Meetings With Footballers 2

One night in either 1988 or 1989 a group of us are outside Liverpool University Students' Union. The House Of Love are playing the smaller venue in the Union, the Stanley Theatre. I saw them on their previous tour. Another band are playing the larger Mountford Hall. My memory tells me it was The Fall but it could've been The Wonderstuff. I know at around the same time we went to see the up-and-coming Charlatans instead of The Fall. Choices, choices. None of these cost more than a couple of quid. We were spoilt I tell you. Well, except for the Wonderstuff. Anyway, we were outside the Union and a man on crutches approaches us, floppy hair and Scottish accent- 'Excuse me lads, can you tell me where The House Of Love are playing?' As one of us begins to direct the man down the road, an Evertonian among us says 'Hey, you're Pat Nevin'. Pat Nevin, formerly of Clyde and Chelsea, at the time Everton's injured winger, scuttles off as fast as his crutches will take him. I don't know what he thought we might do to him, but it was the 1980s. Football was yet to become what it is today.

The House Of Love were riding high when Destroy The Heart was released on Creation, and it's shimmering guitars and pent-up drama are still exciting today. They left for Fontana and never really recovered. Pat Nevin has since dj-ed at Bowlie Weekender, not having the usual footballer's musical tastes.

Destroy The Heart