ICA WORLD CUP

BONUS SERIES : THE ICA WORLD CUP : ROUND 2 (Part 6)

Thanks for getting so many votes in by the earlier than usual deadline. As this post appears, I’ll be 70-odd miles away from home, making the most of a brilliantly nostalgic night with ex-players from Raith Rovers FC at a commemorative dinner/piss-up recalling the six games we played in the UEFA Cup in 1995, including the night when we dared to dream of knocking out Bayern Munich as we led 1-0 at half-time in the Olympiastadion.

Alas, there was no giant-killing, but it was fun while it lasted.  So which of our four teams from last week could call on the international class and experience of Klinsmann, Papin, Babbel and Kahn and which had to rely on brave warriors such as Sinclair, Lennon, Coyle and Dair ?

Rod Stewart 6 The Jesus and Mary Chain 30
XTC (2) 24 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 15
The Smiths 28 Husker Du 12
The Durutti Column 22 Paul Quinn 15

To all Paul Quinn fans, I’d like to offer a heartfelt apology.  My behaviour, as manager, in fielding the 12” version of Change of Attitude in the original ICA was totally out of character and a momentary lapse in my normally high standards of behaviour.  The 7” might have gotten through but in all honesty, it was a tad arrogant on my part to field such a self indulgent b-side in the first place…on reflection and with hindsight, it was an error for which there is no feasible excuse.  Good luck to Vini and his crew in the next round and the remainder of the competition.

Moving on now to this week’s match ups and I’m hoping after eight successive near walkovers that some minor excitement at least can be generated.

It does open with a tasty match-up with the bonus of it being a Liverpool/Manchester rivalry while the remaining three games will hopefully get you thinking a bit…..all teams may well need the luck of the Irish to get through.  Happy St Patrick’s Day.

Matches 21-24 of Round 2

The Stone Roses v OMD

The Stone Roses have been suggested in some quarters as having the ability to go all the way in the competition although there are some correspondents who think they lack the neccesary depth.  They weren’t pushed too hard in Round 1 against Yellow Magic Orchestra but even so, will need an improved performance to see off OMD whose professional and polished performance last time out saw them deal a mortal blow to trhe much fancied Super Furry Animals.  This tie has a similar sort if feel to it and much will depend on the toss of the coin and the roll of the dice…which might just favour the Liverpudlians in that their song is better-known amomg the masses.

All Across The Sands (b-side, 1987) v Messages (from Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, 1980)

Wire (2) v The Farmer’s Boys/The Higsons

The art-school veterans who go by the name of Wire got through Round 1 by a the odd-goal in 45 in a titanic battle againt Supergrass with the reward being a home match against one of the acts representing the ‘Sounds of Young Norwich’ ICA.  Last time round the reliance was on The Higsons who came through a close one against The Jayhawks.  Will the manager be allowed to stick with the same starting line or will the coin and dice enforce a complete set of new players?  Turns out that The Farmer’s Boys will be on the bench yet again, and given the might of the opposition song, the fates may have conspired to prevent them ever setting  foot on the playing surface.

Outdoor Miner (single, 1979) v Conspiracy by The Higsons (single, 1982)

Everything But The Girl (2) v Echo & The Bunnymen

I know I’m overusing the word intriguing in describing so many of these 2nd round ties but I make no apologies for doing so again.  The Bunnymen took care of Leonard Cohen last time out, although it needed the use of The Cutter to ensure progress.  They could end up with a similar type of tie again depending on whch EBTG comes out via the coin and dice.  In Round 1, Tracey and Ben went with Draining The Bar, a piano-led ballad, which was more than enough to hammer The Libertines.  Both sides will likely need to be at, or close to, their best to progress. Either way, Echorich will be sad that one of them will have to leave.

Cross My Heart (from Baby The Stars Shine Bright, 1986) v Zimbo (live) (b-side, 1983)

Martin Stephenson v Butcher Boy

This is just such a brilliant tie on paper.  Two of my all time favourites, neither of whom at the start of the World Cup I’d have given too much chance of reaching this stage; but now one of them is going to reach the last 32 and possibly take on a really big gun.  The romance of the cup etc.

Martin Stephenson, to the chagrin of many, removed Andrew Weatherall from the tournament, albeit he needed the might of The Daintees backing him on Crocodile Cryer to deliver.  Butcher Boy were up in a real Indietracks type battle against The Magnetic Fields last time out and came through despite being the lesser known of the combos.  Which tunes are going head-to-head this time?

Rain (from Boat to Bolivia, 1986) v Helping Hands (from album of same name, 2011)

Yup.  Two ballads make for a fine match-up.

Closing date and time for entries is Friday 23 March, at 10pm UK time.

Next week will see jimdoes take to the stage to introduce matches 24-27.  I know which games are coming up. I don’t envy him.

JC

 

34 thoughts on “BONUS SERIES : THE ICA WORLD CUP : ROUND 2 (Part 6)”

  1. Very definitely:
    OMD (just saw them twice back to back this week in concert in Toronto, and Andy McCluskey was a bundle of energy on stage, giving me and everyone else in tbe front rows a very enthusiastic high five)
    Wire
    Bunnymen
    Butcher Boy

  4. Rather an easy task this week, it must be said!

    ‘Messages’ might not have dated all too prettily, I thought whilst listening to it again, but still it’s way better than the tune The Roses offered today: OMD win, say, 3-1.

