Pot

P.O.T. arrived on the limping alternative music scene of Manila, Philippines, with the sound and fury of a fireball -- and then just as quickly burned out. The funky rock band was formed by Karl Roy (vocals), Ian Umali (guitar), Mally Paraguya (bass), and a musical-chairs roster of drummers in Manila in 1995. Roy was originally the lead singer of new wave veterans Advent Call in the first half of the '90s. P.O.T. enabled him to unleash his eclectic influences, shaping the group's high-energy mix of soul, rock, and acid jazz. The band debuted at the Music Museum, opening for the heavy metal combo Razorback. It was the beginning of a brief but explosive career, one that had them relentlessly gigging and flooring crowds with powerful live performances.

On November 18, 1996, the group was signed to PolyEast Records and immediately began recording its debut album. The self-titled CD was released in May 1997, and P.O.T. helped to resuscitate and bring creativity back to Philippine rock, which was losing the commercial impact it had in the early '90s. P.O.T. was among the headliners at the Puerto Azul Music Festival, and it seemed like the band was on its way to becoming hugely successful, winning numerous trophies from various award-giving bodies and receiving mass radio airplay in its home country. However, Roy was diagnosed with an infected heart valve, requiring him to undergo surgery, which put the group on a short hiatus. Umali later resigned from the band, reportedly wanting to further his education. P.O.T. later broke up. Roy then formed Kapatid with bassist Nathan Azarcon, guitarist Chico Molina, and drummer J-hoon Balbuena. Their eponymous first album came out in 2003. ~ Michael Sutton, Rovi