Death or Glory?

Life Should Not...

2006-08-06T20:51:00.000+01:00

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body,but rather to skid in sideways,Champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other,body thoroughly used up,totally worn out and screaming...

(misruqa mill-quit message tal-Yowgart)

Kemm ilni ma nikteb ostra! Kienu xhur busy hafna dan l-ahhar. Iz-zmien jahrab qieghed. Bic-cajt ic-cajt iz-zmien li kellha taghmel Kate hawn ghadda wkoll, u issa marret lura gewwa Chico, CA. Kienu xhur intensi immens. Mad-Dripht, kellna l-ewwel mini-tour gewwa Londra, li kienet esperjenza unika. Wasal il-festahwid ta' dis-sena, u ghadda wkoll. Il-Pini u s-Sur Ellul, waslu l-iSkozja wara xi gimghatejn jiggerew ma' l-ewropa kollha u diga sabu flat u xoghol, u Simona giet tghix ghal dejjem Malta maz-Zghiru. Lil Mario caqalqulu l-ufficju u issa ha nkun ma 2 nisa wahdi. Kulhadd jidher li qed jiehu triqtu, qisna minghajr ma nafu. Qed nistenna sa Ottubru imbghad nimxi minn hemm. Hemm hafna affarijiet x'nikkunsidra qabel niehu certu decizjonijiet...minn naha l-ohra naf li jekk nibqa' niehu l-konsiderazzjonijiet, ic-cans nasal ghall-decizjoni jista' ma jasal qatt.

Qed nipprova nigbor erbgha rittratti ta dawn l-ahhar xhur halli mbaghad naghmel gallery zghira. Jekk xi hadd ghandu xi rittratti tal-Beerfest jghidli please.

Lebanon Massacre

X izzob qed jigri hemm? Ghadhom ma xebghux bid-dmija? Il-bniedem ghandu habta jitlef kull sens ta' sensittivita meta jidhol f'ciklu ta' vjolenza. Huwa obbligu tal-Amerka u l-Ewropa li jaraw li l-ebda pajjiz ma jkun bully fuq pajjiz iehor. U qed nirreferi ghall-Izrael hawn. Li ntik daqqa ta ponn, ma jtikx raguni biex tkissirli ghadmi, tbiccirni imbaghad tqaxxarni haj, u ddendilni ma salib. Ghax hekk hu l-kas. Bl-ebda mod ma tista tiggustifika l-atti u l-hsiebjiet tal-Hizbollah, u ghandu jsir sforz fuq kull front halli factions musulmani bhal dawn jigu mwaqqfa. Minn naha l-ohra kif tista' tiggustifika tfigh ta bombi fuq villagi mimlija tfal u civili? Trid tkun annimal prim. Anzi, trid tkun bniedem prim.

Naasha jew mhux Naasha?

Vera waqajt down meta sirt naf li il-Lenny u Mickey bieghhew in-Naasha. Meta mort hemmek, hassejtni dhal go post totalment gdid. Nies kollha godda li qatt ma rajt f'hajti. Imbghad bdejt nghid li ahjar mort nara lir-Rifffs gewwa l-Beerfest minflok. Lin-Naasha rajtu jitwieled u jinbidel u jsir iktar popolari. Norqod hemm kien jonqosni biex nibda nghix fih, ghalkemm gieli ghamiltha wkoll. Inqum il-Hadd filghodu fuq xi sufan hemm gew. Mickey telqet lejn l-Israel, imma hallietli qisha ashtray li ghamlita hi, vera sabiha, u xi messagg fuq wara. Halliet wahda lil Kate ukoll. Miskina, kienet orrajt Mickey. Lil Lenny narah il-Camping li ha jsir il-weekend li gej. Nies kbar Lenny u Mickey. Sewwa ghamlu bieghhu kollox. Nies bhalhom mhux tajbin ghall dal-pajjiz, fejn jekk tipprova ma taghmilx bhal massa u tipprova tohrog b xi haga gdida issib il-bsaten fir-roti, jew sahansitra jghidulek "SATANIST". Sewwa ghamlu.

Anger Is A Gift

2006-06-20T21:36:00.000+01:00

FUCK this shit, fuck people trying to control your life, fuck everyone putting demands on you, fuck people being so hypocrital, fuck people beating on their chests at mass on Sunday, and then stab you in the back, fuck control freaks, fuck university, fuck all those dickheads pretending they're god's gift to earth, fuck shitty music, fuck Grace Borg and her stupid anti-piracy campaign, fuck George Bush and his cronies, fuck global warming, fuck war, fuck greedy corporations fucking up our earth, fuck the conservatives, fuck politics as we know it, fuck money, fuck stupid excuses like religions, fuck television, fuck the whole media circus.

Yeah.

.FUCK YOU ALL.

Lampost

2006-06-09T08:16:00.000+01:00

Ghanja ta' L-iXtruppaw

2006-06-03T13:20:00.000+01:00

Qomt ma niflahx sew. Grizmejja imnejjkin sew, u anki deni telghali- imma xorta ghadu kollox car go mohhi. Il-bierah kienet gurnata kbira fil-history tax-xena underground ta' Malta. U ma nahsibx li qed nesagera. Kien il-jum tal-launching ta' "Ic-CD ta' L-iXtruppaw".

Ma ridtx nemmen kif wasalna hemm. Konna jien, hija u Kate u ovvjament ma stajniex nsibu parking ghax l-area tal-Parking tal-Luxol kienet mehudha ghall-ostra kuncert ta' Sting li ha jsir dalwaqt. Mur ejdilhom li vicin fejn kien ha jdoqq Sting, dak in-nhar kien se jkun hemm gig tal-Madonna maghmul minn-Maltin, DIY, minghajr hafna bullshit u hafna izjed li jirrifletti ir-realta lokali. Ir-realta' tat-triq nghidilha jien, mhux realta' tal-Bay Radio jew ta' l-MTV.

Balla nies. Imma hafna. Kien hemm il-kju barra u kif fl-ahhar dhalna il-Luxol Bar kien mifqugh. Imma mifqugh ta!. Kienu ghadhom kif bdew il-BNI li nammetti ma tantx kelli mohh nismaghhom ghax kelli balla panic fuqi peress li d-Dripht konna se ndoqqu dalwaqt. Biex tasal sal-bar u ggib bicca drink trid taghmel weghda lir-Redentur. Rajt lil Patrick u l-Marvin imma bil-kemm kellimthom. NIESSSSSS, kulhadd jaghffeg fuq xulxin, u rassa inkredibbli. Nofs il-birra li kelli f'idi hlejtu bl-iskossi tan-nies jahbtu go fija. Imbghad intfajt wara Kate, peress li kellha il-kuragg toffendi lil kulhadd u tixher b dahka fuq wiccha u n-nies bdew jersqulha. Ghaddast rasi l-isfel u bdejt miexi warajha....

Insomma mhiniex se noqghod nitkellem fuq id-Dripht. Naf li hadna buzz tal-ostra indoqqu. Is-shana kienet tremenda, u d-dawl go wiccna kompla dahhalna fl-atmosfera. In-nies kienu inkredibbli. Nicky bhas-soltu kien se jmut. Kien hemm energija inspjegabbli, allinqas sa fejn bdejt nara u nisma' jien. Kollox u kulhadd kien jidher vera "into it...".

Insomma wara li spiccajna, l-iXtruppaw damu seklu biex jibdew. In-nies kompliet tizdied u r-rassa kienet insapportabbli. Shaaaannna, gharaq, ghajjat, rassa. Hrigt naqra barra ghall-arja. Kif izzobb setghu jidhlu dawk in-nies kollha hemm gew? In-nies l-iktar li impressjonawni. Kien hemm minn kollox. Hbieb ta' l-iXtruppaw, punks, rockers, bikers, nies 'straight', nies li gew ghall-kurzita', tfal, DJ's tar-radios, xjuh! (vera rajt xi zewgt ixjuh ihufu!), u kulhadd jaghffeeg go xulxin.

Biex ma ntawwalx. L-iXtruppaw taw show ta' kristu. Irnexxielhom jaghtu package shih. Lyrics jigdmu u u tad-dahk fl-istess hin, melodiji kbar, image u props u gimmicks on stage - 10 minn 10. Nies imutu fil-pit. Imma hafna nies. Il-Butler u c-Ciz f'telfa totali. Iz-Zghiru kien hara m'Alla, jiehu r-rittratti bil-kamera li xtratlu simona ghall-birthday qisu qatt ma qabad kamera. Birra ittir ma' kullimkien. Harist lejn il-gnub tas-sala u nara erba' zaghzagh imcappsin mal-hitan li taqtaghhom li posthom is-Sibt filghaxija huwa go l-Axis jew il-Havana u mhux il-gig ta' l-iXtruppaw...halqghom miftugh u ccassati. Bdejt nipprova nimmagina x'hinu ghaddej minn go mohhom. X'qed jigri? X'izzob qed ikantaw dawn? Dak id-dawl idur maghhom, u l-hwejjeg li kienu libsin nimmagina li kissrulhom il-wires ta' mohhom. Lyrics hamalli imma jintqalu b'mod li verament ma jistghux jaghmlu izjed sens jekk tghidhom b'mod iehor.

Mhux bin-nejk, l-iXtruppaw irnexxilhom jaqbdu l-dawn in-nies kollha u jcappsulhom dil-verita' ma wicchom. Il-verita li f'Malta hawn bands li ghandhom livell gholi ta' muzika u li jistghu vera jipproducu xi haga sura. Mhux bands jew artisti tal-"Eurovision" b-lirika falza ta mhabba u romanticizmu cheap. Imma bands bil-bajd li lesti jkunu brutalment onesti, tad-dahk, u li jtuk siegha buzz ta' vera.

Ezempju:

Bicca mid-diska "Maltin gewwa l-Awstralja"

"Izda jiena art twelidi, m'jiena ser nitilqek qatt
Anzi nhallik tahra f'idi, imbghad nieklu minn gol-platt
Malti bhali, Malti veru, Malti hadd"

Kellu bzonn dawk tal-Viva Malta u l-ANR ghandhom nitfa, imqar nitfa minn dan l-umorizmu li-iXtruppaw ghandhom bir-rimi'. Ghax ejja nghiduha kif inhi. L-iXtruppaw u ahna l-"imgandrin" u tal-"Generazzjoni tal-Meqrudin" ma nhubbux lil Malta inqas minn kemm ihobuha tal-Viva Malta u Norman Lowell. M'ahniex tradituri kif ihobbu jghidu. Imma nsomma, ejja ma ndawwrux is-suggett.

Xtruppaw thanks talli tajtuna c-cans inkun parti mill-gurnata kbira tal-bierah. Verament napprezzaw u onorati! Proset kbira wkoll lill-BNI li verament jissapportjaw ix-xena bil-fatti...ghax dejjem verament idoqqu fil-luanches ta' bands ohra minghajr ma jithallsu, u minghajr interessi ohra. Proset kbira ukoll lil Steve Lombardo ta' production ta' kristu ohra tac-CD ta l-iXtruppaw! U Jeffrey int bniedem kbir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS Toni, f'gieh l-ostra. Ara x'taghmel u kkonvinci lill-iXtruppaw jikkontestaw ghall-Eurovision. Jekk tinhadem sew, u bil-ghaqal, tista tirrivioluzzjona il-muzika lokali. Mhux bin-nejk.

New Wine in Old Bottle

2006-05-18T12:21:00.000+01:00

This review recounts the experience of the gig of last Saturday by The I Skandal launching "Skaccomatto", held @ Naasha, according to Sociology lecturer Marvin Formosa...Photos from www.naasha.com

New Wine in Old Bottles

The I Skandal launches Scaccomatto

In past two decades or so ska-Punk has been wrongly proclaimed ‘dead’ quite a number of times. This is not only true for Malta but even with respect to the UK and the United States. You do not hear many horns on MTV. Buy any magazine off the counter - Uncut, Q, Rock, Rolling Stone, whichever - and you will not find any long features on ska-punk. You will also find it hard to buy ska-punk records from any chain record store. You want ska-punk? Then check the finer lines under ‘other releases’. You might find something if you are lucky. Truly, there are a lot of underground labels and websites on ska. But, for that matter, there are also a lot of sites on inflation fetishism. So it came as somewhat of a surprise as I listened to The I Skandal’s ‘Como Estas?’ after I had downloaded it on my computer from the reciprocal records site. It just blew me away! A leading up tempo guitar with horns and trumpet adding depth, the drummer keeping time, vocals adding a rich melody, and a bass riff that makes me want to jump around. Utter bliss!

