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I'm setting up this new thread because Allan and I strayed off the topic of 'Who Butters Your Bread' to compare Pop Master scores today. If any other musoes of a certain age or former champs (that's you Ian V) care to join us, then tune into Ken Bruce on Radio 2 at 10.30 each morning - or catch it on 'Listen Again' and keep a note of your scores. Then we can all blow our own trumpets - or otherwise - on a daily - or otherwise - basis.

I always enjoy listening to PopMaster but have never yet plucked up courage to enter as the subjective difficulty of the questions is so variable. Some days I do really well and others I'd score about 3.

Phil Reynolds wrote:I always enjoy listening to PopMaster but have never yet plucked up courage to enter as the subjective difficulty of the questions is so variable. Some days I do really well and others I'd score about 3.

Exactly - I got 24 in the first set today, and only 9 in the second set and 6 or 3 isn't uncommon for me. And I'm a beater-upper of myself so couldn't BEAR to miss a question that I knew I really knew! Mostly the 3 in 10 is a waste of time for me too. Why they pitch it at 40/50 somethings then ask for 3 songs from some teeniebop boy band or girlie catawauller I do not know. To not give away digital radios I suppose!

Sue Sanders wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:I always enjoy listening to PopMaster but have never yet plucked up courage to enter as the subjective difficulty of the questions is so variable. Some days I do really well and others I'd score about 3.

Exactly - I got 24 in the first set today, and only 9 in the second set and 6 or 3 isn't uncommon for me. And I'm a beater-upper of myself so couldn't BEAR to miss a question that I knew I really knew! Mostly the 3 in 10 is a waste of time for me too. Why they pitch it at 40/50 somethings then ask for 3 songs from some teeniebop boy band or girlie catawauller I do not know. To not give away digital radios I suppose!

I have no idea what you're on about, but if it's a radio quiz, can't you just have wikipedia or similar open in the background for instant discographies?

Sue Sanders wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:I always enjoy listening to PopMaster but have never yet plucked up courage to enter as the subjective difficulty of the questions is so variable. Some days I do really well and others I'd score about 3.

Exactly - I got 24 in the first set today, and only 9 in the second set and 6 or 3 isn't uncommon for me. And I'm a beater-upper of myself so couldn't BEAR to miss a question that I knew I really knew! Mostly the 3 in 10 is a waste of time for me too. Why they pitch it at 40/50 somethings then ask for 3 songs from some teeniebop boy band or girlie catawauller I do not know. To not give away digital radios I suppose!

Totally agree with you both. I score anything from 0/3 to 30 something, usually depending on the bonus topic. I couldn't face going on and making a twat of myself, although some days I win by some margin. Not today sadly

I'll post my good and bad scores and interesting observations from the questions.

Jon Corby wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:I always enjoy listening to PopMaster but have never yet plucked up courage to enter as the subjective difficulty of the questions is so variable. Some days I do really well and others I'd score about 3.

Exactly - I got 24 in the first set today, and only 9 in the second set and 6 or 3 isn't uncommon for me. And I'm a beater-upper of myself so couldn't BEAR to miss a question that I knew I really knew! Mostly the 3 in 10 is a waste of time for me too. Why they pitch it at 40/50 somethings then ask for 3 songs from some teeniebop boy band or girlie catawauller I do not know. To not give away digital radios I suppose!

I have no idea what you're on about, but if it's a radio quiz, can't you just have wikipedia or similar open in the background for instant discographies?

John

Yes it is a pop quiz - Pop Master is on at 10.30 in Ken Bruce's show on Radio 2. The best bit of his show by far for me, as a lot of his music isn't always to my taste. He does have some good live session son from time to time though.

You are right that you could have Wikipedia open but it would only work for certain questions, such as where you get a piece of music to listen to. Unfortunately, they are very strict on time and get roughly 10 seconds to answer.

Jon Corby wrote: I have no idea what you're on about, but if it's a radio quiz, can't you just have wikipedia or similar open in the background for instant discographies?

