We’ve made it to the knockout round of the 2022 World Cup! So far, there’s been jubilation and disappointment in supporters of various Clubs and a few surprises. Among the highlights: USA followed up draws against the two UK teams, Wales and England, with a win against Iran. Saudi Arabia shockingly beat Argentina; before its elimination by the USA, Iran stunned Wales with an extra-time win. THAT goal by Brazil’s Richarlison de Andrade! There were acts of courage by fans and team members; and broken promises by the host nation. Legendary United States Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) introduced the oft-quoted idea that sunlight is the best disinfectant to counteract negative governance. Hopefully, in the case of the tournament, the eyes of the world that are focused sharply on both the host country and the governing body overseeing the World Cup act as that disinfectant. Punk rock has a long legacy of acting in that same manner whether or not the musicians know of Louis D Brandeis’ and/or his famous words.
Here we present more diehard soccer/futbol fans. Most indicate that they are watching the World Cup with that awareness. One musician understandably chose to boycott. Yet all discuss their love of the beautiful game. Remember, you can read Part One of “(World) Cup The Punx” here and you can check out our World Cup playlist, chock full of all your favorite futbol-related punk anthems, right here!
Part 2 of our World Cup special, as with Part 1, starts with a musician hailing from Northern Ireland. Adam Carroll aka Mad Adam, vocalist and bass player with the band Good Friend, reveals his take on the tournament and which clubs he regularly supports.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
AC: “I’m looking forward to how The World Cup brings people together. Football is on the tip of everyone’s tongue and even people who usually don’t relate to the sport are supporting a team passionately. And there is always drama!“
Carroll adds:
“That’s what sports supposed to be about, right?”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy?
AC: “As there is no R.O.[Republic of] Ireland or N. Ireland and our usual back up of Iceland also didn’t make it this time round, I’m rooting for Argentina. An England v Argentina final and [Lionel] Messi wins the game with a hand of God. That’s how I think it’s all gonna happen.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
AC: “I support Liverpool (Premier League) and Coleraine FC (Hometown team).“
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
AC: “My older brothers support Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United and rather than swear allegiance to one I wanted a team of my own. I loved how Liverpool played. They were fast and frantic and anything could happen in front of the Kop.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
AC: “I did, I was a right winger and played for a few local teams. I once had an unsuccessful trial for Leeds.“
Kyle Bawinkel, bass player for Flatfoot 56, has worn his Chicago Fire scarf around the world. It’s kept him warm from Murmansk, Russia (Arctic Circle) 2013, (photo on right) and back home on the sidelines of the team’s pitch (photo on the left, below, with Part 1 participant, Mike Park of The Crombies.)
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
KB: “It’s hard to not get excited over the first Poland vs Mexico match. growing up in predominant Polish and Mexican neighborhoods. it’s going to be an all out brawl.” [The match ended in a 0-0 draw.]
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
KB: “I’m excited to watch this young USA team and think it’s time for Brazil to hoist.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s)in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
KB: “I’ve always been a Bundesliga watcher so I followed Breman and St Pauli but favorite player has been Schweinsteiger, so I guess you can say the Chicago Fire was watched a lot as well.”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from the area?
KB: “I watched the Chicago Fire growing up because they played down the street and watched a lot of Bundesliga on tour. Our driver was a huge Breman fan so I started following them. My first love of Bundesliga though is St Pauli. I’ve played many of their supporters’ events over the years and obviously what they stand for is 100%.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
KB: “I only played pickup games growing up. I was never in an organized league.“
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
KB: “How can it not be Hardcore Hooligan –The Business?“
Henrike Baliú (Blind Pigs; Armada) will be experiencing the World Cup with his children. The musician is from Brazil, where the National Team has won the World Cup 5 times. That makes the South American nation the winningest in the tournament’s history. Will 2022 earn the Brazilians their 6th title? Baliú shares his thought on that and more with us.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
HB: “Well, I’m looking forward to Brazil bringing home the World Cup trophy. Not because I care, ‘cause I don’t, but I’d like to see my three sons have this experience. I’ve had it in 1994 and 2002 when football (not soccer, that’s how Yanks call it) was still a big part of my life.“
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy?
HB: “Brazil, obviously, even though our national team’s shirt has been stolen by neo-fascists here as their uniform. So, I’ll be rooting but you won’t see me wearing the jersey.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
HB: “I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My dad is Flamengo. It’s like a religion that your dad passes on to you.” [The photo to the left is of a young Baliú, in 1982, sporting a Flamengo shirt for his Angell School portrait in Ann Arbor, MI.]
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
HB: “1982” by my band, Armada. It’s about the classic match between Brazil and Italy in 1982 in the World Cup in Spain. I watched it on TV. I was 8. Brazil lost and I couldn’t stop crying. It traumatized me so much that I wrote a song about it decades later.”
Aspy Luison of The Real McKenzies is a diehard supporter and player of futbol but not of this year’s World Cup. Whilst some of us believe eyes focused on the tournament hopefully will lead to change, Luison has a different point of view. He, understandably, believes boycotting the game is the way to avoid rewarding those who deserve anything but.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
AL: “I don’t expect anything at all. I’m not going to watch it and I hope that all of us who love the real football, football with values, please do the same and turn off the fucking TV.“
“I am not going to support a World Cup that the corrupt and mafia-like FIFA gets richer with their shit modern football. Qatar is a country where human rights are violated, it oppresses the rights of migrant workers, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ collective, in addition to preventing freedom of expression.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
“My team is Deportivo de A Coruña, but I sympathize with all the anti-fascist and anti-racist teams like Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao, St.Pauli Hamburg, Celtic Glasgow…“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
AL: “I have been playing football all my life, until I was 16 years old I was a defender (centre-back) and then for due to team needs I have changed to goalkeeper until I was 28 years old.“
“Now I am coach of the women’s team of my town of 4ª division.“
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
AL: “Right now the only songs that come to mind are: The Adicts – ‘You’ll never Walk Alone‘ [and] Los Fastidios – ‘Antifa Hooligans‘”
John Payne from Heart and Lung is hoping one of the best players in the history of the sport never wins a World Cup.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
JP: “I cannot wait for the moment that Messi fails to win in his last Cup ever.” [Lionel Messi’s Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia but it did beat Mexico.]
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy?
JP: “Viva Mexico! They’re at the top of my bracket, but I think Germany, Brazil, and Uruguay are gonna stick around for a while. Then again, I’m nearly always wrong.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
JP: “I wake up super early on the weekends to root for Tottenham, mostly because of Son Heung-min. Kulusevski is fast becoming a favorite, though.“
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
JP: “My buddy lived in London for a bit, and when he got back he asked if I wanted to get up early to watch matches with him. I said no. He told me I could get drunk at the bar at seven am. I said yes.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
JP: “I was on the purple team in fourth grade. My parents neglected to tell me about the traveling team in fifth grade because they didn’t wanna drive me anywhere in the morning.“
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
JP: “The Real McKenzies ‘Raise the Banner’ is a fun one!“
