I’m going to the Hacienda tonight – It’s 30 years old today and they are having a party. Peter Hook asked me to come down and open the evening with him by reading Saint Anthony – a poem i wrote for tony when he died. I felt honoured.
the people who worked there were ace, they used to let us bring our bikes in and they’d stick them round the back of the cloak room but then it started to get to busy and we got told off for playing “Ticky off the ground” one night. I could sense the winds of change coming down the mersey.
Me: Naaa, can’t be arsed.
And if she was on upstairs tonight, i still wouldn’t bother going up.
The sound was terrible, not equipped for live music at all – but i still saw some great bands there and the most packed i ever saw it was when the Cramps played there – Health and safety what? Sweat did drip from cielings.
Can’t remember a single tune ever played in the hacienda but i remember the night new order played a tape of Confusion in the gay traitor – it was the first time anyone heard it – but what i most remeber is bernard nervously sat at the bar, waiting for some type of reaction – he got one – the place went wild with cheers and applause.
and i remember bringing morrissey there to see james who he had never heard of before i played him hymn from the village.
and i remember Tony – swanning round like a proper Knobhead – don’t pretend you didn’t think he was a knobhead just cos he’s dead. but we love knobheads and we are all knobhead at some times in our life. He was ace and he and the hacienda JD and new order did loads for this city -and we should never forget that.
Finally. I was never part of the hacienda in crowd. I never worked for them, i didn’t mix with them and i never knew the politics of them. But i have noticed a division – those who think tonight is right and those who think it is wrong.
Next Post Evidently John Cooper Clarke – It’s Important.
Good Craic mike, have a good un! Was it not ticky off the ground 123 ?