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Robert CollinsAbout Robert Collins Robert Collins is a freelance journalist based in London. Since 2000 he’s been Features Editor of Playmusic magazine, edited the musicians’ sections of NME and Melody Maker, and has contributed to The Sunday Times, Globe&Mail;, The Toronto Star, thelondonpaper, Ryanair Magazine, FourFourTwo, Sleaze Nation and many others. He earned his degree in American Studies at the University of Manchester, where he developed his exacting standards for chicken kebabs, and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he learnt the finer points of the pick and roll. Robert writes about global sports culture in his column, Sticky Wickets. Features
Pastures of Plenty: An Interview with FieldsIt’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for. Fields are proving that on a daily basis. [5 November 2007] Life of Ryan: An Interview with the CribsThe Cribs made a name for themselves as brash, belligerent punks, but they’ve cemented their place in the rock world with their music -- an intelligent, resolutely British take on power pop that’s actually done better across the pond than in Britain. [22 October 2007] Max Power: An Interview with Maxïmo ParkFrom the market streets of China to the back alleys of London, Maxïmo Park are poised to take over the world. [18 October 2007] The Mysterious Mr Wheeler: An Interview with AshHe's spearheaded one of Britain’s greatest bands for over a decade. So why can’t we figure out what makes Ash’s Tim Wheeler special? [24 September 2007] Notes from the Underground: An Interview with Viva VoceHusband and wife team duo Viva Voce aren’t the new White Stripes. No one in this family will be writing songs for Coca Cola any time soon. [10 September 2007] Great Expectations: An Interview with Cansei De Ser SexyCSS aren’t just the coolest kids on the block. They’re also among the smartest. [30 August 2007] Let’s Get Ready to Mumble: An Interview with Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubBlack Rebel Motorcycle Club are back. And we still have to lean in to hear what they’re saying. [20 August 2007] The Free Radicals: An Interview with the CrimeaMajor labels, Millennium Stadiums and Tours with Billy Corgan; The Crimea have done it all. Now they’re on their own, they’re breaking all the rules. [13 August 2007] Grand National: An Interview with the NationalFrom Cincinnati to New York to a stereo near you, The National are the latest in the line of life-changing American bands. [1 August 2007] The Essential Selection: An Interview with Beth DittoBeth Ditto from Gossip unveils the music that made her the woman she is today, calls L.A. girl punks, Mika Miko, "the best thing ever", and describes her kinship with Missy Elliott. [30 July 2007] Been Caught Healing: An Interview with Perry FarrellPerry Farrell already saved rock from the tyranny of hair metal. Now he’s back to save the world. [6 July 2007] We Love LA! The Legacy of Lance ArmstrongIf Armstrong has opened this bizarre world of beloved cheats and spectacular runners-up to an American audience, it's a remarkable achievement. Not least because it's shown the bitterly conservative sports media that America does care about what happens outside the 50 states. [8 July 2005] Superbowl Sunday, London Style: A ConversationRobert Collins delivers a European perspective on the Superbowl in this conversation with an American counterpart: 'From the moment I switched on the pre-game, the coverage was a tribute to US moral and military superiority.' [21 February 2005] Can We Kick It? Why European Football Can’t Shake Its Racist ImageOther popular sports never confused loyalty and violence, and definitely never came with the promise of a punch up. Football became an excuse for whatever spleen venting was needed, and racist beliefs were among them. [19 January 2005] Talking Bollocks: An Interview with Test IciclesThe British rockers don't rehearse, have never cut a demo, and cite nu-metal as an influence. So how exactly does this work? [1 January 1995] 24: A Day on Tour with the SubwaysThe British trio takes us along on their unusual business as usual. Slim Chancers: An Interview with The RakesThe Rakes aren't your typical hungover vegan British rockers. Back to the Future: An Interview with the FutureheadsFall in love at a gig? Maybe the Futureheads know something you don't. Barking Mad: An Interview with DogsThe UK's Dogs have some pretty big fans, including themselves. Columns
The 2008 StickiesTo celebrate the past 12 months of infuriating and entrancing sports culture, PopMatters proudly presents the Sticky Wickets Awards for the best and worst in Global Sports. [11 January 2009] (more Sticky Wickets) The Thinking Voice of the NFL: A Conversation with Mike Carlson"If I was doing the same thing in the States, I’d probably be getting lot more criticism, not only from the fans but also from the people themselves." [14 December 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Change Some Can’t Believe InLewis Hamilton, the precocious, handsome son of a black father and white mother (remind you of anyone?), is the Formula One Champion of the world. [1 December 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Open Season on ZebrasIf prime time sports were a new invention, as opposed