Record / CD / Tape
The Smiths
1985

Headmaster Ritual
c/w Oscillate Wildly

7 inch black vinyl

Official Dutch release, licensed from Rough Trade by Megadisc.

I'll never forget dancing to Oscillate Wildly and Barbarism Begins at Home in the Mazzo club in Amsterdam - must have been the year of this release, 85. Giving each other " a crack on the head" in time to the lyric, with Marc Riley and the Creepers looking on bemused.

We'd hooked up with them the night previously following their show (recorded for a live album) at the Melkweg (Milky Way). Talk was of Manchester's Cyprus Tavern of all places, where we were all regulars. Also present were the guys from New Model Army, Marc Almond and Prince acolytes Apollonia 6.

Marc Riley liked to unbuckle his belt and thrust to the lyric of "Goin' Rate." They did an excellent version of Eno's "Baby's On Fire" I recall. Both great tracks to seek out.

We also saw New Model Army at the Paradiso on this trip - a former church. They changed the lyric of Smalltown England to Smalltown Holland.

At some point we hooked up with some Glaswegian guys who were roadying for Lou Reed. That's when it started to get a bit messy. Not sure if this was the night we were robbed at knifepoint or not?