On Friday, local artists Wayne Micallef and Richard Edwards will be joining forces to stage a charity benefit concert, featuring a handful of talented musicians, which they have dubbed the ‘Battle of the Brothers’.
They admit this sounds more like a wrestling match than a music event, but the name is just a pun that reflects the sibling rivalry, which has apparently been a driving force in both their combined and solo musical pursuits.
Micallef and Edwards, the latter having adopted his middle name instead of the family name because “Wayne beat [him] to it”, have been surrounded by music for as long as they can remember.
“When we were kids, I remember we used to sing along to The Beatles and stuff like The Sound of Music,” Micallef reminisces when I ask about their earliest musical memories.
“Actually, we had to sing along,” he adds, explaining that their father Joe (formerly of the band Eclipse and later a solo artist in his own right) was quite the strict teacher.
His sense of discipline didn’t go to waste either, leading the boys, and their older sister Michelle before them, to learn to play an instrument.
“Michelle started learning piano when she was four and Wayne when he was five... I was meant to follow in their footsteps, but instead of going to lessons, I used to skive and play video games at the arcade,” Edwards says with a grin.
Micallef admits he wasn’t particularly keen about his classical piano lessons either, mainly because his teacher was so strict, but he thanks her every time he sees her now for keeping him in line. He also credits his uncle (another musician) for introducing him to other genres, mainly jazz pieces that “he would play to me on Sunday mornings before going out”.
Edwards, on the other hand, found his calling for musical expression elsewhere. “I picked up the bass when we were in the UK, but for the past four years or so, I’ve devoted myself to the guitar… I can also play enough piano to write a song, so I suppose that makes me a jack of all trades.”
This triggers a bit of fraternal teasing, reflective of just how different these two brothers are despite so many similarities in their background, such as their successful spell (along with their sister Michelle) as The Mics, and even before that, appearances with their father in his hotel band.
“Those childhood opportunities, getting on stage with dad, proved invaluable in building our confidence to perform,” Richard says. Micallef agrees, recalling that they fell in love with being onstage.
The Mics’ lifespan lasted from 1998 to 2005, during which time they released a couple of singles locally. The band was put on hold when Edwards relocated to the UK, with Micallef following him about a year later.
Despite their different personalities, they lived together in London and even formed another band there. “We were doing quite well in terms of gigging around the UK and building a name for ourselves,” Micallef explains. For a moment, they collectively reminisce and talk of their time there, sidestepping into the odd (mis)adventure and various fun experiences.
“Unfortunately, there were musical differences and the band imploded.”
Micallef headed back to Malta and launched a solo career, while Edwards stayed on long enough to audition for X-Factor and qualify all the way to the final 80.
“It was a great experience while it lasted… I got to perform alongside Leona Lewis, who went on to win that year’s edition. And believe me: her natural voice is even more beautiful than the one on record”. He headed back to Malta to plan his next move which, like his brother, saw him focus on solo work.
One common factor linking their separate careers is their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
“The festival carries so much weight here that it’s hard to distance yourself from it,” Wayne says when asked about why he participates.
Indeed, since they are both full-time musicians, one could also say participation also serves as self-promotion. Edwards believes “the important thing is to approach it on your own terms”.
Having placed second with his rock ballad Finally in this year’s edition, he feels he’s done just that. “There’s no way I would take part with a song that I wasn’t comfortable with.”
Micallef agrees, and is particularly pleased that his entry Everybody Sing, like Richard’s song, has found an audience beyond the Eurovision circuit and is receiving significant radio airplay on commercial stations too.
However, he does admit it would be ideal if there were other avenues to showcase one’s music here besides the Eurovision scene.
To some extent, he’s already found another way, with all of his solo singles to date – and there are quite a few – having been positively received by Maltese audiences and chalking some high positions in several radio charts.
In similar fashion, Edwards had recorded a solo EP, Busking in Baghdad, back in 2009. “It was a new chapter for me. I recorded it with Micallef at his studio, and one of the songs off it will be included on the album I’m working on right now,” he says.
The album he refers to is the one that Dutch songwriter Jan Van Dijck is producing. “Finally was originally written for the album, but somebody suggested I should submit it for the Eurovision Malta Song Contest.” The rest is history, and as a result, Edwards’s profile has probably never been bigger.
The combined power of the two brothers’ popularity within the local scene is ultimately the reason for this interview, or rather the aim behind the concert is.
What prompted them to take this initiative? “We visited the children at the Rainbow Ward and got to meet the families too. Through them we learnt about the difficulties they are faced with on a daily basis as well as the amazing support they receive from Puttinu Cares,” they answer.
Touched by the staff’s dedication and moved by the inspirational courage shown by the children, they decided they wanted to help. Roping in a few friends, namely James Bartolo, Leslie Decesare and Ryan Abela, as well as their sister Michelle and younger brother Daniel, Wayne and Richard will be staging the Battle of the Brothers charity benefit concert at Buskett Roadhouse on Friday.
Tickets cost €5 and are available from Fred Perry/Diesel in Valletta and Sliema, The Warehouse Outlet, Attard, Papilla Salon, Rabat, Club Cut, Paola, and Pizz..e’ ho Voglia di Te, Mosta, or by calling 9961 3896. All proceeds will go to the Puttinu Cares for Children fund.
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