to the end result of well over 100 years of recreational history, would the powers that be entrust management of the games to old men with whistles? [29 October 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) The Life and Death of the English Football SongCollapsed Lung's "Eat My Goal" is but one indication that the cute, fun, just 'getting behind the team' football song of days gone by had now become big business. [23 September 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Olympic Addiction? Guilty as ChargedCollins appeals to the Pope for forgiveness of his Olympics addiction -- human rights issues be damned. [13 August 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Lucha Libre LondonTwenty and 30-something Londoners, all eager to dive headfirst off the turnbuckle into another culture, weren’t going to be disappointed. [31 July 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Brian Johnston: Tickled with CricketFrench historian Jacques Barzun famously wrote that to understand America, one must understand baseball. Perhaps to understand the English, he should have tuned in to Test Match Special. [17 June 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) The Stars of Track and ScreenPeople who love sports love sports stars turned actors far more than we love actors playing sports stars. [21 May 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) A Formula One Fairy TaleGather round children, and I’ll tell a tale tragic yet true of the demise of the sport old timers once called Formula One. [23 April 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Surviving Le CrunchOn rugby rivalry, Anglo-French relations, and places in Paris that Englishmen should avoid. [17 March 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) A Little Personality Goes a Long WayIf sport is the new entertainment, its stars need to astound, amuse and bemuse us. I’m not asking for the full Bobby Fischer, but an occasional bit of craziness would definitely be welcome. [28 February 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) The Flying Dartsmen“Steve Beaton -- The Adonis of darts, what poise, what elegance -- a true roman gladiator with plenty of hair wax.” [23 January 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) The Zen of CheatingWhile cheating is allegedly the bane of every sportsperson and sports fan’s existence, the only crime, from the cheater’s point of view, is being caught. [4 January 2008] (more Sticky Wickets) Transatlantic (American) FootballPopMatters columnist, hyperventilating with hero worship, rushes the NFL in London. [19 November 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) What’s in a (Nick) Name?A good nickname can show the reverence fans or the media have for the athlete, and it can demonstrate a wicked sense of humour, but always, it should demonstrate that sport, at its essence, should maintain a sense of fun. [23 October 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) Three Strikes You’re Oot!Billions of us around the world have never had the opportunity to swing at a split-fingered fastball or slide into second on a steal. Maybe that's why anytime we’re in America (or Canada), we dash to the baseball stadium. [3 October 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) A Cultural Preview of the 2007 Rugby World CupRugby 101: the proverbial game for ruffians played by gentlemen (as opposed to soccer, a game for gentlemen played by ruffians). [29 August 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) Direct from the Speedy Streets of LondonReports of the Tour De France’s death have been greatly exaggerated. London's million-strong crowd was unrelentingly optimistic about the race and its future. [25 July 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) The Fannish InquisitionLoyalty to the local team doesn't hold much water, these days. There's a hardcore Diaspora of sports fans who stubbornly refuse to go with the crowd. [27 June 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) Hearts of LionsThe 1997 British & Irish Lions and the greatest sports movie of all time. [23 May 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) A Look Back at the Decline of English Soccer. Spring, 2057The early 2000s was a time of great sporting innocence around the globe: the NFL still claimed to have an active drugs policy, Tiger Woods’ alien DNA was still undiagnosed, and it was three years before the revelations about Barry Bonds and Dick Cheney’s clandestine relationship would shock America. [25 April 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) Coming ‘Out’ to PlayAmerican sports fans may consider themselves a more level-headed bunch than their seemingly always rioting European equivalents, but they excel at hurtling vitriol at 'out' gay players. [8 March 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) A Hopeful Immigrant’s Letter, InterceptedA tip for the riff-raff trying to squeeze through the INS bureaucracy or slip past the US Border Patrol: try bending it like Beckham. [25 February 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) Burning AmbitionsThe Ashes is among the oldest sporting rivalries in the world. It just happens to define two nations. [25 January 2007] (more Sticky Wickets) |
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