I decided there and then that I had to check The I Skandal at their next gig. I was lucky. They were going to launch their EP Skaccomatto at Naasha on the 14^th of May - Mother’s Day Eve to be exact - with BNI as an opening act. My romantic side and I arrived as BNI were performing what I believe is a cover of The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. Then, BNI were

quickly full steam ahead in ‘What Can I do?’ Sipping my beer I wondered how The I Skandal’s performance would turn out. When the band got up the poduim, there were more people outside than inside. This put me in a better position to get a good look at the main protagonists. Dino (the drummer) sported a black/white styled hat to compliment, I presume, the background and CD cover which depicted black and white boxes to go along with the ‘Scaccmato’ theme. His eastern trinkets and ornaments suited him majestically. Iz-zghiru (lead vocals) was wearing a pork-pie (trilby) hat that concealed his punk hairstyle and reaffirmed the band’s interest in Jamaican ska. Nico (trombone and lead guitar) and Ruth (saxophonist), were dressed in normal casual attire and looked very at ease. Il-Fre (rhythm guitars) was wearing the ‘dark suit, narrow tie and pork-pie hat’ style which reminded me of Jerry Dammers from those Specials album covers. Finally, watching Kieth il-Pini’s (trumpet) partially shaved scalp, punk outfit, and his ‘as if there is no tomorrow’ attitude was simply therapeutic. I could not help but thinking that this gig was going to be fun.

Our first taste of The I Skandal came through The Phyzics song which offered a groovy slice of ska that owes more to the swinging soundtracks of 60s B-movies than any more recent ska-punk record. Creating a sultry tension by alternating its emphasis on rhythm, lead and bass guitars on one hand, and saxophone and trumpet signals on the other, The Phyzics Song came across as a booty-shaking ska song. By the first string The I Skandal has already put forward its distinct personality through the bass guitar licks of iz-Zghiru and lush saxophone/trumpet solos from Ruth and Il-Pini. Life found The I Skandal delving into a kind of bracing and punk-tinged ska that also highlighted their first attempt in social critique. The lyrics took aim at people who forsake romanticism to become part of a cold-blooded ‘adult world’ whereby they experience both personal and impersonal forms of alienation. I saw this track as more lyrics and attitude rather than anything else as it did not attempt to avoid the typical verse-chorus structure. Although the lyrics conveyed some level of class-consciousness I was disappointed to see it completed before coming across as either a fiery rocker or a fervent slice of social review.

She dies inside was introduced as ‘dik in naqa’ heavy’. Although not a crowd pleaser it was an interesting piece of work, coming across as the bastard son of the union between Deep Purple and Franz Ferdinand. This track was characterised by a stylish, raw sound with excessively sharp guitars and a punky-yet-danceable beats. ‘She dies inside’ was not entirely a bad thing. On one hand, I saw it as a vibrant catharsis which gave the band respite from having to doggedly stick to ska-punk formulas. On the other hand, it gave them an opportunity to crank up their performance with an unabashed dose of glamour, campy humour, sugar-buzz energy, and love of hedonism. Ghala? was undoubtedly the gig’s first highlight which - reminiscent of The Clash’s London Calling album - contained both rich lyrics with strong images - e.g. “Kwantita ta’ hsara estensiva/Frott ta’ sistema rigressiva/Integrita misruqa, ghalxejn tfittxu/Raguni mitlufa, le m’hawnx sagrifficju” and “Tistax tghidli ghala jigri hekk? Kollox qisu m’hu xejn! Hlief bis-silenzju skiet perfett/ M’hawnx unur u m’hawnx rispett” - as well as a complex musical scenario together with a catchy verse and chorus. The result is simple enough to allow the lyrics to take center stage but harmoniously strong enough to attach itself to your recollection.

Living a lie was a slow-tempo ska track less frenzied than what you might expect of The I Skandal. As befits its underlying theme, Is-Zghiru succeeded in shrouding it in an environment of paranoia, deep pessimism, and gloomy despair. The real hero here was undoubtedly Dino whose stomping beat managed to drive the track all way home. He succeeding in anchoring in place the throbbing rhythm section when all might have been lost with the band losing steam half-way before they finished it. Here, one must note that its lyrical arrangements were also slightly too cheesy e.g. : “It seems that I have been cast away…I’m not sure that I am going to stay”. You can do much better!

However, all this was quickly forgotten as we heard the intro to Como Estas? with the crowd going apeshit. Without doubt, the gig’s highlight : a strong horn section, light drums, the ska guitar, bass lines that pull everything together, and vocals loaded with soul that make your body move with passion. What more do you want? As the song progressed, tempos quickened, the brightness ascended, the tension lessens so that everybody felt being dragged hypnotically in ‘dancing the ska’. Iz-Zghiru was massive in ‘Como Estas’, showing that he is a hell of an intrigiung frontman, a melodic singer but with a penchant for shouting slogans.

A message to you Rueben was another highlight as it brought out again the best of The I Skandal’s dabbling in ska-punk. Fre’s rhythm guitar riff got my feet moving, while the trumpet/trombone/saxophone notes filled my body with so much love that I did not want the song to end. The vocals, of course, were the cherry on the cake. The night felt great! With a beat like that nobody was thinking about the future. All inconvenience in our lives vanished into thin air. We all metamorphosed into twins of il-Pini! Next was a cover - Madness’ One Step beyond - which to paraphrase one online review of the original track blew us with its sheer exuberance straight across our heads. Indeed, ‘One step beyond’ was pure mayhem that continued to slap our arses from the opening shout to the closing note. The I Skandal, especially Ruth, have to be congratulated for providing us with a musical roller coaster. As it was completed I took a look around and saw everybody set with wicked grins and giggles, smug with themselves and feeling proud of their dancing moves. It was simply aphrodisiac! Adjectives, another highlight, was a highly exuberant and diffident track. There was a rich and effusive arrangement amongst all band members that was sweetened by its horn arrangement that makes you want to go grab someone to dance along and smack a wet kiss on his/her beer-dripping lips. The nice skankin’ guitar riffs made me think that the guys on stage were drunk. But if so, so what! Not only did this track bring out such fantasies in my mind but it brought a lovey vibe. I was feeling nothing but happiness during this track. Finally, the band offered Como Estas? and One Step Beyond as encores.

My only gripe relates to the structure of the setlist. My impression was that everybody had the feeling that The I Skandal shot their load prematurely as ‘The Phyzics song’ and ‘Como Estas’ were first and at the middle of their set. This way, the gig was experienced as anti-climatic. I know that there are no formulas and, for God’s sake, let us rewrite the modus operandi of gigging. Yet, it still remains difficult to de-socialise yourself from the domineering ways in which set-lists are constructed - that is, leaving the best for the end and then let the crowd beseech for the encore with the band then agreeing to perform their best song again. It was strange being given two encores when we had barely started to chant “Irridu izjed/Irridu ohra”. Nevertheless, The I Skandal offerred a hell of a gig. Truly an exellent deal! They may not have too many ammunition at this stage but the little they have are red hot. The I Skandal pulled that trick which has eluded so many Maltese bands - that is, to offer local versions but original, booty-shaking, ska-punk. I feel that the band is still growing in terms of musicianship, and popularity, and am sure that much greater things are yet to come from The I Skandal. I will be there.

17^th May 2006

Review written by: Marvin Formosa

Time Management

2006-05-09T21:07:00.000+01:00

Inkredibbli kemm m'ghad ghandi hin naghmel xejn!

Ehe. U issa x'se naghmel? Noqghod ingerger? Irrid nara kif se nwaqqa' kollox f'postu.

"Time management, Fre. Time management."

Skaccomatto!

2006-04-30T10:57:00.000+01:00

Ilni ma nippostja naqra hawn gew. Il-hajja ghandha habta titfghek f'cirkostanzi li ma jhallukx taghmel l-affarijiet li kont qed taghmel qabel, minghajr ma lanqas biss tkun qed tinduna. Imma ma xtaqtx noqghod nerga' niffilosofizza. Dan l-ahhar qed inkun mghaffeg bir-rehearsals, l-aktar b'dawk ta' The I Skandal. Ha nilloncjaw ic-CD jismu "SKACCOMATTO" dalwaqt allura tistenna li nkunu daqsxejn mghaffgin. U allura se niehu l opportunita' biex naghmel riklam hamallu iehor lill-band tieghi:

DATE: 13th May 2006
Venue: Naasha Events Lounge
Time: 9:30 pm doors open
Supporting act: Batteries Not Included
Entrance Fee: Lm 1.50 or else by EP at special price of Lm 3.50 and enter for free...you also get a free drink when buy the EP...bil-Malti qed nghidulkom: IXTRU IC-CD u mhux tikkupjawh minghand il-hbieb taghkom...m'ahniex il-METALLICA ahna...hehehe

Is-site il-gdida ghada ma telghatx ovvjament ghax in-Nico qaghad jitghazzen, pero' xorta tistghu taraw fiex waslet billi tikklikkjaw >>HAWN<< href="http://www.reciprocalrecords.com/media/The%20I%20Skandal-Como%20Estas.mp3">http://www.reciprocalrecords.com/media/The%20I%20Skandal-Como%20Estas.mp3

Nispera li narawkhom in-Naasha dak in-nhar mela...u tigux tard, ghax il-pigs dan l-ahhar ghandhom habta jigu u jfottu l-buzz wara nofs il-lejl...

Jail Guitar Doors

2006-04-17T21:12:00.000+01:00

Dan l-artiklu kellu jidher fuq il-gazzetta li kellhom johorgu l-Ghaqda Studenti Tal-Kriminologija, imma qatt ma deher (ghal xi ragunijiet li ma nafhomx). Hawnekk hawn l-artiklu kollu miktub minn Daniel, il-kitarrist tad-Dripht.

At the end of 2005, four shabbily dressed musicians played at the Corradino Correctional Facility, the local prison, in front of two score or so inmates. One of them, Daniel Cassar, recounts the events of that afternoon…

As the last chord rings out, a polite applause cues in from the seated audience, and awkwardly we unstrap our guitars to help ourselves to the provided soft drinks and assorted pastries. It was a far cry from the Rock'n'Roll notion of playing in a prison and tracing the footsteps of the likes of Johnny Cash and John Lee Hooker, yet it wasn't that we were after.

The gig was held upon invitation by Fr. Mark Montebello of the prison support group 'Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl', as part of the Christmas festivity 'grants' that the inmates of the Juvenile Section are allowed. The invitation, which came a month before the gig, caught us by surprise, yet we could not refuse it – we were quite honoured to be asked, and anyhow, as a band we've played far more unlikely venues than a prison. In addition to that, it seemed like a fitting finale to quite an eventful year for us, so we accepted the gig without hesitation, and spent the month going on about business as usual.

On the 27th of December, we all took the day off from our respective day jobs, and met at our rehearsal room to load up the equipment. It was quite a DIY gig, since obviously the prison is much less equipped for a band than even the most remote of local toilet venues and this meant loading up whatever equipment we could patch up together – microphones, amplifiers, a borrowed P.A. and, of course, our instruments. Our cars drove out of the garage spaces looking more like a third world presidential convoy than a band driving to a venue and within an hour our cars were parked in line outside the main gate of the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) in Paola. Within a few seconds, a rather panicked security guard runs up to us to tell us to go round the back as we cannot block the driveway into the prison, and so we oblige. When our patchy convoy approaches the Juvenile Section Block's gate, we are overtaken by Fr. Mark riding a motorcycle, and the whole security procedure to get into the prison begins.

We are instructed to leave our belongings in a locker inside the security room, searched lightly for anything that might breach the prison security, and given the instruction 'In case anything happens when you're inside, stay put!'. After that slightly disturbing instruction, however, the guards loosened up somewhat and the tension pretty much waned. We were allowed to park our cars in the internal courtyard where we were greeted by a few of the inmates, who promptly helped us unload and carry the equipment into the chapel – where the gig was to be held. The chapel did highlight quite a resemblance to an orderly local youth centre event, chairs had been already set up facing where we were about to play – not on a stage but on level with the seated audience.

These two factors humbled us somewhat, the usual set up being on stage in front of a standing audience. Silently, the drum kit was set up and the amplifiers switched on, and the rest of the inmates joined us to the provided food and non-alcoholic drinks. We found it hard to break the ice, for obvious reasons, but the instruments did prove to be a bit of help. Among the inmates I found a fellow guitar player, to whom Fr. Montebello seemed to have provided a guitar for playing during mass – since he was quite in form. The temptation of an electric guitar plugged into an amplifier is great, even in normal circumstances, and sure enough, the chapel was filled with the reverberating riff from the White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army'. This somehow filled us a bit with some confidence we were worryingly lacking, and soon after, we took to the 'stage' and began churning out our songs…

It didn't take us long to break some more of the ice, yet from the band's point of view, it was quite an awkward situation we were facing. Our frontman, Nick, seemed quite subdued compared to his usual loud antics at our more straightforward live appearances, but no one could blame him – the audience response ranged the wide spectrum of occasional foot tapping, polite nods, and a few clapping in between songs.

