Parokya Ni Edgar, known for their witty pop-punk songs and often strange subject matter, formed in Ateneo High School in Manila, Philippines. The six students—vocalist Chito Miranda, back-up singer and dancer Vinci Montaner, guitarists Darius Semana and Gab CheeKee, bassist Buwi Meneses, and drummer Dindin Moreno—initially called themselves Comic Relief. Their early performances specialized in parodies of well-known songs, a practice that would inform their later work. In 1994, the band became regulars at Club Dredd, Manila's hub for alternative music, where their unique outfits and goofy stage antics quickly earned them a local following. This led to a signing with Universal, facilitated by Richard Tan, manager of other Philippine punk groups like The Youth and Teeth. The Youth's Robert Javier produced Parokya Ni Edgar's 1996 debut, *KHANGKHUNGKHERRNitZ The Album*, an unusually titled record that achieved platinum status within six months.