Ray - Lead vocals & guitar
Rayvin - Backing vocals & guitar
Cooks - Bass
Najju - Drums
Humbalance - keyboards
(2006 lineup Humbalance replaced by Antoine Faure
Influences
The Beatles, Cars, Lou Reed, Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Ruts, Clash, The Undertones, Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, (early) Adam & the Ants, Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker, The Specials, Madness, the Beat, The Selecter, and all good music!
Sounds Like
Dance Music for the 80s Depression @ Tanttinger 30 April 2006
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The RIFFFS were formed in 1978 with Ray on guitar and vocals, Cooks on bass, Twanny (Najju) on drums, Humbalance on keyboards and Rayvin on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. After a succession of gigs a demo was recorded which was instrumental for the band to sign a recording contract in 1981 with an independent UK record company called Alternative Music based in Bromley Kent. Dance Music for the 80s Depression was chosen as the song to record and the band where booked into Wave Studios on Hoxton Square in Shoreditch, London to the record the single. Gigs around London where arranged and the single was starting to gain airplay in the UK. The future looked rosy for the boys which at the time where all living in Camberwell, and after the release of Dance Music in Malta thinks looked even better. The band returned to Malta and played a succession of concerts and made several appearances on TV. The single went up to No 1 in the Maltese charts and remained in that position for a number of weeks. Unfortunately back in the UK the record company was facing financial difficulties and eventually went bankrupt leaving the Rifffs with just one record to their name and no one to distribute or market the single in the UK. Ray and Rayvin decided to stay in the UK to persue their musical career but unfortunately due to family commitments the rest of the band returned to Malta and that was the end of 'the Rifffs' that is until 25years later when Rayvin came back to Malta after living abroad for that period of time. He contacted the boys to see how they would feel about reforming the band and the response was unanimous, so plans where made to record all the old songs so that the Rifffs can finally have an album to their name. The first recording session was made on the 22st March 2006 and 3 tracks were laid down. These were Life of Crime, a new song penned by Ray just after Rayvin met him again to talk about reforming, 'Little Girl' and Whos the Spy which were originally written and performed by the Rifffs in 1980 and which still sounded as fresh and exciting as they did way back when the band started. The band played their first gigs after 25 years on the 29th and 30th of April 2006 at Tattingers night club in Rabat infront of a mixed crowd of people that remembered the band from the 80s and youngsters who were not even born when the Rifffs had their original success. Both concerts were a fantastic experience for the band members and crowd alike. 'the Rifffs' gave a show of a lifetime and the huge crowd present reciprocated by adding to the electrifying atmosphere with their dancing and singing along to their favourite tunes from the past and present. Two new tracks where recorded in 2007. 'Jack the Ripper' was released as a single in June and became an instant hit. 'Monday Morning' was released at the end of September 2007. More concerts are lined up for the band who are still hoping to be able to complete and release their album soon
