Indie ambassadors return home | Alison Galea
On November 2, Malta’s internationally-loved alternative rock band Beangrowers returns to the Maltese stage with a gig at V-Gen, Ball Street, Paceville. We speak to the Beanie’s singer and frontwoman Alison Galea about being one of the first Maltese indie bands around, and what’s in store for their future.
27 October 2012, 12:00am
Teodor Reljic
Teodor Reljic
3 min read
Alison Galea: As the Beangrowers, we have always made it our mission to be good ambassadors to Malta, mostly because we were the first Maltese band to venture abroad.
How do you feel to be back on native shores? What's kind of energy do you hope to bring over to the island this time around?
It feels good and energising to finally all be in the same country, since I moved back from Paris a few months ago. We hope to start using this new energy to write lots of new material.
How would you say your music has evolved over the years, and what would you say are some of your most significant musical milestones?
When looking back at our four albums we are proud to have always produced music we still stand behind today. Each album was a significant milestone in our career and each one carries a rich history with it. One particular story we like to tell is that of how our song The Priest ended up on a Wim Wenders film with Leonard Cohen and David Bowie on the same soundtrack. With that we made it to the front page of The Times here in Malta - we are particularly pleased with that. Our music grew with us and we see how each album sounds more complete than the previous one.
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How does it feel like to be received well abroad? What do you think contributes to the success of your sound, and do you feel like you're 'ambassadors' to Malta in any way?
We have always made it our mission to be good ambassadors to Malta, mostly because we realised that we were often the first Maltese to set foot in towns and clubs across Europe and the US. It always feels great to be well-received abroad because we feel that audiences must genuinely like our music, when one thinks of all the other bands out there to be heard.
Our sound is the coming together of three people who have been through a lot throughout the years and who are always very sure of what they represent.
How would you say that the Maltese music scene has changed and evolved since you guys first started off?
The Maltese music scene breathes a different life nowadays. It is packed with bands and artists, most of which are very good. When we started off, we were one of the only few 'indie' bands around. And there wasn't much else on offer. Today, we are spoilt for choice.
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Have you got any immediate plans for the near future?
We would like to put together an EP to get some new songs out there. It has been too long since we put together an album so now the time feels right for a fresh start. The concert on 2 November will give us the energy we need and the push in the right direction. We are looking forward to it.
Beangrowers will be supported by Stolen Creep. Doors open at 21:00. Entrance is at €8. To hear more of their music log on to their Band Camp page.
Teodor Reljić was born in Belgrade, Serbia and raised in Malta. He writes fiction across ...
