The year we met in college, sammymaudlin and I developed a drinking game around the mildy popular tv show T.J. Hooker. I assume most of you have played a drinking game based around a tv show at one time or another. There are certain cues based around expectations in plot and character devices that require participants to drink. Newhart, I believe, was a popular game when we were in college, but we felt we were too cool to swig whenever a character on the show said “Bob.” Our game, “Hooker,” did involve swigging down beer or whatever whenever a character addressed the former James Tiberius Kirk, but it had other cues for drinking, such as the obligatory T.J. Hooker lecture to an apprehended bad guy, man-girdle and toupee shots of Shatner, the absence of a rear-view mirror in any cop car, key appearances by young Heather Locklear, any scene featuring the “Boy Romeo” charms of Adrian Zmed, and – most exciting of all – any number of perceived references to Star Trek! A character touching the shoulder of another character, for instance, was a clear reference to Spock’s Vulcan nerve pinch. Hooker closing in with Kirk-like moves on a woman in need was another reason to swig.
I can’t remember all the other potential Star Trek references because I drank away the memories of most, but I do recall our most successful night of Hooker, an episode entitled Vengeance Is Mine, featuring a special guest appearance by Spock – I mean, Leonard Nimoy – as Hooker’s old cop buddy who we learn – SPOILER ALERT – cannot resist the temptation to go rogue! This episode featured swigs and even chugs for not only Vulcan nerve pinches but previously unforeseen mind melds and Evil Spock references! The living room of our frat was packed with almost all of our frat brothers and related partiers getting hammered to this idiotic show. It’s one of my most cherished exercises in bringing folks together over something most people would find beneath them, right up there with how I feel about Rock Town Hall!
But enough about Hooker. Let’s get back to rock bands around which you could construct a drinking game. What bands or albums would best lend themselves to such an exercise, and what might be the first 3 to 5 cues for drinking?
The first band that came to mind for me was Led Zeppelin:
- Soft, acoustic intro as set up for hard-rocking song = swig
- “Scat” interplay between Page and Plant = swig
- Tolkein-inspired lyrics = swig
I’m sure there are a few more swig-worthy cliches for anyone willing to sit through any album by Led Zeppelin with a case of beer. Around what other bands could you see yourself constructing a drinking game?
Am I right to assume that the point of this game is to present you with a lot of opportunities to drink? If so, then look no further.
Here’s the game: Drink every time the Red Hot Chili Peppers make either a direct or veiled usage to drugs in their songs.
This will get you absolutely shittered because EVERY RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS SONG IS ABOUT DRUGS. Good luck.
Your assumption is correct, northvan, and your answer is appropriate. However, the opportunities to drink could include more variety.
Take a drink for every time the Beatles sing “yeah”. You’d be projectile vomiting by the end of the She Loves You/I’ll Get You single.
I’ve got one for you: Every time that Jerry Lee Lewis refers to himself in the third person, including references to “The Killer.” It never gets old for me.
TB
whenever Thom Yorke whines.
DRINK
Have a Guinness every time Van Morrison uses the phrase “wet with rain.” In no time, you will be, well, mildly inebriated.
Whenever Rick Buckler hits the crash cymbal.
DRINK!
There are lots of opportunities for Van Morrison: anytime he cites old musicians (a chug for every reference to “Jellyroll”), anytime he cites old poets, anytime he instructs his band to take it down or bring it up, a chug for each RAHdio!…
Bon Jovi—every time a cliche is used in the lyrics.
Every time Tom Waits mentions booze…
Or with every James Brown scream.
We could also make this in to a fun little game of sublimation: put on the most shake-your-ass music, such as Kool and the Gang, James Brown, or whatever males will dance to, and every time you start to want to start a little bumping, drink instead.
This could also be adapted to replace air guitar playing, air drum solos, etc.
Tom Waits
Swig every time he mentions a person’s name that has an adjective as part of it (Tabletop Joe, Falling James, Yodeling Elaine, etc)
Swig every time he sings about someone with a physical disfigurement (Tabletop Joe again, the captain is a one-armed dwarf, Uncle Bill…has a tumor that’s as big as an egg)
Swig every time he mentions a city by name.
Swig every time he mentions the weather.
Finish your beer if he mentions a specific type of car.
KISS:
Sip if Ace or Peter were dismissed from the band immediately before or after the song/video/album was released.
Drink if Ace or Peter were dismissed from the band immediately before or after the song/video/album was released and their replacement donned their make-up.
Chug if Ace or Peter were dismissed during the actual recording of the song/video/album.
Finish your drink if Ace or Peter were dismissed during the actual recording of the song/video/album but rehired before work was completed and/or Ace is electrocuted in mid-performance.
Knock back a shot of Scotch every time Ian Anderson adds more than one note to a syllable.
Gaslight Anthem – beer sip for a Springsteen reference, rip cord for Elvis reference, a shot of Jack for 60’s/70’s references and a triple shot for Counting Crows references. You’d be hammered two songs in.
LadyMiss, that is LIFE for most guys, not a game.
Springsteen Live
Holsters his guitar = One sip
Sing into the same mic as Little Steven = One sip
Bring someone from the crowd on-stage, like a little kid to sing or Courtney Cox to dance = Two sips
Directly addresses a fictional person to whom he is singing as “Mister” or “Son” or Jack!” = One sizable gulp
Goes into that jive-ass rock and roll preacher shtick that he’s been doing for the last few years = One gulp of alter wine and several Hail Marys
Accidentally tea-bags those watching him on the Jumbotron when he miscalculates his cross-stage knee slide = Two sips and a gulp.
Pulls off Rock and Roll Iwo Jima with at least six people = Shotgun a tallboy of Canadian Ace (brewed in Hammonton NJ)
I spent far too much time on a bad couch in a smoky room listing to this band – STEELY DAN:
Sip for any reference to old soul / jazz musicians.
Gulp when any singer other than Fagen (Becker, MacDonald or that guy from their 1st record) takes a verse.
Puff for any reference to illegal drug use.
Bump any time the smooth jazz arrangements threaten to put you to sleep.
Give a drink to someone (preferably a minor) for every mention of underage girls.
And, lastly, shotgun whenever you here the famed “Steely Dan Chord”.
http://www.hakwright.co.uk/steelydan/mu-major_3.html#examples
Goal is to reach enlightenment before the end of side 3 of the original ABC Greatest Hits (72 – 78) album.
Just sayin’
it’s a good game k!
Excellent games for future generations of alcoholic rock fans! The Ian Anderson extra syllable drink almost made me snarf my coffee. Thanks.
Put on a classic rock station and drink every time you tap your toes, or fingers, or bop in any way. Drink twice if anybody sings or mouths the words to a song. Finish your drink if it’s a double/triple-shot weekend and they play the same artist after the current song.
There already is a drinking game for live Guided by Voices shows:
1) Begin chugging beer immediately upon the first chords of the first song.
2) Stop after end of last encore.
One of my lunch mates thought that AC/DC was ripe for a drinking game. I wish I could remember all the drink-worthy cues, but one that could get you loaded alone was any characterization of themselves in terms of a DSM-IV diagnosis.
sourbob – sooo true!
An easy AC/DC drinking game would be for every mention of “rock n’ roll” or the word “rock” and any derivation.
TB