ICA WORLD CUP

BONUS SERIES : THE ICA WORLD CUP : ROUND 3 (Part 4)

Part 4, which should have been Part 3 and featured last week, has been penned by jimdoes, the founding father of this competition. Before then, there is the small matter of last week’s sensational match-ups….

Lightning Seeds 23 v Saint Etienne 17
Pulp 26 v Pavement 9
Wire (2) 17 v Butcher Boy 20
Orange Juice  v The Wedding Present  : VOID RESULT…..REPLAY REQUIRED (Click here for details)

Butcher Boy make history by being the first side in the competition to make a winning comeback from a 5+ deficit. I think it’s fair to say that they will be the minnows in the last 16….but given a reasonable draw, they could still progress even further.

And now to ties 13-16…..and I’ve taken on the task of trying to come up with the right form of words to accompany the match-up that has caused a bit of chaos……

MarrRourkeJoyce v Ride

It does seem right not to exclude the songs of The Smiths from the competition and for this round at least it was easy enough as the tune which had come out for consideration is one that Johnny Marr has been known to include in his live sets. Some credit has to go to Ride who have sat patiently on the sidelines, at one point thinking they had been given a bye into the last 16 and then having to adjust the game plan and tactics for their new opponent.

Bigmouth Strikes Again (from Adrenalin Live, 2015) v In A Different Place (from Nowhere, 1990)

Over now to jimdoes…..

Anyway…

This week’s ties have been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding a certain Manchester singer’s utterances and have left the remaining teams in disarray and with an ‘anything can happen’ air to them. Whatever JC decides to do for the other tie I expect there will be ‘a bit of handbags’ in the comments as the Smiths have clearly lost the previously solid backing of many fans and the outcome could very well be an early bath. We are also now reaching the business end of the tournament with everything to play for – every game is akin to a cup final.

The Jam v Daft Punk

This tie has the kick and rush English coming up against Gallic flair. The Jam tend to play the long ball game – they have a solid backline that feeds the talents of their star man Paul Weller. They’re prone to entertainment and always give it 110%. On the other hand, Daft Punk appear to play in the wrong kit – with their helmets they’d be better suited to American Football. Even if they kept handling the ball I’m sure their technological links would make any VAR decisions go in their favour.

Thick As Thieves (from Setting Sons, 1979) v Digital Love (from Discovery, 2001)

Billy Bragg (2) v Prefab Sprout

Johnny Marr plays a part in this round whatever the outcome of the stewards’ enquiry in one of our other ties as he played guitar on this, my favourite song by Billy Bragg. But has Bragg hit this one too well? He’s a top, top player who’s got plenty more in his locker for the next few rounds so we shouldn’t expect any schoolboy defending from him. But this is the match where we will be asking can he do it on a wet Tuesday night in Atlantis? Prefab Sprout have found themselves in acres of space and they’ve really grown into the tournament. They are at home on any field and are a potential banana skin for any team. They’ll be sticking it in the mixer and hoping to put it in the onion bag.

Greetings to the New Brunette (from Talking With The Taxman About Poetry, 1986)  v Looking for Atlantis (from Jordan, The Comeback, 1990)

Edwyn Collins v Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

The magic of the cup eh? There’s always one – the tie that makes all the others seem like easy picks – the match that makes me go aaaaaaargh! The one that shows that there are no easy games at this level. And it’s this one – two absolute classics against each other. And a tenuous link to The Smiths here too – Sandie Shaw covered “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken” and “Hand In Glove”, performing The Smiths Song on Top Of The Pops with Marr, Joyce and Rourke. Anyway, this is a real statement of intent from Edwyn Collins – he’s been taking it one game game at a time and is taking nothing for granted. Lloyd Cole has set his stall out early doors by sticking this one into the corridor of uncertainty by playing mind games with his choice of song. Cole is literally asking questions of Collins here in a match that is a great advert for the ICA World Cup.

A Girl Like You (from Gorgeous George, 1994) v Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? (from Rattlesnakes, 1984)

Votes must be cast by Friday 4 May at 10pm.