As we marched through our set of songs, the response got warmer and warmer, until we finally hit a nerve when we belted out our reggae rendition of the Black Sabbath song 'Paranoid'. Here the audience finally came to life, when we were joined with a few inmates singing along to some of the lyrics, and giving approving nods in our direction. After that, they seemed to be more at ease with our playing – and the clapping accompanied us incrementally stronger till the end of our setlist. However, it had to be at the CCF that both Nick and myself encounter technical problems with our guitars, and due to these we had to skip out on a few songs. Nevertheless, with all the confidence we could scrape, and admittedly, some memories of much worse live situations, we carried on with very little trouble.

… and the last chord rings out…

With the ringing of Mike's loud drumming still in our ears, we move towards to refreshment table, and here finally we realize that we went down quite well, and the interesting part of the visit finally started taking place.

Nick and Fre, our bassist, were immediately surrounded and were asked a barrage of questions about playing in a band, Mike got the usual 'drumming fans', and I, being the only smoker in the band, was joined outside smoking a cigarette with a few of the inmates and guards. The enthusiasm immediately showed from their end, and it very much looked like the prison staff and the inmates were quite on a friendly basis – after a bit, I found myself discussing Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Clash and a few more musical greats with our hosts. By now the oddness of the afternoon had lifted and it did not feel very different from chatting away over a cigarette or two with gig goers outside of a venue.

After a few offers for customized band uniforms from one inmate, discovering an ex-student of Mike's (bad influence?) among our hosts, an account of the proceedings of a satanic mass and a slightly comical yet somehow worrying incident involving a stray live rabbit that managed to infiltrate into the prison courtyard, we were helped to dismantle our equipment and load it back into our convoy of patchy automobiles. At this point we decided to present our little gift to the inmates and guards – a copy each of our last release (which was received with a subversive murmured comment 'Illejla kullhadd nifthulu kemm nistghu'), exchanged our good byes, received a few promises from our hosts' end to attend our gigs when their time at the CCF ends, and we were escorted to the guards' quarters to pick up our belongings.

It was when we were driving out of the gates that it hit us how imposing the prison walls are, and how they humble whoever is within them. The general air of awkwardness, and the lack of confidence we felt throughout did in fact come from the walls themselves. And no, this is no petty philosophical musing attempt, the walls really did drain our confidence – personally they made me feel quite small, and, for obvious reasons, trapped.

The post-gig conversations did lighten up the atmosphere somewhat, yet this was a day to grant the inmates some release – these kids, most of them younger than ourselves, are locked up within these walls on a daily basis, and most of them are in there for petty thefts and petty reasons. A few hours within those walls do affect you, even though it is very much dampened if you're comfortable knowing that you can up and leave whenever you want. Months and, like in some of these cases, years, can have a serious lasting effect on a person – and you cannot help but wondering if a number of these kids who we played to do deserve to be locked up. Is this the only way to counter certain petty crimes? Or should we present an alternative like community service that can have a genuinely positive effect as a lesson, rather than punish unconstructively by locking up?

I guess it leaves 'Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl' to give hope and direction in what would be otherwise a pointless exercise in 'correction'. Even just the action of exposing them to a more constructive release, like in this case, music, can make a whole lot more of a difference, and here, the inmates, and ultimately us 'free folk', have a lot to thank them for.

Daniel Cassar plays in 'Dripht' which is made up of him, Nick Morales (Vox/Guitar), Fre Abdilla (Bass) and Mike Briguglio (Drums). They have released two EPs 'Dripht' and 'Global Warning' and play several local shows. For more information visit www.dripht.com.

Bakery

2006-04-16T20:59:00.000+01:00

Cool eh?

The I Skandal interview on Manic

2006-04-10T21:16:00.000+01:00

Interview with THE I SKANDAL featured on MANIC MAGAZINE 10th April 2006

Beyond the music It’s taken a while but local ska band I-Skandal are finally set for the release of their new CD, Skaccomatto. Was it worth the wait? Manic meets the band members to find out – and discovers that there is more to a band than the music. Photos: Peter Johansen Even Written by: Sandra Aquilina

On a rainy Monday evening, Fre and iz-Zghiru’s appearance can hardly be termed low-key. Tall and imposing, as if in deliberate contradiction to his nickname, JP aka iz-Zghiru, would have trouble passing by unnoticed even without his quintessential hardcore punk look. He is the I-Skandal’s bassist, lyricist and frontman while Fre, immediately distinguishable through his trademark black hat and spectacles, is the band’s guitarist.

Following a number of line-up changes and additions, the I-Skandal have recently made a revamped comeback, sporting a new brass section. They have also been working on the recording of their new CD, Skaccomatto, which will be released in May. First single Como Estas promises well for the rest of the album. Retaining the band’s distinguishing qualities – their raw and fresh approach to music, the coarse but heartfelt lyrics - it nevertheless moves towards a more melodious ska approach than their previous punk sound.

Maybe more than anything else, however, the one thing that makes it stand out is the general sense of fun which the single exudes as all the members of the band get to sing and play in the song.

The I-Skandal’s new line-up, in fact, boasts a venerable six members whose appearance vies in glory with that of the bassist and guitarist. Guitar and trombone player Nico, with his black hat and black beard, looks like he might not seem out of place as the grim gravedigger in some fairytale. Drummer Dino, with his long hair and colourful hats, is harder to place in a particular tradition, although this might also be due to the fact that he plays in at least four bands. The band’s trumpeteer, Keith il-Pini, also has a hardcore punk look, complete with red mohawk and heavy studded jackets while Ruth, the band’s saxophonist and only female, is the one with the most toned-down appearance.

Skaccomatto is their second release in seven years: why did it take them so long, I ask, after Fre and iz-Zghiru settle down comfortably around my table at the City of London bar. Soon rows of empty beer bottles start to proliferate between us.

“Our music complements our lives, we do not pressure ourselves about the band,” explains iz-Zghiru. “There are a million other things which go on in our lives which have nothing to do with music.”

“But we still kept it going, I think that’s a cool thing too,” says Fre. “Everything has its merits. I think this is another way of taking a band and I don’t think it’s a bad side either,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.

Despite their relaxed approach, however, the band members have been meeting twice a week for the past seven years. To rehearse? “Yes, although occasionally we end up doing other things,” says iz-Zghiru, with something between a chortle and a guffaw.

“One thing I can say about I-Skandal,” he says, suddenly turning serious, “is that there is a bond between the band members which goes beyond music. It is something which ties a lot of other things together.” “We practically grew up together,” Fre nods in assent. “I think the bond will never end; I hope it will never end,” adds iz-Zghiru warmly. Despite his hardcore punk image, the words do not sound strange.

Despite their fun approach, however, the band is genuinely committed to their music, using it to raise questions about issues they are concerned with and about their lives. Como Estas, for instance, is staunchly anti-war and the Spanish refrain is intended to give it “an international feeling”.

“This issue is not limited to Malta,” explains iz-Zghiru, “there will always be a war going on somewhere.”

Most of the lyrics of the songs are raw and unrefined – but also very genuine, attempting to be personal and relevant at the same time. Life, for instance, speaks about trying to cope with life’s chaos and not being in control of things while Ghala is about when a person asks himself why certain things happen in his life. Living a Lie is a very personal song, which speaks about “when you think that maybe you are making a mistake with your life, or that you are not as you would wish to be - and you start asking yourself whether you are living a lie.”

The questioning and rather pessimistic lyrics are at odds with the upbeat, energetic and positive tempos of the songs, with their catchy ska tunes and jolly brass sections. Typically, the band is not troubled by this paradox, however, emphasising that the happy tunes make the lyrics more accessible and allow the message to get through.

“Frederick and myself have always thought of applying pressure through music,” says iz-Zghiru.

Fre nods in agreement. “I also think that, in addition to the social themes, our music also has a personal touch,” he adds. “We try to talk about how things are working for us in society.”

“I am not one to read books,” says iz-Zghiru with disarming candour. “But I do listen to music and I try to listen to the lyrics. There are many bands which I admire and which have changed my way of thinking.”

That the band members are out to make a difference is obvious from their activities outside the band. Iz-Zghiru, for instance, is the mind behind Reciprocal Records, the music company which promotes Maltese bands, issues their releases and organises large-scale festivals like Festahwid and last year’s two-day Broadband Gathering. Reciprocal Records was born four years ago out of a frustration with the local music scene.

“I remember a particular moment when we were all sitting on the old car-seat in the garage where we rehearse. About six months had passed by without a single concert - and everybody was just complaining and complaining,” says iz-Zghiru. “I hate to hear people complaining.”

Reciprocal Records was set up soon after. Since then the record label has released nine CDs, with five more coming out this year. “We promote our own music, organize our own events and at the same time we have helped bands like ourselves to emerge.”

The label has made a real difference, agrees Fre. “I remember that about four years ago, before Reciprocal was born, this type of scene was limited to a few punks listening to their music with a stereo outside Fredu, a small bar in Paceville.”

One thing Reciprocal Records has achieved, adds Fre, is that they “put this kind of music on the spot, they have given it an identity.” Previously there were only a few scattered bands doing a few concerts here and there – “now there is a spot and people who are not in the scene, recognise it too.”

With the release of Skaccomatto, the band has come a long way since they started off life as iz-Zghiru, Fre and Ryan playing together – in Ryan’s sitting room.

True to their punk roots, the boys learnt their instruments on their own, not attending any music lessons.

“Actually I attended a couple of lessons but the tutor did not actually let me practise on a guitar; I had to do a lot of clapping and theory, so I got bored,” says Fre.

“Then, at the school which I used to attend, one of the brothers taught us a couple of chords used in church music. From then on we have just been meeting up and messing around on our own.”

Iz-Zghiru is also self-taught. “I think buying an acoustic bass was the best thing I ever did,” he says with enthusiasm. “I bought it as a pretext to be able to sing… Now I play it better than I sing,” he says, with characteristic underpinning of his own seriousness. “I’m joking,” he adds, almost as an afterthought, and flashes an only-kidding grin. Then again: “I write my songs on it,” he says, sounding serious. “And the more I drink, the better I write.” Another chortle.

Prior to Skaccomatto, the band issued another release, Under the same Sky. The band members are honest about its merits. “That was just an experiment,” says iz-Zghiru, almost blushing. “In the end, we didn’t even like it ourselves,” he says, bashfully. Then adds quickly: “But then lots of people came for the launch - and we still had loads of fun.” He laughs with disarming directness.

“People still came, we’re not sure why,” laughs Fre.

Skaccomatto is miles better, they assure me. The band hopes that it will receive some radio airplay which will make it available to an audience outside the punk and ska subculture. “I hope people will not only listen to the music because it is pleasing to the ear - I would like them to know that there are other things to our music, not just the earcatching tune or the melodic brass,” says iz-Zghiru earnestly.

“Personally, after a rehearsal I feel satisfied because I know I have done my bit - and that at some point I will sing a song live or I will record it or I will do something with it.” The I-Skandal is one of several bands which have sprung up in recent years and persist with a tenacity and seriousness that suggests that there is more to it than the music.

I think there are so many bands in Malta because young people do not have any outlets here,” says iz-Zghiru. “There is no interest at all in Maltese youth culture.” So young people form bands and play their own music, pouring their life blood into it and holding on for dear life, as the music takes on a dimension which not only serves as an outlet for pent-up energy and frustration but also becomes a symbol of distinction, one’s way of trying to make a difference.

The band put a lot into their music, says iz-Zghiru, bringing in their lives, their problems and their feelings about themselves and their surroundings. “Whenever we play, the six of us have a certain feeling; we put what we can in the music, with all our problems and our lives.” He pauses. “We go, we meet, we play, we open up our hearts to each other. And then we speak about the things that we dislike together.” A dry smile. “Who knows, maybe the following day, we will wake up feeling a little better.”

Skaccomatto will be launched at the beginning of May. For more info log onto www.reciprocalrecords.com

You can also listen to "COMO ESTAS", the first single off "Skacchomatto" by going here: http://www.reciprocalrecords.com/media/The%20I%20Skandal-Como%20Estas.mp3 or else right click and press 'save as'.

Cheers!

