10 things to know about Kjwan on their 10th year as as a band

Before Kjwan takes to the stage of the Handlebar Bar in Makati on Friday, August 9, to celebrate its tenth year as a band, vocalist Marc Abaya and bass player Kelley Mangahas spoke with Yahoo! OMG about a few things people may still not know about the band.

1. That spelling. Original guitarist Jorel Corpus put the "j" after the "k" in the name Kjwan.

2. The first songs. Included in the band’s 2-song demo cassette tape were "Daliri" & "Surface." Both turned up on their debut album.

3. The first video.

Marie Jamora of “Ang Nawawala” fame directed their first video. "Daliri" It was shot in a shipyard in Novaliches which almost did not happen because of rains. Marie and the band soldiered on, however, resulting in the classic red sunset shot.

4. The international win. In 2007 Kjwan won the 1st ASEAN IKON award by topping the regional professional band competition in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

5. The latest project. Kjwan is releasing a 3-part EP series for its new project KJWAN 4. (Volume 1 was released in 2012, Volume 2 in 2013 and Volume 3 in 2014.)

6. The new members. Last year, a new drummer, Emilio Marcos and keyboardist/percussionist Enrique De Dios were added to the band’s line-up.

7. The return. Marc started playing guitar again for Kjwan after the album “13 Seconds to Love” released in 2009.

8. The beer brand. Kjwan has been a loyal endorser for a beer brand for the past 8 years.

9. The discography. The band has produced three albums and 2 EPs in a decade of rock action, and counting.

10. The fact. Kjwan has always been an indie band.

The first video directed by Marie Jamora:

Kjwan: Sampung Taon, the tenth anniversary show, happens on Friday, August 9, at Handlebar Bar & Restaurant, 31 Polaris St. Bel-air, Makati City. For more information, visit Facebook.