Next week sees the first games in the round of 16; which of the four above will join this lot in the hat??

1. Echo & The Bunnymen
2. The Police
3. Half Man Half Biscuit
4. OMD
5. New Order
6. The Housemartins
7. The Clash
8. The Jesus and Mary Chain
9. Lightning Seeds
10. Pulp
11. Butcher Boy
12. Orange Juice or The Wedding Present

Happy Listening.

JC and jimdoes

42 thoughts on “BONUS SERIES : THE ICA WORLD CUP : ROUND 3 (Part 4)”

  7. Johnny Marr gets the vote, I might have been stuck for choice with The Smiths because of the Gob, but that decision may come back another day. The Jam and Billy Bragg were easy peasy in my eyes, and while I like Lloyd Cole’s effort, a game-winner in many other matches, Edwyn Collins’ is one of my all time favourite songs and pieces of music – especially that Northern Soul-like feel. Good back up play by Paul Cook on drums!

  9. Ride – Like Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam, Ride had to adjust their game plan late in the day against a short notice replacement but did enough without excelling to beat a lesser challenger.

    Daft Punk – The fancy footwork and technical ability of the Frenchmen had the edge in this tie.

    Didn’t bother watching the other matches.

  11. Ride, Daft Punk, Prefab Sprout, Lloyd Cole.
    I’m running out of enthusiasm, why do all these tournaments drag out over an entirety? I start to remember why I lost interest in football… this being music is the only thing keeps me still here.

  13. Ride
    0-0
    Heartbreak , 2 great pop songs and am gutted that I am guessing the sprouts will go out but B.B. sneaks it as it is one of his best
    Another real tough one but heartbroken is such a killer song so Lloyd wins it

  14. Johnny Marr (good live version trounces one of the tracks from Nowhere that didn’t make it to my iTunes)
    Jam
    Billy Bragg (my favourite of his beats reasonable Sprout track)
    Edwyn Collins (the obligatory tough one – won by the song that I have been known to sing in the shower)

    Guessing that the last 16 will see even more soul searching, hand wringing and chin stroking. Bring it on!

  16. MRJ
    Jam
    Sprouts
    Edwyn (shame it wasn’t Orange Juice, this list was just starting to look like a recipe)

  17. Ride (Smiths brand is forever tainted)
    Jam
    Prefab Sprout
    Cole (loved Orange Juice but Collins solo material leaves me cold, especially the big hit).

  23. MARR – if it had been any other band in the tournament that he’d been up against then i’d have voted for them on principle – except maybe coldplay – but i just don’t like ride – never have never will
    JAM
    BRAGG
    LLOYD

  35. Great guitar but Ride by a short nose.
    The Jam – lucky I didn’t read this on Saturday morning when first published, else I’d have cried. RIP M.
    Bill. Sorry, Paddy.
    The final one was so tough. I was going to cop out and say it was a draw – not one of my favourite Edwyn moments, though I acknowledge its appeal and without its success, there might not have been so many of the subsequent Collins albums, both his own and those of others he produced in his studio. And this is one of Cole’s finest moments which I never tire of. Edwyn sneaked it for sentimental reasons – damn you, JC.

  37. Hey JC,

    This week my choices are:

    MRJ
    The Jam
    Prefab Sprout
    Edwyn Collins

    Cheers

    Jim

  40. A belated reply, blame it on Mrs Loser’s birthday: too much to do in advance, no time for internet for me ….: Ride, Jam, Billy Bragg, Lloyd Cole. An easy one this week!

  41. Revote goes to the Wedding Present

    Ride. I might well have voted for the Smiths, you can’t stop loving a band you bought every single on day of release. but I can’t vote for a partial version.

    Daft Punk. Token vote. au revoir la discotheque.

    Prefab Sprout. Love this album, great track.

    Lloyd Cole. We need a Camera Obscura ICA folks.

  42. Despite another terrific display from Ride, it has to be Marr,
    then The Jam and, turning on a sixpence, Billy Bragg followed
    by Lloyd Cole.

    Thanks JC.

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