MrBRulzOK
Wade Wilson
Mr No-Pants Heathen
Something Witty Here.
Posts: 26,719
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Post by MrBRulzOK on May 25, 2015 15:06:05 GMT -5
I will say this was another round where there wasn't a single bad cover. They all had something going for them at least. Although it was surprising that only one of you went for B.B King. and absolutely nobody went with Elvis Presley. I'll post my rankings here shortly. Sumet Kisses was a Elvis cover Ah, well then we did cover all the bases. My mistake. Still, I expected a bit more variety from the included artists.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 15:14:37 GMT -5
Shit. I guess I wasted using Fallout Boy...
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Demented
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Winner of the Harleen F. Quinzel Legacy of Puddin Award
What am I doing here?
Posts: 16,074
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Post by Demented on May 25, 2015 15:22:49 GMT -5
I'm not in the bottom? What madness is this?
Yay!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 15:25:08 GMT -5
Shit. I guess I wasted using Fallout Boy... *shakes fist angrily*
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MrBRulzOK
Wade Wilson
Mr No-Pants Heathen
Something Witty Here.
Posts: 26,719
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Post by MrBRulzOK on May 25, 2015 15:50:41 GMT -5
Tier I
Bruce Dickinson - Bohemian Rhapsody: This was hands down the best song of the round for me. The mix of the operatic singing and the beautiful instrumentation thoughout along with the vocals of Bruce Dickinson just nails it for me. It's also a song that I might enjoy even more than the original personally. Maybe a little gimmicky at times, but screw it: it works, and that's what matters. I will admit though that the guitar part near the end does seem a little out of place compared to everything else, though it was part of the original. That's only a minor complaint though, I admit.
Chris Cornell - Billie Jean: So we're already three songs into the playlist, and I think this might be the best start for a round since the game begun. Three great covers in a row. I'll admit the first time I listened to this one I was a little underwhelmed, but then upon a second listen I enjoyed it alot more. It's really such a simple song, but the vocals and guitar work extremely well here. You can really feel the emotion in the voice at times. I enjoy covers that go a little outside the original genre. Sometimes it may not work, but when it does it impresses me even more. And that sums this one up.
Antigone Rising - Fat Bottom Girls: A country rock version of a Queen song? Sung by women? Well... that's an interesting choice given what the song is about. Still, that aside I have to admit this was a pretty catchy little rendition. A song that never dragged for me personally and sounded very close to the original, except just different enough that it wasn't a complete rip-off. Basically this song nails everything from vocals to instrumentals. This could have easily been the top song of the round for me, but unfortunately two other songs were even better for me.
Dionne Warwick - Man in the Mirror: This song didn't quite equal up to my top three, but it's still a very well done song. First off the vocals are easily the star of the show here, and probably what carries it more than anything else. Though the piano is also great throughout. The one thing that holds it back for me though is... well, I'm just not that big a fan of the original song. And while this is a fine cover, this version didn't really change my opinion. Still, I did enjoy listening to it.
Tier II:
Mamas Gun - Bicycle Race: Hmmmmm, how do I describe this one? Well it's definitely a faithful rendition of the original song. It sounds pretty spot on really to the classic, at least in my opinion. I guess the problem is that I'm not that big a fan of this particular song from Queen. Still, I do enjoy alot of stuff here. There's nothing I'd specifically say I dislike here. I guess what holds it back is it seems a little abrupt in its ending.
Emily West - Who Wants to Live Forever: This song falls just a little short for me. I mean don't get me wrong: there's alot to like here. There are some fine vocals here as well. However, it seems more like an abridged version of the song it's covering. I guess because it's a performance on America's Got Talent. It's also far too brief. Which again, probably is due to it being a reality show performance. It's not bad, but I expected more. Hence it falls here.
Paul Di'anno - Bad: A metal cover of Bad. On paper that sounds pretty neat. However, something about this just doesn't work for me. Maybe it's the tone? I mean don't get me wrong: it does sound pretty similar to the original, but for some reason it just feels a little strange. That said, I appreciate the musical risk of going with a wild card like this. And I did enjoy the song, but more for the instrumentation then for it being a cover. I'll stick with the original though, personally.