Occasionally I get the idea someone is doing that as they go a bit vague and mutter bits of the question to themselves - but Ken sticks the 5 second timer on them pretty quick and, anyway, the question aren't phrased for an open discography to necessarily be the right page to be on. Also they play snippets of records too, so that can't be googled.

Sue Sanders wrote:

Jon Corby wrote: I have no idea what you're on about, but if it's a radio quiz, can't you just have wikipedia or similar open in the background for instant discographies?

Occasionally I get the idea someone is doing that as they go a bit vague and mutter bits of the question to themselves - but Ken sticks the 5 second timer on them pretty quick and, anyway, the question aren't phrased for an open discography to necessarily be the right page to be on. Also they play snippets of records too, so that can't be googled.

Okay - I got the impression you won something by being able to name three hits by an artist you get given, that's all I was referring to. As I said, I have never heard the show (cos I's got a proper job innit) so I don't really have any idea what I'm talking about.

Jon Corby wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:

Jon Corby wrote: I have no idea what you're on about, but if it's a radio quiz, can't you just have wikipedia or similar open in the background for instant discographies?

Occasionally I get the idea someone is doing that as they go a bit vague and mutter bits of the question to themselves - but Ken sticks the 5 second timer on them pretty quick and, anyway, the question aren't phrased for an open discography to necessarily be the right page to be on. Also they play snippets of records too, so that can't be googled.

Okay - I got the impression you won something by being able to name three hits by an artist you get given, that's all I was referring to. As I said, I have never heard the show (cos I's got a proper job innit) so I don't really have any idea what I'm talking about.

Yes, you're right - two contestants answer 10 general music question then the winner gets given 10 seconds to name 3 top 40 hits by.........whoever. The 10 seconds is counted down by a jingle and I don't reckon there would be time to type a group/artist name in, take in what comes up on the screen and say the three song titles in that time. Enough people just manage 1 or 2 song titles in the time or just say 'no, can't do it' to suggest that people are playing fair but yeah, there's a digital radio up for grabs so maybe some people try it. But it's just about the fun of putting your music knowledge to the test.

Sue Sanders wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:
Occasionally I get the idea someone is doing that as they go a bit vague and mutter bits of the question to themselves - but Ken sticks the 5 second timer on them pretty quick and, anyway, the question aren't phrased for an open discography to necessarily be the right page to be on. Also they play snippets of records too, so that can't be googled.

Okay - I got the impression you won something by being able to name three hits by an artist you get given, that's all I was referring to. As I said, I have never heard the show (cos I's got a proper job innit) so I don't really have any idea what I'm talking about.

Yes, you're right - two contestants answer 10 general music question then the winner gets given 10 seconds to name 3 top 40 hits by.........whoever. The 10 seconds is counted down by a jingle and I don't reckon there would be time to type a group/artist name in, take in what comes up on the screen and say the three song titles in that time. Enough people just manage 1 or 2 song titles in the time or just say 'no, can't do it' to suggest that people are playing fair but yeah, there's a digital radio up for grabs so maybe some people try it. But it's just about the fun of putting your music knowledge to the test.

It's also bloody obvious when people are cheating (certainly is to me as a quizmaster anyway), so there's an unstated honour system at work. You know when they're onto someone, as the tone becomes noticeably less friendly and the time limits are applied pretty harshly. In fact, one of the grand finalists last year was pretty clearly cheating, but was well scuppered in the end

As for my scoring, I got 30 when I was on there, should have been 36, and I'll make sure I record my scores each morning now. Got a full house last Tuesday too

Ian Volante wrote:As for my scoring, I got 30 when I was on there, should have been 36, and I'll make sure I record my scores each morning now. Got a full house last Tuesday too

Ooh Ian, that's given me the horn

Sue Sanders wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:As for my scoring, I got 30 when I was on there, should have been 36, and I'll make sure I record my scores each morning now. Got a full house last Tuesday too

Ooh Ian, that's given me the horn

That's quite disturbing, on at least two levels...

24 and 27 today, so I lost to both contestants, which is rare!

As for three in ten, I'd have got two straight off and probably the obvious one later...

