Thursday 15 March 2012

FIFA's greatest song choices

The FIFA franchise has given the males (and to avoid sexism, some of the females) of Britain so much to laugh and cry about, encouraging competition and banter between the many participants. Along with this game there have been many different cultural aspects of life added to it, most recently the 'FIFA apology rules', where the loser of a game shall somewhat gracefully apologise to their superiors for being such a disgrace to the beautiful game. However, over the years it has become notoriously well known for having a diverse soundtrack on each instalment. I'm here to pick apart each of the games to decipher what I feel are the most defining songs of the series. I'll put them in no particular order...

1) Moby - Bodyrock
From: FIFA 2001


I believe I'm right in saying that FIFA 2001 was the first FIFA game that I owned. I remember the countless hours I spent in hysterics fouling the opposition goalkeeper and getting a straight red card for it, no matter how good or bad the challenge was, and listening to the hilarious comments from John Motson and Mark Lawrenson. It's as if the goalkeeper was akin to the Dalai Lama. I think after scoring so many own goals on purpose to constantly hear what gem Motson and Lawro would come up with next eventually led to the games inability to function. Anyway, I'm rambling...
This was the song I first remember when I think of that game. It's lyrics are easy to remember, and it's beats are funky as hell, so who could not remember this? It also introduced the game in the opening credits. Moby has produced some fine gems such as 'Lift Me Up' and 'Porcelain', but for nostalgic reasons this ranks above them in my personal list.


2) Gorillaz - 19-2000 (Soulchild remix)
From: FIFA 2002


Now I'm not normally one for remixes, but when Soulchild remixed the hit song '19-2000' back in 2001, it proved to be more popular than the original. I prefer it because it's more upbeat and definitely more catchy, as opposed to the sluggish snail-race of the original. It managed to staple itself as a FIFA classic when it introduced the 2002 instalment over a montage of players displaying a vast array of tekkers. Whenever I still listen to this song I can't help but think of a badly animated figure doing rainbow flicks over their rivals, and I love it!


3) Caesars - Jerk It Out
From: FIFA 2004


To kick things off (excuse the pun), but this is not a song about masturbation. Well, we're told so.
This song was released as a single back in 2003 but failed to make any significant impact on the charts, peaking at no.60, but a re-release in 2005 prompted a climb up to no.8, most likely down to the impact this song had made on impressionable buyers of FIFA 2004. Show this to most young adult males and chances are they will recognise it from FIFA. Caesars couldn't live up to the quality of this tune, and correct me if I'm wrong but I now assume that they're nowhere to be found, having not released a single since 2008? Or are they just not allowed to leave Sweden anymore since they became their most valuable asset ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the surviving members of Abba?


4) Dandy Warhols - We Used To Be Friends
From: FIFA 2004


Those yankies The Dandy Warhols have sure given us some catchy "aaahh's" de temps en temps. Here is one of the main examples. It is probably more well known as the Veronica Mars opening theme, but when released, it failed to peak in the US charts. However, Britain warmed to it and six months after it charted at no.18 in the national charts, it was added to the FIFA 2004 soundtrack. I wish they could go back to the quality of this and Bohemian Like You, two absolute classics from America over the noughties, although I will say that their songs had a very British feel to them, which was enjoyable and probably why it was so popular here.


5)  Stone Roses - Fools Gold
From: FIFA 2004


Hate on me all you want but FIFA 2004 was the first chance I got to hear this song (I was born in 1993 dammit!). I do like Ian Brown's vocals in this, as there is no way he could've pulled this off had he been hitting a high C above D. The moodiness of his vocals only make this song better, along with it's iconic bassline, shuffling snare drum and wah-wah-pedal-mad guitar. As with the Gorillaz song, hearing this nowadays still takes me back to the young days of playing as England and handing out some ass whoopin'.


6) Kasabian - L.S.F.
From: FIFA 2004


Kasabian broke through into a stage of recognition after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2004. Since then they have yet to disappoint with any of their 4 releases, with each album building yet more on their tower of festival anthems. L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever) was included on the FIFA 2004 soundtrack and whilst it is a successful song in it's own right (named by NME Magazine as no.37 of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever), it has forever been a popular choice by EA Sports and has been identified as one of FIFA's many anthems. I also can't wait until they play this at Leeds Festival, where I shall be soaking up the sweat of the crowd and singing my heart out.


7) The Doves - Black and White Town
From: FIFA 2006


This single from February 2005 is one of The Doves most successful singles, if not the most. Therefore, unlike some of the inclusions here, it's success is not down to it's release on FIFA. Noted for it's heavy piano and atmospheric feel, a staple of The Doves, the band have enjoyed a lengthy success off of many songs like 'Black and White Town'. A popular inclusion in the game, it was sadly mis-credited by EA as 'Stars of CCTV' by Hard-Fi; make what you will of that but they are two completely different songs. Maybe 'Black and White Town' was EA's backup choice that they put in by accident?


8) Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
From: FIFA 2009


Indie pop adults Black Kids re-released this song a year after it came out in 2007 from the band's demo. All bi-curiosity aside ("You are the girl, that I've been dreaming of, ever since I was a little girl"), it is a friendly fun-loving hit that suited FIFA perfectly. However, the song that ended up on FIFA was a remix from The Twelves, but they sounded equally as good. Listening to this always reminds me of playing with Wolves on Career Mode and metaphorically telling Man Utd "get out of the way, here I come".


9) Passion Pit - Moth's Wings
From: FIFA 10


This song didn't make me think about FIFA at all. I thought it belonged on some game like any of the Spyro series (had there been any soundtracks to Spyro games) due to it's spine-tingling piano. It just didn't feel right at first, but I gradually warmed to it and lo and behold it has ended up on this list. When I listen to this I can't help but think of opening my first pack on Ultimate Team and remembering my only decent card was Juanfran (gold)... I miss having the Xbox around.


10) The Enemy - Be Somebody
From: FIFA 10


The Enemy were set for greatness, and even they themselves knew it, once proclaiming that they "are here to save British rock". To be fair, whilst I don't agree with that statement completely considering the amount of decent British rock bands there are at the moment, everything about The Enemy is quintessentially British, and it should be embraced. They are a Coventry version of Oasis (less style and not as many anthems), but give them time and they can be Manchester standard. Take this song for instance, a proper Brit-rock number that Gallagher would've been happy with had he penned it. It is a football anthem for the masses, having appeared on FIFA 10 and now is the theme for ITV's coverage of the FA Cup. A good live band too, so go and see them.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Mainstream. That word gets thrown around a lot these days, doesn’t it? But what is mainstream, and why is it a good thing?

You see it all the time; small people with small minds actively disliking artists/bands who they used to like, purely because they’ve gone ‘mainstream’. Think about it; if a band’s good, the music they play is good and everybody likes them, what else is going to happen to them? Are they going to be obscure recluses for their entire career? No! They’re going to get onto the charts, into stadiums and into everyone’s ear canals.

Normally this issue wouldn’t bother me, the person in question would receive a sharp kick to the genitals, and I would carry on with my day. But when a YouTube user (they will remain nameless because I’ve forgotten their username) commented on a Kasabian video saying: ‘Great, Kasabian are mainstream now, I just can’t listen to them’, the straw was pulled and the camel’s back was broken. I couldn’t disagree with what he was saying; arguing with someone on YouTube is comparable to having an ‘About Me’ section on Facebook which is longer than two paragraphs, or physically enjoying a Justin Bieber album. Arguing would mean I’d hit rock bottom. And I’m not there yet.

First of all; are Kasabian mainstream? I mean, Katy Perry, No Direction and Beyonce can be considered mainstream; they have a colossal fanbase and largely dominate the charts. They’re repeatedly played on most radio stations and you’d be hard pushed not to find someone who hasn’t heard of them. And thinking about it, yes, bands like Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys and Muse are going mainstream. More people are listening to them, buying their albums and having pathetic arguments on YouTube about who listened to them first. And secondly, you know something? I absolutely love it when a favourite of mine goes mainstream! If a band/artist sells more albums, sees more people coming to their gigs and hearing positive feedback about their work, what are they going to do? Turn around and say; “Fuck this, I’m going to be a plumber”? No, they’re going to make more (arguably) great music! That ladyman called Skrillex is making his way into the charts, meaning he’s going to bang more scrap metal together and make more dubstep! Muse filled out countless arenas and Wembley twice with ‘The Resistance’, so what are they doing? Making a sixth album!

And what’s more is, in years to come; your band/artist will be remembered. People still remember and enjoy Queen, and they were pretty much everywhere in the 70’s/80’s. If they go mainstream, it means they’re good, it means their music makes a difference in people’s lives. Yes, I absolutely hate Justin Bieber, and feel that he’d only sound good going through a meat mincer on fire, but millions enjoy his music, and he will be remembered for years to come. That’s the thing; once you become big, the chances of you dying out become small.

So to finish boys and girls, stop bitching about your band/artist going mainstream. If they’re so God damn good and popular, how the hell are you going to keep them underground? Plus, if you were there at those first few sweaty gigs in a dingy pub, consider it an honour, not a reason to start shooting your mouth off on YouTube. In December, a chap called Miles Kane supported Kasabian. He’s got one album out, and he’s still doing the small hall rounds. But his talent and showmanship means that in a couple of years’ time, he’ll be doing the arena rounds.

And I’ll be there waiting for him.

Oliver Butler