Otis Redding - Rock me Baby: Ah, the first, and only appearance of B.B. King. It definitely sounds like how I would expect to. It's a perfectly good tune, and the singing is spot on. But when it comes to a cover I expect a little more. While this track does deliver a different sound compared to the original, I think I enjoyed that one more then this version. It's not bad, but I also can't say it's particularly great either. Though there are aspects here I enjoy, such as the guitar.
Lynch Mob - Tie Your Mother Down: Another perfectly solid cover here. I have nothing to say that's really negative about it. But at the same time, it's not really amazing in any respect either. There are some things I like, but on the whole it just doesn't quite measure up to other songs this round. If it had to describe this song: I'd say it's the most solid one of the round.
Tier III:
Fall Out Boy ft John Mayer - Beat it: Remember when I said how sometimes stepping outside of a genre pays off for a cover? This is an example of when it falls flat. Again, this song isn't bad, and the singing is pretty good. But the instrumentation... while sounding similar to the original, just seems a little lacking. Almost like the band is on auto-pilot for the most part. I'm sure there are people out there who would enjoy this, but me personally... it's just a little lacking for my tastes. Still, there are some aspects that I like, like the solo towards the ends. Maybe the non-MTV version was better?
Lake Street Dive - I want You Back: Another perfectly solid song, and a very interesting choice to be sure. I certainly didn't expect someone to submit a cover from a band performing on the sidewalk somewhere. Points for thinking outside the box. It's a very simple performance, but works well for what it's going for. Again though, there's nothing here that's really blow away for me. I didn't have a problem with this one, but there are alot of other songs that struck a chord with me far more.
Julee Cruise - Summer Kisses Winter Tears: There's nothing wrong with this song. Again, I enjoy the vocals. However, I don't know what it is, but this song just didn't resonate with me like alot of other stuff this round. Again, there were no bad songs here. Just stuff I liked to varying degrees. Unfortunately, against the stiff competition this round, this one just slipped through the cracks. -----------------------
The Quick and Dirty Results.
1. Bruce Dickinson-Bohemian Rhapsody 2. Chris Cornell-Billie Jean 3. Antigone Rising- Fat Bottom Girls 4. Dionne Warwick- Man in the Mirror
5. Mamas Gun-Bicycle Race 6. Emily West- Who Wants to Live Forever 7. Paul Di'anno- Bad 8. Otis Redding- Rock me Baby 9. Lynch Mob- Tie Your Mother Down
10. Fall Out Boy ft John Mayer - Beat it 11. Lake Street Dive- I want You Back 12. Julee Cruise- Summer Kisses Winter Tears
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pegasuswarrior
El Dandy
Three Time FAN Idol Champion
@PulpPictionary
Posts: 8,748
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Post by pegasuswarrior on May 25, 2015 16:09:16 GMT -5
I had multiple problems with this round (philosophically), but I'll keep those to myself. I didn't judge with hate though, so keep that in mind. One of the things I was dreading when results eventually got posted was seeing if judges judged the songs or the renditions. If you're a Queen fan, for instance, does that mean that some would be inclined to put those song above MJ if you're an MJ hater? Do you even know BB King songs or Elvis's full library depth? Just a lot of different ways this could have gone, and I've been a little uptight about the round results and how they would pan out. Now that I've seen them, I'm a little upset about a couple of picks' results, as I expected I would be. I'll say this about my own judging too, because it shows up in my original comments as I was judging. A round like this comes down to--in part--what I would be inclined to listen to on the radio above all others. If you have a song that's a cover and you like that song, I'm not judging the song, because quite freakin honestly, I would rather hear the originals of *almost* all of the songs chosen this round over the ones that were picked. So, when it comes down to it, if I could turn these songs off and pull out the original, that tells me that no one should be able to ride on the coat-tails of the original since the original was such a good song. So in terms of rankings, if the song came on the radio, which one would I love to keep the dial on, and which ones would I be inclined to turn off? So, all mild aggravation aside that I've only slightly revealed, I'll keep the rest of my meta-comments about the round in general at that.
