‘Irk the purists! Irk the purists!’ sang Half Man Half Biscuit on their track of the same name, on the Trouble Over Bridgwater LP.

Most bands have their obsessive devotees. Even now, I’m sure if you ahve too much time on your hands you could probably find someone who will insist that Menswe@r were genbiuses who were misunderstood by the media. Then you get the pretty well excellent bands, like The Smiths and Radiohead, whose devotees can still take things a bit far.

Like this mash-up, for example. This track has divided the internet, mixing the vocal from The Smiths’ 1983 hit ‘This Charming Man’ with tyhe backing from Lana Del Rey’s hit from the end of last year ‘Video Games.’ It’s been put together by Gavin Burrell from Manchester, who goes under the name The Reborn Identity (and more of his mashups can be streamed and downloaded here at his Soundcloud page

Not only that, but there’s also been a mash-up video made. I think both mashup track and video are excellent, even as a Smiths fan (and to a lesser extent, a fan of some of Del Rey’s songs).

The Smiths vs Lana Del Rey – This Charming Video Game (mashup) from Reborn Identity on Vimeo.

What do you think? Heresy? Genius? Is it just another mash-up? Another Stroke Of Genius? Or is there a reason why it’s called ‘Bastard Pop’ in Germany?

Just for the record, this was one of the earliest mash-ups many people heard in 2001. Richard X going under the name ‘Girls On Top’ (oo-er missus, etc..)

…which for the record became a bona-fide hit the following year, and was one of the best tracks of 2002.