Nicky’s Resonating Reggae

Nicky Bomba has a fondness for Tasmania as it was the first place, he connected with an audience. He loves visiting Tassie and mentions the Huon, The four corners of Ross and Launceston as some of the places he enjoys visiting.

Playing the drums since he was 6 years old and from a large musical Maltese family Nicky had his first feel of fame at age 14 when he sang a song with a visiting Maltese priest. The song became a hit in Malta. The money raised from the success of the song helped build a Maltese cultural centre. Nicky still sings the song at gigs and mentions to me he recently did just that.

Having success at such a young age, Nicky’s dad wondered if his son could make a living from music, which he has managed to do even though occasionally he has had to do other jobs as a sideline and in an ironic twist let along making a living at music he has used music to make a ‘living’ of his dad documenting his father’s life in Malta and Australia. With a pervading interest in culture, on his dads 70th birthday he decided to record some of the Maltese songs he would hear his father singing. These were recorded along with his dad talking in Maltese about his life.

Nicky gets back to Malta about once a year. His dad was born in the country’s capital of Valetta and his mum in Mosta. Nicky himself was born not far from the capital in a place called Paola, the home of the world heritage hypogeum. This underground temple is the only temple of prehistoric origin in the world. it is also the place that the famous sleeping lady statues were discovered and it is also known for its strange ability to produce ‘from any noise found inside of it a very powerful acoustic resonance’, it seems a fitting birthplace for a musician such as Nicky, especially since there is also a section called the oracle which suits Nicky’s thoughtfulness. Paola is also the place of the only mosque in Malta, fitting too for a musician that celebrates and explores the dancing traditions and music of many different cultures such as Ethiopia and Morocco.

I am speaking to Nicky as he drives through Harvey Bay and it is raining, but as we close the interview he comments he will ‘bring the sunshine’ and with his bombasta showcasing Calypso, Reggae and Afro Cuban music, we can only agree with that.

You can see Nicky at the Republic Bar Hobart on Friday,June 28 and Tonic Bar (Country Club) Launceston on Saturday,June 29.
Paula Xiberras