Let's go to the song critiques themselves ...
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Antigone Rising - Fat Bottomed Girls I absolutely despise this song. However, I'm judging the version and many other things this round. The honky tonk rock stylings here work much better for this song than the original. I hate hate hate the original. Plus, those harmonies are crystal clear and just help make the song. Even though I'm not much on the drunken country feel to most songs of this flavor, it actually does this rendition some favors. First instinct is that this one's clear and precise sound does something different with the original and makes me hate the original much less. For that, I'm inclined to give it props. And just vocal charisma out the wazoo from the lead vocalist. I just wish they' d have better songs as part of their arsenal. Not a huge Antigone Rising fan for that reason. Good first reactions to this song and one that I'll be hoping I didn't have ranked too high at the expense of another pick in weeks to come. Interesting musical choices and vocal charisma that puts this over the top for me.
Monserrat Caballe' and Bruce Dickinson - Bohemian Rhapsody Easily one of the two or three most overplayed Queen songs, and there are probably 85,000 covers of it out there somewhere. However, you're getting judged on the pick itself. And I really like the originality twist you put on it. It's not overly abundant with the operatic flares, just enough to bring another dimension to the table. I mean, honestly, if you just went with a Cabelle' pick herself, it probably wouldn't fly with me, but adding Dickinson to mix really helps give it some depth. The recording here in the studio is spot on too. Great polished feel to it, and I appreciate that. There is something to be said for Dickinson's grit and personality in this piece. Part of the modern movement to make opera hip (which you may or may not agree with as a purist), I think there were possible tragic ways this version could've ended up, but adding a little Iron Maiden flair to it works in this case. It is interesting enough to grab my attention and original enough to keep me curious and keep the radio dial on this selection.
Chris Cornell - Billie Jean Remember when this song went national when an American Idol dude did this version, and it was called his version, but it was really his version of Cornell's version? Yeah, good times. I thought you nailed the essence of the round by choosing this. Vocal command out the wazoo. Feels like a new song when he wraps his vocals around it. It takes a whale of a song version to boot this off the top spot for the round. I could go on and on about the music arrangement and such, but it's safe to say that all cylinders are clicking on this one. Not bad source material either. It's a very clever take on the original. Just gushing with points on this pick. Fantastic job.
Dionne Warwick - Man In the Middle One of my least favorite Michael Jackson songs, but not judging based on that. (Everyone thinks it is his best, and that annoys me so much, but that's another topic for another day.) Warwick actually adds something to the original with her rendition. Jackson's version isn't him at his vocal usual self, so when you hear her bring a few vocal acrobatics to it, it provides a bit of soul to the message of the song. It's funny because vocal acrobatics often can take away from a song's message or intent, but there is a backbone to the message of the song with how Warwick sets it up here. In short, that helps this song really work. She's not taking away from the message. Now, Warwick is far from perfect here, but styling and all things considered, it's a unique look at a song that's been played to death. Form meets function well enough, and the core of the song's message works with this arrangement and vocal just fine.
Emily West - Who Wants to Live Forever I really like Emily West, and I like her voice well enough, but this choice is like bringing a squirt gun to a drive-by. It simply isn't a full song, and the seemingly two lines of verse she's allowed to give in this seconds-long clip just can't hold its own. It's only a little bit of a vocal showcase, and this clip defines why I hate America's Got Talent vocal performances so badly. People go all out on that show with some extreme talents that use every bit of that 90 seconds or whatever it is, but people like West get sent all the way through to the finals every freaking year on just a snippet of talent on display. I needed the full song in order to contend here. I've sent in a couple of selections from singing shows, but the songs were a tad longer, and I always had to use them at appropriate times. I couldn't put a clip from one of these shows against a 6-minute epic. I just needed a little bit more to go on here in order to have the potential to bump it up a few slots.
