Ok here goes Marc I'll try and answer some of your questions. The decades will be drawn randomly but as I mentioned in an earlier post the winning decade in any particular round will not go back in to the hat but will skip being selected for one round thus avoiding the scenario you mention.

As for the minimum of 7 rounds maximum of 9 that I posted earlier take the following as an example.

7 Round Contest

#1: 60's v 70's - winner 60's
#2: 80's v 90's - winner 80's
#3: 60's v 00's - winner 60's
#4: 80's v 70's - winner 80's (70's eliminated)
#5: 60's v 90's - winner 60's (90's eliminated)
#6: 80's v 00's - winner 80's (00's eliminated)
#7: 60's v 80's for all the marbles

9 Round Contest

#1: 60's v 70's - winner 60's
#2: 80's v 90's - winner 80's
#3: 60's v 00's - winner 00's
#4: 80's v 70's - winner 70's
#5: 60's v 80's - winner 60's (80's eliminated)
#6: 90's v 00's - winner 90's
#7: 70's v 00's - winner 70's (00's eliminated)
#8: 60's v 90's - winner 90's (60's eliminated)
#9: 70's v 90's for the big prize

As for the 4pm start time I believe that we are deadly serious. You don't after all think this thing will run like clockwork do you. A couple of those 5 litre mini kegs should see us right.

Getting back to the other scenario re specific years. I was thinking that if we were to go that route we should be assigned specific years prior to the night in question. i.e. I show up on the 15th knowing that all the songs I play have to come from 1997 and Brian's from 1983 etc. Would be rather difficult the night of to bring along a deep list of songs for each year of your assigned decade. I still like the idea but would like to hear from the rest of the group.

The list of shameful songs is also a nice touch.