Ian Volante wrote:24 and 27 today, so I lost to both contestants, which is rare!

As for three in ten, I'd have got two straight off and probably the obvious one later...

Good solid scores then, Ian.

21 (and I gave myself 1 for Jefferson Lighthouse, when it should have been Edison Lighthouse. Sometimes there's a panic trying to get it out before the contestant does) and only 12 for the second - I wouldn't have picked 'intros', though I got the Black Box one and saved from humiliation by U2 and The Osmonds, about whom I know too much! Just couldn't get 'See Emily Play' sorted out in my mind before the contestant said it.

Got 'Knights' and 'Forever Autumn' but not a hope for a third.

Hmm. Today was a good example as to why I will never ring up to take part.
9 on the first round (and even that is dubious because I think I might have awarded myself 6 for a 3 point question)
15 on the second. Nice to hear Dene Freidman. I was once outside The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh chatting to Ross Noble (who I vaguely know) and Sean Lock, when Dene Freidman wandered over to talk to us. What a bizarre triumvirate!
No problem on the 3 in 10.

Sue Sanders wrote:I was once outside The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh chatting to Ross Noble (who I vaguely know) and Sean Lock, when Dene Freidman wandered over to talk to us. What a bizarre triumvirate!

Not to mention what a bizarre spelling of Dean Friedman.

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:I was once outside The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh chatting to Ross Noble (who I vaguely know) and Sean Lock, when Dene Freidman wandered over to talk to us. What a bizarre triumvirate!

Not to mention what a bizarre spelling of Dean Friedman.

Damn- I did go for 'Friedman' first of all but changed it. So caught up in that was I that I didn't think twice about the fact that I'd plumped for 'dene', the geographical feature rather than the boy's name! Pants! I feel like Kai Laddiman now!

Sue Sanders wrote:I feel like Kai Laddiman now!

Well, you can't have him.

I was in a meeting. Boo!

Much beter day for me today.

I got 24 on the first round and got lucky with the bonus q's as managed to get The Band and Abbey Road (pure guess).

The second round I got 15 - Dean Friedman was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't spit him out

Only got Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want TO Hurt Me for 3 in 10.

Allan Harmer wrote:Much beter day for me today.

I got 24 on the first round and got lucky with the bonus q's as managed to get The Band and Abbey Road (pure guess).

The second round I got 15 - Dean Friedman was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't spit him out

Only got Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want TO Hurt Me for 3 in 10.

...reaffirming the whole randomness of it. Well done - may we never be tempted to 'have a go'!

Better for me today - first round 18 (I wouldn't have chosen Rod Stewart for my bonus though did get one right)

30 in the second round and then 3 in 10, got in about 4 seconds with a spare one up my sleeve too.

30 and 36, 2.5 on Miss Quatro - a bit before my time! 74 Crash might have been a follow-up to '48 Crash... Not too bad, but I thought the requests were pretty easy, easier than I expected anyway.

Rubbish today, 18, 24, 0.

Ian Volante wrote:Rubbish today, 18, 24, 0.

Rubbisher than you (though you have set yourself a higher standard for defining 'rubbish')
9, 15 and an 'oh for fuck sake' at the reveal of Blue.

Sue Sanders wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:Rubbish today, 18, 24, 0.

Rubbisher than you (though you have set yourself a higher standard for defining 'rubbish')
9, 15 and an 'oh for fuck sake' at the reveal of Blue.

Glad it's not just me with a great dislike of naming songs by bands of the last ten years or so...

Had work phone meetings yesterday and today so missed it live both days.

I have just done them both on Catch-Up and got 21 for both rounds yesterday + 3/3 for Suzi Q - The same 3 as the contestant. Was chuffed with that but on got 2 of the Rod Stewart q's. He is one of my all-time fav's but I didn't know First Cut Is The Deepest wwas the double A side

Today was much much harder, the same as for you guys - 12 and 15 with zero on the Blue songs. Luckily I can remember the 50's and Guy Mitchell got me out of trouble in Round 2

Thanks for introducing me to Pop Master, Sue! I've always been a massive music trivia fan so it's right up my street. I caught today's one on catch up. I'm definitely best on the 90s, so was very pleased with the Sheds and Dodgy coming up. Got 33 in round one (got the Bowie one wrong) and 30 in round two - and embarrassingly I knew three (in fact about six) Blue songs! I think I'll dip back into some of the other shows retrospectively.

