Yeah that was a fun night. Marc, thanks for letting us invade your space and draw you (randomly) with what I believe was the toughest decade.

I had a great time and enjoyed the upsets I managed to pull off, though ultimately getting slammed in the finals was humbling. In looking at my lists the enxt day (I built eight play lists for the night to draw from, plus a list of 50 "five star" songs and fifty "four star" numbers) I did wonder if I should have pushed the boundaries of familiarity a little more to draw from some stronger material in the second half of the night. But then I remember playing "Driver 8" and "Girl Called Johnny" and getting feedback ranging from sideways glances (the nice guys) to comments like "poor choice" (the frank guys) to " who is this?" (the ..... guys).

Still, with all of that prep I thought I may as well throw out a few of my other play lists for posterity's sake. As the evening progressed I chopped up the lists and used some songs as youi'll see, though when I look at them now they might have been better as a whole. By and large this is music that I think is really strong or at the very least the best within its genre, of the time.

Round Three
Love My Way - Psy Furs
Prisoners - Rain Parade
Beds are Burning - M/Oil (used that one)
Levi Stubbs' Tears - Bragg (used it)
Major Tom - Peter Schilling

Round Four
Pair of Brown Eyes - the Pogues
Elephant Stone - Stone Roses
Wet Weekend - Big Dipper
Pale Shelter - Tears for Fears
Pink Turns to Blue - Husker Du

Round Five
Only Life - The Feelies
The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death - Housemartins
Games Without Frontiers - Gabriel
A Wave Crashed on Rocks - The Felt
The Dreg - Fleshtones

Round Six
Ceremony- New Order
Borderline - Camper Van Beethoven
Message of Love - Pretenders
Killing Jar - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Perfect Day - The The

Round Seven
Fields of Fire - Big Country
Christine - House of Love
Everything Counts - Depeche Mode
Might as Well Be on Mars - Pukka Orchestra

So great night. My one less-than-glowing comment is that iit ended up being a process of (almost) smug familiarity with music, rather than opening our ears to new (or less familiar) music. Of course that was all to do with the format. For me that familiarity was what propelled me through two rounds...so not sour grapes. And I kick myself for not punishing Mr 60's with my (lack of) votes for his choice of two Beatles and two Stones. Bastard! And thereby skipping lots of great bands. And two from the same record (Let it Bleed).

Stu has subsequently suggested we get together in the future for in depth listens oif a decade. Stu, over to you to outline your suggestion.