The hilarious music videos that PARD produces are probably some of the best things to have come out of Bubble Gang in recent years. Thankfully, PARD has caught on with the internet and started uploading these videos online. It was really only a matter of time before somebody signed PARD up for a record deal, and now here we are.
PARD is a non-boy band collective that parodies mainstream pop music. The name is an acronym of the names of its first four members: Padilla, RJ; Aquintana, Antonio; Roadfill Sparks; and Dos Quizon. After the success of their initial project, Paolo Contis joined the gang.
It was all accidental, really. In 2013, they came up with “Kwek Kwek” as a new sketch for the show. “Pero yung response talaga ng tao sa ‘Kwek Kwek’,” Paolo Contis begins… Fast-forward to 2016, and PARD has become something of a cult favorite. It has produced five songs that all come with music videos, which are first shown in Bubble Gang. “Yun naman talaga kasi talaga yung [initial] goal, to put it on Bubble Gang,” Boy2 Quizon says.
But as most Bubble Gang things go, PARD has come into fruition, able to stand on its own. They’ve recently released their self-titled debut album (PHP300 a pop in all record stores), which is composed of five songs and their video equivalent. We speak to the boys about how the hell is all happened.
Paolo Contis wasn’t originally in the group, right?
Boy2: Kasi it’s all connected to “Saging”. It came from a concept, a sketch on Bubble Gang. It was very mafia, there was a character Don Cantoni. From there, we realized kinailangan namin si Paolo para mabuo yung orientation namin as a gang, as a mafia. Eh Paolo is a co-anchor in Bubble Gang, and he was in the stage na he doesn’t really give a, you know, gusto na lang din niya mang-trip nang whatever. Duon na nag-umpisa yun.
And honestly, we needed Paolo kasi kailangan naming ng isa pang producer. Tatlo kaming producer — si Antonio, ako at si Paolo. Yun yung usapan namin.
Paolo: To be honest, yung “Kwek Kwek”, I had no idea na ginagawa na pala nila yun. Nung pinakita sa amin sa Bubble Gang yung finished product, nagkaron ng idea, “Saging” naman. Ayun, nakialam na ko sa concept. Feeling ko nga, nakikialam na ako masyado kaya nila ako sinali na lang. ‘Ito na naman o, suggestion na naman.’ Siguro sabi nila, pagbigyan na lang natin si Paolo. Hindi ko alam kung pasok, pero pinagtiyagaan nila ako.
Who are your influences and is it safe to call you a boy band?
Boy2: Ano ba?
Paolo: Kasi diba ang boyband, mga Backstreet Boys, One Direction?
Boy: Ang Beatles din naman.
Roadfill: We are not a boyband. We’re PARD. Isa kaming samahan.
RJ: Hindi ako marunong humawak ng instrument kaya hindi ko masasabi na nasa banda ako.
Paolo: Eh boyband?
RJ: Hindi rin, kasi hindi naman tayo nagpapakilig eh. Ang PARD, brotherhood. Yung kulitan namin, samahan.
Coconuts first appreciated PARD in “Hugot”, where Michael V is a part of. Does he have any say to PARD?
Paolo: Say, wala.
Roadfill: But we consult with him in terms of lyrics and concept.
Paolo: Kasi he’s the creative director of Bubble Gang so for PARD to be able to show a video, it has to be approved by Bitoy. So what we do, we present something. If it’s okay, then okay. If not, Bitoy will guide us.
Antonio: He guides us sa lahat ng video. Lyrics-wise, may input. For example, sa Hugot, halos lyrics niya [yun], yung part niya, matutuwa ka kasi ang maayos. Pupunta pa kami sa bahay niya para magtanong.
Has he ever rejected an idea?
Boy2: We had a problem with “Saging”.
Paolo: Nung kinukwento namin kay Bitoy yung concept, sinabi na niya, hindi lulusot yan. So there was guidance from Bitoy kasi ang utak niya, para sa Bubble Gang. Kung YouTube lang yan, mas bastos pa yan.
Boy2: We actually fought for “Saging”. Muntik na talagang hindi ma palabas sa Bubble Gang. Last minute, they decided we can’t air it.
Paolo: Pinaglaban ni Bitoy.
Boy2: One of the head writers called. ‘ayaw talaga. Baka magka-conflict.’ Which we can’t see because it’s just about a banana. And then I texted Bitoy, because he was one of the country. Sabi niya, ‘bro hindi ako papayag’. He helped us. It aired because of Bitoy.
So how is the creation process like? Who usually has an idea?
