| VINCE FABRI |
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| Vince Fabri reminisces about his early days in theatre with the hit series Ahn’Ahna Jew M’Ahniex by Ramona Depares FULL ARTICLE |
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| VINCE FABRI |
| Put your guitar where your mouth is, Vince Fabri may not exactly be a new release, but he's got the permanence and solidity that boy bands and Bond girls only dream of by Stanley Borg FULL ARTICLE |
| LISTEN TO HIS SONGS |
| U baqa s-skiet madwari versi: Oliver Friggieri muzika:Vince Fabri |
| Flimkien b'Solidarjeta' versi: Joe Saliba muzika: Vince Fabri |
| Photo by Mario Mintoff (Photo City) |
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| LISTEN TO HIS SONGS |
| Klikka Spotlight On Vince Fabri By Nadine Brincat Published on the 16 January 2003 I met Vince Fabri on a busy afternoon, at a jam-packed Jubilee in Valletta, while he was on break from his day job. Vince is now well-known as the face of Xarabank's musical input, but in his earlier days, he was the behind the lyrics and music of the 80s-hit show Ahn'Ahna jew M'Ahniex?, which produced one of the best-selling local albums. Vince was born and bred in Valletta, in which he still resides and works. When asked about how his interest in music blossomed, he reminisced about how he started taking drums lessons at the age of 9. "By the time I was 11, I was performing with the school band. At 15, I started playing the guitar, which is now my favourite instrument," he related. During the politically turbulent mid 80s, Vince's lyrics and musical arrangements were one of the central vehicles for the digs and puns presented in the satirical script, for what was to later become the TV program Ahn'Ahna jew M'Ahniex?" The show originated from a team which was involved in theatrical protest activities - known as the Grupp tan-Numri. We based Ahn'Ahna jew M'Ahniex? on Prof.Oliver Friggieri's book Fil-Parlament ma Jikbrux Fjuri and turned it into a musical embedded with satire and social comment," Vince explained. However bringing the script to the TV screens was not at all a rosy transition. "In 1985, which was the National Year for Youth, the team proposed a the script for a TV programme. Although all the scripts, songs and lyrics were prepared beforehand, the proposal was turned down," Vince recounted. To the team's great relief, the proposal was re-submitted and accepted, in 1988. "Because of a change in government, many people expected the programme to attack the opposition, but we criticised everyone and this seemed to cause a good measure of cultural shock at the time," Vince related. He admitted that the first three programmes were difficult for people to understand, but after that the show soared to fame. "There was no pluralism at the time and watching TV was a family activity. The programmes on TV moved on to be the subject of discussion at grocers, and among friends," he continued. Vince is one busy man, although he works for the Board of Co-operatives on a full-time basis, he is also the singer, guitarist and musical co-ordinator for the nation's favourite talk show, Xarabank. In addition, he takes care of the musical elements of the local literary group, Poezija Plus. Personal StatsAge: 42 – an utterly shocking fact, particularly since he appears to be not a day older than 33. Sex: Male Height: 5'8' Personal Status: Single Web-site: www.oocities.org/vincefabri/music.html If you could go back in time, what would you like to change about your life? "I think that all in all I have had many disappointments in life, but I have learnt from them. They contribute to making me what I am today. If I were to change something, I would be a different person," he answered spontaneously. After a moment's reconsideration, he explained further: "having said that, there are, however, some things that I would rather not have gone through. "What do you drink when you go out with friends? Per principle, Vince sticks to sparkling water, "because I am very conscious of alcohol abuse and the problems it causes," he stressed. "When I decide that I want to drink something alcoholic, I go for red wine, but it is something which I keep under tight control. If someone offers me a bottle of wine when I am having a meal, I don't feel that I need to drink it all, just because it's there," he explained. Other than what you do at the moment, what other job would you love to do? "There are many other things I really enjoy doing, which I could envisage myself doing for a living," he revealed. "I enjoy manual work, drawing, working with wood, crafts and anything that has to do with creativity. I just wish I had more time during which to enjoy these activities!" he added with a sigh of resignation, directed at the fast pace of time. What is your favourite movie? Vince outlined the central theme of a 1980s film called Carmen's Story in which a Flamenco dance company sets up a production of the opera Carmen. "What I particularly like about this film is that the audience doesn't know whether the scenes it is presented with are those of the company's rehearsals or actually what the members of the dance company are going through in their lives on the screen," he added. How has your life changed in the past five years? Vince answered in a simple, yet philosophical manner. "I have gone through lots of changes, but then they are the normal kind of changes one could expect over a span of five years" he stated. "It's just that you feel them more because they are more recent. I think that turning 40 is a landmark in life," Vince confessed. He believes that people seem to understand things better past the 40 threshold. Vince revealed that he enjoys being with younger people, particularly because of their open and international mentality. "I think that being a teenager today is better than in the past because before things were more closed," he concluded. What is your dream car? Vince seems to be one of those people who are more concerned with the proverbial book rather than the cover. "I think that the features of a car which I consider to be important are mostly utility and safety," he explained. "I don't really have a dream car, also because I have a problem with luxurious cars which function as status symbols. In my time, one would buy the first car at the age of 25, and that would be a second hand car. However, I enjoy driving cars with good technologial features," he admitted. What three adjectives describe you best? Vince mulled over the question, taking his time before providing the following answer: "typically people say that I am calm. I am an easy-going person, without extreme attitudes. I am also the same person to everyone; I don't play different roles, I am consistent. Finally, I like creativity and all things creative. "How do you spend Sunday afternoons? If his schedule is free of appointments, Vince Normally does things related to cleaning or fixing his room, and other such chores, which inevitably have to be done. "Since I am not much of a football fan, I am more than willing to miss the telly and enjoy the afternoon at a coffee shop in Mdina," he added. What do you see yourself doing in ten years' time? Vince's short answer was immediate," I don't see myself doing anything really different. I hope I will be doing variations of what I do today." |