         |
| TOP NEWS | Sunday, 12 August 2007 Rockers, relax – cult programme will be back Rockers and heavy metal fans, put down your chainsaws. Your cult programme Grinta will be back in October.
The removal of the programme from Radju Malta’s summer schedule after 17 years had its loyal listeners up in arms against the PBS decision, but a spokesman at the national station reassured metalheads that Grinta “will definitely back in the winter schedule”. The fans were collecting signatures in a petition that was to be sent to the station’s management protesting against the decision, clearly alarmed that the programme was taken off air for the first time in summer. Forsaken bassist and sociologist Albert Bell, who is finalising his PhD about Malta’s heavy metal scene, started off the petition which said: “We the undersigned would like to register our protest and disagreement in relation to Grinta’s removal from Radio Malta’s summer schedule. Grinta is a niche programme that conforms to our musical preferences. We believe that meeting such preferences lies firmly within Radio Malta’s scope as a national radio station that should be reflective of a truly multi-faceted listenership.” Presented by heavy metal connoisseur Brian Micallef, the programme has been captivating audiences of all ages since it started 17 years ago, originally presented by Alfie Fabri. The programme is the only one of its kind to support heavy metal music and the local rock scene, and its removal was interpreted as “a severe dent” to the metal scene by the petition organisers. But the removal of the programme was less sinister than originally suspected. A PBS spokesman said the programme was stopped for summer only because the presenter was given another radio programme called Xatt il-Bahar in which he plays varied music genres that are “a bit more relaxed” than the chain-clanking and howling voice music associated with Grinta. “It will definitely be back in October,” the spokesman said. “You don’t mess around with rockers!” Any comments? If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click here |
 |
NEWS | Sunday, 12 August 2007 PN support in Gozo in free-fall Bortex fires Maltese, hires Chinese Forget the bedpans, let’s talk travel plans… ‘Our pharmacy licences are now safe and more valuable than ever’ AFM calls off search for missing migrants Musicians give hope to immigrants Mangion stands by Pender Place sale Mangion stands by Pender Place sale European gays appoint Maltese activist as policy officer Ostreopsis not an alien species Rockers, relax – cult programme will be back MMA official bluffed with junior to corrupt him Mistake paves way for Marsa hazardous waste incinerator PBS schedule ‘turned into auction’ UTV fracas: Former director to sue priest for libel To Gozo, and beyond Rector wants a ‘Gozitan Lourdes’ in Ta’ Pinu The road to Smart City – over 600m of tarmac through arable land |