Local news
02 August 2009 16:00
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Money was the least of our problems – Alfie Fabri on the maltasajf
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Twenty years ago, rockers gathered at Tigne... Paceville had not yet become the clubbing mecca, and music festivals such as the Maltasajf came cheap, actually free.
Youtube videos on the Maltasajf festival quickly became an Internet hit. maltastar.com caught up with renowned DJ Alfie Fabri, for more on the Maltasajf, and how the Maltese music scene developed in the last two decades.
All started in a small cafeteria in Merchant Street, Valletta, where the few Maltese DJs at the time used to meet up to discuss music and projects, Fabri explained to maltastar.com.
Two years ago, Fabri decided to move to Gozo, for a quieter life. Yet, in the eighties, Fabri was a very active promoter of local music. In 1983, together with some other friends, he organized the first Maltasajf at Ta’ Qali.
The Maltasajf, which was held over a three-day weekend managed to bring together local and foreign bands. “People had less places where to go and enjoy themselves, and they did not stay out late.” Fabri explained to maltastar.com that clubs normally opened at 1730hrs and close at 2130hrs – a far cry from today.
Yet, the Maltasajf was a different story. People used to take their camps or just their sleeping bags and spend the whole weekend at the festival. However, if the Youtube video became a sudden hit, it is because of a simple reason – drugs and alcohol.
“It was the Woodstock period,” Fabri recalled, “drugs legislation was not like today and many laws had still to be introduced. Nowadays, the music has changed and so have the drugs.” He explained that more youths are choosing hard drugs, perhaps reflecting the harder music being consumed today.
He points out to the Tigne area where the rockers used to gather. “It was a rockers’ heaven.” After the British left Malta in 1976, a lot of buildings were left vacant, such as in Tigne. These were quickly taken over by rock bands.
“They used used these building for jamming sessions and for gigs.” Yet, rockers today seem to have perished somewhere between MTV’s first music video programme and the demise of the Rock café in Paceville. “Today rockers do not seem to be in fashion anymore.”
It seems that the rock scene was taken over by dance music in Paceville, which Fabri finds it all very ironic. “Paceville is supposed to mean peaceful villa. Now it is a clubbing area.”
“The government used to help a lot during the time… money was the least of our problems,” he said surprisingly. “Today, it is unimaginable to do what we did just twenty years ago. You just need much more funds,” Fabri said.
A festival such as Maltafest would not have cost that much, since most of the equipment, such as sound and promotional posters would have come for free from friends.
“It was not about money, but about having fun,” he said. “Perhaps it is the competition, but we used to give a service and enjoy ourselves. Today it is all about who is the best.”
“At one point you have to decide whether you want money or just to be happy, I chose the latter.”
Youtube videos on the Maltasajf festival quickly became an Internet hit. maltastar.com caught up with renowned DJ Alfie Fabri, for more on the Maltasajf, and how the Maltese music scene developed in the last two decades.
All started in a small cafeteria in Merchant Street, Valletta, where the few Maltese DJs at the time used to meet up to discuss music and projects, Fabri explained to maltastar.com.
Two years ago, Fabri decided to move to Gozo, for a quieter life. Yet, in the eighties, Fabri was a very active promoter of local music. In 1983, together with some other friends, he organized the first Maltasajf at Ta’ Qali.
The Maltasajf, which was held over a three-day weekend managed to bring together local and foreign bands. “People had less places where to go and enjoy themselves, and they did not stay out late.” Fabri explained to maltastar.com that clubs normally opened at 1730hrs and close at 2130hrs – a far cry from today.
Yet, the Maltasajf was a different story. People used to take their camps or just their sleeping bags and spend the whole weekend at the festival. However, if the Youtube video became a sudden hit, it is because of a simple reason – drugs and alcohol.
“It was the Woodstock period,” Fabri recalled, “drugs legislation was not like today and many laws had still to be introduced. Nowadays, the music has changed and so have the drugs.” He explained that more youths are choosing hard drugs, perhaps reflecting the harder music being consumed today.
He points out to the Tigne area where the rockers used to gather. “It was a rockers’ heaven.” After the British left Malta in 1976, a lot of buildings were left vacant, such as in Tigne. These were quickly taken over by rock bands.
“They used used these building for jamming sessions and for gigs.” Yet, rockers today seem to have perished somewhere between MTV’s first music video programme and the demise of the Rock café in Paceville. “Today rockers do not seem to be in fashion anymore.”
It seems that the rock scene was taken over by dance music in Paceville, which Fabri finds it all very ironic. “Paceville is supposed to mean peaceful villa. Now it is a clubbing area.”
“The government used to help a lot during the time… money was the least of our problems,” he said surprisingly. “Today, it is unimaginable to do what we did just twenty years ago. You just need much more funds,” Fabri said.
