PlayUp 06

Short Biographies and Introductions for Press

„Football Is Music“, Bob Marley

For the legendary Bob Marley two places on this world combined passion and rhythm in the same way: The stage and the football ground. Playing and dancing belonged together. There are many artists from all over the world who still do agree with his point of view. Because of their love of football and of music, the project Play Up came together: Musicians from Brazil, US, Portugal, Italy, France, Angola, Japan, Spain, Senegal, Turkey, Ivory Coast, Pakistan and Germany joined in and exclusively wrote and recorded football-songs for this project: Play Up!

How It All Came Together

If that quote from Bob Marley is correct, nobody can be surprised about the German team and that they play how they play. After the official German Football songs of the past like “Fußball ist unser Leben” (Football Is Our Life) and “Buenos Dias Argentina” a musical revolution is more than necessary. With Play Up we are filling the gap: 16 musicians from all over the world composed and/or recorded new songs – lead by their own passion for the game. All songs on this album are released here for the first time.

The idea for Play Up came as early as 2001, when we worked on a separate project regarding football. In this context we saw football as a cultural phenomenon: lights, rituals, architecture, Brazil, samba – quickly we came to the role of music in connection with football. From here it was a natural step to Bob Marley who defined both the stage and the football field as sources of inspiration for his life and art. We started to ask the musicians amongst our friends such as Patrice and Ayo to write songs about football and what inspires them about the game. The result showed us that this idea had the potential for a whole album. Especially in Europe. We don’t have the tradition of inspiring football songs, like they can be found in Brazil. A good example is Chico Buarque’s song “O futebol” here interpreted by Arto Lindsay. But perhaps Play Up is the starting point to establish such a tradition over here as well.

Early in 2005 we were already working heavily on the project. All talking to friends, artists, managers – making phonecalls, all word to mouth. After almost a journey around the world, the team was completed: The artists involved created 16 recordings of songs about love, fight, passion, lost, friendship, fame and game. Play Up !!

Björn Lux and Dirk Lange

1: „Play Boy“ - Ayo (Nigeria / Germany)

What women always wanted to know about football, you can hear in Ayo’s song. Ayo is a Paris based singer-songwriter of German/Nigerian heritage and is currently releasing her debut album with Polydor/Universal France. In Germany she became famous for participating in the „Sister Keepers“ project.
www.ayomusic.com

„I have played football a lot in my childhood, I used to be like a tomboy. I love football – because to me football is a language everybody speaks and understands, just like music. But if the footballers would look more than basketball players, I would watch football 24/7.”
Ayo

2: „O Futebol“ - Arto Lindsay (Brazil / USA)

O Futebol is a song of the legendary Chico Buarque. He is considered as one of the most famous Brazillian singer-songwriters. For Play Up Arto Lindsay has recorded this song new. Arto always wanted to record that particular song, now the opportunity was there. The american/brazillian artist Arto Lindsay is founder of such influential bands as Ambitous Lovers and DNA. He was a member of the Lounge Lizards, Golden Palominos and as record producer worked with many artists such as David Byrne, Marisa Monte, Caetano Veloso, Ryuichi Sakamoto and more.
www.artolindsay.com

“I was never much of a soccer player. But I did interview Pelé once for the Village Voice. The article wasn’t published because it was too rhapsodically positive, comparing Pelé to Nijinsky, claiming people in New York would have their way of walking changed etc.”
Arto Lindsay

3: „Kings of the field“ - Patrice (Germany / Sierra Leone)

Patrice is well known in Germany and France where he fills big concert venues with his so called „Jumpadelic-Music“, a mixture of Reggea, Raga and Soul. His last record „Nile“ released on Yo Mama (Universal) hit the German album charts on Number 4 last year.
www.patriceonline.com

“Well, I’ve just imagined, which song I would want to hear when I am on the pitch? Something that reminds me of the reason why I came here. Music that boosts my energy like an African Warchant. It had to be something like “We Are The Champions”. Therefore I wrote the song “Kings Of The Field”. Gotta take charge – cause, we run things. Things don’t run we”
Patrice

4: „Surprise me“ - Burnt Friedmann feat. Theo Altenberg (Germany)

Burnt Friedmann and Theo Altenberg dance with the ball. The German Electro Master Bernd ‚Burnt’ Friedman has just released his new album Secret Rhythms with Jaki Liebezeit and a new Flanger album with Atom™. His collaboration with David Sylvian under the name of „Nine Horses“ was released in October 2005 and received great critical acclaim. Visual artist Theo Altenberg is featured here as singer. His relationship with football dates back to 1967 when his favourite team Borussia Mönchengladbach became part of Germany’s premiere devision. Theo Altenberg worked with Otto Muehl and Joseph Beuys amongst others and very often explored the connection between football and the arts world in his work.
www.nonplace.de

“…‘Surprise me’ is trying to compress the complexity, the energetic power and the theatrical drama of the play from 90 minutes down to 3 minutes 20. No intro, immediate start of the game, getting close to the penalty area. & Wanna see you dancin with the ball. Slow Down. Stop. Need more speed. Make me turnin around.”
Theo Altenberg

5: „Assiko“ - Daara J (Senegal)

“Assiko” Daara J (Senegal) Hip Hop from Senegal. Called “Dakar’s answer to Black Star” by Time Out NY, the group was named best African act at the BBC Radio World Music Awards in 2004. “Boomerang” has spent months on the top of the European world music charts. Last year the band played at the Hollywood Bowl next to Nigerian superstar Femi Kuti and Mos Def.