Qed nisma: Lord Tanamo: I'm in the Mood for Love

Rifflessjonijiet

2006-04-06T19:01:00.000+01:00

Ilni ma nitfa' post tradizzjonali ta x'ghaddej minn hajti bhal issa. Mhux ghax nahseb li jinteressakom fil-verita' imma xorta niehu buzz naghti lil blogg forma ta' Diary. Qed inhossni daqsxejn imcaqqam bhal issa, u nispera li mhux rega' gej xi rih iehor. Qed nikteb dil-bloggata b'certu hints ta' feelings ta' dellirju, qisu mohhi qed jifflowtja... .

Issa x-xoghol bdejt nidra' sew. Trid u ma tridx, ikollok tibda tidra'. Mario u Oliver zewg min-nies ta' l-ostja u gurnata xoghol mis s-sebgha u nofs sal-hamsa b'xi mod tghaddi. Imma ir-rutina...ir-rutina, x'ghamlitli. Qatt ma hmilta ir-rutina. Kif nibda nhossni li qed inhossni komdu x'imkien nibda' nahseb u nara x'naghmel biex nbiddel u b'hekk nerga' nigi fis-sitwazzjoni li kont qabel: SKUMDITA'. Kate ma tantx ghamlitli s-sitwazzjoni ahjar milli kienet, ghax issa fl-ahhar ta' Lulju terga' ttir lejn l-Amerka biex tkompli tistudja l-Lingwistika, u frankament, kif se jkun qed inhossni dak iz-zmien lanqas biss irrid nazzarda nahseb. Kultant nerga' nikkonvinci lili nnifsi li ghamilt oxxata li hallejt lili nnfsi ncedi ghall-kif kont qed inhossni dak iz-zmien li bdejna nsiru nafu l-xulxin. Minn naha l-ohra, jigru affarijiet bhal per ezempju naqra xi bloggata ta' Patrick fuq l-iskop tal-hajja, u l-importanza taghha u n-nies f'hajjitna, u nerga' nibda nahseb li mhux talli ma jiddispjaciniex, imma talli nhossni kburi mieghi innifsi li gejt alazobbi minn hsibijiet zejda u ma bzajtx nagixxi kif hassejtni dak il-hin f'dak it-tali mument. Imma nsomma bhal issa ma tantx ghandi aptit nahseb fuq dawn l-affarijiet. Li kieku jkollu jigri xi haga biex ibiddel il-kors ta' hajti dejjem tigri b'mod f'daqqa, fis-sahna tal-mument, u mhux wara hafna hsibijiet li imbghad appuntu qatt ma jimmaterjalizzaw.

Imma issa la qieghdin fiha nistghu nigu ghaliha. Kemm hi stramba il-hajja, eh? Tlaqqak ma' nies jew cirkostanzi li minghajr ma taf ibiddlulek il-kors ta' hajtek minn lejl ghan-nar, jew forsi fi zmien qasir hafna. Imma vera ma tkunx taf? Jew tkun taf, imma tibda' titfaghha lura gol-menti ta' mohhok biex ma thossokx guilty li qed tinbidel? U wara kollox x'fiha daqstant hazin li tinbidel? Irridu u ma rridux qed ninbidlu l-hin kollu. Il-problema hi li certu bidliet isiru tant f'daqqa. In-nies li tihhengja maghhom, it-tastes muzikali, kif iggib ruhek, kif tilbes, il-fatt li spiccat il-hajja ta' student (fis-sens tradizzjonali tal-kelma) u bdiet il-hajja ta' bniedem li jahdem full time etc, etc etc. Dawn kollha bidliet li kultant jigu f'daqqa u wara ftit zmien ihalluk iccassat, thares lura, u tistaqsi lilek innifsek "Jien x'izzob qed naghmel?"

Dil-gimgha ltqajt ma' Marvin Formosa, ex-lecturer tieghi (Socjologija), u kif kien weghdni, ghaddieli l-LP tat-Toy Dolls ghax qal li kellu dupplikat. Cool ustja. Mhiniex xi fan kbir kbir tat-Toy Dolls, ghalkemm joghgbuni hafna (ghamilt habta nisma' lilhom biss). Imma kif bdejna nghidu dejjem sabih li jkollok l-LP ta' xi grupp jew artist li b'xi mod ifisser xi haga ghalik. Cert li kif se nghid lill-Kuzza bih, se jiggennen. Ma kontx naf li Marvin dilettant tal-muzika alternattiva/rock/indie/punk/sejhilha li trid. Imma domna nitkellmu mhux hazin, u li kieku ma kienx sar il-hin biex nerga' nitla' fl-ufficju wara l-break ma kontx niddejjaq nibqa' hemm. Anzi. Ghaddieli wkoll xi CD's li bhal issa qed niffamiljarizza ruhi maghhom.

Il-bierah waslu id-Dino u l-Pini minn Thailand. Ghadni ma ltqajtx maghhom. Imma cert li ghaddewha, u ghaddewa sew. Heh, nimmagina li vera difficli tqatta' xahar u nofs go pajjiz bhal Thailand, tiggerra' l-hemm u l-hawn bla pjanijiet ta' xejn, imbaghad wara li jghaddi dak iz-zmien terga' issib ruhek go dit-toqba ta' pajjiz fejn l-ahbarijiet taghna isiru l-ahbarijiet tad-dinja, imma l-ahbarijiet tad-dinja qatt ma jsiru taghna. Issa kont qed nitkellem ftit mal-Pini fuq l-MSN u qalli li ghandu depression ta' l-ostja. Jekk sa Dicembru ta' din is-sena ma jirnexxilux jiftah dak il-bar li tant ilu johlom bih, behsiebu jerga' jmur fuq vjagg spiritwali iehor, idur go Thailand u dawk il-pajjizi vicin. Serrahtli mohhi, Pin...Mignun ghadek, u mintix se tissetilja.

Qed nisma': Franco Battiato - Centro di Gravita' Permanente

Izjed Quotes

2006-04-05T14:37:00.000+01:00

Izjed quotes minn-New Internationalist Magazine

"Subsidies for overproduction in rich countries* = $1 billion a day
Agricultural aid to poor countries = $1 billion a year"

*Europe and US

United Nations Development Fund, 2005

Qed nisma Saul Williams - List of Demands (political rap tal-ostja! Check him out guys!)

Piece of My Heart

2006-04-03T17:14:00.000+01:00

"On stage I make love to twenty five thousand people; and then I go home alone."

Janis Joplin

Id-Dance Music

2006-04-03T17:02:00.000+01:00

Ara naqa Guz! Viva l-Ebay, u Viva Stagno talli qalli biha...

Naqa mqaddma l-isleeve, u fuq wara ghanda barxa, imma tahdem perfettament...

Eat The Meek

2006-03-28T21:45:00.000+01:00

Wara li rajt il-programm Bondi+ fuq l-immigranti illegali, lil Degiorgio tal-ANR (idhlu fil-link jekk joghgobkom) jghid il-hamallati, lill-kummissarju tal-pulizja li sthajjiltu li sar membru ta' l-ANR, u dawk il-filmati ta' l-immigranti litteralment maghluqin u msakrin gol-gageg tad-detenzjoni bhall-annimali tac-cirklu jew taz-zoo, imnezzghin minn kull dinjita'. Hux xadini jghajjruhom? U vera ta' xadini qed jittrattawhom. Tawni gewwa ghall-ahhar dawk il-filmati. Waqajt verament down, u allura qieghed f'mood pessimista ghall-ahhar. Ma tantx ghandi xi nghid hlief li nhalli dawn l-erbgha versi...

Why must we stay, where we don't belong?
Why must we stay, where we don't belong?

Because there's never gonna be enough space
So eat the meek, enjoy the taste
It's always gonna be a delicacy
Lick your chops and eat the meek

Why must we stay where we don't belong?
Why must we stay where we don't belong?

The factory mass producing fear,
Bottled, Capped, distributed near and far
Sold for a reasonable price,
And the people, they love it, they feed it
Brush with it, bathe with it, breathe it
Inject it direct to the blood
It seems to be replacing love

Why must we stay where we don't belong?
Why must we stay where we don't belong?

Because there's always gonna be token truth
Forgotten code discarded youth
You know there's always gonna be pedigree
One own the air, one pay to breathe

Why must we stay where we don't belong?
Why must we stay where we don't belong?

Sex, Drugs and Punk Rock!

2006-03-24T17:06:00.000Z

"Everybody smash up your seats, and rock to this brand new beat,

This here music mash up the nation,

This here music cause a sensation!" -

Illum ha nibbloggja fuq suggett klixe` allostra. TRIBUTE. Fuq l-istil tal-muzika favorit tieghi: il-Punk. Xtaqt nitkellem fuq din il-haga ghax inhoss li ghalija din it-tip ta' muzika kienet importanti f'hajti ghax baqghet mieghi sa issa, u nahseb se tibqa' mieghi anki jekk ma nibqax nismaghha. Mhux giet u marret, imma tghallimt xi haga minnha. Biddlitni, jew hallejtha tbiddilni, u allura tibqa' mieghi.

Ma nafx x'kienet ir-raguni essacc li l-punk halla daqsekk effett fuqi. Shabi kienu kollha mhedijien jisimghu l-Iron Maiden u l-Metallica dak iz-zmien (dawk li kienu jhobbu r-rock...jigiefiri ftit). U ghalkemm ghamilt hafna efforts biex nismaghhom u nassocja ruhi maghhom, qatt fil-verita' ma rnexxieli...ghalkemm ikolli nammetti, xi t-shirt tal-Iron Maiden ghad hemm jigri gol kexxun, u xi darba ghad nohrog liebes lilu b'vendetta...) Il-hoss tas-Sex Pistols u l-Clash minn naha l-ohra kien skandalizzani, affaxxinani u hallini b'mistoqsija tal-ostja go rasi: "Daw x'izzob ikunu dal-qatta mgienen???" Kemm minhabba l-accent, il-vjolenza, l-image, u l-kitarri jghajjtu go widnejk.

Haga ohra li tinkazzani hi meta jghidulek "Ghax il-punk ma tridx talent muzikali, titghallem 3 kordi, u lest biex iddoq". Vera. Imma hemm 2 punti dwar dil-haga:

1) THAT's THE WHOLE FUCKING POINT! Il-punt huwa li tibda ddoq ftit wara li titghallem taghmel l-ewwel 2 kordi.

2) Mhux vera li huwa daqsekk facli li ddoqq il-punk daqs kemm jghidu li huwa facli. Fl-opinjoni tieghi biex tikteb diska tajba strutturata ta' 2 minuti u nofs, hija izjed difficli milli tikteb diska ta nofs siegha, b hafna time signatures u riffijiet u solos apokalittici li ma jispiccaw qatt. Hafna hafna izjed difficli. Imma din hija kwistjoni ta' teknika muzikali u ma xtaqtx noqghod nitkellem fuq dil haga f'dil post.

Kif kont qed nghid, ghalija il-punk huwa tip ta' muzika li tista tapplikah ghall-hajtek ta' kuljum. Mhux smajt id-diska, ghogbitek, bkejt, dhakt, hadt buzz, u daqsekk. Imma bqajt tghixha. Taf li mintix wahdek f'sitwazzjonijiet taz-zobb tal-hajja ta' kuljum, ghax taf li Johhny Rotten jew Joe Strummer, jew Tim Artmstrong seta' facilment hassu bhalek xi darba. Mhux qieghdin hemm fuq, mal-Madonna u l-Bambin, imma bhalek jiggieldu mal-hajja ta' kuljum. U ghalhekk ma thossokx wahdek, u thoss il-muzika ittik sens ta empowerment qawwi. Thossok GGANT!

Qed nisma: Operation Ivy - Sound System

Bass Playing

2006-03-21T15:50:00.000Z

Bassist Magazine 1999
Paul Simonon on bass playing:

"I’ve got one thing to say about being the bass player. I didn’t want the role of being Entwhistle or Bill Wyman, stuck in the background. That’s too depressing and if that was what I’d been offered with The Clash I would’ve turned it down. Maybe that’s the nature of the job, or has been in the past; the bass player as the one that held the fort, so to speak, along with the drummer, letting every body else go lunatic. But, y’know, why can’t we all be lunatics?"

Random Thoughts...

2006-03-20T08:46:00.000Z

Ergajt qomt marid ostja! Ma nafx x'ghandi. Balla soghola u blockage tal-ostra. Cempilt sick. Did-darba iddispjacini genwinament, ghax vera xtaqt li nkompli naqta' il-hafna mix-xoghol li ngemaghli sakemm mort dik il-gimgha Londra...U issa se jkompli jakkumula. Olej!

