The instant success of "Maria (I Like It Loud)" as Scooter's final single from their hit 2003 album The Stadium Techno Experience was both a blessing and a curse. The song brought considerable attention to the group once again and pretty much every raver and their mother could remember that catchy jingle. On the other hand, the song became their signature track and fans would continually shout that annoying "dup-dup-dup" sound at concerts, wanting them to play mainly that. They became associated with a "dup-dup-dup" chorus and that's what they became known for, even if later productions surpassed that one song.
For the first time, Scooter decided not to travel alone, bringing along the strangely-tattooed MC Dick Rules (yes, that's his name -- but his real name is Michael Wayne Ward, which isn't as fly) and Marc Acardipane, who actually originated the melody from his 1997 song, "I Like It Loud". Together, it's like a crazy rap battle, only with some of the worst lyrics frontman H.P. Baxxter has ever produced. The Radio Edit delivers it all: pounding beats, some light but effective bass, and the aforementioned rap scuffle, although I think H.P. wins this one because although Dick Rules may SOUND gruff, he has weak lyrics. Not that I'm able to judge the horrible lyrics here anyway... But everyone will remember the chorus of the MCs shouting "dup-dup" repeatedly over the simple but easily memorized melody. Great for parties (and also for sports events apparently, even to this day) and club rocking.
The Clubmix focuses more on the main melody than anything else, although the "dup-dup" shouts of H.P. and Dick Rules are still here. But all the unnecessary additional verses have been wiped clean. As for the Extended Mix... well, it's a longer version of the Radio Edit with more beats as part of an introduction. Last but not least is the B-Side, Giant's Causeway. Aside from being the name of a location consisting of about 40,000 basalt columns, it's also a quaint trance track with a unique melody of chipper chimes and a powerful yet airy synth. The melody sounds just a tad out of the ordinary, making the listener's ear quite curious...
"Maria (I Like It Loud)" may be their signature song, and it is indeed one to get the crowds chanting in sheer excitement, but let's not forget that there are many other Scooter songs out there! Of course, it's their own fault for creating such a catchy track! If you want to hear the now legendary Scooter sound, this is one single to check out.
