Genre:Rock Location:Metro Manila Record Label: Unsigned
Members: Yan Yuzon - Vox/Guitars Pat Tirano - Guitars Chad Rialp - Bass Wendell Garcia - Drums
About the band: Archipelago is: Yan Yuzon on vocals and guitar, Pat Tirano on guitar, Chad Rialp on bass and vocals and Wendell Garcia on the drums. Archipelago was formed in early 2008 and played its first gig on April 11, 2008, at Club Dredd in Eastwood City. They have played 71 gigs to date (and they intend to keep count).
The name Archipelago was chosen as all four members hail from the Philippine Archipelago. This attempt at a somewhat patriotic—though decidedly unspecific—band name later took on a new layer of meaning to describe the band’s sound as one that should be not just for Filipinos but for the rest of the world as well. Besides, as bassist Chad Rialp so eloquently puts it: “The world is, at a distance, an Archipelago.”
All four members of Archipelago are current and active members of other bands: Yan Yuzon also plays guitar for Pupil, Wendell Garcia also plays the drums for Pupil and Hapi House, Pat Tirano also plays guitar for Monkeyspank and Toi, and Chad sings and plays the bass for Liquid Jane, and plays bass for Tempestuous Jones. “This doesn’t make Archipelago a project band, however,” frontman Yuzon is always quick to point out. “We all just have more than one main band.”
All four members of Archipelago are also actively occupied with other jobs: Yan Yuzon writes for ABS-CBN’s hit children’s gag show Goin’ Bulilit. Pat Tirano is Vice-President and in-house engineer of Wombworks Studio (where Archipelago recorded its debut album) and does in-store sales at The A-Shop (an Apple Computers distributor) in Eastwood City. Chad Rialp is a freelance writer and an in-house writer for All Media Marketing House. Wendell Garcia works as a freelance producer, arranger and session recording artist; the 2008 NU107 Drummer of the Year is one of the most sought-after live and recording session drummers today. (“We daresay he has played for nearly almost ‘anyone in this country who makes music of nearly any and every genre.’” –Tirano)