Tal-Vivamalta

Minn fuq www.vivamalta.org

On behalf of the two Movements
Imperium Europa; and
Viva Malta

We do not condone senseless violence or vandalism.
Our fight is on the Spiritual, Cultural and Political levels.
We do not need such actions that in fact, damage our Movements since the media, all the media, has instrumentalized these criminal acts to besmirch our ideals.

However, it is our opinion that such acts will inevitably escalate due to the exasperation of our people, in the face of the continuous invasion of our country by illegal immigrants. This is simply the people responding to an outside threat since it feels abandoned by the political class.

Not everyone can write articulate letters to the press. Not everyone can discuss the subject in the comfort of one’s sitting room. Those who are inarticulate will unfortunately resort to force as their only mode of expression.

It is our politicians who must answer to history.

Norman LowellLeader, Imperium Europa/Viva Malta

......HEH! X'ironija! Mela issa f'daqqa wahda qed niggustfikaw l-azzjonijiet tal-GAHAN. Dawk tal-lower class li ma jafux kif jiggieldu il-glieda "al livello spirituale".... the mind boggles...

Gigs

Ghad-Dripht regghu gejjin skoss gigs ohra. Buzz. Ghandna is-Simons Music Marathon li ha tkun fit-26th ta' dan (jinzerta il-Hadd). Ma nafx fi x'hin ha ndoqqu. Is-sena l-ohra konna daqqejna xi s-sitta ta' filghaxija. Il-post fuckin zghir u nhossni naqra klawstrofobiku fih. Imma ma jiddispjaciniex li ndoqqu f'dil-maratona. Ghallinqas ghal kawza gusta...nispera ghallinqas. Ma nafx ezatt ghall min imorru l-flus...Ghandikun ghad-Dar tal-Providenza, imma miniex cert.

Imbghad ha nfaqqghu gig iehor gor-Rookies, Bugibba f' Jum il-Helsien (31 ta' Marzu). Kollox jibda xi l-10.oopm. Free entrance. Nergghu, post zghir iehor allostra. Imma dejjem hadna buzz indoqqu hemm. U Louis is-sid vera bniedem genwin u tifel sew. Kellhom bzonn l-owners tal-barijiet f'paceville jirrispettaw lil bands nofs daqs kemm jirrispetahom Loius. Il-flier li ghamel Daniel ghal dal-gig vera joghogobni. Ftit qablu mieghi. Differenti. Ghalfejn kull flier irid juri xi haga relatata b'mod dirett mal-band, jew xi haga hekk? Po-Mo Man!!! hehehehe

Imbaghad l-ghada ghandi tieg...

Home Sweet Home?

2006-03-14T18:05:00.000Z

Il-gimgha ta' buzz go Londra ghaddiet ukoll. U kienet gimgha ta' buzz ha nghidlek, ghax gara minn kollox fiha. Sfortunatament Ryan ma lehaqx xtralna it-tickets ghall-Buzzcocks u ghalekk kien sold-out. Imma minflok morna go pub iktar zghir b'skoss bands punk u folk idoqqu. Kien bar interessanti. Kwazi nippreferi kuncerti hekk ha nghidlek, ghax thossok izjed at home. Tibda tiehu pjacir tixrob il-birra (expensive m'ghola alla), u ssir koko' ftit ftit, titkellem man-nies, taqbez mal-music etc. etc.

Il-post fejn joqghod Ryan gewwa Clapham Common, zghir daqs toqba. Hemmhekk il-kera gholja m'ghola Alla u ma nafx kemm ihallsu kera' fil-gimgha. Imma hemm ghadhom imnejjkin. Ryan, Julian u Malcolm u kull min jinzerta qrib dawk in-nahat, fosthom il-habib antik ta' Nicky, Mikey, mghaffgin f'dik it-toqba imqaddsa. Malajr bdejna nidraw dik il-hajja mghaggla ta' Londra; il-post fejn ma hemmx lejl u nhar u fejn it-toroq qatt ma jistriehu. Babylon at its best. Allostja. Anomie tal-ostra. L--underground dejjem mifqughha bin-nies. Hemmhekk post fejn litteralment thossok numru. Numru fost miljuni ta' nies. Tlajt Londra kemm il-darba imma did-darba laqtitni izjed dil-haga.

Ovvjament ma hemmx ghalfejn nidhol f'hafna dettalji. Go Londra, konna party animals, u konna party animals hniezer. Ghaddejna minn hafna avventuri fosthom wahda li kienet tinvolvi lili u lil Ryan nigru go trolley li sibna jigri f' nofs ta' triq. Sakemm il-pulizija kellhom jintervjenu. Ma' Ryan dejjem hekk. Dejjem b'xi storja. Dak il-bniedem qatt ma jikber. Imma fis-sens it-tajjeb. Forsi naqra biased, ghax ilna hbieb kbar jien u hu. Forsi min ma jafux jarah infantili (u sa certu punt ghandu ragun...). Jien nahseb li Ryan qatt ma ried jikber fil-verita'. U kuntent hafna bis-sitwazzjoni. Jekk mhux proud ukoll...

Grejna ma' Londra kollha u l-underground tghallimniha bl-amment. Ha nkun straight. Ma tantx konna turisti ideali. 1: ghax hafna mill-affarijiet li hemm x'tara ga konna rajnihom kollha zmien ilu; 2: l-iskop tal-holiday kienet li nghaddi siegha buzz ma' Ryan.

Ma tantx ghandi aptit nirrakkonta x'gara u ma garax. Nahseb graw wisq affarijiet biex noqghod niddeskrivi kollox. Imma hawn taht ha nhalli balla rittratti halli toqghodu tissindikaw.

Lura x-Xoghol

Il-hajja tkompli miexja Guz. Wasalt ix-xoghol u sibt desk sbejjah b'pataffjun karti jistennieni. Bomba xbin. Ma niddejjaqx nahdem. Lanqas xejn. Iddejjaqt imma nisma' xi botta helwa l-hemm u l'hawn minn ghand dawk li hajjithom jedewha f'hekk. Dawk li jahsbu li kulhadd bhalhom ie: m'ghandhom xejn f'hajjtihom ghajr li jhedew fix-xoghol u jhossuhom kburin quddiem il-boss. Ghax dak ghandu l-power. Dawk li fil-hajja ma jsibux izjed x'jaghmlu hlief li jiehdu pjacir bid-deni ta' haddiehor. Dawk li jhobbu jerfghu salib haddiehor....bhal li kieku il-leave mhux tieghi, u niehdu meta rrid jien. Bhal li kieku jekk ma naghmilx xogholi dil-gimgha ha jghamiluli haddiehor minfloki. Imma kif jghidli Mario l-kollega: "Int ghadek ma taf xejn siehbi! Kemm ghad trid tiltaqa' ma nies liba fuq ix-xoghol!"

Left jew Right?

2006-03-07T17:35:00.000Z

Ma nafx qattx gieli hsibtuha. Dan l-ahhar ilha tberren f'mohhi imma. Gieli innutajtu li ironikament, dawn il hafna ghaqdiet godda tal-lemin, fosthom Imperium Europa, tal-Viva Malta, u skoss ghaqdiet bhalhom li kollha huma offshoots ta' l-istess erbgha minn nies (simili ghal hafna ghaqdiet tax-xellug igifeiri...mhux qed nitkaza), rari ghamlu jew jaghmlu xi haga biex jenriccjaw (to enrich) il-kultura Maltija. Ghax let's face it, easy naghmlu kapital mill-problema tal-immigranti f'pajjizna billi ngibu erba' rittratti ta suwed qed jipprotestaw fuq l-ikel li nitmawhom fid-detention centres. Easy hafna li nilghabu bl-emozzjonijiet u ma nfittxux naqra izjed fil-fond.

Liem huma l-ghaqdiet li jippromwovu il-kultura fis-sens miftuh tal-kelma? Liema huma? Inizjamed, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust, Friends of the Earth etc etc. huma ftit minnhom. U b'xi mod jew iehor, kollha tista' tqis illi huma xellugin. Ftit huma forsi izjed minn ohrajn. Imma essenzjalment huma dawn l-NGO's li qed jippuxxjaw biex izommu l-kultura Maltija. Inizjamed dejjem ghaddejja bil-pubblikazzjonijiet u workshops li jippromwovu l-kultura lokali, il-Graffitti kemm il-darba ghamlu Lejliet Tradizzjonali Maltin flimkien mal-Palestinjani li kienu jinvolvu ikel tradizzjonalment Malti (kif ukoll ikel Palestinjan). Il-Friends of the Earth u ghaqdiet ambjentali ohra dejjem jahdmu biex l-ahhar erba ghelieqi li fadal ma nahxuwhomx f'sormhom.

Anki meta nigu ghall-muzika underground. Bands u artisti li tista' tqishom li huma xellugin dejjem kienu minn ta' quddiem biex jinvolvu ruhhom. U qatt ma bezghu ikantaw bil-Malti. U qatt ma bezghu jitkellmu fuq affarijiet li jniggzu, hafna minnhom relatati mal-kultura Maltija. Jiguni f'mohhi in-Norm Rejection, il-Bahri u Walter Micallef.

Meta nigu ghall-kitba, l-istess...jiguni f'mohhi kittieba bhal Immanuel u Adrian Grima li kulhadd jaf fuq liem suggetti jitkellmu.

U l-ghaqdiet leminin li tant jhambqu fuq il-konservazzjoni tal-kultura...dawk fejnhom fil-glieda biex jikkonservaw il-kultura? Qed ifittxu l-ghonnella? Fejn izzobb qieghdin? Billi igibu erba' updates ta' x'qed jaghmlu l-attivisti fid-detention centres, jahsbu li qed isalvaw lir-razza? Lill-kultura lokali? Fejn qieghdin fil-glieda biex insalvaw l-ahhar erba ghelieqi li fadal? Imbasta nhambqu fuq il-plutocrats!!!

U hallunha guz!!!!!!!

Ok, forsi ghandhom lil Stagno li gieli jitfa' erba battuti 'tajbin' kontra s-suwed, imma barra minn hekk x ghandhom?? .....

..... Ara kont qed niccajta Guz, f'gieh l-ustja.

London Calling

Ghada filghodu ghall-Londra. Ghandi feeling li gej xebgha buzz. Il-Hamis ha naraw lill-Buzzcocks live gewwa l-Astoria. Tal-ALLA!!!! Ryan xtralna it-tickets. Mill-bqija naf li gejja gimgha kollha tahwid u unpredictabilities. Naf kif inhu Ryan. Dak it-tip tal-films hekk.

Imbghad l-Erbgha ta' wara naffacja desk kollu orders u invoices. Fuq ix-xoghol. Imma fuq dawk ingerger meta' nsibhom ma' wicci.

L-Emigrant u l-Immigrant

2006-03-03T17:09:00.000Z

Ryan

Daqsekk. Iddecidejt. Nhar l-erbgha ha nerhilha lejn Londra ghal gimgha flimkien ma' Kate u Nicky u ha mmorru nzuru l-siehbi Ryan. Accomodation b'xejn. Bomba eh? Lil Ryan ilni nafu mindu kelli xi sitt snin, ghax konna l-iscouts ta' Hal Tarxien flimkien. Imbghad konna hames snin sekondarja flimkien, u ghamilna wkoll snin indoqqu flimkien. Ryan kien l-ewwel drummer tal-I Skandal filfatt. Insomma, wara li gradwa, Ryan kienet qabzitlu hawn Malta u tela' l-Ingilterra b'mitt lira fil-but ifittex xoghol. Skond l-emails li kien baghtli, sab xoghol tajjeb ma' xi kumpanija tal-IT, u qed iberbaq flusu jixxala fil-weekends, u jigi mkecci mill-venues ta' Londra kollha ghax ikun wisq hara', u jorqod barra ghax it-taxis ma jkunux iridu jwassluh il-flat.

Rakkmu u l-Pinta

Irnexxieli immur ghall-launching tal-gabra tal-poeziji ta' Adrian Grima. Il-ktieb jismu 'Rakkmu'. Kien launching cool. Kien hemm xi slide shows juru hafna rittratti vera tajbin, hafna minnhom politici. Kien hemm Renzo Spiteri idoqq fuq xi percussions, Ray Calleja u mara ohra li ma nafhiex li bdew jaqraw xi poeziji mill-ktieb u xi immigranti Afrikani li bdew idoqqu fuq xi strumenti etnici. Kien hemm xi dottoressa tas-sociology li qrat xi analazi socjologika tal-ktieb, imma ghalkemm tidher li kienet analazi tajba, lili raqqditni wahda sew. Kienet wisq twila. Imma nsomma, kienet lejla tajba meta tqis kollox. Kate iddejqet ghax ovvjament ma setghet tifhem xejn. Ma hsibtx li ha jkun hemm daqshekk nies. Rajt lil Immauel Mifsud, Toni Sant u kien hemm Noel Agius ukoll. Noel kien l-ewwel teacher cool li qatt kelli. Kien qalli li jhobb ir-Rolling Stones u l-Clash wara l-ewwel 2 lessons, u mill-ewwel laqatni.

