Musicians and Valletta regulars were saddened by the news of the passing of the mysterious busker, who was known for his droning guitar sounds and telling people to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.

“For the last eight years or so, the streets of Valletta have resounded with the playing of a musician whose cool was iconic, his presence familiar and his humility, albeit with a twist of eccentricity, impactful on the few who knew him,” musician Ryan Farrugia wrote on Facebook.

“Unfortunately, I recently got to learn that Alan, the cool guy with the guitar is with us no more. Your determination and resilience are beyond many; you playing cool—dirty yet gracious—and simply a fixture within the Capital. Valletta will never be the same.”

“I am sad thinking that this is about our funny and crazy friend ‘Fuck-off’, that’s what we were calling him because he would always come to us every time we would busk in Valletta, and he’d talk, make jokes, tell things, and then say/scream to us ‘fuck you’ or ‘fuck off’ and that would be his way of saying ‘have a good one’ or ‘you are very nice,’ wrote another musician, Guadalupe Cascardo from duo Amarena Musik wrote.

He also shared the only photo he took with Alan.

Rest in power Alan.

Did you ever encounter Alan the guitarist? Sound off in the comment below