Fast One

Fast One (alternatively known as The Click Track or Cowbell Track) is an unreleased instrumental track by The Smiths.

Information
The track is said to have been recorded in July 1984, at Jam Studios in London, with John Porter as the producer. Lead singer Morrissey did not have a vocal part in the track although he was reportedly in the studio during its recording. For studio purposes, the track was logged onto the reels as "Fast One".

Author Simon Goddard speculated that elements of the track are a precursor to the Meat Is Murder track I Want The One I Can't Have, which was written and composed a few months later.

Leak
Fast One was premiered in Marc Riley's Mint radio show on BBC 6 Radio, with former Smiths drummer Mike Joyce and author Simon Goddard present as guests. Joyce said he was facing financial difficulty and had resorted to selling rare band recordings on eBay. A short preview of this track was played on air.

Morrissey responded to Mike Joyce's auction in a statement on website True to You, bemoaning the Joyce v Morrissey & Ors lawsuit and reproaching Joyce for the auction, stating that "at the very least, prior permission should be sought [from the other members]." The auctions were reportedly later cancelled, presumably due to the legal threat.

Recordings of the show and the preview exist, and can be found on the internet. They are low-fidelity however, and it is assumed higher-quality versions exist, as yet to be leaked.

Personnel

 * Johnny Marr - Guitars [legal owner of track by the original contract]
 * Andy Rourke - Bass
 * Mike Joyce - Drums