Insomma l-poeziji ghogbuni hafna, avolja miniex xi fan kbir tal-poezija. Hemm hafna minnhom fuq it-tfal tieghu, u hafna ohrajn fuq l-immigranti. Hemm poezija ohra li skond Adrian, hija ispirata minn ittra li kien kiteb 'il-Pinta' fuq it-Times. King ostja. Il-Pinta kien kiteb ittra f'dak iz-zmien li il-gazzetti kienu qed jigu invazati b'ittri razzisti tipo: "KECCU LIL DAWN IL-QATTA SUWED MINN HAWN GHAX QED JINVADUNA" L-ittra tal-Pinta kienet short and sweet. Xi haga tipo: kieku kelli daghjsa kont immur l-Afrika u noqghod ingib in-nies li qed ibatu minhabba l-ingustizzji u li qed ifittxu dinja ahjar, lejn l-Ewropa. Illalla l-Pinta. HARDCORE. Dak in-nhar li ippublikawha kien gie jigri fuqi ferhan:

- Illostra fre, ippublikawli l-ittra li ghidtlek!!" (fost hafna dahk mix-xejn...karatteristika tal-Pinta)

- X'ittra hi?

- U dik ta' li ninzel ghall-immigranti fl-Afrika bid-daghjsa u ntellaghhom lejn l-Ewropa! (iktar dahk bla sens tal-Pinta...)

- Illalla!! Coool!

- (iktar dahk bla sens minn naha tal-Pinta)

Aqraw l-poezija ta' Adrian spirata minn din l-ittra jisimha "Kieku Kelli Lanca Zghira".

Qed Nisma: Claudette and the Corpotation - Skinheads-a-bash dem

L-Istrajk tal-linja u Toni Sant

2006-03-01T17:06:00.000Z

Kemm jien sfurtunat ostra. Kont sejjer sal-launching tal-ktieb il-gdid tal-poeziji ta' Adrian Grima jismu "Rakkmu" u hawn dan l-ostra strike tal-linja. Issa skoprejt li hawn xi emergency routes, imma l-ahhar wahda hi tas-sitta. Insomma, b'xi mod ha nipprova nasal il-belt, forsi niddobba lift max-xih, imbghad kif nigi lura, ma nafx. Xi lift nipprova nsib. Nixtieq immur ukoll ghax xtaqt niltaqgha ma' Toni Sant, ghax qal li ried ikellimni. Avolja ma nafx kif ha jasal hemm hu wkoll, ghax kif qalli hu fuq it-telephone, ma jsuqx l-anqas, u skond hu jien "bniedem kbir" ghax m'ghandix karozza". Sehithom ostra lil tal-linja. hehe.

Nhar it-Tnejn li ghadda iltqajt ma' Toni Sant fl-Universita'. U issa, bhal Patrick, behsiebni nibbloggja fuq dawk il-hames minuti li ghamilt inkellmu. Toni baghtli e-mail wara li kont irreferejtu ghad-diska tal-I Skandal, Como Estas biex idahhalha f'xi poddata minn tieghu. Qalli li ried jiltaqgha mieghi wara xi wahda mill-lectures li kien se jaghti fl-Universita' meta jkun Malta. Jien kif rajt l-e-mail, ta' bniedem naive li jien, ma tantx habbilt rasi fuq xiex ried ikellimni. Imma meta wasal il-hin, bhal donnu indunajt u xeghelet bozza "Dan ghalfejn izzob irid jiltaqgha mieghi?".

Insomma bhas-soltu iltqajt ma' Patrick fil-break u mal-mara, u rhejnilha lejn il-Gateway. Biex tkunu tafu ezatt x'gara kull ma tridu taghmlu hu li tidhlu f'din il-link. Patrick jaf jispjega iktar minni. Lili, dan Toni impressjonani mhux ftit. Hyper ghall-ostra tieghu. Kien qisu xi karattru minn xi film. U l-mod kif ihares f'ghajnejk...ma rridx ninstema melodrammatiku jew poetiku, imma kif qalet Kate: "he reads into your soul". Insomma f'dawk il-hames minuti ma ghidna xejn, u ghidna minn kollox. Qalli li xtaq ikellimni fuq xi progett. Kieku progetti u pjanijiet ghandi, il-problema hi nibdihom u li ma niqafx wara l-ewwel pass, Ton. Weghdni li jkellimni fid-dettal fuqha, darb' ohra.

Kif wasalt l-ufficju wara l-break komplejt nghaddi l-orders. Wara xi nofs siegha idoqq it-telefon.

- "Good afternoon estimates..."

- "Aw Fre!!!!, jien Toni!"

..........

Qed nisma: The Skatallites - Don Drummond

Il-Karnival tan-Nadur #3

2006-02-27T13:02:00.000Z

Il-Gimgha

Kien karnival bomba meta tqis il-panic kollu li kien hemm, ix-xita, it-traffic, u l-ammont esagerat ta' nies li telghu minn Malta ghalih. Nicky kien fil-kju minn Sa Maison ghall-habta tat-3pm u ma wasalx in-Nadur qabel il-11.30 ta' bil-lejl. Kien vera kas ta' "B'tal-linja jaqbillek!" Jien u Kate tlajna ic-Cirkewwa b'tal-linja u tlajna ma' l-ewwel vapur li kien imiss, inlegilgu l-inbid u l-birra. Qalulna li kien qed jahdem vapur wiehed minhabba li it-tnejn l-ohra kienu bil-hsara. Ara naqra ta! Mela l-ewwel nizzlu lil kulhadd is-Sa Maison minhabba li it-temp ma halliex il-vapuri jahdmu mic-Cirkewwa. Imbghad regghu tellghu dak il-kju kollu c-Cirkewwa + vapur wiehed jahdem. It-traffic kien jibqa' sejjer sa l-Ghadira...

X'hin wasalna c-Cirkewwa, jien u Kate konna stranded, ma nafux kif sejrin in-Nadur, ma nafux fejn kien il-flat. Ma nafu xejn fil-verita'. Pruvajna 'nihhicjaw' lift imma hadd ma ried itellana. Fl-ahhar waqaf Pawlu li kumbinazzjoni kien sejjer in-Nadur ukoll. Tellghana mieghu u talabna flixkun birra. Wara skoprejna li qdejnih mill-koxxa ghax insejna six-pack CISK fil-karozza. Pawlu ta' l-ostja. Lanqas hu stess ma kien jaf fejn hu l-flat tieghu. Wara hafna giri madwar Ghawdex kollu, u hafna telefonati lic-Ciz u nies ohra, li kienu jinvolvu hafna dagha, ghajjat u affarijiet ohra, Pawlu sab fejn hu l-flat tieghu. Insomma, biex ma ntawwalx, wara hafna dagha wkoll, sibna fejn kien se jkun il-flat taghna....mhux il-boghod minn ta' Pawlu u c-Ciz.

Dak il-lejl spiccajna bqajna l-flat. Konna wisq patata biex nohorgu. Konna jien, Kate, in-Nofxu u l-Pini', u wara waslu Nicky u hija. Spiccajna nilghabu skoss "drinking games" hafna minnhom li ghallmitna dak il-hin Kate. Fosthom kien hemm wahda fejn fiha tpoggi ix-xorb kollu fin-nofs tal-mejda, kulhadd idur madwar il mejda, u l-loghba tinvolvi hafna tisbit ta' l-idejn fuq il-mejda. Hadna buzz qawwi insabbtu, u nixorbu u kulhadd jaghzaq. Dhakna dahka A1. Wara dak kollu il-lejl kien jinvolvi stereo jghajjat u jkanta b'hangra daqs dinja id-diski tal-Led Zeppelin, Clash u Johhny Cash u xi diski Calypso, Rumba u Samba u muzika mill-Karibew li gabet Kate. Ghamilna dance floor ta malajr fil-kcina, bin-Nofxu hara mejjet jiehu hsieb il-lightning (li kien jinvolvi joqghod jixghel u jitfi' d-dawl tal-kamra) Il-hbieb ta' Danica li nzertaw kienu hemm dahlu maghhna u qaghdna nitbellhu gol-kcina qisna qatta mgienen.

Imbaghad intfajt gos-sodda mixhut bla sahha. U ma nafx x'gara izjed. Naf li kont ha mmut bil-ksieh matul il-lejl.

Is-Sibt

Is-Sibt konna preparati li ha nohorgu filghaxija u ma naghmlux l-izball tal-lejl ta' qabel li nsiru patata kmieni wisq. Qomna xi 10am b'hangover tal-ostja. Il-Pini' hareg bl-idea bomba li mmorru nixtru bicca hobz tajba, naqra bacon u 2 bajdiet. Wara balla giri fix-xita, rnexxielna nsibu l-ingredjenti kollha. Nicky ivvoluntiera biex isajjar, u wara li ghamilt xi siegha nitliegheb gos-sodda, hrigt u nsib riha ta' bacon taqsam. Kiltha bil-qalb dik il-hobza ostra...

Ghall-habta tas-sitta bdejna nippreparaw ghal dak il-karnival imqaddes tan-Nadur. L-ohrajn bdew jaraw x'se jilbsu. Jien hassejtni boring wisq u ma ridt nilbes xejn. Kate libset ta' qattusa, u l-Pini' libes ta' Punk, igifeiri ma' libes xejn hahahahahahahaha. Ftahna l-inbid li kien fadal u bdejna nsiru koko' ftit ftit. Nicky qabad kutra u waddabha fuqu. Kien qisu Frodo tal-Lord of the Rings. Kienet idea tajba ghax bdiet niezla x-xita, imma konna determinati li mmorru xorta. Qbadna u hrigna. Kif wasalna hemm l-inbid kien spiccalna, u anki mohhna. Kien hemm hafna affarijiet varji, u kostumi strambi u makabri, kif hinu xieraq. Il-karnival tan-Nadur joghgobni wisq. Ghandu dik l-awra tal-ostja wisq madwaru. Qisu xi haga antika ta' zmien Alla u fl-istess hin vera dark. Hekk tipo tara tifel ta' tmien snin (nahseb...) liebes maskra ta' mara xiha, u l-hwejjeg ukoll, bis-sorra fuq spalltu, u dahru mghawweg. Qisek qed tara mara xiha ghakka, imma nana. Dak it-tip ta mbarazz li biex vera tapprezzah trid tkun hemm, b'xi garra nbid go rasek.

Insomma biex ma ntawwalx, ghamilna lejl shih nigru minn naha ghal ohra, nahbtu gon-nies qishom zombies u ma nafux fejn sejrin. Sakemm fl-ahhar sibna l-Fakawi qed idoqqu fuq stage. In-nies bdew jingabru u ftit hin, inqala' moshpit enormi! Illiba x'buzz!! Kulhadd jaghzaq!! Maskarati minn kull tip, kostumi, nies jaqghu ma' l-art, moppijiet u xkupi, monitors tal-kompjuters, stage dives, birra ttir, astronawti, u skoss reggae li bdew ifaqqghu il-Fakawi kultant. Id-Dino kien f'telfa tal-ostra. Kien mizbla ta' vera. Sar qisu xitan zghir (mhux minhabba l-maskla biss) Beda jimbotta u jaqleb lil kulhadd, jaqbad mal-istage u jaghjjat. Hadd ma seta' jwaqqfu. Kien qisu midget qed jattaka hafna gganti. Qed nghidlek, kien moshpit surreali allostja!

Wasalna l-flat imkissrin u frizati wara li fl-ahhar irnexxielna nsibu fejn. Jien u Kate gietna idea tal-ostra. Bdejna insibu l-fliexken tal-plastic li kien hemm jigru mal-flat u mlejnihom mishun mill-geyzer, imbaghad waddabnihom maghhna gos-sodda, u qed nghidlek, irqadna lejl bomba. Filghodu ma qomniex frizati ghallinqas.

Il-Hadd

Il-Hadd qomna mdamdmin u erhernilha lejn Malta ma' Nicky mal-ewwel. Ma nafx x'gara mat-triq. Kate intefghet fuqi fuq is-seat ta' wara u rqadna raqda papali. Meta wasalt id-dar ergajt irqadt, u naf li qomt bi dwejjaq tal-biza' fuqi...

