As you're very well aware, the World Cup is currently happening in Russia. And despite the United States failing to qualify (oof), everyone here has been glued to their televisions and devices, throwing full attention at the matches and stopping everything to watch the likes of Tunisia duke it out against the Panamas of the world. It's riveting stuff, even with England's suddenly clear path to the final.
But with apologies to yesterday's France-Argentina match, just as riveting as the games is the newly-launched Bands FC, a new Twitter account that has taken our favorite bands and reimagined their logos as crests and badges designed with football (soccer?) club teams in mind. According to the Manchester Evening News, the account is a collaborative effort between The Charlatans' Tim Burgess and long-time collaborator Nick Fraser, designer Mark Liptrott, and animator Chris Walker.
And it's the coolest intersection of soccer and music since New Order released "World In Motion" nearly 30 years ago.
“It’s a celebration of the exact point where bands and football bump into each other – with a nod to Panini sticker collections,” Fraser tells The NME. “We got started with a couple of ideas then it was non stop -- some designs link the band to their favorite team, others are all about design -- when we did Wu-verhampton Wanderers, that was quite a moment. Others are like cryptic clues to a song or whatever."
The designs are inspired, to say the least
The Beastie Boys are paired with their hometown New York Cosmos, AC/DC calls upon their For Those About To Rock era to line up with Arsenal's cannon branding, and Echo & The Bunnymen take shape through their own local, Liverpool FC. Figuring out the alignment and inspiration behind each specially designed badge is part of the fun.
Check out a few of our favorite designs below (high marks for the Joy Division, Smiths, and James looks), and run through the full set and latest uploads via @_Bands_FC.