Fall Out Boy - Beat It The instrumentation is here, but Fall Out Boy's vocal hurts it for me. And I go by the song itself, and then I go to see the video, and it's such a joke. It's not an homage to the original, it's a self-aware cutesy joke that begs everyone to laugh or smile. Just like 99% of what this band does, it reeks of "please please like me" syndrome. The definition of trying too hard is Fall Out Boy, and this version fits with that theme for the band. They do well enough with their instruments, but the styling is all wrong for the song. If I were to hear this come on the radio, I wouldn't waste my time. I'd just pull out the MJ track instead since this adds nothing to the original. It's really coming across as a ploy for Fall Out Boy to get more out of their fans already to convince them that they're hip. Doesn't feel authentic or real at all, just like most of what they do. Just a sucker track for middle-of-the-road pop punk/pop rock fans to swallow up because "hey, look my favorite band knows who Michael Jackson is."
Julee Cruise - Summer Kisses, Winter Tears Yes! So understated and exactly what this track needs and deserves. This version of the song is perfect soundtrack material. I think the female vocal and sensuous/sensuality of it adds way more than an Elvis Presley vocal does. It's a whole other song in this format. Great support arrangement that frames the vocals perfectly. I mention "craftsmanship" from time to time in these music selections, and this one has fine fine craftsmanship to it. I would mark if I was driving down the road and this popped up on the radio dial. And then I'd get really quiet, because this song is hypnotic as all get-out. I don't have a choice but to engage myself in what Cruise is saying in this song. Well done!
Lake Street Dive - I Want You Back I will be going to one of their shows soon. Harmony perfection! Love this rendition because of the vocal charisma. The original is a mighty fine song and pretty freaking perfect as it is done. This just feels like a new song altogether, and I don't even think about the original when I hear it. THAT's what makes it. They made this song their own, it has band identity, and it's a good sampling of what kind of flair you might get in any Lake Street Dive song. It's also one that stands out from the others because it's not just a "dirtying" of the originals. The whole idea of the round is to pick songs that borrow from so-called "kings," so it's hard to measure up to the source material. Well, this is simply taking a song as a vehicle to show everyone what you bring to the table. I'm not looking for MJ's version of anything. I'm not looking for Queen's version of anything. They've already done it. It's cheap to just pick a song that everyone loves and give us a version that is close to the original, because then those songs get judged as if they are the originals. I like what you did here, and it seems like you captured the spirit of the round. When it comes down to it, I would get giddy to have this pop up on the radio dial above all others.
Lynch Mob - Tie Your Mother Down I made a comment about a Santana track a few rounds ago, and my mind goes back to that same place here with this one. It's Memorial Day weekend, and I imagine this dirty-sounding track being at the heart of some beer-guzzling fest while middle-aged lost wannabes are talking about loads of crap that means nothing. The less I hear of this, the better, and honestly, the less I say about it the better. Why would I go to this track when I could to the original and get tons more pleasure out of hearing that?
Mamas Gun - Bicycle Race My first instinct is that this one comes across as too close to the original for my liking for this particular round, but there is no denying that they are on point with their rendition. I like the different sections of instrumentation that this song enters. (Yes, same is true of the original, but when it comes down to it, there is more going on here in this song than in some of the others.) I would probably stick with the original, but Mamas Gun has a very nice clear and crisp sound here that is necessary to its impact. Overall, I'm giving this a hefty thumbs up. Just a lot going on in this track with lots of variety in the arrangement. One thing that ticks me off about this band is that they can pull this off, but they clearly have not mastered basic grammar and mechanics rules. Their band name isn't a misprint. They're really apostrophe-deficient. At least Erykah Badu knew how to spell her album cover correctly.
Otis Redding - Rock Me Baby I appreciate what is going on here, and I appreciate your train of thought. For me personally, this track has been an acquired taste, and it's one that requires a certain time and place for it to resonate with me fully. With that said, in terms of preference, I might spend my time with some of the other tracks because I feel like there is more "musical thickness" or musical density to them. Otis Redding is a vocal king, no question. But I kinda think "what's the need in this version if we have the BB King version?" It's more of a "Why?" question for me. All that said, I have nothing negative standing in the way of the track. It really comes down to where a certain mood and time and place would be the right setting for this track, and I could pick up some of the others at about anytime and get something from them. If I were on one my Otis Redding kicks, this would fit right in. But in the grand scheme of things, I have more questions as to why this version was recorded than just satisfaction in the fact that it was recorded.
