Comments on: Banned by our Soviet friends in the 1980s

By: Leonard

Leonard — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:33:05 +0000

Hi Tim – “until we get rid of SAF …”. That sounds like an atheist. Jesus, even the Pope has admitted to a couple of blips. Have faith, we’ll come good in the end. Enjoy the lads from Dunfermline.

By: Mario Debono

Mario Debono — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:36:48 +0000

I also did my time at San Alwigi, and was also hounded for “smoking”, but if memory serves me right, Alfred Xuereb didn’t smoke . Louis Piccinino did, Alla Jahfirlu. Alfred did have some choice words to describe me as well. “Village idiot ” was one of them. He then used to punish me for “answering back”…….

I wish they had hounded me more, I’m desperately trying to quit the habit nowadays and getting nowhere!

In all my time there, no one I knew encountered the dreaded ferlass, as the Jesuit whip was known. It had been outlawed for some time. The limit you could get was detention, or a Wednesday at school, or at most, a Sunday. I got that one time for bad behaviour, namely getting some WW II memorabilia to school, not being aware that the memorabilia was actually a live anti-personnel bomb (a small one, but lethal nonetheless) found at Hal Far airfield, where we used to go and play in that then deserted wilderness.

I also went to Moscow in 1987. At that time, a Pink Floyd cassette I had was as good as any currency, and my Russian friend made a fortune making copies and selling them to his friends. Marlboro cigarettes were also good. The country was experiencing Glasnost but life’s little luxuries were still missing, hence the high price. But a pack of Marlboro could get you anything, including entry to the Bolshoi.

Nothing could be more different now. Russians believe in cold hard cash. That’s it. And now we westerners hanker after their most expensive item, caviar. Nothing tastes like it and they know it. Hence the high price. And everything is allowed. Music, hedonism, whatever…

How times have changed!

By: Tim Ripard

Tim Ripard — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:30:54 +0000

In reply to Leonard.

Leonard, my friend,

1) the concert was due to have been held on March 9th but got postponed due to illness

2) I have scores of opportunities to watch United every year but Nazareth on my doorstep is an extremely rare event

3) until we get rid of SAF and find a manager who can inspire the players to fight like lions (Wazza excepted), the damage to my heart and nervous system caused by watching United huff and puff can easily be dispensed with on this one occasion

By: Tim Ripard

Tim Ripard — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:24:16 +0000

In reply to jenny. Fr. Alfred Xuereb whose favourite appellation for me was 'scum'

By: Leonard

Leonard — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:11:39 +0000

In reply to Tim Ripard. Nazareth for the Red Devils? Judas.

By: jenny

jenny — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:41:08 +0000

In reply to Tim Ripard. who was the 'sadist' at the time.

By: Adrian Buckle

Adrian Buckle — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:11:25 +0000

Oh come on, Daphne!

Are you saying that Dolores Cristina, our Minister for Culture, is a throwback to 1980’s Soviet Union?

[Daphne – No, I’m not.]

By: Tim Ripard

Tim Ripard — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:04:27 +0000

@ John Many leading luminaries of the PN were educated at St. Aloysius, hence all this religious fundamentalism rampant in Malta. I served my time there too, where I was hounded by the ‘sadist’ for smoking whilst same ‘sadist’ used to share his ciggies with his fawning sycophants.

@ DCG Glad to see ‘Nazareth’ on the list. I’ll be going to their concert on Tue, even though I must sacrifice the CL quarter-final, first leg, between the world champions and Porto.

By: Leonard

Leonard — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:22:45 +0000

Censorship mid-70s dear Daddy style: When I was 15 or 16 and totally immersed in rock music, I wanted Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland – the original release by Track Records who had produced a cover showing several nude ladies lounging in a rather debauched state (I was only interested in the music of course). No chance of finding it on the racks so I ordered it via D’Amato. When it arrived it was handed to me discreetly in a black bag. When my dear father (an absolutely great guy in all other respects) spotted it among my record collection, he didn’t say anything, but the following day I found it plastered with plain paper, loads of adhesive tape and his initials at every corner. It actually helped to keep it in mint condition. Still have that album (without the paperwork).

By: Amanda Mallia

Amanda Mallia — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:22:41 +0000

In reply to Corinne Vella. Oh, for the memories ...