Allan Harmer wrote:Today was much much harder, the same as for you guys - 12 and 15 with zero on the Blue songs. Luckily I can remember the 50's and Guy Mitchell got me out of trouble in Round 2

I might have got Guy Mitchell if they'd have mentioned his number ones!

Sue Sanders wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:I was once outside The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh chatting to Ross Noble (who I vaguely know) and Sean Lock, when Dene Freidman wandered over to talk to us. What a bizarre triumvirate!

Not to mention what a bizarre spelling of Dean Friedman.

Damn- I did go for 'Friedman' first of all but changed it. So caught up in that was I that I didn't think twice about the fact that I'd plumped for 'dene', the geographical feature rather than the boy's name! Pants! I feel like Kai Laddiman now!

Or, as you're such a comedy aficionado, maybe you were thinking of Ricky Gervais . . . whose middle name is apparently Dene.

Bob De Caux wrote:Thanks for introducing me to Pop Master, Sue! I've always been a massive music trivia fan so it's right up my street. I caught today's one on catch up. I'm definitely best on the 90s, so was very pleased with the Sheds and Dodgy coming up. Got 33 in round one (got the Bowie one wrong) and 30 in round two - and embarrassingly I knew three (in fact about six) Blue songs! I think I'll dip back into some of the other shows retrospectively.

Wow - Bob. 33!! Join the Ian Volante club! The 90's for me are a frustration. I've got loads of burned cds with no track listings so really have no idea of song titles and which were singles rather than album tracks. I grew up in the 70's and was quite an avid little pop fan as a tiny child, spending my pocket money on a new 45rpm andr the latest compilation of 'fantastic hits' or 'supersonic hits' by K-tel for Christmas (they predated the 'Now That's What I call Music' compilations) and I used to know my stuff inside out then - when I was ooh, about 7!! - and somehow that has stayed locked in my mind. I still scour those boxes of second hand records in charity shop s to pick up the holes in my collection.Kept up with it through Punk and New Wave - did a lot of taping straight off the radio onto c90 cassette tapes on my 'music centre'. I can compile a mean mixed tape and reckon I could still splice if needs be! Once into the 80's I start to lose it after Duran and Spandau. Have seen so many really great bands live too. Now,much as I love Indie stuff, it's just all too much to take in. I'm going to see Gomez next month who I still think of as fairly new on the scene!!!

Pah - RUBBISH in the rounds; 6 and 12

But then 3 in 10 - fastest ever I reckon ...about 3 seconds for the 3 and carried on listing up to about 6.

27 and 30 today. Just managed 3 in 10 but not sure I could have got any more

Bob De Caux wrote:27 and 30 today. Just managed 3 in 10 but not sure I could have got any more

Oooooh,
I've cum

Ian, do you see what Bob's doing here?
You're gonna have to reassert your authority.

Crap and not bad today.
Got 6 on the first round (First and last Questions + bugger all in the middle) and 21 on the second thanks to Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. I had a couple of lucky rushes of shit to the head!!

Got 2 of the 3 in 10. Just the two obvious ones and dried up.

Looks like you will be having Bob's babies now Sue. I thought Ian was nailed on for that role after the first few days!!

Sue Sanders wrote:Ian, do you see what Bob's doing here?
You're gonna have to reassert your authority.

I wasn't far off those scores on Friday, but I didn't record them as I was out of the office. Shall return later in the week when I get access to a radio again in the morning, probably Thursday

Due to my Monday scores being too dreadful to mention, I shall instead ask....has anyone else managed to get a suggestion on Radcliffe & Maconi's 'The Chain'? Mine was in the first 200 and I linked Bowie's 'Life on Mars' to my suggestion of Ian Dury's 'Sweet Gene Vincent'. Anyone care to have a stab at how?

