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MALTESE MUSIC FOR COLLECTORS

Oct 29, 2017
4 min

MALTESE MUSIC FOR COLLECTORS

There'a new label in town, and it's all about collectable music from Malta. Ramona Depares speaks to Michael Bugeja who, together with Aidan Borg, is the co-founder of Twee Records. Who is behind Twee Records and how was the idea born? Basically Twee Records is the two of us, Aidan Borg and myself, Michael Bugeja. The idea sprung out of countless conversations about music that we'd have during lunch breaks. We're both music fanatics and avid collectors, particularly of Maltes

SACRILEGE: RISING FROM THE ASHES

Oct 23, 2017
5 min

SACRILEGE: RISING FROM THE ASHES

Formed in the mid-1980's, UK metal band Sacrilege's story is curious and inspiring. They rose to prominence as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, only to disband just five years later. In 2012 the band was resurrected, albeit with a different line-up, and has, over the past five years, risen from its ashes to become a force to be reckoned with once again. Michael Bugeja spoke to Sacrilege's founding member Bill Beadle ahead of the band's performance at this year's M

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE!

Sep 5, 2017
4 min

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE!

If you're familiar with the music of Winter Moods, you'll probably have recognized the title of this article as part of the lyrics from their song My Neverland. Alongside Marigold, Everyday Song, Miss You and Everlasting, it is one of their more popular ballads. Anyone who knows Ivan Grech knows only too well that love, in its many forms, has never been far from any song he has penned and, given the philanthropic cause linked to his recent second solo concert, its significanc

SDANG! STORIES THAT ROCK!

Apr 18, 2017
4 min

SDANG! STORIES THAT ROCK!

Back for what will be their third performance in Malta, Italian instrumental rock band Sdang!'s latest visit will see their line-up boosted by none other than Colin Edwin. The Australian musician is probably best-known as a member of internationally-acclaimed progressive rock band The Porcupine Tree, but he is also involved in several other music projects that stretch across the musical spectrum in terms of genre, among them Metallic Taste of Blood, Endless Tapes and Ex-Wiseh

CARLO MUSCAT: FURTHER ADVENTURES IN JAZZ

Nov 13, 2016
4 min

CARLO MUSCAT: FURTHER ADVENTURES IN JAZZ

Saxophonist Carlo Muscat takes some time out from his busy schedule performing locally and abroad to tell Michael Bugeja about his latest work. Carlo Muscat has always insisted that his musical awakening is an ongoing process. So much so that further to releasing his first solo album, The Sound Catalogues Vol.1 about two years ago, he went on to explore new ventures and collaborations, a number of which would, both directly and indirectly, lead to the formation of the line-up

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DOOM METAL

Nov 6, 2016
6 min

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DOOM METAL

Emerging towards the start of the second wave of Maltese heavy metal well over two decades ago, Forsaken are by far one of the most important bands the local music scene has ever produced and certainly one of the most successful Maltese musical exports ever. Michael Bugeja catches up with bassist Albert Bell, vocalist Leo Stivala, drummer Simeon Gatt and guitarist Sean Vukovic for a chat about the journey so far, ahead of the band's 25th Anniversary concert at Chateau Buskett

SPREADING THE MESSAGE

Oct 10, 2016
4 min

SPREADING THE MESSAGE

Thank God for Anton Agius! Not only did the late Maltese sculptor create countless fantastic and inspiring artistic pieces, but his monument in Rabat provides some very welcome shade on this unbearably hot summer morning. Sitting next to me on the steps of said monument is Żdong, co-founding member of the notorious Maltese hiphop crew Sempliċiment Tat-Triq (STT). Between us is a plate with pastizzi from the famous Crystal Palace (just across the road from us), a glass of tea

ROCK OF AGES: DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'!

Oct 2, 2016
3 min

ROCK OF AGES: DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'!

It says a lot about any musical performance when the audience is still singing (or trying its darnedest to) the closing number as it shuffles out of the venue. That's exactly what happened as I was making my way down the City Theatre's narrow staircase after the final performance of Rock of Ages. Actually that also happened on opening night, and quite possibly, I'm inclined to believe, after every performance of Malta's longest-ever running musical this summer. Having already

ENERGY AND EMOTION

Sep 6, 2016
3 min

ENERGY AND EMOTION

"(I have) no words to describe the feeling in the process of coming back to my senses from my very first solo concert". These are of course, Ivan Grech's words, not mine, posted on Facebook the day after his concert at Pjazza Teatru Rjal a few weeks ago. One would think that having fronted Winter Moods, surely one of Malta's most popular rock bands ever, for the best part of 30 years, he would have become accustomed to performances such as this one. The truth however, is rath

JAZZ FOR JOZETTA

Jul 17, 2016
4 min

JAZZ FOR JOZETTA

Without a doubt one of the more prolific artists on the island, Dominic Galea is also rather versatile, but it is perhaps for his deep involvement in the world of jazz that he is best known for. His latest album Jozetta, essentially dedicated to his partner Josette and released under the name of Dominic Galea’s London Quintet, is possibly one of the closest to his heart. It is an album with a special meaning that transcends music. Michael Bugeja speaks to Dominic Galea ahead

ROBERT FARRUGIA: SURROUNDED BY SOUNDSCAPES

Jul 11, 2016
4 min

ROBERT FARRUGIA: SURROUNDED BY SOUNDSCAPES

He may not be quite a household name, possibly because the music he makes is far from the mainstream but, barely in his twenties, this young composer has already released 6 albums and 3 EPs, all home-recorded and most of them picked up and distributed by international labels. His latest album Tines, released last May, is an engulfing soundscape that is deeply atmospheric, contemplative yet brittle at the same time. Michael Bugeja speaks to Robert Farrugia ahead of his live pe

ROCKIN' THE ROCK!

