More About Franco

Barely months after they broke into the local music scene, rock band Franco was already heralded as a "superband."
Though still on their way to national fame, the fact that they have impressed select audiences and critics with their fresh sound (a blend of reggae, alternative rock and metal) and that they are composed of rock icons from well-established Pinoy bands may be why they are described as "super."
Lead singer Franco Reyes is considered one of the best singers and songwriters to ever come out of Cebu.
By the time he joined Franco, he already had 18 years of musical experience with bands like Frank!, Sheila and the Insects and InYo (his band in the United States).
His poetic lyricism and velvet voice shines in the band's hit track "Cast Away", a reggae-flavored song about Reyes's feelings of isolation and homesickness after migrating to the US.

"It's like how Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) long for home," Reyes said. "Cast Away", originally performed by InYo, ranked high in radio charts like those of rock station NU 107.
The track will be included in their new album under MCA Records, reportedly set for release this month.
The rest of the band's members will be familiar to music lovers. On guitars are Gabby Alipe of Urbandub and Paolo "Ocho" Toleran of Queso (formerly named Cheese).
Completing the 5-piece band are Buhawi "Buwi" Meneses of the seminal 90s band Parokya ni Edgar on bass and JanJan Mendoza of Urbandub on drums.

Beginnings
Franco reportedly started as a side project by Toleran, Meneses and Mendoza, who would jam together when they had time. After a while, they decided to look for a front man to help their project band take off.
"JanJan suggested Franco (Reyes). He let them listen to Franco's demo, because he was based in the States, and they liked it," Alipe said in a MYX Setlist interview.
Reyes's band InYo (reportedly named after yin and yang), formed in 2006 and based in Florida, had already recorded an 11-track album with Big3 Records.
InYo had also been composed of experienced musicians like Mike Sylvia, Tommy Jamin and Cebu-born Anton Cortes.
"Then we tried to convince Franco to come back here in the Philippines. Thank God it happened," Alipe added.

Though Reyes thought it was egotistic to name the band after him, the members took a vote and decided to name their band Franco.
While balancing their schedules between Franco and their other bands can be tough, Menseses said it isn't hard to priotize if they are "really into this."
The band members have been busy with gigs and sometimes have to do back-to-back performances with both Franco and their respective bands.
The band had also been busy finalizing the tracks for their album, which is much-anticipated by many fans who have heard and loved their music. They also filmed for the music video of "Cast Away" last December.