Il-Gastric

2006-02-23T10:23:00.000Z

Gastric Flu

Apparentament blajt gastric flu tal-ostra. Zewgt iljieli ilu m'ghalaqtx ghajn m'ghajn. Ghamilt lejl nitqalleb fis-sodda, b'ugigh ta' zaqq tal-ostja. Imbaghad meta fl-ahhar ghadda l-lejl, u qomt mis-sodda hassejt l-ikel kollu li kilt il-gurnata ta' qabel tiela, u grejt kemm flaht sal-loki, imma kien kollu ghalxejn ghax ma lhaqtx wasalt. Bdejt il-gurnata bit-tajjeb. Cempilt ix-xoghol u ghidtilhom li sick. Ghamilt gurnata gos-sodda, nixrob l-ilma, naqra l-Mojo li nzerta fuq The Who, norqod u nisma' d-diski. Kull haga li bdejt niekol bdejt intellaghha mal-ewwel. Imbaghad ix-xih gabli l-qratas u ftit ftit bdejt nigi f'tieghi. It-tabib tani gurnata biss, imma llum ma hassejtnix totalment f'sikti u ghalekk ergajt cempilt. Ahjar hekk xbin, milli naghmel gurnata nidghi ix-xoghol qas biss naf x'qed jigri madwari.

Il-Karnival Tan-Nadur #2

Patrick kellu ragun ostja! Ghall-karnival tan-Nadur, tiela nofs Malta. Mhux ghax niddejjaq niltaqa' man-nies. Far from it. Imma hija tad-dahk kif sa ftit snin ilu, kulhadd kien jidhak bik jekk tghidilom li sejjer in-Nadur ghall-karnival. Illum bil-kontra. Ga qed nimmagina x'se jkun hemm. Balla familji, tfal, u kulhadd jghaffeg fuq xulxin. Sold out allostja!

L-Immigranti #2

Skond id-di-ve.com regghet saret tip ta' protesta ohra minn naha tal-immigranti detenuti f'Hal Safi. Hadt pjacir illi emfasizzaw illi huma ghandhom relazzjoni tajba mas-suldati tal-AFM. Ghax b'hekk ghallinqas igibu s-simpatija tan-nies. Gabu punti tajbin, fosthom illi ghandhom jinghataw ic-cans li jahdmu biex igibu l-flus ha jergghu imorru lura f'pajjizhom jekk ikunu jridu. Ghala le? Issa billi qieghdin maghluqin hemm gew? X'qed jiehdu? X'qed jaghtu? XEJN. Hemm hafna xogholijiet li il-Maltin mhumiex lesti jaghmlu ghax ghazzenin. Tghidx kemm ninharaq meta nisma' dik il-gidba tal-ostja ta' "Il-Malti Biezel". Il-Malti biezel? U ejja ma ndahhqux. Ghalhekk hawn daqstant nies li mhumiex lesti jahdmu, l-aqwa li joqghodu komdi d-dar jiehdu r-relief. Hafna drabi dawn in-nies issibhom minn ta' quddiem biex igergru kontra l-immigranti u li dawn qed jigu "johdulna xogholna" etc etc etc.

Pero', l-ahhar paragraph ta' l-artiklu huwa l-aktar tal-ostja:

"The media address was disrupted by a small group of people claiming to be members of the Viva Malta movement. Journalists drew the attention of the AFM that these people had nothing to do with the media. Journalists requested these people to present their press cards if they were to be allowed to remain, to which they answered by addressing shouts of "Mafia! Mafia!" towards the members of the media."

Ajma jahasra....!!!!!

Como Estas #3

Fuq talba ta' Patpitu u xebgha nies ohra suppost issa id-download ta' "Como Estas" regghet qed tahdem. Irnexxieli nsib website ohra li fiha tkun tista' ittella' uploads. Fl-ahhar ostja! Il-link hija din: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4AR5DY0F Kemm tikklikjaw fuqha u suppost tkunu tistghu tnizzlu id diska. Cheers!

Qed nisma': Lumiere - On a clear day you can see forever

Jghajjtu x-Xjuh, u Jghajjtu t-Tfal

2006-02-21T08:29:00.000Z

Como Estas #2

Hadt buzz illi d-diska "Como Estas" intghogbot mhux hazin, kemm mill-bloggejja l-ohra kif ukoll mill-membri tal-forum ta' Scaremongering. Toni Sant behsiebu jdoqqha wkoll fuq il-podcast tieghu...tal-ostja!! Bqajt skantat ukoll kemm jidhlu nies fuq il-bloggs. Dahal siehbi li kien student mieghi fis-sekondarja u halla messagg. Kif skopra l-blogg, ma nafx...

Il-Karnival tan-Nadur

Il-weekend li gej tilghin san-Nadur ghall-karnival. Milli jidher tilghin xebgha Maltin. Ilna nitilghu ghall-karnival t'hemm ghal da l-ahhar sitt snin. Ghamilna hafna praspar kemm ilna nitilghu hemm. L-aktar wahda cara li niftakar kienet meta konna nizlin wahda mit-toroq dojoq tan-Nadur, go dik il-folla tan nies kulhadd jghaffeg fuq xulxin, maskarati u kulhadd hara mejjet. Kien hemm skoss maskarati Ghawdxin li sabu xi karozzi mfarrkin u ghamluhom qishom karrijiet. Jisprejjaw fuqhom u kulhadd jisfen fuqhom, waqt li jkaxkru il-karozza fit-triq. Insomma wahda mill-karozzi illokjalha l-isteering u allura ma setghux ikomplu jmexxuha fit-triq. Niftakar f'dik id-daghdiha li konna fiha morna nduru mal-karozza (konna xi 15 il-ruh tal-klikka) u bdejna nqandlu l-karozza u ndawruha...nnizluha bicca triq ohra, u kif taqbad terga' ddur nergghu..."one...TWO...THREEEE" u nqandlu u ndawwru, u nergghu innizluha bicca. Sakemm wassalna din l-ostra karozza quddiem palk li fuqu kien hemm xi erba muzicisti xjuh idoqqu l-blues. Niftkar kien hemm skoss familji bit-tfal, iccassati iharsu lejna, u l-pulizija li kien hemm qas kienu jaf x' ha jaqbdu jaghmlu. Xi tnejn minnha bdew icaqalqu lin-nies u jressquhom mal-bankina.

Insomma l-bqija ergajna dorna mal-karozza u bdejna nippruvaw naqilbuha rasha l-isfel... (dan kollu f'nofs it-triq, ezattament quddiem il-palk) "one....twoooo.....THREEEE"....u wara xi erba attentati, intuha skoss b'sahhtu iehor, sakemm fl-ahhar irnexxielna naqilbuha....beda' jtir skoss hadid minn gol-karozza nofsha mfarrka, u ahna ncacpcpu u nghajtu f'dadigha ta' buzz esagerat. "Boqqa nbid ohra fuq din!!!" Il-band regghet qabdet iddoq, wara li gew ftit f'sensihom, u ahna tlajna fuq il-karozza maqluba u bdejna nisfnu fuq is-see saw spontanja li konna ghamilna.

Wara dal-panic kollu niftkar li jien, Ryan, il-Bobby u l-Profeta irnexxielna nikkonvincu lil dawn l-erbat ixjuh li bdew idoqqu biex ituna l-istrumenti, u tlajna indoqqu "God Save The Queen" tas-Sex Pistols (l-uniku diska li konna "nafuha" kollha kemm ahna....) Qatt ma ninsa l-espressjoni fuq wicc dawk is-skoss familji quddiem il-palk, u dik l-escort maqluba quddiemna, b'xebgha nies f'sakra papali jisfnu fuqha...

L-immigranti

Fuq it-Times kien hemm li regghet saret protesta ohra minn naha tal-immigranti fid-detention centres. Ma nafx kif il-gvern ghadu ma ndunax illi l-policy tad-detention mhijiex tahdem. Kemm ha jdumu jistennew dawn? Minghajr ma jafu x'se jigri minnhom? Ma jafu xejn ta. Nothing to look forward to. X'jibqa' skop f'li tghix? Kif tista' ma tiggenninx? M'ghadniex inqisuhom ta' bnedmin. Bicca news fuq il-gazzetta dwarhom tghaddi ma' l-ohrajn, filwaqt li noqghodu niflu l-pagni tal-classified biex naraw il-prezzijiet tal-propjeta. Something is definitely wrong. Donna insejna li dawn huma bnedmin bhalna...

Qed nisma: The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations .... minn CD li gab Mario l-kollega jismu "Sound of the Sixtees"

Como Estas

2006-02-20T08:35:00.000Z

Din hija l-ewwel diska li qed nohorgu mid-debut tac-cd tal progett THE I SKANDAL. "COMO ESTAS" hija diska b'lirika Maltija, u chorus bl-Ispanjol....L-EP li ha jkun jismu "Scaccho Matto" se jigi illoncjat fil bidu ta' Mejju...tentative date: 6th May 2006.

idhlu fuq: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4AR5DY0F

... u ghafsu download file....

Ghal min ma jafx, THE I SKANDAL maghmula minn:

JP z-zghiru: Vox + Bass
Nico: Lead Guitar, Slide Trombone, Backing Vox
Fre: Rythm Guitar, Backing Vox
Pini: Trumpet, Backing Vox
Ruth: Saxaphone (ma tidhirx fir-rittratt)
Dino: Drums, Backing Vox

Kummenti fuq id-diska, pozittivi u negattivi jigu apprezzati hafna :)

Grazzi Hafna, u Proset Tal-Programm

2006-02-18T18:39:00.000Z

Il-bierah kellna gig inkredibbli!

Wiehed minn dawkli nibqa' niftakar u nsemmi. Nies gew hafna izjed minn kemm hsibna (nahseb fuq il mija u sittin...imma mhiniex cert...) Ghallinqas nistghu inhossuna naqra inqas guilty issa, ghax konna ftehemna li jekk jigu izjed nies minn kemm nahsbu naghtu parti mis-somma mill-qliegh lir-Retrophytes (avolja qas ghamlu promotion imgiddma, sa fejn naf jien). Kemm ha ntuwhom ma nafx, u frankament, ma tantx taghmilli differenza.

Il-lejl beda ghal xi l-habta ta' L-10:15pm. Ir-Retrophytes, jidhru li intoghgbu. Ghogobni hafna l-kitarrist u ghal xi raguni beda jfakkarni fir-riffijiet tal-Led Zeppelin. Id-drummer tajjeb ukoll ostja. Il-kant, kif ghidt fil-bloggata ohra...kien kif stennejtu...qerriedi ghall-ostja ala Muse. Imma tajjeb lehnu, u n-noti jilhaqhom u jiccumbhom (sa fejn smajt jien ghallinqas...ghax hafna mill-hin kont mehdi ma' l-entrance tal-bieb bhal Zakkew, nara li kulhadd ihallas il-lira dovuta lil Cesri).

Insomma, imbghad wasalna biex bdejna ahna, u sa dak il-hin in-Naas ha kien mimli...jew ghallinqas jien hekk rajtu...Ftahna b'"Acid Fight", u minn hemmekk ma nafx ezattament x'gara. Kull ma naf hu li wara it-tieni diska insib in-naha tieghi tal-palk mgharrqa fil-birra...Apprentament waqghu iz-zewg fliexken tal-birra li zammejt mohbijin wara l-amplifier tal-bass bil qbiz tieghi u ta' Nicky. Kif rajt dik il-mandra tahti, ghalqat ghajnejja u ma haristx lura. "Rock' n' roll, Fre" ghidt f'qalbi.

Niftakar li waqt "Pacifista" (li milli jidher qed issir tintghogob sew min-nies), Nicky sfida lin-nies biex jghollu subghajhom tan-nofs ghal "that motherfucker George W. Bush and his dickheads", u quddiemi nara bahar ta' nies jghajjtu u jghollu subghajhom tan-nofs b'tant entuzjazmu li hsibthom qed jindirizzawh ghalina hehehehe. Jista' jkun li l-affari ma kinitx esagerata daqsekk fir-realta' imma dak il-hin jien hekk rajtha. Jista' jkun l-estasi tal-mument, u jista' jkun il-birra iddur go rasi. Naf li harist lejn Mike u tbissimna lejn xulxin dak il-hin. Imbghad biex tghaxxaq l-Alla, Nicky nizel fil-folla u narah jimxi fuq in-nies...kienu se jwahhluh mas-saqaf! Cool kienet dik il-bicca!! Hekk inkunu rridu ahna fil-gigs, u ghal hemm nahdmu. Li tinholoq atmosfera fejn jigru l-affarijiet. Jekk jigri dak inkunu lhaqna l-iskop primarju.