RJ: Ako lahat, ha ha ha
Paolo: It starts with a story, and then you had a little rhyme, a little beat. Sa una pilit, tapos magiging walang kwenta. Yung “Hugot”, tumulong ibang mga taga-Bubble Gang.
Boy2: Antonio plays guitar so [sometimes] it starts with this guy, konting pitik. And then we get an idea from everyone. And then from an acoustic demo, that’s when we’ll do the process of recoding. From there, aesthetics naman of the video.
How about the videos?
Paolo: Kuwentuhan pa rin, and then i-a-absorb ni Dos. So conceptualization kami lahat yan but yung logistics, si Dos. Kasi kailangan ng isang cool head and in the group, si Dos yun. Si Tonio, magagalit yan. Ito [RJ], he has nothing to say. Si Roadfill, he’s downright idiotic. Joke lang po. But to be honest, si Rod, creative mind yan. Ako naman, I have the tendency to be insulting. So sa execution, si Dos. Sa shooting, si Dos pa rin. Pati sa editing.
Boy2: But it takes time also. Hindi namin minamadali ang material. It takes time to produce.
Yes, your videos are all high-production.
Antonio: It’s all planned. Ang ginagawa namin, kung meron kaming kakilala sa isang lugar, konting ex-deal. Sa Vigan, ganun, sa Caramoan din.
Paolo: It’s a good idea from Dos and Tonio, ginagamit yung connection in a good way. Because pinapakita namin yung place in a good way. Maganda pa ang video namin.
Do you have deadlines?
Antonio: Wala.
Boy2: Right now, we’re learning. We have to. Our last video, dapat lumabas in two, three months but it took us eight months to finsh. Hindi namin in-expect dahil nagiging adventurous sa concept.
Paolo: Pag nag-mi-meeting kami, kunwari may i-su-suggest si Roadfil, lalaitin namin: ‘wala yan, pangit.’ Pagtalikod,‘may point si Rod ha’.
Boy2: Actually totoo yan, ha ha.
In the press statement, it was mentioned “Huli Ka Balbon” is based in real life.
Paolo: It is based in real life but not out lives. Masculine life.
Antonio: Di ba, ipaalam mo kay misis, mag-basketball lang. Paguwi mo, damit mo hindi basa. Nanggaling pala sa kung saan. Nangyayari talaga yan, a.
Roadfill: Nakakabuo kami ng kanta from mga kwentong barbaro.
How much of your material is based on real life?
Paolo: Tingin ko “Huli ka Balbon” is more personal for men.
Roadfill: Others like “Kwek Kwek”, food porn lang naman iyon. Binibigyang ibang meaning ng iba pero sa amin, pagkain lang.
Which song do you think is the most definitive PARD song?
Antonio: “Kwek Kwek”. Street food eh.
Paolo: Tingin ko, nagsimula ang PARD sa “Kwek Kwek”. The response of the people to it is what made them want to do more. Kung pangit yung simula mo…
Boy2: Kung sa “Hug” tayo nag-umpisa, ha ha ha…
Paolo: Sa tingin ko, “Kwek Kwek” ang nag-define sa PARD. Sabihin na nating sikat yung “Huli Ka Balbon”, pero yung “Kwek Kwek” talaga…I’m not even talking about the response of the public, but the response of our colleagues. That’s what inspired them to do more. I don’t think “Kwek Kwek” is the best, but I think it’s the root. It inspired them to do more.
What can people expect from you in the future?
Paolo: Gusto ko yung sinabi ni RJ sa radio. Ikaw ba yun? May iba daw kasi nagsasabi, kung susuportahan niyo kami, tutuloy-tuloy kami. Sabi ni RJ, “wala akong pakialam. Tutuloy-tuloy kami. Hanggat masaya kami, hanggat feeling namin okay ang collaboration namin”. Hindi kami pumasok dito para mag-platinum. Masaya lang kami at gusto naming ng tao makita namasaya kami.
Boy 2: Si Paolo I think mentioned, paano kung gumagawa na tayo ng kanta, kailangan ba laging nakakatawa? Then napunta kami sa usapan na i-balance natin. Gumawa tayo para sa Bubble, gumawa tayo ng para sa sarili natin. Magtutuloy-tuloy yan kasi nag-e-enjoy kami. Ang nakikita nila sa amin yun para payagan nila na gawin ito, big thing yun.
Paolo: Maybe sketches for our YouTube channel. More songs, maybe skits also. Maybe, just to help us promote the music more. But in Bubble Gang, music videos lang.
PARD (PHP300) is available in all leading record stores.