“This music is called Assiko. Everybody goes to the stadium. There is a big choir. Everybody sings. All together. And the supporters used to play a specific drum called: Assiko. That´s what it is all about.”
Daara J

6: „Play another game“ - Africa Unite (Italy)

The reggae band from Turin, named after one of Bob Marley’s songs and lead by Bunna and Madaski,who have masterly produced all their albums and also most of the reggae bands in Italy. They formed in 1981, when R.N.Marley prematurely died. For 25 years Africa Unite has been producing high quality music, their background being top-class roots reggae; they have played hundreds of concerts, have taken part to a good number of international festivals, and have released 11 albums, establishing themselves as one of the most prestigious and popular Italian reggae bands. Their last album „In Dub“, released in 2005 was a collaboration with Mad Professor.
www.africaunite.com

“Football is the most popular sport here in Italy. This game has been crossed, during the latest years, from high economic interests, people has become aggressive with unpopular events. We say: less money, more joy and no racism in sports.”
Africa Unite

7: „Rêver de gloire“ - Badie (Ivory Coast / France)

Badie is a Paris based singer/songwriter. His song deals with the fragile dream of the footballer’s fame. His debut album “Element Terre” was released by Warner Music. Badie is now recording his second album.

“These days everybody wants to become famous. Everything around us suggests that fame is the most important objective in life. Football stars show us that they had to work hard on themselves, before becoming famous. Through their love of the ball and the passion for the game, they had to work extremely hard – it’s not enough just to dream of fame, to win the game.”
Badié

8: 1-0: „É sorte que tivemos sorte“ - JaKönigJa (Portugal / Germany)

JaKönigJa is a band from Hamburg, part of the so called „Hamburger Schule“. Their second album was produced by Detlef Diederichsen. Robert Wyatt listed the second JaKönigJa album in his personal WIRE-charts in 1997. After having been a more guitar orientated band, here JaKönigJa are experimenting for the first time with more electronic sounds.
www.jakoenigja.de

“ …In Portugal football is present everywhere: No street corner, no café, no restaurant, no bus or streetcar at no season, no time of the day, where not permanently from suspicious-looking old men with story-telling old men faces the word ‘bola’ is often used.”
JaKönigJa

9: „Qué Papa e esse?“ - Gecko Turner (Spain)

In this song Spanish songwriter talks about the new pope. In terms of football he seems to be innocent, he doesn’t know Pele! Gecko´s debut album did get high critical acclaim in Spain and was considered “the best debut album of the year” for EL Mundo and “brilliant, dazzling album” by EL Pais.
www.geckoturner.com

“Last summer, I was having breakfast with my friend Edú Nascimento, browsing a spanish fooball newspaper, when I spotted this: ‘The Pope doesn’t know who Pelé is‘. It was telling about how the Pope didn’t recognize Pelé during a Vatican reception! Funny enough, we were laughing for a long while at such a cracking news. Then we said: Hey! Why don’t we write a song about this?”
Gecko Turner

10: „Viva Angola“ - Waldemar Bastos (Angola)

Ex-Talking Heads singer David Byrne by chance bought one of Waldemar’s albums in a Lisbon record store. Entranced by what he heard, he tracked down the singer and signed him to his Luaka Bop label for 1997’s award-winning Arto Lindsay-produced album, Pretaluz/Blacklight. The album established him on the international world music stage and since then, Waldemar has toured America, Europe and the Far East. www.waldemarbastos.com

“As a great sports and soccer fan, I was so happy that my country Angola, qualified for the World Cup. When asked to write a song for the ‘Play Up’ compilation, I felt honoured and inspired to write a song that hopefully could length many World Cup’s of Angola to come.”
Waldemar Bastos

11: „The silence ahead“ - Jun Miyake (Japan)

Jun Miyake on his PlayUp song: The song is about a young person who plays a new game. Everything is exciting and dangerous – just like within a new love. Japanese artist / composer who has worked with artists like Philippe Decoufle, Pina Bausch, Bob Wilson, Arto Lindsay, Hal Willner, Oliver Stone. He has released 12 albums.

