(from left) Paolo, Herbert, Acel and William
The group's beginnings are pretty much similar to that of any up-and-coming band. And they were featured in NU 107's "In the Raw" before their launching album Popcorn came out.
Moonstar 88 is composed of Acel Bisa (vocals/guitars), Paolo Bernardo (bass), William Pineda (drums) and Herbert (guitars). This sought-after group offers a distinct listening experience that has crossed over from students to the young working class.
After their eight-song demo was completed in January 2000, they started giving it away to different record companies, one of which recognized their potential -- their current label Alpha Records.
Moonstar 88 credits the different kinds of music that each member listens to for their distinct sound. "As much as possible ayaw namin i-close (sa isang style) kasi minsan may mga songs na raw pa lang, hindi maintindihan. 'Yung "Torete" (Crazy) noong una kong marinig ayaw ko (As much as possible we don't want to limit ourselves to just one style because sometimes, the songs are still raw and can't be immediately appreciated. For instance, I didn't like the song Torete when I first heard it)," Acel says.
The group also wants to make songs that have stories to tell; Herbert says "Gusto rin namin kasi hindi kami mabato, parang ayaw namin yung monotonous lang at para lahat ng tao makaka-relate sa lyrics. (We don't want to be bored and to sound monotonous and we want everyone to be able to relate to the lyrics."
The result of such collaboration and creativity is Popcorn, an album that has earned praises from many music lovers and critics.
Members:
Acel Bisa - Vocals/Guitars
Paolo Bernardo - Bass
William Pineda - Drums
Herbert - Guitars
