Six students at Manila’s Ateneo High School first came together to make music under the name Comic Relief, crafting an early set list composed entirely of parodies of globally beloved hit songs, before rebranding to Parokya Ni Edgar, a name that translates to the Parish of Edgar, and stepping into the role of the Philippines’ reigning court jesters of pop. Their signature style leans into witty pop-punk writing that centers often strange, unorthodox subject matter, paired with oddball stage outfits and goofy, unapologetic on-stage antics that turned them into local favorites almost as soon as they began performing at Club Dredd, Manila’s iconic hotbed for alternative music, in 1994. They caught the eye of Richard Tan, manager of prominent Filipino punk groups The Youth and Teeth, who helped them secure a signing with Universal, paving the way for their 1996 debut studio album, KHANGKHUNGKHERRNitZ The Album.