Triccas, singer and voice of 1980s’ subversive ‘Hotel California’ pastiche, dies at 59

Actor and songwriter Jesmond Tedesco Triccas has died at the age of 59.

Known popularly as it-Triccas, he died on Tuesday evening and his passing was announced by his niece, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

Metsola described him as “a superstar uncle” who spent his life with a guitar in hand “making people smile”.

“Always there with a word of advice, warning or criticism, I knew I could always rely on him to tell me the unvarnished truth, in a way only artists can,” Metsola said.

Triccas’s voice was undeniably linked to his 1980’s Hotel California cover version, a Maltese-language pastiche of the Eagles hit, a stoner’s croon about heavy-handed policemen with clear jibes at the state of the country under the Labour administration of the time. The song lived on surreptitiously through bootleg cassette tapes.

Triccas won the 1999 festival l-Għanja tal-Poplu with the song Il-Karrakka. He was also an actor, having interpreted several characters in musicals like Sette Giugno, Żeża tal-Flagship, Rewwixta tal-Bdiewa and Scrooge. Triccas also appeared on television productions, including Anġli and Grammi.

Triccas’s death has led to an outpouring of grief in the music and artistic community.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici also paid his respects. "The artistic sector has lost a lot with his passing and I lost a person from whom I only saw goodness and respect, and good advice," Bonnici said. "I still remember the last time we met a few months ago at his home and how happy he was with the outcome of the festival Muzika Muzika 2022, in which he also formed part of the judging panel."

Triccas leaves to mourn him his wife Ben.