Ely Buendia

He is the second child of Ely Revilla Buendia (born c. 1942 in Goa, Camarines Sur) and Lisetta Ruiz Basiño (March 22, 1942, in Caramoan, Camarines Sur – August 28, 2008, in Manila).

His parents were married on October 30, 1964, in Ragay, Camarines Sur.

He first learned Kundiman from his mother while he started playing the guitar at the age of 7.

Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970), is a Filipino musician, singer, songwriter and author who gained fame as the guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the famed Filipino rock band, the Eraserheads and also the lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist of Pupil.

Regarded as a musical icon in his native Philippines, his songs continue to amass commercial success and critical acclaim, topping various music charts and leaving behind an enduring legacy in Philippine popular culture.

He currently performs as the guitarist and singer-songwriter of the band Apartel.

Buendia was born in his parents' home in Naga City at 6:20 am on November 2, 1970.

Buendia attended preparatory education in Naga Parochial School (a Catholic school located at Naga City, Camarines Sur) and finished his elementary grades in Pasig Catholic College, Pasig, in 1983; and high school in University of Perpetual Help, Rizal.

Buendia later enrolled in the University of the Philippines Diliman where he formed several bands like Bluidie Tryste and Sunday School, and finally the Eraserheads.

Adoro quipped in the same interview that Buendia's being the first to graduate was natural, since he was in Batch 1987 in UP Diliman, while they were in Batch 1988.

Zabala confessed in an interview that disbanding was not far from the members' minds.

He mentioned that there were many occasions where they could have disbanded but they did not.

Adoro expressed the belief of some people that the band was getting too old and that it was "selfish" for the band to continue, likely referring to comments about how it's time for other bands besides Eraserheads to shine.

The band made it clear, though, that Buendia's departure from the band wasn't in any way violent and there was no shouting (sigawan) or any confrontation.

The three remaining original Eraserheads decided to continue.

The "new" Eheads debuted at the local Hard Rock Cafe in Makati on April 19 with a female singer-guitarist, Kris Gorra-Dancel from the band Fatal Posporos.

However, after a few months, Adoro left the band.

The remaining members of Eraserheads, Marasigan and Zabala, thereafter added Diego Mapa and Ebe Dancel to their lineup and renamed their band, "Cambio".

In December 1989, Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro and Buddy Zabala formed their band, the Eraserheads, in the University of the Philippines Diliman, where Buendia majored in film at the College of Mass Communications (he began his first year in college in 1987).

The band found that they weren't good at covering other people's hits, so they focused on writing their own material instead.

In 1991, Buendia explained, "After all, if we committed a mistake no one would recognize it since they don't know the song, right?" Performing their original songs before live audiences soon earned them a cult following within the University, that gradually spread outside the campus.

One of the songs, a pop song entitled "Pare Ko", which Buendia wrote, caused a stir, partly because of the lyrics that included cuss words.

The Eraserheads eventually signed a three-year deal with BMG Pilipinas.

Their debut album, Ultraelectromagneticpop!, featured no less than the chart-topping Pare Ko and a host of other novelty pieces that had people listening and discovering more about the quartet.

The album also brought the fledgling underground college rock scene to public awareness.

1993 saw the emergence of "Eraserheadsmania" because of their successive hit singles, sold-out concerts and thousands of fans.

Buendia continued to write songs for the band, many of which became hit singles and band classics.

Eraserheads lasted for ten years before finally breaking up with Buendia and Adoro's departure.

During its 10-year stint, the band produced eight studio albums along with other EPs and singles.

Their gigs took them out of the country, with tours in the United States and other countries.

One album, Aloha Milkyway, was released in the Asia-Pacific region.

Eraserheads were also the first ever Filipino act to receive the "Moon Man" trophy for winning the 1997 MTV Asia Viewer's Choice Award for the music video of their hit song, "Ang Huling El Bimbo".

The latter was also written by Buendia, among many which the band released.

After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed that Buendia had left the band in mid-March 2002 for "reasons unknown".

However, in subsequent interviews, Buendia referred to business matters as the cause of the band's break-up.

In an interview, Marasigan said he was "semi-surprised" when he heard the news, and wondered if Zabala already knew about it.

Adoro told of the story now famous among Eraserheads fans about Buendia's cryptic SMS text message.

He said Buendia sent in the text message that it's already time to "graduate".

The Eraserheads went onstage staged a reunion concert on August 30, 2008, at the Fort Open Field, Taguig, but which was cut short unexpectedly.

The continuation of the concert was held at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on March 7, 2009.