Maltese Calypso

MALTESE CALYPSO

Posted on 9th February 2011

IN 198O/81 MY BAND, "THE MEDIUM WAVE BAND" PERFORMED IN MALTA AT THE DRAGONARA PALACE . ST JULIENS BAY. I WROTE A SONG CALLED THE MALTESE CALYPOSO WHICH ENCAPSULATED THE FEELING OF A FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE ISLAND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW. WE WOULD PLAY THE SONG EVERY NIGHT DURING OUR PERFORMANCE. IT BECAME SO POPULAR WE IMPORTED DISCS AND SOLD THEM AT THE SHOWS. WE RECORDED A 45RPM SINGLE AND HAD IT PRESSED AT WEA IN LONDON. THEY SOLD LIKE HOT CAKES AND QUICKLY BECAME THE TALK OF THE ISLAND. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE WE WERE PIRATED AND THOUSANDS OF CASSETTE COPIES APPEARED AT THE MARKET IN VALETTA. MALTA DID NOT RECOGNISE THE ROYALTY SYSTEM AND I WAS THREATENED NOT TO TAKE THE MATTER FURTHER. MY HEALTH WOULD BE,THEY TOLD ME,IN DANGER. WE SOLD SOME 15000 RECORDS IN THAT SEASON AND GOODNESS KNOWS HOW MANY 'BOOTLEGS' I'VE HEARD MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS AND ONCE HAD IT PLAYED TO ME AT A RESTAURANT,VERY SURREAL. many people ask me about the story so now you know Trevor