The Itchyworms turn 15: What a long, odd trip it’s been

Today, Nov. 25, local pop-rock songsmiths the Itchyworms are set to celebrate their 15th anniversary in a concert at Metrobar in West Avenue, Quezon City.
 
Yes. The band of brilliant goofballs behind “Beer,” “Love Team,” and “Penge Naman Ako Niyan” —singer/drummer Jazz Nicolas, guitarist Chino Singson, bassist Kelvin Yu, and singer/guitarist Jugs Jugueta—has been around that long, since their formative years as college students in Ateneo.
 
“Buo na sila nung '96,” narrates Singson. “Iba pa yung nagbe-bass noon, at si Kelvin pa yung nagli-lead guitar.  Beatles pa ang tugtugan nila, nagalingan na agad ako.”
 
Scheduling conflicts with the original bassist (who opted to focus on his studies) resulted in Singson joining the group, and Yu shifting to bass. 
 
“Hindi ko naman choice mag-bass eh,” laughs Yu.  “Sa mga panahong iyon, yung mga bahista parang by default na lang na, 'Ikaw na lang mag-bass.'  Nung pinag-bass ako natuwa pa ako kasi  parang, 'Uy apat lang ang strings nito, baka mas madali.
 
“Yun pala hindi,” he adds, to the laughter of everyone.
 
Their ‘meaningless’ beginning

The Itchyworms' demos first starting getting airplay in the now-defunct radio station NU107, and their material eventually reached Viva Records which signed the group up, leading to the release of their 2001 critically-acclaimed-but-underselling album, “Little Monsters Under Your Bed.” The record was marked by the band's catchy pop songs coated in intricate and occasionally-odd time arrangements.   
 
Of note was Nicholas and Jugueta's vocal harmonies, reminiscent of the Fab Four.  Run-of-the-mill pop music their songs weren't.
 


“Kaya hindi kami kumita,” half-jokingly says Jugueta.
 
“Parang mas technical kami dati,” clarifies Yu.  “Mas sinasadya naming pahirapin yung kanta.  Gagawa ka ng mahirap para lang masabi mong mahirap yung nagawa mong kanta, but in the end wala siyang meaning.  Yan tuloy walang narating yung album.”
 
“Paano ka nga naman makakapag-mosh sa 8-7-4 na kanta?” muses Singson. 
 
The ‘sourgraping’ years

The band eventually asked to be released from their Viva contract. What followed was a period of what band described as a five-year period of “sourgraping.” 
 
In the meantime, they went on the bar circuit, getting associated with the indie artists of that time.  At one point they even released an EP independently, 2003’s “And the Worm Jumped Over the Moon.”
 
The growing hype among bands at this time led to the 'Worms signing with Universal, paving the way for the release of their landmark album “Noontime Show” in 2005. 
 
Despite the album being at times a scathing critique of pop culture, the band garnered a series of hits with “Akin Ka Na Lang,” “Beer,” and the  tragic “Love Team.” (the music video of which featured Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu)
 

 
The Pinoy Big Brother period

The album's success meant the Itchyworms got the visibility they only dreamed about five years earlier.  Their hits songs were used as commercial jingles, and the band even got to do the theme song for the Teen Edition of Pinoy Big Brother. “Noontime Show” also won Album of the Year at the 2006 NU Rock Awards. 
 
The Itchyworms juggernaut never stopped.  In 2008 the band released their third album, “Self-Titled” under Sony BMG, which contained “Penge Naman Ako Niyan,” Misis Fely Nimfa ang Pangalan” and “Suplado Ka Pala sa Personal.”
 

 
The ironic ‘Showtime’ era

At around this time, singer-guitarist Jugueta joined the cast of the TV show “Showtime” on ABS-CBN.  It was a move initially met with apprehension within the band. 
 
“Nu’ng una medyo wary kami du’n,” says Yu.  “We bashed noontime shows sa previous album, 'di ba?  Pero yung [“Showtime”] mas intelligent pa rin siyang show kumpara dun sa mga tipong...iiyak yung manang, lagyan mo ng pera.” The TV show was, after all, a talent show.
 
Jugueta's daily exposure to TV audiences has definitely been beneficial to the band, making them more accessible to the masa audiences who see Jugueta on the tube.
 
“May ups and downs din,” explains Nicolas.  “Yung exposure yung 'up.' Yung down... Dati mga nanonood sa amin, mga music fans.  Ngayon parang halo-halo na.  Yung ibang crowd sa shows namin, usyoso lang, ganu’n.  Makakita lang ng sikat.”
 
“But we're not complaining,” clarifies Yu.  “The point of being a musician is to play your songs to the most number of people possible during your career.  So welcome change pa rin siya.”
 
The ‘last’ 15th anniversary gig

The band is showing no sign of quitting music, fifteen years in.  They are in the process of recording new material, to be released in EP form soon.
 
Nicolas says the band decided to do an EP of potential singles because only three or four songs gets played on the radio, anyway. With a full-length album, “pag hindi ka bumili, hindi mo maririnig yun ever, di ba?” he explains.  “So decided na gumawa na lang kami ng solid na five or six na puwedeng i-single lahat.” 
 
Still, he says, “gusto pa rin naming gumawa ng full-length in the future.”
 
Not a lot of local artists are lucky to reach an audience the way the Itchyworms have.  Whatever happens, the band has no plans of stopping or quitting anytime soon.
 
Although, as Nicolas jokingly likes to point out, this is the band's “last 15th anniversary gig, so you better come and watch.”