Do you like to play games?
I'm betting you won't want to play some of these...
Game on!
THE GAME #1
The Game came from Mitcham in Surrey and looked set for big
things in the mid-60s until an appearance on Juke Box Jury with their single The Addicted Man ruined
everything. On the comeback trail in 1995, songwriter Alan Gowing explained, “A
lot of the scandal was pure hypocrisy. We were just made an example of. The
panellists on the programme, Jimmy Savile, Alan Freeman, Pete Murray and Simon
Dee said they thought The Addicted Man was pro-drugs. Yet Jimmy Savile has
since told us he tried to persuade the others that they were misinterpreting
the lyrics. The BBC banned the record and the chairman of EMI, who was also a
member of the House of Lords, withdrew it from sale.” Still, it must feel good
to know they had Jimmy Saville on their side.
The Game – It’s Shocking What They Call Me
GAME #2
Next up, a Florida rock band, getting ahead of the game in the late 60s / early 70s. I tried
really hard to find their 1971 single Fat Mama / Girl Next Door, but it might
have been cancelled. You’ll have to make do with this…
GAMES #3
Followed by a California band from 1977…
Other bands playing Games in the plural were to be found on
discogs… but not anywhere else.
THE GAME #4
The sound of Norwegian reggae from 1981…
GAME #5
Italian “synth-boogie” group from 1982… hardly a game-changer.
GAME #6
Aussie rockers, at the top of their game in 1984…
GAME #7
Also in 1984, try some Italian prog… that's mug's game.
THE GAME #8
This was the sound of 1988, on Power Quality Records from
California. I couldn’t find any pictures of the band, but I figured you might
want to write to their fan club, regardless…
The
Game - Savin' It All For You
THE GAME #9
French New Wave electronic band from 1989. Without giving the game away, they're a little bit Depeche Mode, a little bit Goth…
The
Game - Under the White Bible Law
GAME #10
Imagine a South Korean Clannad, from 1990.
GAME #11
New Jack Swing (whatever that means) group from 1991…
GAME #12
From the year 2000, Game Kutya was a Hungarian rapper who
popped up on a couple of singles by the slightly more famous Hungarian pop-rapper
Mohaman. I wouldn’t normally include him, except that I love the photo above, in
which it looks like one of your mate’s dads has stolen your BMX… and what are
you gonna do about it?
Mohaman
featuring Game - Funky
THE GAME #13
Bobbins, from 2003.
THE GAME #14
Rapper and actor Jayceon Terrell Taylor is the most
famous The Game (or Game to his mates) on today’s list – even if it’s unlikely
anyone reading this blog has ever heard of him.
Here’s his biggest UK hit from 2005…
The
Game ft. 50 Cent - Hate it or Love it
GAME #15
And finally, a hardcore punk band from London influenced by Gism, Zouo and
Siekiera. You know - Gism, Zouo and Siekiera. D’oh.
