POP WORLD CUP - The Draw In Full

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The Pop World Cup 2006 draw took place last night in a packed Shaston Arms, in a spirit of sportsmanship and mutual ruin. Full details below the cut:


GROUP A - Weds 18th January 2005 i.e. NEXT WEDNESDAY!
COSTA RICA - marnameow
ECUADOR - skillextric
POLAND - steviespitfire
GERMANY - sbp

GROUP B - Weds 25th January 2005
PARAGUAY - anthonyeaston
ENGLAND - zenith
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - jel_bugle
SWEDEN - the_roofdog

GROUP C - Weds 1st February 2005
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO - umlauts
HOLLAND - freakytigger
ARGENTINA - carsmilesteve
IVORY COAST - poptasticuk

GROUP D - Weds 8th February 2005
IRAN - dubdobdee
MEXICO - Victor
PORTUGAL - Tim H
ANGOLA - martinskidmore

GROUP E - Weds 15th February 2005
CZECH REPUBLIC - James B
USA - alexmacpherson *swapped*
ITALY - boyofbadgers
GHANA - julietk

GROUP F - Weds 22nd February 2005
AUSTRALIA - catsgomiaow
JAPAN - cis
CROATIA - anatol_merklich
BRAZIL - thenipper

GROUP G - Weds 1st March 2005
SWITZERLAND - braisedbywolves
SOUTH KOREA - darkpigeon
FRANCE - atommickbrane
TOGO - stevem78

GROUP H - Weds 8th March 2005
SPAIN - katstevens
SAUDI ARABIA - giddyoldgoat
UKRAINE - juror8
TUNISIA - dorsalstop *swapped*


A post later today will contain the rules and guidelines for the Pop World Cup. This post should be used for managerial reaction, requests for assistance, and so on. The spirit of fair play suggests that you should be open and generous in your offers of exotic pop to people who aren't your direct group stage opponents - share the knowledge!

Swaps of managerial posts are fine, though of course need to be mutual. Make sure you tell me.

If you want to pull out - whether because you are some kind of wimp who cannot find music from yr country, or because you really won't be able to find a track by the date indicated - please let me know ASAP as we have a couple of possible managerial replacements lined up.

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

France and Japan were installed as early favourites, along with England and the US.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

late-night studies of the available league situation in iran are very cheering

BISMILLAH!

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

I think South Korea must join France as a favourite for group G, and would advise their managers to pace themselves accordingly.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I have to wait till MARCH????

Preparation

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

Preparation Prevents Pathetic Performance

[zenith.livejournal.com]

The pressure!

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

I think I got a very tough draw with Angola, though it is at least in a group without any favourites/traditional giants, but I fear my opposing managers. In the unlikely event that anyone really fancies Angola and would like to swap, there are very few teams I wouldn't trade for!

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

HI SBP PLEASE BE OVERCOME WITH TEMPORARY INSANITY AND SWAP GERMANY WITH ME (TUNISIA)

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

http://tunizika.blogspot.com/

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

omg!

also, when I told my flatmate, she said "oh that's easy, I hung out with two Tunisian guys when I lived in Québec and their music was ace". Score!

(She also said that Tunisian sweets are divine: is there a way I can upload sweets on to the internet if the music hunt proves fruitless?)

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

No but backhanders to match officials in the pub may prove helpful.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I take it you are the umpire for all matches?

I can't believe technology hasn't figured out a way to download food off the internet yet!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I'm just happy we've made it this far. Whatever happens we'll just try and enjoy ourselves and play to the best of our ability. May the best France win!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Did you mean: to go pop?

[(Anonymous)]

Are T&T deemed an easy team? England and Sweden are much easier! Group of flipping death! I shall endeavour to uncover some T&T Death Meatl.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

All three were in the easy bag!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Trinidad_%26_Tobago

Wikipedia reveals a Trinidadian metal band called INEBRIATE!

(Commentators have suggested that surprise appointment Jel's brand of highly physical football may prove unsuited to Trinidad's smooth passing game.)

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

Jel, there are a couple of Trinidadian soca tunes among my all-time favourites, especially 'Madness' by the great David Rudder and 'Free Up' by Tambu and Charlie's Roots. Might be a bit fannydangle for your tastes.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

OMG have you seen this?

Poptimists hit by World Cup venue safety fears

The president of the poptimists Pop World Cup organising committee, franz freakytigger, has hit back at a report which claims there are safety concerns surrounding venues for the competition. The Lord SÜKRÅT CUNCTØR, a consumer watchmoomin, suggested four of the pubs - all in London's trendy Soho - were 'substantially' unsafe from ruin, while it deemed eight others 'clearly' unsafe.

freakytigger said: 'I'm sick of all this "we hate fun". Those so-called Sükråtlings may know a lot about experimental horse music and very bad rap - that's what they should stick to.'

(source: today's Anti-Metro, p.44)

PopoZão!