I don't know how the Chain works, but is it something to do with Gene Hunt in the TV series Life on Mars?

27 and 21 yesterday, and only 2/3 on the 3 in 10. Tough.

Sue Sanders wrote:Due to my Monday scores being too dreadful to mention, I shall instead ask....has anyone else managed to get a suggestion on Radcliffe & Maconi's 'The Chain'? Mine was in the first 200 and I linked Bowie's 'Life on Mars' to my suggestion of Ian Dury's 'Sweet Gene Vincent'. Anyone care to have a stab at how?

Monday I got 23, 18, 1. Rubbish! As for The Chain, I linked something by Van Morrison that I've forgotten to Jump by Van Halen a couple of months ago. And I didn't even notice the Van connection...

As for yours, no idea!

Ian Volante wrote:

Sue Sanders wrote:Due to my Monday scores being too dreadful to mention, I shall instead ask....has anyone else managed to get a suggestion on Radcliffe & Maconi's 'The Chain'? Mine was in the first 200 and I linked Bowie's 'Life on Mars' to my suggestion of Ian Dury's 'Sweet Gene Vincent'. Anyone care to have a stab at how?

Monday I got 23, 18, 1. Rubbish! As for The Chain, I linked something by Van Morrison that I've forgotten to Jump by Van Halen a couple of months ago. And I didn't even notice the Van connection...

As for yours, no idea!

Ha - so we're fellow Chain contributors. Cool.
But Bob's got the link right. I think I'm love with Bob.

Not bad today, 30, 22, lots in ten.

I've nothing better to do - so, this lifted from the website....

1276. VAN HALEN - JUMP
^ Double link alert! From one Van to another... and also... Ted Templeman produced both Tupelo Honey and Jump!

1275. VAN MORRISON - TUPELO HONEY
^ Tupelo is mentioned in Ode to Billie Joe, hence...

Not bad for me (Allan - start posting again!!!) 18 and 21 and did get 3 in 10 though doubt I could have on the radio.

Very rare chance for me to play along today (well, with the first contestant anyway, then the bloody phone rang) and was happy with my 36 (got the ELO hits in the wrong order). From what little I heard of the second set, they were a lot harder, so I'm pretty sure I'd have struggled to get half that.

JimBentley wrote:Very rare chance for me to play along today (well, with the first contestant anyway, then the bloody phone rang) and was happy with my 36 (got the ELO hits in the wrong order). From what little I heard of the second set, they were a lot harder, so I'm pretty sure I'd have struggled to get half that.

Impressive - you better start picking it up on Listen Again. The second round being 'harder' is subjective. I wouldn't have picked Disco Divas for the bonuses but got 2 right so that bumped up my score. The 3 in 10 was 'The Beautiful South - how would you have done with that? (10 seconds to name 3 top 40 hits)

Oh dear! I'm being shafted in all directions.

Got 9 and 12 yesterday. Could'nt get Kelly Marie out though I knew it.

Got plenty on 3 in 10 as I like Beautiful South.

Impressive effort by JIm - well done mate. I got the ELO ones arse about face too.

Same as you Jim, 36 with the ELO one wrong. 30 on the second set and lots and lots in 10. I used to listen to Carry On Up The Charts all the time!

Allan, we'll have to form our own 'not very good' club. 17 and 12 today and I took so long to spit out 'always something there to remind me' that I used up all the time.

Good one, Bob. When you coming round to fetch your prize?

Sue Sanders wrote:I took so long to spit out 'always something there to remind me' that I used up all the time.

Which reminds me of my favourite Dulux commercial...

OT: The guy in the ad is a very good friend of mine, Boz (aka Philip Bosworth). I've lost count of the number of times over the past 10 years that he's reached the point of giving up acting due to extreme poverty, then another lucrative ad has come along that's kept him going for another year or two. He's done everything from Direct Line and moneysupermarket.com to an ad for the Ford C-Max filmed in Johannesburg. Oh, and he was in two episodes of EastEnders last year.

