Geek Collapse

I'm a sore loser.

A couple pals encouraged me to participate in Robert Moore's Monday evening music trivia contest at the Record Bar. I boasted that it wouldn't be fair- I'd almost certainly dominate the proceedings.

I know music. I even get paid to write about it. The potential for humiliation, consequently, was enormous. Additionally, Moore specializes in British indie rock of the '80s. That's not my strongest area.

Entered as a one-man team under the Quick Snap banner, I started strong by identifying Pere Ubu. But I missed questions about The Wolfgang Press and Supergrass. The horror! That didn't prevent me from taunting multi-player teams, shamelessly celebrating each of my correct answers and loudly objecting to a couple of Moore's absurdly esoteric questions.

I was in second place at the break. I asked a friend to rush to the bar to assure Quick Snap's victory.

We bet all but one point on the final Jeopardy-style question. "Name the lyric on DJ John Peel's tombstone." I'd forgotten the answer.

Fail.