[thenipper.livejournal.com]

Both me and my assistant manager Kevin Federline consider it a great honour and look forward to representing the good people of the favelas.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH have just found the Spanish Pink Floyd (http://www.grupoasfalto.com/bloque/abelardo%20y%20eloisa.mp3)!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i have ordered two Togonese CDs already...

the pressure is on sbp whether to field a certain schnapping krockodil...

deep dish are iranian! also rub nowadays alas

how portugese IS nelly furtado really?

where was karel fialka from?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Karel F has a Czech father! Good news for "James B"!

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

I knew you'd find a way to field The Delgados in this competition somehow ;)

any hints

[anthonyeaston.livejournal.com]

I got a little excited about reading paraguay, but reading again the wikipedia on music of said nation, they seem to like work done by other people (they like reggaetron for example but thats American/Puerto Rican) and they love the music of the bariso of argentina/peru.

However, apparently, they are also into the Harp, of all things...so anyone have any ideas, or should i send endless mp3s of Incan Panpipes and Baroqe Harp music?

Re: any hints

[(Anonymous)]

hey anthony i could help you a little bit on paraguay but not much i think but if you want ill try, also i can be of more help to the people controlling brazil and argentina but i dont think theyre really gonna need it anyway, one of them being well led can really win the cup

victor

Official Statement From the Trinidad and Tobago Manager

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

Abba this, Abba that! Is all I've been hearing from those Swedes, they are scared, they don't know what to expect from us, and that's the way I like it. All I can promise them is this: you will be at home crying and playing your Club 8 CD's after the first round. England? Yawn, give me a break, so you won the World Cup in 1966? That was football! You'll bottle it just like you always do. We all know about the Beatles and Take That, frankly we'd just like it if you changed the record, Rachael Stevens, pah. Paraguay? I respect them, I expect them to be worthy opposition.

Who is this Jel? Why is he back? Where has he been (apart from West London)Why is he managing this team? Well, the Trinidad and Tobago Pop Board were delighted when I agreed to manage them, they 'd seen my good work on ILX, this was back in 2004, they told me that they too like Slayer and that I'd have to put every waking moment into getting the team up to scratch, and that's what I have been doing - day in, day out for almost one and a half years. The people of Port of Spain know that I'll be bringing the cup back. The team believe in me, and more importantly, I believe in me.

[poptasticuk.livejournal.com]

Ivory Coast?!?! Is that a country? Where is it? And I'm against freakytigger AND umlauts! It couldn't be worse, surely!

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

I recommend Tshala Mwana. Also check out Wikipedia.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

tshala mwana is great!! <-- i'm not just sayin that either

[poptasticuk.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

Sundar Popo will win it for us.

[juror8.livejournal.com]

I've just found my ace card! To quote the Ukrainian Students of America's official newsletter:

Michael Bolton is of Ukrainian ancestry. His original name was Michael Bolotin.

Spain? Saudi Arabia? Tunisia? You're up for some bitchslapping when "How Can We Be Lovers" or "Steel Bars" hits that world cup turntable.

CUP FINAL: a prediction

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

m.bolotin vs f.bulsara

Re: CUP FINAL: a prediction

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

ha, you will have to overcome the might of [insert top Angolan musician's name here] first!

[juror8.livejournal.com]

Is it sad that I've adopted THREE whole Ukraine specific avatars for this endeavour?

This is the second.

[juror8.livejournal.com]

And the third

Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

USA?? I should have said 'hard team' instead of 'botherd'. I've just realised the easy teams are the hard ones, as this is a jury sport. Sympathy for the underdog, etc.
Anyone from the harder teams looking for a swap?

Re: Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

I mean it's true isn't it? I could field 'Ignition' or 'Hey Ya' or Blondie or The Chiffons, and they're all the greatest pop ever, but who cares about those if someone else comes up with some grebt unheard of Ghanese electrofunk?

Re: Nooooo

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I would be up for swapping!

Re: Nooooo

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I mean, if I had home broadband and could download I could def get into spirit of Tunisia-as-challenge but I don't and can't and can't.

Re: Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

A can of coke? :-)

OK, Franz freakytigger, can you make that an official swap?
(btw, USA Team selection so far meant I was either going to subject you to Shiny Toy Guns, or make your lives better with some Sandy Posey)

Re: Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

Also, Tunisia *is* easy. I've now remembered there's an actual world famous artiste, who I'd *love* to represent for!

Re: Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

And there's Tunisian hip hop everywhere! :-)

Re: Nooooo

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

That's what Cis said! In return for this swap, the few tips I thought of:

1) There is a potentially useful Wikipedia entry called Music of Tunisia.
2) The Tunisian No 1 tennis player, Selima Sfar, is ace (in the crap kind of way). She doesn't make songs though.
3) You might get to use Dido because Carthage (site of Dido'n'Aeneas myth) is in Tunisia.

Re: Nooooo

[dorsalstop.livejournal.com]

Haha, cheers! Whether eligible or not, I'll pass on the Dido suggestion though :-)
Already found some good stuff on slsk and elsewhere. I'm much happier managing Tunisia. Will you email the Orgafun Master to confirm, in case he's not reading this? Thx.