A festival such as Maltafest would not have cost that much, since most of the equipment, such as sound and promotional posters would have come for free from friends.
“It was not about money, but about having fun,” he said. “Perhaps it is the competition, but we used to give a service and enjoy ourselves. Today it is all about who is the best.”
“At one point you have to decide whether you want money or just to be happy, I chose the latter.”
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Comments
joe tanti - 19 March 2010 05:54
kien zmien sabih u ikrah. Kien zmien fejn il poplu ridt il bands barranin u kien jitefa jghajjar lilll bands maltin biex jinzlu ha jaraw Nazareth per ezempju. Bands kienu jghixu Tigne go villag tar rock. Bil mod iil mod il poplu beda jinduna bit talent tal band Maltin u bdiet tieghla generazzjoni pro Malta. Nahseb Limestone kick kienu l ewwel band li dawru iun nies favorihom meta daqqew qabel Jovanotti. dak in nhar kont fuq il palk u kelli bicca xol nikkalma in nies biex jaccettaw li kellu jitla Jovanotti.
Kaiser - 18 March 2010 19:17
"Yet, rockers today seem to have perished somewhere between MTV’s first music video programme and the demise of the Rock café in Paceville. “Today rockers do not seem to be in fashion anymore.”"
That's the most ridiculous statement I've heard in years. Just because there isn't a multitude, doesn't mean they do not exist, but are confined to the underground, sometimes quite happily.
If Mr. Fabri was in it because it's fashionable, then Good Riddance Mr. Fabri.
stephen vella - 18 March 2010 19:11
Does any one has any memorabilia of Malta sajf 87' (pembroke).? Who was taking photos that weekend ?
stephen vella - 18 March 2010 19:00
I was the bassest of Splitting Voices (the band in the youtube clip) after all these years ,Malta sajf is the one thing that if I had to choose to go back in time , it's the time I'd choose.
Martin Formosa - 04 August 2009 11:46
I was one of the members of a band called CHI-2 and all I can say is that Alfie was one of the very few active persons to make it happen! All bands were happy to perform and show their talent for free, as Alfie said, money was not a problem at all. It was a good buzz and everyone used to look forward to it. Alfie is there a chance of having some material of CHI-2 sent over, maybe even when we performed on Xandir Malta? I am now residing in Ireland and would be great to relive the good old memories again! Keep us posted and keep it up!
John Borg - 03 August 2009 16:03
Jaqaw il-Bauhaus Tonio Darmanin ta PAQPAQ??
philip pace - 02 August 2009 20:22
Well, I was very much surprised to find my old friend and colleague Alfi Fabri reminiscing about the glorious 80's where the local rock music reigned supreme.
I used to meet Alfi at the cafe he mentioned and we would always talk/discuss/argue with no hard feelings on the local scene as I was the founder of Rockarja at Tigne Barracks in 82/83 so we had to organise things together not to do any uneccessay clashing of venues and ideas. We had one thing in common. We cared for the local talent and we worked to have these talented musicians to find a place where they could play to the public.
It was more than twenty years ago as this buzz for the local bands started around the early 80s and it was never easy!!
From the video footage I was very glad to see the late Paul Borg who was a unique singer with the Birkirkara band Unexplained. He was all for the local rock scene and his help and encouragement towards the local musicians was far out. He died young in the middle 90's and still have some of his recordings that we did together at the Infetti at B'kara, somewhere!!!!!
Happy to have seen the one and only Eric 'il punk' who on his own could create a small revolution in those days such as a concert that Abstrass held in front of the 'Magic Kiosk' in Sliema in 1982.
Bauhaus was always the same fellow, wanting more or more on a different level and most probably he found that he was misunderstood all the time but a down to earth fellow indeed!!!!
Maltasajf was organised under the name of YMCA in 1983,84,85,86 etc.
At first it had problems re money, location (Marsa for starters) but then it became a popular event for summer where all rockers could meet.
However there was one person whom Alfi did not mention ( for me he deserves to mentioned) who had a great part to play in the Maltasajf. I am referring to Albert Degiorgio who used to run the Imperial coffee shop and the YMCA. He was all for the younger generation.
As Alfi pointed out what was organised then as it was not for the money but more to promote local bands with as little funds possible. Yes the Government of those days used to help out. So it was not doom and gloom as some people try hard to picture the 80's.
I agree with what Alfi said and I can take it one step further as today's bands have forgotten what it is all about as they tend to run before they start to walk and have one important ingredient missing which is the fun side of it.
Case in point the amount of artificiallity that is abundant be it a MTV awards or the awful'useless Eurovision.
But all in all if it wasn't for the YMCA's MaltaSajf and the Rockarja, I seriously doubt if the continuation of Maltese singers and musicians would have flowed so easily from that point to today as these two different organisations left their indelible mark on the local music scene from the 80s and further on.