How did the band start?
The band started in 2007 after our previous band Dripht was splitting up and, together with Daniel Cassar we decided to start a new band. We met up with Darko and we started jamming for a few months; after that we asked Sarah Falzon to join the band and we quickly started writing and came up with the name nosnow/noalps after I went to visit my brother in Leeds. Soon after, we went to our frist tour in Copenhagen and recorded our first EP, Just Rock.
What is your earliest memory of a nosnow/noalps gig?
I remember everything pretty well, from trying to find our first garage in Marsa to rehearse in, to our first tour in Copenhagen, supporting the beangrowers at their album launch and then our EP launch for Just Rock at Poxx Bar.
How have you seen the band change through the years (in terms of line-up and sound)?
Yes, the band changed very much with countless line up changes. The style kept on evolving with time and everyone put in their input in the song-writing, so the influences where many. I hope that we keep maturing and writing better songs. With everyline up change we found new sounds to experiment with - we started with a more indie sound which evolved to a more poppy alternative sound with ska element in the album Romantik Politik, and then got a bt heavier and funkier for the EP Go Go Go Go.
Despite the line-up changes, the cohesiveness remains strong. How do you manage this?
I think quitting is the worst thing you can do. Once you have the music and you kind of build a small name for yourself you can keep going. It's not easy to find members who are ready to travel and leave malta for long periods of time, but I think this current line up is the strongest ever.
What were the biggest highs of the band in the past decade?
We had many highs, including performing live on Rai radio2 in Milan, supporting Dry the River in Italy, the album launch of Romantik Politik (when we managed to pack up Beachaven).
What would you have thought had someone mentioned the band would still be around in 10 years’ time?
I never really thought about that, but I guess I would have said 'sure thing!'. Same as if someone asked me today what we will be doing in the next 10 years. My reply would be 'rocking the stage, for sure'.
What were the biggest challenges you’ve encountered?
The line-up changes, which slowed things a bit. And financial issues are always a problem, but we have been doing good till now.
What can we expect from the anniversary concert?
This is our biggest show to date; we are preparing a full show and we are playing most of our songs. Some we completely changed from the originals and others just kept the same structure but had small changes through this time. Will will be having a lot of special guests joining us on stage for this occasion, so the band is going to be at its full potential.
Can each band member describe the band in a couple of sentences?
Sarah: For me, the band is like a second family. We meet each other almost every other day to rehearse or create new music and we support each other in everything we do inside and out of the band.
Leona: nosnow/noalps is not just a band. For me it is a home, a sense of belonging and a friendship of value. Be it a band problem or any other sort of problem, this band has always been there since the beginning. It is a dream come true to play with these guys; the experience can't be described in words. But what is certain is that there is chemistry between us and it shows .
Bertram:The band is made up of different characters that come from different background of music, and they all gel together when songwriting for nosnow. I believe all these characters complement each other and make us the team we are. We learn, and we go through a lot of experiences together bringing us closer as a band everytime.
Banjo: For me, nosnow/noalps is a big part of our lives. We are five individuals who have our own lives, but come together within this band. In nosnow/noalps there is a strong acknowledgment of everyones needs and we always make sure that we are all happy and understand each other.
Nick: As the others said it is more than a band for sure. For me, this is life and it is all I want to do.
nosnow/noalps is Nick Morales, Bertram Cachia, Benji Cachia, Sarah Falzon and Leona Farrugia. Moving Mountains, 10 years of nosnow/noalps takes place tomorrow, Friday 17, at The Palace Theatre, Paola. Tickets are available online.
www.shop.trackagescheme.com