All-girl Pinoy hard rock group, General Luna, whose single “Red Heaven” is currently number one on NU 107, is refuting allegations that they’re a “manufactured” band.

According to the members, the notion is “absurd” if “hurtful” considering the amount of work they did to get to where they are.

It’s easy to see where the critics of the band are coming from. The band looks poster perfect. Indeed, as one pundit accurately pointed, “They’re an A & R representatives’ wet dream come true.”

More than that, they were also signed under Warner Music Philippines, quicker than one could say, “General who?”

In an exclusive interview with Bulletin Entertainment recently, the band—composed of singer Nicole Asensio, drummer Bea Lao, bassist Alexis Montemayor, guitarists Caren Mangaran and Audry Dionisio—revealed most of them are actually commercial models who have known each other prior to holding jobs.

“We knew each other for so long,” Mangaran attests.

“I knew Audry since we were kids. We were gymnastic team mates. We are barkada,” Asensio divulges.

They also know how to play their instruments prior to joining General Luna.

“We’ve paid our dues. We all came from different bands. Toiled as hard as any,” adds Asensio, the most forthcoming—and seemingly most passionate—of the group.

Asensio, who is also chief lyricist [the music is a collaborative effort] for the band is formerly of Crowjane, a group known for playing classic rock covers. She also did theater; most famously a part in a local staging of "Rent."

Lao has been, for the longest time, the drummer of local rock god Wally Gonzales’ band. Montemayor was with Blush; and Mangaran was with Sanctus—a heavy rock group.

“If only they [critics] knew how hard we worked for this; if they actually come out to see us play, they’d probably say a different thing,” supplies Dionisio, the youngest of the collective.

As to how they were formed, the band all pointed to common friend, award-winning engineer Angee Rozul.

“He was the one who told us that Warner was looking for an all-girl group,” Asensio recalls.

And as they had already been planning to do something together, they all decided to join forces. “And General Luna was born,” Asensio quips.

No, the name of the band is not in any way related to the dead Katipunan revolutionary. It doesn’t actually imply anything.

“It was a name formed after we [the band and the record company] decided to do a ‘name the band’ contest of sorts,” Asensio offers. “We liked it, so it stuck.”

At this point, the band is yet to find its identity, describing their music as “Hodge-podge – little bit of everything, our individual influences thrown together;” but they are adamant on doing more if given the chance.

“Musically, we like to experiment so I hope in the future, like in gigs, we will be able to do that. We don’t want to be stuck in a single musical idea,” Asensio declares.

This early, the group is hoping that people would veer away from the sexual angle and focus on what they offer best: new music.

“We’re no different from other musicians. We’re just hoping to add something new to the local musical palate,” Asensio says.

They aren’t also out to conquer the usually male-dominated crowd.

“We’re not here to beat the boys [in their own game]. We just want to share our music and, hopefully, become successful.”

General Luna’s self-titled debut will be released this June.