You're in the army now... wohoowohh, you're in the army, now...

There was this dream I saw repeatedly at the time. In the dream I woke up and walked out of the barracks to the drill/parade grounds. Looking east, I could see the Aegean Sea. In the dream instead of open sea, there was Corfu Town, with the Old Fort resplendent in the hazy morning sun. It was quiet, there was no sound of cars driving along the Mourayia, or ferries announcing their leaving port... The island just sat there, waiting. It seemed so near, but in reality was so far away...



It is August 1987 and I have just arrived at the 26th EMA in Litochoro where I am to be stationed for the next few months. The unit is one of the better ones in the Greek Tank corps. A choice of two different meals on the menu everyday, Litochoro and it's tourist attractions just outside the gates, plenty of soldiers to share the "ÿpiresies" (duties). Add to that a commander who sees himself as one of the boys, and it couldn't get any better...
Unfortunately this was all to change. A recent series of situations involving a gang of drunk and disorderly soldiers stealing a car and crashing into a number of other cars while trying to find their way to the beach, brought the units relaxed atmosphere under serious scrutiny by the general command. A change of commander was deemed necessary. He arrived and wasted no time telling us that he was going to set us straight. A firm believer in the traditonal greek values of 'patris-thriskia-oikogeneia' (country-religion-family) he fully intended to put both of our feet in one shoe... After my first few days there I found that the only guys i had anything in common with, where the aforementioned drunk and disorderly ones... Most of them where from Piraeus, my home town in a way. One of them , Michalis, had studied in England, so we had even more to talk about.

Up until then I had been a bit backward in my musical tastes, owing to the fact most of my musical education had come in assorted unusual ways. My german teacher for a year , was a sort of remnant of the flower power era guy, and let me in on prog rock, rock and soul, Pink Floyd and such heady stuff. My parents record collection ranged from Kyra giorgaina to Ray Conniff and the Carpenters or the sound of music.

Michalis let me in on this group called "the ramones"... This was stunning stuff!
I haven't spoken to him in years, but I dedicate this song to him:



Michalis also let me in on a bunch of other great bands, like the Dream Syndicate:




And the awesome sisters of mercy!



That summer actually saw me going to my first international level concert. A few days before I left for Litochoro from Avlona, where the training camp was, Joe Cocker played in the Alexandras Ave. Stadium. I couldn't miss it! I got there just in time. In a desperate bid to get as close as possible, I tried to climb one of the spiked fences, and ended up almost impaled on it. The spike ripped my jeans and i ended up hanging without being able to lift myself off. One of the bouncers/security guys took pity on me and lifted me off (by my ankles!!!) He also let me stay inside as I was so keen...

So there I was listening to Joe, singing "With a little help from my friends" and thinking that i am listening to the same voice that almost a million people heard sing the same song in Woodstock. A really unforgettable moment. I later found out there were a bunch of Corfiots at the concert, but of course in that age of no mobile phones, how could I know... Still it was a great concert and the start of my love for live music...



A truly great voice and great singer...
Love to all, and good night...