Lolita Carbon with Asin Band

Asin (sometimes stylized as ASIN) is a Pinoy folk rock band from the Philippines. They started as a trio in the late 1970s before becoming a quartet, and was originally known as the Salt of the Earth. “Asin” means salt in Filipino language.

ASIN was formed in late 1976, the nucleus of which was the duo of Mike Pillora Jr. of Negros Occidental and Cesar Bañares Jr. of South Cotabato, who were playing at folk joints and pub houses in Manila as ‘Mike and Cesar’. A year later, Lolita Carbon was recruited by the duo to fill in the missing middle voice and eventually became the third member. Pillora named the trio ‘Salt of the Earth’ after the song recorded originally by The Rolling Stones and later by Joan Baez, written and composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Other than the song title, Pillora also based the name of the group from the Biblical metaphor salt of the earth which represents the humble and sincere masses.

In 1978, the trio (who were all songwriters, composers and arrangers) signed their first recording contract and localized their name ‘Salt of the Earth’ into ‘Asin ng Lupa’. They ultimately became known simply as ASIN. The members also adopted handles (sobriquets) for themselves based on local style nicknames and they became known to their fans as Nonoy, Saro and Nene.

In the same year, their eponymous debut LP “Asin” was released, giving birth to an alternative form of music which was different and distinct from what was mainstream. Their songs conveyed a message that roused a social-awareness among the vast majority of Filipinos becoming a rallying call for social and political aspirations.

Death of Bañares
At around 9:00 p.m. on March 18, 1993, Cesar “Saro” Bañares was at a karaoke bar in his hometown of Koronadal when a brawl erupted among several customers. A single gunshot was fired which hit Bañares on the forehead. He was brought to the hospital but eventually died.

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:: Wiki/Asin_(band)