Paul Di'Anno and Craig Goldy - Bad I found this to be a bit of a butchering of the original. It's kinda "anti-metal" in its effect because they're taking a well-known song and doing their genre rendition, but it actually ends up softening the original quite a bit and comes across quite farcical and laughable in fact. It honestly sounds like it would be the opening theme to a cancelled TV hero cartoon in this form of the song. (Ahem, which is one reason I expect it to score through the roof with at least one of our other judges, but that's another discussion for another time.) The precision and crispness of the original just isn't here in this one. Part of the deal with a cover is to try to add something to the original or to offer a different way of hearing it without taking a step back from the original. This is a prime example of a song that, if released as the actual original, would've prompted no covers from any other band. Feels very soft and a bit laughable that it feels even tamer than Michael's original sass that he brought to the table. Michael's vocal pizzazz is one huge thing that delivered this song. Grinding it out with a vocal like that really seems to take away the allure of the song in its original form. When metal is done right and they're talking smack in such songs, you tend to believe them. In this rendition, they sound like a bunch of kids who got bullied in school and are trying their best to convince themselves. The lyrics fit Michael or someone of that styling way better than a duo that's trying come across "hard" in their day jobs. Major credibility deflation with this vocal on the part of Di'Anno and even Goldy. When Michael Jackson sounds harder than you and your whole gimmick is to be hard, then that's a problem for me.
1. Lake Street Dive - I Want You Back 2. Chris Cornell - Billie Jean
3. Monserrat Caballe' and Bruce Dickinson - Bohemian Rhapsody 4. Julee Cruise - Summer Kisses, Winter Tears 5. Antigone Rising - Fat Bottomed Girls 6. Mamas Gun - Bicycle Race
7. Dionne Warwick - Man In the Middle 8. Otis Redding - Rock Me Baby 9. Fall Out Boy - Beat It 10. Emily West - Who Wants to Live Forever
11. Lynch Mob - Tie Your Mother Down 12. Paul Di'Anno and Craig Goldy - Bad
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Dub H
Crow T. Robot
Captain Pixel: the Game Master
I ❤ Aniki
Posts: 47,875
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Post by Dub H on May 25, 2015 17:04:13 GMT -5
I will post my ranking later,but it seems the opinion about the Fall Out Boy song is the same between all of us.Which is a shame because i actually enjoy Fall Out Boy
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Jeff Mangum PI
Hank Scorpio
11 herbs and spices for the rest of eternity; Is Number Two. Number Two!
The 2nd Coming
Posts: 6,957
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Post by Jeff Mangum PI on May 25, 2015 17:06:13 GMT -5
I honestly debated using that pick for a while since everyone and their mom has done a cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. Glad to know you guys loved it!
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Gus Richlen Was Wrong
Patti Mayonnaise
Metal Maestro: Co-winner of the FAN Idol Throwdown!
Fun while it lasted
Posts: 38,507
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Post by Gus Richlen Was Wrong on May 25, 2015 20:34:02 GMT -5
....I KNEW I was going to suck royally on this round. I had wanted to use a different cover of "Beat It" but somebody got to the song first and this was my second choice. The moment I noticed that somebody else had used Bruce Dickinson I knew I was f***ed since he is by far the best Maiden lead.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 20:38:49 GMT -5
....I KNEW I was going to suck royally on this round. I had wanted to use a different cover of "Beat It" but somebody got to the song first and this was my second choice. The moment I noticed that somebody else had used Bruce Dickinson I knew I was f***ed since he is by far the best Maiden lead. I should have let you have "Beat It." Hah.
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Gus Richlen Was Wrong
Patti Mayonnaise
Metal Maestro: Co-winner of the FAN Idol Throwdown!