Jun 26, 2016
5 min

ROCKIN' THE ROCK!

Michael Bugeja’s iconic radio show, ROCKNA, is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a triple-bill event. Ramona Depares finds out more. How was the idea for Rockna born? The idea for the show is actually connected to the weekly music pages I had been writing for The Sunday Times of Malta for a number of years, although somewhat indirectly. Around May 2010, Charles Saliba, the station manager at Radio 101 and a regular reader of my music pages, had approached me when he was

CUSHION: THE COMFORT OF INDIAN FUSION

May 29, 2016
5 min

CUSHION: THE COMFORT OF INDIAN FUSION

To anyone who remembers the local music scene in the 1980s, Toni Curmi will forever be the long-haired lad who delivered the heavy riffage in Passion Blade (later shortened to Blade). A few years back, on top of doing session work, he was also active as a member in rock band A Day Too Late but, as of 2010, his main focus has been as far from the rock spectrum as you could imagine. Forming Cushion, first as a duo but which has now grown into a band, Curmi immersed himself in I

CHESS: POP, SOUL AND PASSION

May 29, 2016
5 min

CHESS: POP, SOUL AND PASSION

It almost seems like a long time, but it's really only five years ago that I first interviewed Chess for this very same newspaper, just months after she had just moved to the UK, where she'd gone to pursue her studies and a career in music. Five years on, she's still UK-based and, with several recorded tracks, an acclaimed covers album and 2 EPs under her belt, she's about to launch her debut album proper, 1869. The album, an effective balance of pop and soul reflecting an a

HARD ROCKIN' HIGH 'N DRY

May 16, 2016
5 min

HARD ROCKIN' HIGH 'N DRY

It's not that unusual these days to hear of a Maltese artist moving abroad in the hope of pursuing a career overseas. In the 1970s and 1980s however, when the local music scene was very different to what it is now, things were different, opportunities less available, and the risks higher too. Bassist Gino Micallef and vocalist Joe Mizzi were among those who took the big step into the unknown back in the day, their overseas experience culminating in a fruitful experience as pa

A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT

Apr 18, 2016
4 min

A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT

So there I am, carefully calculating the seven steps that lead to Dominic Galea's basement-cum-rehearsal space, when the band starts playing the title track off Miles Davis' 1963 album, Seven Steps to Heaven. A coincidence without a doubt, but one that is prescient too, for sitting in on a rehearsal by such a talented group of musicians is, to any genuine music lover, a true taste of paradise. The reason Galea and his Jazztet are gathered here is the upcoming Tribute to Miles

CHRIS AND MOIRA: LOVE IS ALL AROUND

Apr 3, 2016
4 min

CHRIS AND MOIRA: LOVE IS ALL AROUND

For an album that was released just under two years ago, Chris and Moira's Ninety Nights and a Monday has certainly served its purpose, and not just because it spawned a string of well-received singles (and in several cases, accompanying videos too), but also because it proved to be a firm and effective platform. Not only did it successfully propel the band to new heights in the space of its 10 tracks but, more importantly, it also landed them new opportunities to take their

CATCHING UP WITH CLINTON PAUL

Mar 6, 2016
4 min

CATCHING UP WITH CLINTON PAUL

Within the space of barely a month, pop artist Clinton Paul released three singles; Ċelebrazzjoni, released just as the festive season had started to kick in and, more recently, Tnax and Beautiful Day, the latest single to be lifted off his upcoming third studio album. The new release, launched along with an accompanying music video during an event at Mangano in Baystreet at the end of January, is a song that the artist has described as a blend of country and pop. Michael Bug

HEARTFELT FOLK FROM DOWN UNDER

Jan 17, 2016
4 min

HEARTFELT FOLK FROM DOWN UNDER

Old Soul’s Eyes is the name of an album released digitally towards the end of 2014 by Walrus & The Carpenter, the Australian band formed the previous year by Maltese musician Matthew Engerer and Mat Akehurst. Having established a firm foothold on the music scene in their region thanks to their transcendent live shows, the band, also featuring multi-instrumentalist Maria Stratton and bass player Al Brooker, went on to play at the Mullum Music Festival and the Falls Music and

FREDDIE GETS FESTIVE WITH NOSTALĠIJA ALBUM

Dec 25, 2015
3 min

FREDDIE GETS FESTIVE WITH NOSTALĠIJA ALBUM

His last album Blue Sea Bay was only released a few months ago but, never one to rest on his laurels, Freddie Portelli is back with another album. Nostalġija is Portelli’s latest offering, a new collection of songs inspired by the festive season and as was the case with his more recent album releases, once again with the aim of raising funds for a good cause. In fact, all proceeds from the sale of this album will be donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund. Nostalġija featur