Hadt buzz li d-diski l-godda bhal "Green Dub" u "The Cash" intghogbu hafna. Qaluli skoss nies fosthom Claire tal-Particle Blue u anke Steve Lombardo, id-drummer tal-R.A.S u ta' skoss bands ohra.

Insomma, ma rridx intawwal. Tistghu taraw izjed rittratti billi tidhlu fuq dawn il-links u taghzlu ir-rittratti:

http://www.naasha.com/en/gallery.php4?flag=on&id=166&pos=1
http://www.naasha.com/en/gallery.php4?flag=on&id=165&pos=1
http://www.naasha.com/en/gallery.php4?flag=on&id=164&pos=1

Grazzi hafna lil Lenny u Micky tan-Naasha u lil kull min gie! Tal-ostja man!!!

Dreams u d-D

2006-02-17T08:43:00.000Z

Dreams....

Ghadni kif smajt xi remix version tad-diska "Dreams" tal-Fleetwood Mac fuq il-Bay. Kemm kienet toghgobni. Tefghatni down memory lane u domt naqra ma gejt f'sensija. Fakkritni fiz-zmien tal-Junior College fejn ghal xi raguni jew ohra kont nisma il-Fleetwood Mac flimkien ma bands punk bhal NOFX u r-Rancid u l-Clash. M'ghandhom x'jaqsmu xejn ma' xulxin. Nahseb jirrifletti it-tahwid, u l-unpredictability li konna nghixu biha f'dak iz-zmien. Unpredictibility galore. L-pjanijiet kienu jinbidlu f'nofs sekonda. Ftakart fiz-zmien tan-Napster, tal-garr ta' l-alkohol u affarijiet ohra illegali fl-iskola, f'kemm il-darba dhalna ghall-lezzjonijiet hara mejta, f'Esmeralda, Tara, Ryan, Sandro, l-Profeta, l-Bobby u kif konna nifqghu c-cint ta' barra kif tinzel it-tarag tal-Junior College bil-gem marker u l-graffitti tal-A fic cirku jew messaggi u simboli komunisti hamalli bl-ispray li konna naghmlu mal-hitan wara li nixorbu xi zewg kartuniet Lachryma Vitis tal-50c, il-Peacock Bar ta' Paceville maghruf ahjar bhala Fredu l-Fqir u l-istejjer kollha marbutin mieghu. Qatt ma tinsihom stejjer hekk. Rock'n'Roll!!!!!

Id-D

Hadt pjacir li it-Times ippublikaw l-ittra tad-D rigward il-Jazz Festival. Miniex xi fan tal-Jazz festival. Mort xi darbtejn, imma dejjem konna izjed interessati li nsiru koko` mejta fuq is-swar u naraw kollox minn fuq milli noqghodu napprezzaw il-Jazz u l-muzicisti. Imbghad ninzlu fil-folla meta l-entrance tkun b'xejn u noqoghdu nisfnu u nibilugh fit-tirma (kif jghid Mario l-kollega) qisna erba' boloh. Naf, naf. Tan-nejk ghall-min ihobb il-Jazz Fest. Imma ma hemmx x'taghmel.

Hadt pjacir ghax naf li f'artiklu minnhom fuq l-iscaremongering forum, id-D qal li ma mhux lest jiehu sehem b'mod politiku biex ibiddel l-affarijiet. Kien inkazzat li il-Jazz Fest se jiehdu f'idejh kumpanija privata li se tibda ggib izjed bands u artisti tal-massa biex taghmel tajjeb ghat-telf li kien jaghmel il-Jazz Fest qabel. Nifhmu u naqbel mieghu, avolja ma tantx ghandi interess fl-affari kollha. Issa fl-ahhar hemm ittra fuq il-gazzetta li forsi taqla diskussjoni. Awereness ta' l-affarijiet li qed jigru. Probabbli xorta ma jigri xejn, u jibqa kollox ghaddej kif inhu, imma ghallinqas kien hemm xi hadd li wera' oppozizzjoni, li semma l-hsieb tieghu. Mela' spazju fuq gazzetta li seta' ittiehed b'ittra ohra li lilu ma tinteressahx.

Mhuwiex hela' ta' hin. Bhal ma qal Emiliano Zapata: "It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."

Happiness is a warm gun...

2006-02-16T09:11:00.000Z

Tahbit Tar-ras Mal-Hitan, fit-8:30am

Fuq it-Times illum kien hemm artiklu rigward it-torturi li saru fil habs ta' Abu Ghraib gewwa l-Iraq. Skoprew izjed rittratti li juru abbuzi fuq prigunieri Iraqqini minn suldati Amerikani. L-ufficju qbadniha fuq dawn l-abbuzi, George Bush, il-gwerra tieghu, l-Islam, il-Kristjanezmu, Mohammed u l-cartoons, freedom of speech u l-ambaxxati mahruqin Danizi u dawn l-imbarazz kollha li b'xi mod jew iehor jintefghu go basket wiehed, u meta naqbdu niddiskutu, erhilna nhawwdu haga ma' ohra, naqghu f'konkluzjonijiet u inkonsistenza galore.

Skoss nies ma jaghmlux connections. Ma jaghmlux connection bejn l-attitudni tal-West u r-reazzjoni tal-musulmani. Meta ghidtilhom li mhux il-musulmani kollha jaqblu mal-mod vjolenti li bih ipprotestaw, qaluli li mhux vera, li hija l-kultura tal-musulmani li jagixxu b'dak il-mod. Ftit minuti wara qalu: "Tan-nejk li tehel l-armata Amerikana kollha minhabba l-imgieba taz-zobb ta' xi ftit Amerikani go bicca habs."

Hallewni nitbaqbaq u nhabbat rasi mal-hajt.

Il-Mara

Il-bierah wara x-xoghol mort s'ghand il-mara. Le, miniex mizzewweg imma l-klikka ghandna habta nghidu "il-mara" biex nirreferu ghall-gharusa (hahahahaha). Ma nahsibx li nista' nghidilha "l-mara" ghax ghall-habta ta' lulju ha terga' titlaq l-Amerka u frankament x'se jigri wara, ma nafx. Kont iltqajt maghha gon-Naasha, meta t-tnejn li ahna konna patata maxx (kif ihobb jghid iz-Zghiru). Giet tistudja l-linguistics minn dak il-kobor ta' California ghal go l-Universita' tal-Kakkademja tac-Cuqlajta f'Malta. Insomma, ma nafx, ninsab naqa mhawwad. Mhux naqra. Ma narahiex tfajla ohra bhall-ohrajn. Insomma...it's getting better all the time, better, better, better, getting soooo much better all the time... u m'ghandix aptit nahseb x'jista jigri wara li jispicca kollox, jekk jispicca kollox....

ajma jahasra.....

Guze', Id-Dripht, u l-Bahri

2006-02-15T10:48:00.000Z

Hahahahaha. Hadt buzz tal-ostja bir-riklam hamallu li ghamilli Guze' fuq il-blog tieghu. Fil-fatt bdew jidhlu xi nies diga' u rrispondew ukoll. Ga qed inhossni nsir addictive ghalih. Imma ovvjament dan ghax m'ghandix ghazla ohra, ghallinqas ghalissa. Ghal li jista jkun...jista' xi hadd jghidli kif ittella l-music fuq il-blog? jew voice? Ghadni qed niskopri.

----------------

Nhar il-gimgha li gej (17 ta' Frar 2006) , id-DRIPHT ha nfaqqghu kuncert iehor, did-darba gewwa n-Naasha, San Gwann. Jahbat ezatt fejn il-knisja ghal min ma jafx. Maghna ha jdoqqu ir-RETROPHYTES, band gdida li ha tohrog live ghall-ewwel darba. Nghid is-sew qatt ma smajthom, hlief ghal xi ftit sekondi meta nghaddi minn quddiem il-garaxx taghhom u nismaghhom jirrihersjaw, peress li ghandhom il-garaxx taghhom ezatt faccata ta' taghna. Nimmagina li jdoqqu stil ala Muse, li ghalkemm joghgbuni u ghandi l-MP3s kollha taghhom, mhumiex xi wahda mill-bands favoriti tieghi. Il-kantant narah jeqred wisq. Jaljenani. Ghandi kurzita' kbira biex nara kif dawn ir-Retrophytes se jingwalawha maghna. Ghadni ma nistax nimmagina x'tip ta' atmosfera se jkun hemm.

Insomma Il-prezz tad-dhul ha jkun ta' lira. Biex inkun sincier, qed inhossuna naqra tan-nejk li l-entrance fee ha nihduwha kollha ahna u mhux se naqsmuha mar-Retrophytes. Ga qed nimmagina lin-nies jghajjruna "ipokriti", "kapitalisti (hahaha, din minghand tal-Graffitti tigi)", "champagne socialists" etc etc , pero' originarjament ridna indoqqu wahidna, peress li ghandna bzonn il-cash. Gravi. Skoprejna li ilna ma nhallsu kera' tal-garaxx ghall-sentejn, u issa giet f'daqqa. Irridu naghmlu izjed kopji ta' Global Warning, u tad-Dripht EP. Spiza enormi ohra. U kien minghalina li qed ingemmghu il-flus ghall-recording, jew mini-tour. Insomma, fl-ahhar inqalghu ir-Retrophytes li qalulna li xtaqu idoqqu maghna. Spjegajnilhom is-sitwazzjoni, imma xorta riedu jdoqqu, akkost li ma jithallsux. Ma nahsibx li konna tan-nejk b'daqsekk. X'buzz, ghandna genn biex indoqqu. Ilna naqra ma ndoqqu live. U n-Naasha nhobbu jien. Norqod hemm jonqosni. Insomma, gieli ghamilta wkoll. hehe.

---------------------

Naf li ha nerga' nsemmi lil Guze' imma ta min. Fl-ahhar xi hadd ghamel intervista tal-ostja lill-Bahri! Ovvjament hadd minn tal-iscaremongering forum ma rrisponda jew wera' apprezzament. Ma hadtiex bi kbira. Certu nies hemm gew huma meqjusin "superjuri" aktar minn ohrajn (ghal xi raguni li jien ghadni ma nafiex). Ma niddejjaqx insemmihom: Mario, Luigi, Xkejjer etc. etc. Dawn kollha huma hbieb sew tieghi. Imma ninkazza meta nara li intervista tajba minn Guze' Stagno ma' bniedem bhall-Bahri ma gietx apprezzata daqs intervista tajba minn Mario 'tal-Lumiere' ma' Ray tal-Characters. Cert li tlett kwarti minn-nies ta hemm gew jafu min hu Ray daqs kemm jafu min hu l-Bahri ie: ZILCH Igifieri mhijiex kwistjoni ta' kontenut. Jien lil Bahri nitfghu fl-istess keffa ta' Ray. Forsi ma produciex materjal daqstant tajjeb daqs ta' Ray, imma xorta huwa bniedem importanti ghax-xena tal-music underground f'Malta. Dak huwa fatt.

Imma nsomma, xorta ghadni nidhol go scaremongering.net...

Il-Kbir Ghadu Gej!!!!!

2006-02-14T14:40:00.000Z

Ilni nhuf fuq skoss blogs (tajjeb tinkiteb?) ghal hafna zmien. Kont skoprejthom meta Guze' Stagno kien tani l-link ghall-blog tieghu, u minn dak iz-zmien, sirt fan ta' Xemx Wisq Sabiha u diversi blogs ohra, bhal ta' l-Imzebbel, ta' Patrick u ta' Corazon, u kull meta ma jkollix x'naghmel nintefa ndur fuqhom. Insomma, u issa li dhalt fid-dinja tax-xoghol full time qed insib li kull haga ohra li kienet tidher tant hela' ta' hin sa ftit zmien ilu, saret is-salvazzjoni li biha il-hin jghaddi jigri izjed malajr.

Tmien sieghat working for the clampdown twal wisq, man. Disgha anzi. Disgha u nofs, jekk triduni nghodd l-ewwel kwarta u l-ahhar kwarta li fihom tista' tghid ma jsir xejn. Fl-ewwel kwarta kulhadd ikun ghadu rieqed. Fl-ahhar wahda, kulhadd bi breakdown ta' gurnata xoghol fuqu, jara ma' xiex se jinfexx.

Insomma, l-ewwel post se jkollha tieqaf hawn, ghax computer ghad m'ghandix u allura sraqt wiehed ghal ghaxar minuti. U kif kien ghajjat DJ Banana fuq il-microphone (nahseb hu kien) gewwa l-Axis, ftit qabel il-launching ta' l-ahhar CD ta' Ira Losco: IL-KBIR GHADU GEJ!!!!