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franco-Reyes/193897140715442
https://www.facebook.com/InYoBand
http://www.everythingcebu.com/lifestyle/people/Franco/
https://myspace.com/frankbandcebu
http://sonicjerk.blogspot.com/2013_02_01_archive.html
https://myspace.com/inyomusic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRKkKai2Ls
http://radiorepublic.ph/dave-delfin/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/01/04/10/music-review-pinoy-rock-superband-Franco
http://glenn-blowfly.blogspot.com/2011/04/Franco-vs-inyo.html
http://www.bakitwhy.com/articles/Franco-Supergroup-Breakup
http://www.myxph.com/features/3576/opm-rock-superband-Franco-disbanded/
http://www.myxph.com/features/3605/artists-react-to-Franco-break-up/
http://entertainment.inquirer.net/86805/Franco-reyes-all-set-for-his-first-major-solo-concert
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/entertainment/2013/07/07/alama-return-Franco-291299
http://www.mb.com.ph/myx-noms-indicate-changing-opm-climes
http://biyaherongbarat.com/2011/11/12/1st-surf-music-festival-in-baler-aurora