The Olympians – The Comeback
With just two days to go before their comeback concert, MUSICinMALDIVES.com takes an in depth look at the Olympians – who were they?
The Olympians – The Comeback concert starts on 28th, and will continue for three consecutive nights, in Olympus at 2100hrs. Seats were sold out within a matter of days. They were sold at MVR 50/=, 75/=, 100/= & 200/=.
The current line-up includes
- Mahmooda Shakeeb (first line-up)
- Fathimath Rauf (first line-up)
- Abdul Rauf
- Ibrahim Shakeeb (first line-up)
- “Gambia” Mohamed Rasheed (first line-up)
- Hussain Rasheed (first line-up)
- Moosa Rasheed
Original hits such as “Dhauruvaa Mihandhaanthah” and “Reyrey Mihen Khiaalu Kollan Aadhevey” still seem to contain a certain nostalgia for a whole generation. Although they have had some originals to their credit, most of their repertoire were made up of dhivehi lyrics sung to popular hindi songs.
It appears that there are many, who has been an Olympian during one time or the other. A complete list all the Olympians has not been documented. For all the buzz and hype surrounding this performance, notably, there are also those who will be missed:
- Ibrahim Ahmed (“Gini Dhombe“), deceased, (first line-up)
- “Kaamineege” Mohamed Zahid, deceased, (first line-up)
who later founded the 20th Century B. C., one of the most popular bands in the Maldives then and later opened the Six-X, the first music shop in the Maldives - Ibrahim “Bongo” Naseer (1954-2007), deceased
who later performed for Amazon Jade for nearly three decades - Mohamed Rashaad, deceased
- Ibrahim Hamdi
who later worked as an instructor in the National Center for the Arts and Voice of Maldives - Abdul Hannaan Moosa Didi
popular song-writer and performer - Hon. Hussain Shihab, currently the High Commissioner for Maldives in Saudi Arabia.
History
According to a music researcher, during the mid-seventies, the Olympians contributed to the business development of popular music, with the help of the emerging pop culture.
The Olympians played regular gigs in Olympus and and later in Hakuraa Fair, which used to be housed where, the current parliament building sits today. Glamorous seventies-styled costumes with fancy tops, big-shiny necklaces and bell-bottoms, seem to have branded and sealed their image.
Prior to the Olympians, there existed a band known as “Male’ Zamanee Music Club” (MZMC) which was managed by the late “Mas-odi” Hassan-fulhu. In 1964, Ibrahim Ahmed (“Gini Dhombe“), Fattah, Mohamed Rauf (“Bodey“) and Dhon Adam Fulhu was sent to India, on a one-year program to study music, by Seneco Radio.
Some of the musicians from MZMC would later join the Olympians.
The Olympians was formed in 1974, of as a private venture of the late ex-president, H. E. Ibrahim Nasir. “Saikuraa” Naeem was incharge of recruiting, managing and recording.
The first line-up included:
- Abdu Rasheed (Reedhoo)
- “Kaashi” Lhahu’thu
- Kuda Manik (Ukulhahu)
- Ibrahim Shakeeb (Still performing)
- Abdu Nasir
- Abdul Fa’thah
- Thaufeeq (Jam)
- Kuda Thu’thu (Unko)
- Fathimath Rauf (Still performing)
- Ibrahim Ahmed (Gini Dhombe)
- Naseema (Bodugaluge/ MNDF Athif’s mother)
- Dhon Adam Fulhu (Mundu)
- Ibrahim Hamdhee
- Mohamed Rashaad
- Mohamed Shareef (Alinarumaa)
- Mohamed Zahid (Six-X)
- Hussain Rasheed (Still performing)
With the change of government administration in 1978, the Olympians were naturally disbanded.
Later, during the early 80s, a band known as DIB was formed under the Department of Information and Broadcasting, and hence the name itself: DIB. Then again, some of the Olympians were recruited into the DIB. When this department became a ministry, the band was renamed Antares.
It is noteworthy that, some of these musicians have continued to perform all these years, practicing their art and entertaining the public. They have been doing this with great commitment, passion and interest, and seem to be continuously adapting to challenges.
Whether the Olympians that we are going to see now, can perform to the expectations of audiences today, in all its glamor and glory, remains to be seen. Furthermore, whether this is going to be a one-time event or, if the current members of the band, posses the necessary chemistry to continue with the band, also remains to be seen.
SOURCE: Information from the National Center for the Arts
Could the Olympians survive together as a band?
- Not sure (44%, 7 Votes)
- Yes (31%, 5 Votes)
- No (25%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 16
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July 26th, 2009 at 23:37
In my opinion renaming the band as Olympians is a marketing stunt. Undoubtedly, Olympians in the 70s was the most popular band in the local scene. This determination is perhaps based on the size of their audience (the Hindi film loving).
Considering the real development, we should not undermine the support and encouragement from the tourism industry. And we should as well credit hotel chains like the Universal Resorts.
Even so, in my opinion, the father of Maldivian popular music and its development is late president Ibrahim Nasir. I say this for two reasons.
1. He encouraged new-comers (presented instruments to Majeediyya School).
2. He is the only person who ever understood the importance of proper training even within popular music. As the article says, since 1965 till this day NO ONE has ever been given the opportunity to attain proper training within the field. But we (at least most elderly musicians today) know the influence as well as the contribution of the four musicians trained in India.
Its rather disappointing to know that none of these happenings in the 1970s, the decade that brought enormous development to the local popular music scene, or later was never documented. Surely, the most important decade (the 1970s) in the history of popular music in Maldives.
Notably, then, the years that followed, nor today are there any kind of chemistry among the band members. This is a secret everyone knows and has existed even from the very early days of Olympians. I doubt any further success (as in popular music). Unless of course with a farther figure like Ibrahim Naeem (Saikura).
July 29th, 2009 at 19:46
A performance can be described as an agreement between the artist(s) and the audience member(s). Hence, it is extremely important that the event reaches out the right audience and the content meets the expectations musically and in terms of genre and style.
This was clearly and well displayed in last night’s Olympians’ show at Olympus Theatre. Frankly, I have never been to an Olympians Show in the 1970s. But I have witnessed several shows in the 80s and 90s like the Star-nights, Galaxy and the Happening, all of which have catered full house audiences.
However, I’ve never ever seen such an awesome audience like last night’s in my life. It is my assumption that this show was also celebrating the continuation of such shows like the Galaxy, in every respect, after being dumped for more than a decade. Unfortunately, during this decade, show organizers have promoted free shows in the expense of artists’ possible income.
Worst impact of this was on the rock bands that emerged in the early 2000. It is also noteworthy that unlike the currently adolescent audience of rock genres, the audience of Olympians, who then juvenile and grew up with the first popular culture of Maldives in the early 1960s, today, posses greater buying power. Further, this audience is also active and simple rather than passive and diffused with the evolving technological impact in the early 1990s.
In popular music, the success is measured commercially and not musically. Hence developing audiences is vital for the artists to achieve a successful career. I would presume that the local media and the Ministry of Education can play in important role in this development. I wish the Olympians band and others, all the very best.
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:27
It was a wonderful show and it proves that in the local community pop is still the mainstream and not rock. I would like to know a bit more about the local community and the pop scene in Maldives. Why don’t you write some up Adore and Picasso.