Sue Sanders wrote:

JimBentley wrote:Very rare chance for me to play along today (well, with the first contestant anyway, then the bloody phone rang) and was happy with my 36 (got the ELO hits in the wrong order). From what little I heard of the second set, they were a lot harder, so I'm pretty sure I'd have struggled to get half that.

Impressive - you better start picking it up on Listen Again. The second round being 'harder' is subjective. I wouldn't have picked Disco Divas for the bonuses but got 2 right so that bumped up my score. The 3 in 10 was 'The Beautiful South - how would you have done with that? (10 seconds to name 3 top 40 hits)

A Little Time, Song For Whoever, You Keep It All In, Amsterdam (or was it called Rotterdam?), erm, something about a ship...it's sort of my era (though I didn't like much of theirs after the first album) so I thought I'd be able to reel off a lot more than that straight away. Didn't catch any of today's but I might give it a listen again later on tonight.

Rotterdam and I'll Sail This Ship Alone. Not really very familiar with them, but do have a greatest hits album.

24, 27, lots. Awful bonus questions today, only got three out of six!

Ian Volante wrote:24, 27, lots. Awful bonus questions today, only got three out of six!

Lost track in round one due to sudden invasion into my room by my father, who's quite deaf and therefore loud, in a drowning out the radio way. 18 in round 2.

Know masses of MSP hits but still struggled to get them out in time - started off tongue-tied because my brain was already tripping over the fact that the first two on my mind are long titles. Also, not sure how forgiving Ken would have been with 'Motorcycle Diaries, No....Motorcycle Madness, No... Motorcycle Emptiness', although it was in the time.!!
Bentley and De Caux are snapping at your heels, Volante!!

Sue Sanders wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:24, 27, lots. Awful bonus questions today, only got three out of six!

Bentley and De Caux are snapping at your heels, Volante!!

They may be, but I get the impression we cover three different eras, so there should beating mutual beating rather often with luck

Woohoo! 36 (got the 30-20-10 wrong, bah), but then...39!!! First max. Not a massive RW fan but luckily the questions all fell into place. Oh, and loads of MSP songs, though I can't stand them

Sue Sanders wrote: Good one, Bob. When you coming round to fetch your prize?

Not quite sure how to answer that one, Sue!

Ian Volante wrote: They may be, but I get the impression we cover three different eras, so there should beating mutual beating rather often with luck

Def right Ian, if it goes pre 1980 I'm liable to get lots wrong.

I still haven't listened to this, but another idea for cheating would be to get as many people as you could persuade to all be in an MSN group conversation (or whatever your chosen means of multi-person conversation is), and then they could spam out answers without you having to worry about trying to use Wikipedia. Plus then you could have a set of people who specialised in different eras.

I'm not really sure why I'm finding the idea of trying to cheat on radio quizzes interesting, but apparently I do.

That would solve the problem of having to go er..., um... to cover the noise of you leafing through a book/typing something into the computer. Maybe if the prize was slightly more than a DAB radio...

I've only heard a couple of weeks worth, but I'm guessing Ken would slam you down if he thought you were scamming him. Has it ever happened?

Bob De Caux wrote:Woohoo! 36 (got the 30-20-10 wrong, bah), but then...39!!! First max. Not a massive RW fan but luckily the questions all fell into place. Oh, and loads of MSP songs, though I can't stand them

Sue Sanders wrote: Good one, Bob. When you coming round to fetch your prize?

Not quite sure how to answer that one, Sue!

Well, I was going to say...by telling me the time your train arrives in Whitstable but the confession of not being able to stand MSP...well, I'm sorry Bob. It just isn't going to work.

You deleted your post whilst I was replying to it. Scandalous.

Sue Sanders wrote:unless you happen to have the Manic Street Preachers Discography on screen at the start of the 10 seconds, again, no time to do anything of use. You have to know those 3 in 10 and be calm enough to articulate them!

My theory about having a group chat is not that people would be frantically looking up discographies, but that they'd happen to know the answers themselves and could type them to you (that's why I mentioned you might want to get people from different eras). (Obviously not foolproof...)