“My first football experience was at Gym class in Junior-High. I had no idea what kind of game it was. Because I was so much into music then. Thrown into a game without even knowing the rules. Such a mess! This song is about fear and courage, about an innocent boy who is about to face unknown enemies to fight against. Perhaps like nervousness when you begin to love someone.”
Jun Miyake

12: „Altin Goal“ – Orientation (Turkey)

In 2003, the German film director Fatih Akin used music by Orientation in „Head On“ (Gegen die wand) his award winning portrait of a turkish girl in Germany, trying to make her own way. The founders of the German/Turkish hip hop band Orientation Bekir and Advocado live and work in Berlin. Their new album („9 in Istambul, 8 in Berlin) is scheduled for an April release. www.blueflame.com

“Our inspiration of the songs comes direct from childhood memories. We were both passionate football players, body and soul. We did fight on the play ground, football, break dance, beat boxing that was our thing. Our song is more about playing a good game than beating the other team. That’s why people love the Brazilians. They just play a beautiful game – and they even win ! Our song is meant to be cheering up the other team to play that kind of beautiful game, so that’s really fun to play. The music should push you, go direct into your blood. Yeah !”
Orientation

13: „Play That Ball“ - Ghetto Blaster (Angola / France / Kamerun / Sudan)

Afrobeat Explosion from Paris, Frankreich. Ghettoblaster was foundet by musicians of the legendary Fela & Africa 70 formation. They toured with Manu Dibango, James Brown, Kool & the Gang, Fela Kuti, Achie Sheep and Maceo Parker
www.ghettoblasteroriginal.com

“Afrobeat is the music that kicks everybody’s bottom, that is why we wrote this song called ‘Play that Ball‘. If you listen to the beat of the drum, it’s like a footballer kicking the ball!”
Ghetto Blaster

14: „Ginga“ - Leila Pantel & Whatmindzdoo (Brasil)

Pele had Ginga, and also Beckenbauer, Ginga is the magical move in the body of the gifted player. The brazilian singer Leila Pantel became famous with the album „Come Touch The Sun“ which was part of the „Mo’Horizons“CD. The CD sold 80.000 copies worldwide. The hit of the album „Foto Viva“ was licenced by several Compilation like „Café Del Mar“, Bar Lounge Classics, u.v.a.. For the second album of „Mo’Horizons“, „Remember Tomorrow“, Leila performed „Pé Na Estrada“, a portuguese version of the Ray Charles classic track „Hit The Road Jack“, which entered Number 6 of the Brazilian charts.

“A group as diverse and spontaneous as the team on the football ground of Hamburg St.Pauli: Dj Suro and the multi-instrumentalist Julian from Hamburg put forward the smooth beat. Loco Dante (Chile) crosses with bass and percussion. The great Leila Pantel (Sao Paulo) scores! With her is Caju from Brazil, professional football player and Leila s stadium announcer. The world is guest amongst friends. This is international funky soccer in Samba-Hamburg style!”
Ale Dumbsky, Executive Producer Leila Pantel & Whatmindzdoo

15: Akhian Udeek Diyan - Russell Brothers feat. Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Pakistan)

Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is the nephew Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. “In the tradition of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, his nephew, and prodigy, Rahat carries on the Qawwali message. The vocal spiritualizations of the Qawwali singer is an art that has spanned seven centuries. I hope Rahat will touch us in the way Nusrat has and continue on the Ali Khan legacy.” Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Rahat is here featured in collaboration with American electronic artists the Russel Brothers.
www.rahat.com

“Rahat, Sufi master and nephew of the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, came to the project through mutual friends, Michael Brook and Giuseppe Asaro. Although his song is not directly about football, it is a celebration of beauty and joy, Rahat loved the idea so much of Germany being host to the world for a peaceful and joyful celebration and of Play Up celebrating this with music, we felt he defintively has to be a part of this. We are grateful and feel honored that this was made possible.”
Dirk Lange & Björn Lux, Executive Producers PlayUP

16: PlayUp – Da Weasel (Portugal)

Da Weasel is one of the most known bands in Portugal. The last album “Re-Definições” sold more than 80.000 copies. They have won a mtv award for the best portuguese act, and two portuguese golden globes (Melhor Grupo e Melhor Canção do Ano).
www.daweaselonline.com

“Play Up!!! – 2 words. When we first heard about the real possibility of somehow participating in an event with such magnitude as the world’s football championship, we were staggered in anticipation… After all, for us “Da Weasel”, as a band, group or even a family, football isn’t just sports. It’s probably our biggest passion, right behind music. Something we breathe, live, cheer, and eventually, mourn together each weekend…”
Da Weasel

p+c 2006 JUNO-Hamburg | Kontextrecords

Contact:

Dirk Lange | kontextrecords Björn Lux | JUNO

Budapester Straße 49 20359 Hamburg

TEL +49/40/41 46 88 75 TEL +49/40/43 28 05-12 FAX +49/40/43 28 05-20

dirk.lange (at) kontextrecords (dot) de
lux (at) juno-hamburg (dot) com#PlayUp 06