DJs set sights on charts with Crazy Frog remix single

by Julia Pearlman, Brand Republic 21-Feb-05, 15:00

LONDON - Dubbed one of the most annoying ringtones ever, 'Crazy Frog' is set to become a novelty single created by former DJs, including Radio 1's Wes Butters, but its transition to the charts risks a legal battle as it is being launched without permission.

Called 'Crazy Frog Chorus', the track will be released under the name Pond Life on April 4.

The group, including Radio 1's Wes Butters and former Virgin Radio DJ Daryl Denham, were in the pub when they came up with the idea to add a dance beat and some synths to the sound of the frog starting up his imaginary motorbike.

Jamster, the company behind the Crazy Frog ringtone, said it had mixed feelings about the single because it has not been asked for permission to use the sound.

Robert Swift, UK marketing manager for Jamster, said: "We've not decided how to tackle it yet. Some people think we should take legal action, others say it is good publicity."

The ringtone has been downloaded by more than 1m people in the UK and has made about £10m for Jamster.

It was created by David Malmedahi, a 24-year-old computer components salesman from Gothenburg in Sweden, and Erik Wernquist, who designed the frog.

Malmaedahi, as a 17-year-old in 1997, sat down at his computer and recorded himself imitating his friends' mopeds, unaware that his recording would one day become Crazy Frog, the world's most successful ringtone.

The annoying "be ding ding ding da da ba bi be ba bruuuum weeeeey" sound has been well publicised, with people either loving or hating it.

The blue amphibian, naked except for a pair of flying goggles and a helmet, has already caused controversy when parents of young children complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about his nakedness.

Jamster made the decision to cover the frog's modesty even though the BACC cleared it with a certain rating.

Jamster is part of the VeriSign family, a leading wireless content mediation company. The company develops, markets and distributes digital content and applications for the newest generation of GPRS, MMS and 3G mobile handsets.

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