The Teeth

The Filipino Grunge band Teeth was born during Manila's alternative rock boom of the early '90s and exploded onto the airwaves with Laklak," a blistering tale of youthful excess that became an anthem for drinking. The track topped the charts of the Philippines' adventurous alternative rock station LA-105 for 12 weeks. Teeth was formed in September 1993 by Glenn Jacinto (vocals), Jerome Velasco (guitars), Peding Narvaja (bass), and Mike Dizon (drums). Narvaja, Velasco, and Dizon were originally in a group called Riftshifta, while Jacinto was in Loudhouse. Signed to Warner Music Philippines, Teeth released their self-titled debut album in 1995; the LP went double-platinum. Laklak" was re-recorded and crossed over into the mainstream, stirring controversy with its alcohol-fueled lyrics; it was voted Song of the Year at the 1995 NU 107 Rock Awards. The cheaply made video for Teeth's second single, Prinsesa," was even played on MTV Asia. However, in 1996 Jacinto was hospitalized for a lung ailment; his illness left him unable to promote the album or fulfill concert dates for a year. The band attempted using other singers to temporarily replace Jacinto, but the group's chemistry was lost. In 1997, Jacinto recovered and Teeth recorded Time Machine. Although the alternative rock scene in Manila had begun to wane, Time Machine sold enough to be certified platinum. When Narvaja left Teeth to move to the U.S., he was replaced by Andrew Sergio. In 1999, the band released I Was a Teenage Tree.The album contained the single "Shooting Star", which was awarded Song of the Year at the NU 107 Rock Awards in 2000. In 2003, Dogs Can Fly (Teeth's Finest) was released.

In 1998, The Teeth’s drummer, Mike Dizon co-founded Sandwich with Eraserheads’ Drummer, Raimund Marasigan and later Pedicab in 2005.

After The Teeth’s Greatest Hits was released, frontman Glenn Jacinto moved to California and he still performs regularly there.

Also during 2003, former-Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia formed The Mongols with The Teeth’s Guitarist Jerome Velasco which was later joined by The Teeth’s bassist Dok Sergio. As Jerome Velasco left The Mongols in 2005 to pursue a career in audio engineering and recording, it was later renamed into Pupil. Meanwhile, Jerome Velasco remained as a co-writer and producer for Pupil’s Beautiful Machines song from the album of the same name. As of 2007, Jerome Velasco is the chief musical producer for Pupil’s second album.

Jerome and Dok are both members of the dreampop / electronica band, “Daydream Cycle” with The Mongols’/Pupil’s Bogs Jugo and Rivermaya’s Japs Sergio.

After the short hiatus, The Teeth still performs live without Jacinto and usually Dok Sergio takes the singing duties and sometimes other artists also take sessions as main vocals such as Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree. Sergio also sings The Teeth songs with his current band, Pupil.