Cover (L-R) Warner Bros Philippines’ head of distribution Rico Gonzales, director Diane Ventura, Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia, and producer Francis Lumen (Photo: Jove Moya)
(L-R) Warner Bros Philippines’ head of distribution Rico Gonzales, director Diane Ventura, Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia, and producer Francis Lumen (Photo: Jove Moya)
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In ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’, there will be talking, tears, and rock ‘n’ roll
The warnings have been persistent: Never meet your heroes. But over the course of my life, I’ve encountered the ‘Eheads boys’ separately and on different occasions. There was Marcus Adoro—when a friend of mine had a brief, amusing mix-up at Cubao Expo and mistook him for someone selling his cigarettes; Ely Buendia—who stood just a metre away from me in line at St Vincent’s concert in Alabang; and Buddy Zabala and Raymund Marasigan—who I think I saw in two other press events.
This year, I am finally seeing all of them in one place, together and on the big screen, thanks to Diane Ventura’s ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’.
Ventura’s documentary provides an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the Huling El Bimbo reunion concert in 2022, “set against a backdrop of political division and post-pandemic uncertainty.”
Featuring rare footage and never-before-seen interviews, this show offers a deep dive into the band’s history, struggles, and triumphs.
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Above Eraserheads: Combo On The Run
Ventura reflected on the interviews, which were conducted separately, yet still seemed to have a profound effect on the band members. “We did the interviews independently, and I can only speak for myself—but when they would ‘unload’ or speak their truth, even separately, something felt lighter the next day or the next time they saw each other, even without directly talking about it.”
For her, the simple act of opening up was already transformative. “Just expressing themselves, allowing that honesty to happen was healing in itself. It became a kind of catalyst. That’s what stayed with me.”
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Just expressing themselves, allowing that honesty to happen was healing in itself
Above Diane Ventura and Ely Buendia during the press conference for ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ (Photo: Jove Moya)
Diane Ventura and Ely Buendia during the press conference for ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ (Photo: Jove Moya)
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For Buendia, the interviews weren’t particularly difficult—though he was mindful of what he chose to share. “I didn’t want to over-share stuff that I think should be kept for myself, but most of the time, it wasn’t really hard because, first of all, the situation was comfortable.”
He adds that the relationship with the production team played a key role. “The interviewer, Diane and the rest of the team were really good—well, first of all, because we have relationships, and we knew who they were, so we were more open. We were just really happy to finally let it out.”
Related: Are we Filipinos because we love music or do we love music because we are Filipinos?
Above Ely Buendia during the press conference for ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ (Photo: NYOU PR)
Ely Buendia during the press conference for ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ (Photo: NYOU PR)
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Buendia mentioned that there were ‘rumblings of crying’ as he watched the film. Having been interviewed separately from the rest of the band, it was the first time he heard his bandmates’ perspectives. He was moved by how Ventura brought all the elements together, noting, “It’s one thing to present facts and opinions, but the challenge of a documentary is finding a through-line, and that’s not easy. I appreciated the artistry behind it—it wasn’t just talking heads.”
The film took him on a journey, even as someone who had lived through those experiences. “Even for me, it was still a surprise. I really loved the movie, and I appreciated the honesty of the other guys. The way it offered up the truth really resonated with me because authenticity is something I hold dear, both in my music and personal life. And this, too, felt authentic.”
Now in his 50s, Buendia has a humbler and more mature perspective on making music. When asked about the challenge of constantly outdoing past successes, he reflected on the cyclical nature of things.
“It’s all cyclical, you know, we thought we achieved the peak with Cutterpillow selling 40,000 on the first day. And even the boys were like, ‘how do we top this?’ It's just accepting the fact that we can't be at the top all the time, and when you get that peak, the best thing to do is just be more creative, more experimental, not necessarily top the numbers, just enjoy yourself. And that's what we did.”
Fast fact: The band’s third studio album, released on December 8, 1995, by Sony BMG Music, went on to sell over 400,000 copies.
Above Cutterpillow, for ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ is brought to you by Dvent Pictures and WEU and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
When you get that peak, the best thing to do is just be more creative, more experimental, not necessarily top the numbers, just enjoy yourself
Future Projects?
When asked about future projects, Buendia maintains that it all boils down to timing. “Of course, we all are very active in making music for our projects. And the analogy here is when you meet up with your ex, is it a good idea to, you know, sleep with them again? There’s so much, so much baggage there. You also have to think about the consequences. I don’t mean to be super serious about it, but there are a lot of considerations when you’re actually making music again. I mean, obviously, we do the old songs for the fans because that’s what they’re there for anyway. But it would be nice, of course, if the timing is right and we all feel we can still do something that we’re all proud of.”
Above ‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ will be hosting a surprise pop-up performance lottery, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lucky audience. From March 21-23, the iconic band will visit an unsuspecting cinema and perform during the weekend theatrical run of the highly anticipated documentary (Photo: Jove Moya)
‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’ will be hosting a surprise pop-up performance lottery, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lucky audience. From March 21-23, the iconic band will visit an unsuspecting cinema and perform during the weekend theatrical run of the highly anticipated documentary (Photo: Jove Moya)
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As a special treat for both music and movie fans, the Eraserheads: Combo On The Run will be hosting a surprise pop-up performance lottery, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lucky audience. From March 21-23, the iconic band will visit an unsuspecting cinema and perform during the weekend theatrical run of the highly anticipated documentary.
Eraserheads: Combo On The Run is brought to you by Dvent Pictures and WEU and distributed by Warner Bros Pictures. It will be the first Philippine documentary to be screened in Dolby Atmos, providing the most immersive sound experience available today.
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
