Music Banter - Music Mastermind!

Yeah, I know it'll probably be moved to the games section, but I want to see how much interest is gained here, through the general section. Hopefully it will be popular, and if that happens I would ask that it be left here, like Album Wars and such, so it doesn't get subsumed among other threads or lost in a backwater sub-forum. If possible.

So...

From the people who brought you "Room 101"...

You all probably know the classic quiz show, if not then let me quickly explain. Contestants face off against each other each week in two rounds, the first being based on a subject they have chosen themselves (and presumably have extensive knowledge of or experience in), their "chosen subject", and the second being general knowledge. At the end, whoever scores highest wins and goes on to the quarter finals and so on.

For the music version, you'll need to a) have a really good knowledge of most branches and genres of music and b) have at least one specialised subject you know inside out. You'll be tested with four minutes of questions on each. Normally it's limited to a two-minute round but as that's oral and this is going to be typed that wouldn't be fair, if for instance one question was very long and took some time to type out: seconds could count. Not to mention typos, computer locks, crashes and so on.

So here are the rules:

1. All rounds, right up to the Grand Final, will be conducted via IM (that can be Yahoo, MSN, SKYPE or whatever. If you qualify you let me know and I'll download the appropriate app if I don't have it, though I use SKYPE myself, and would prefer to use that). Times can be arranged to suit your local timezone, but they must be live, to avoid any possibility of cheating.

2. Each round will last four minutes, first on your chosen subject, then on general music knowledge. This timing will be TO THE SECOND.

3. There will be a ten-second time limit on each question, to avoid cheating by Googling or wiki. If you do not answer the question within that timeframe it will be marked as incorrect. Of course, if you answer quickly you will get a chance to have more questions.

4. If you don't know the answer, you can say PASS and you will be advised at the end of the round what the answer is. A PASS generally counts as a wrong answer, but it can save you time by not dwelling on the answer and quickly moving on.

5. If, at the end of a round, I am in the middle of a question I will finish it (the famous "I've started so I'll finish"), but if you have answered a question in the last second of the round I will not begin another.

6. If there is a tie at the end between players the number of passes will be taken into consideration. If that doesn't break the deadlock then there will be a tie-break.

7. The winner of each round, and the highest runner-up, have the chance to go forward to the next level, until finally we're left with two players who will battle it out for the title of Music Mastermind of 2012.

8. The final decision on any question is mine, and no appeals will be considered. There will be no trick or ambiguous questions.

9. If you wish, and are sure enough to do so, you may interrupt me in the middle of a question, however if you do and are wrong, the score will be SUBTRACTED from your total (don't like smartasses!)

10. There is no actual prize, other than being able to lord your superior musical knowledge over your mates, however with the permission of the mods I will create a special Mastermind avatar which you can use when you win, showing everyone how brainy you are.

11. All contestants must be able to speak, and write, in English. Sorry if this is seen as discrimination, but I only speak English myself.

12. If you progress to the next round, you must choose a new "specialised subject"; the same one cannot be reused. Nor can anyone else choose one that has already been accepted and used.

13. Specialised subjects can be anything, as long as they're music related. An album, a band, a discography, gigs, musical equipment, production, movies, books, genres, eras, hits, flops, deaths... anything that's music related. But they MUST be specialised, so for instance "Heavy metal music" would not be accepted as a specialised subject, though "Nu-metal" would, as would "Heavy metal music of the 80s" or "Motorhead".

I think that's it. Potential entrants should ensure they can make themselves available for all rounds, and the results will be posted here as the quiz progresses.

So, do YOU have what it takes to sit in the Big Chair? Post here if you're interested but do NOT post your intended chosen subject: PM that to me. Note I will more than likely need some time to research subjects I am not familiar with, so as to have the appropriate questions for you.