    What a clever trick of Wire to throw in a tune as mighty as ‘Outdoor Miner’ at this all important stage of the tournament! Then again their back catalogue is so full of good songs, I suppose they easily have much more to offer for future games: they win 4-0.

    Very sorry for Tracey (her new album must be very good indeed by the way, at least I read that on various occasions recently), but ‘Zimbo’ is just fantastic, always was: Echo & The Burundimen win 5:1 … with all 5 goals being made before half-time.

    Not the best out of the four matches in my view, but there is a winner after all: Butcher Boy leave the pitch with 1:0 after a hard (but sometimes also dull) battle.

    Very much looking forward to next week!

  5. Very sad to watch a game between two teams so close to my heart as Stone Roses and OMD, and equally true for EbtG and the Bunnymen team – unfortunately both Stone Roses and EbtG for some reason showed up with inferior line up. I guess tactics was to confuse the opponent team by playing a different game, they both failed and OMD and the Bunnymen (autocorrect constantly wants to change them to the Funnymen…) won 2 -1 without a draw being even close.
    In my sadness over the loss of both the Roses and EbtG I had no interest in the other 2 games. A WC can be very emotionally draining…

  7. like charity chic…
    OMD
    Wire
    Bunnymen
    Stephenson….
    Do hope Martin goes through ‘rain…a most haunting sound’…fab!

  9. Shit. This in’t looking good. I can only pray that over the next few days the natural order of things will be resumed and the Scousers in game 1 will fall behind to a magnificent Mancunian fightback. Something like what Ole Solskaer did to them in the FA Cup in 1999. So I’m going for the Roses and Ian Brown’s flat back four/vocal.

    Wire. Easy.
    The Bunnymen- sorry to Tracey and all that but 80s Bunnymen would beat most people.
    Martin Stephenson- despite his underserved win against Weatherall in the previous round. No, I’m not bitter.

  11. OMD (irks me as a Mancunian to be voting against the Roses, but these tracks were a B-side and a breakthrough hit respectively for very good reasons).
    Wire
    Echo And The Bunnymen (the EBTG track is great, but Zimbo is one of my favourites from McCulloch and co).
    Butcher Boy

  13. Roses v OMD. 0-0 all day long. I fully expected the Mancs to romp this one, but the line-up and the way they played… well let’s just say it wouldn’t be the first time this season they’ve underperformed. Expect a self-indulgent, publicity-seeing 12-minute monologue in the press conference…

    Wire v FB/H. This one was never going to be in doubt. One of the strongest line-ups Wire could have fielded. This was all over before half time. 12-0. Wire will probably be knocked out in the next round anyway where they’ll undoubtedly be drawn against a Scottish team.

    Thorn v Bunnymen. Another mismatch. 0-6. So easy, McCulloch played the entire match with his coat on. And his hands in his pockets.

    Stephenson v Butcher Boy. Another 0-0.

  17. Stone Roses – I remember as a teenager loving Messages by OMD but my God does it sound old and dated now! I still love Joan of Arc/Maid of Orleans though, but Stone Roses in this match up for me.
    Wire
    Everything But The Girl – I love a lot of Echo stuff but don’t like this one.
    Martin Stephenson – always liked this track maybe its the way he describes how he recorded it in his bedroom in one take and it matched how I was feeling away at Uni at the time I first heard it.

  21. Stone Roses
    Farmers Boys / Higsons (Being a Norwich boy I cannot vote any other way – tho would have been nice for the Farmers Boys to get a game – I think (know) this might be it
    Bunnymen (everytime)
    Martin Stevenson

  22. I’m honestly gutted that Paul Quinn didn’t make it into the next round and this coming in a week where his long awaited Please Stay/ Pale Blue Eyes single has been shelved yet again and wont be out on Record Store Day. Anyway ,enough of my griping and onto this weeks matches
    OMD
    Wire
    EBTG
    Last match is a toughie,,,Butcher Boy aet

  23. Phil….thanks for the heads up on the PQ single being shelved….I wasn’t aware of that development and would have spent all sorts of time post—RSD searching high and wide for a copy.

    I’m gutted he went out last round too…so many great songs could have featured in late rounds, but then again the same could be said for many of those sides that have been eliminated.

  29. OMD. On their day the Roses can beat anyone, but too many self inflicted wounds and lazy casualness.
    Wire (easiest choice in the competition)
    EBTG or Bunnymen. Oh this one hurts and hurts. But on the day Bunnymen
    Martin Stephenson all the way.

  30. Hey JC,

    Pretty much going with the flow this week.

    OMD
    Wire
    Bunnymen
    Butcher Boy

    Cheers

    Jim

  31. This week’s results from the Crossmyloof jury, two easy homes, and two hard fought away wins:

    The Roses
    Wire
    Echo & TB
    Butcher Boy

  32. Seems like I be the last one to vote again. Anyway, it is easy this round for me:
    OMD
    Wire
    Bunnymen
    Butcher Boy
    Cheers
    Walter

  33. Reading the half time scores and realising it makes no difference wherever I vote or not in the first three ties…bit of a relief in many ways.

    Tie #4. I’ve listened to each song three times. I like both of them. But when it comes down to it, there’s just something more substantial about Butcher Boy….the piano and strings just bring out something that’s not there with Martin and his acoustic guitar.

    BB for me

    Malky Tucker

  34. OMD…hands down for the 80’s synth beat
    Wire
    EBtG…this really hurt but, as you’ve said, it’s the song
    Butcher Boy…both of these remind me of some of the drone-y, Bon Iver stuff my oldest listens to. At least BB got big in the end.

Leave a comment