Fun while it lasted
Posts: 38,507
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Post by Gus Richlen Was Wrong on May 25, 2015 21:10:48 GMT -5
....I KNEW I was going to suck royally on this round. I had wanted to use a different cover of "Beat It" but somebody got to the song first and this was my second choice. The moment I noticed that somebody else had used Bruce Dickinson I knew I was f***ed since he is by far the best Maiden lead. I should have let you have "Beat It." Hah. Without giving much away, I was going to go Italian melodic death metal. Really. I don't know if I would have done much better than you.
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Square
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Official Ambassador
Grand Poobah of Scavenger Hunts 2011
Square-Because he looks good at all the right angles.
Posts: 18,700
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Post by Square on May 26, 2015 16:52:38 GMT -5
So Round Seven was going to be an cool idea I had, however I realized it would cause a complaint so I scrapped it. ROUND SEVEN: Don't Piss Him Off Guitars is Jeff Jarrett's gimmick guys, lets respect that this round shall we? For this round guitars are not allowed. Electric, acoustics, bass, my neighbor that keeps playing Wonderwall at 4am in the morning on a Sunday none of them are allowed. In by Friday evening GMT if ya will.
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Demented
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Winner of the Harleen F. Quinzel Legacy of Puddin Award
What am I doing here?
Posts: 16,074
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Post by Demented on May 26, 2015 17:20:02 GMT -5
Song sent and delivered. I guess this guitar is useless to me. Hm... *bashes Waffel113 over the head with guitar* Not as effective as a mallet, but it'll do. Haha!
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Waffel113
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Ain't no Rap Mobile with his Waffels
Posts: 19,020
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Post by Waffel113 on May 26, 2015 17:22:27 GMT -5
Song sent and delivered. I guess this guitar is useless to me. Hm... *bashes Waffel113 over the head with guitar* Not as effective as a mallet, but it'll do. Haha! *picks splinters out of hair* You're too late. My song's in too.
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Demented
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Winner of the Harleen F. Quinzel Legacy of Puddin Award
What am I doing here?
Posts: 16,074
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Post by Demented on May 26, 2015 17:24:06 GMT -5
Song sent and delivered. I guess this guitar is useless to me. Hm... *bashes Waffel113 over the head with guitar* Not as effective as a mallet, but it'll do. Haha! *picks splinters out of hair* You're too late. My song's in too. Does this mean we get the early bird special?
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Square
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Official Ambassador
Grand Poobah of Scavenger Hunts 2011
Square-Because he looks good at all the right angles.
Posts: 18,700
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Post by Square on May 26, 2015 17:31:21 GMT -5
*picks splinters out of hair* You're too late. My song's in too. Does this mean we get the early bird special? ...I'm not providing you free loaders dinner. I already have to pay the judges for "consultation fees"
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MrBRulzOK
Wade Wilson
Mr No-Pants Heathen
Something Witty Here.
Posts: 26,719
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Post by MrBRulzOK on May 26, 2015 17:33:58 GMT -5
Does this mean we get the early bird special? ...I'm not providing you free loaders dinner. I already have to pay the judges for "consultation fees" That reminds me... you promised the three of us a bowl of purple M & Ms before each judging. I don't care that they don't make them anymore. We had a binding agreement!
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Square
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Official Ambassador
Grand Poobah of Scavenger Hunts 2011
Square-Because he looks good at all the right angles.
Posts: 18,700
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Post by Square on May 26, 2015 17:35:03 GMT -5
...I'm not providing you free loaders dinner. I already have to pay the judges for "consultation fees" That reminds me... you promised the three of us a bowl of purple M & Ms before each judging. I don't care that they don't make them anymore. We had a binding agreement! I promised ONE bowl of purple M&Ms and I give them out every round, it seems to me that you are not getting your fair share good sir. JUDGE FIGHT!
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Jeff Mangum PI
Hank Scorpio
11 herbs and spices for the rest of eternity; Is Number Two. Number Two!
The 2nd Coming
Posts: 6,957
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Post by Jeff Mangum PI on May 26, 2015 17:45:59 GMT -5
Guess who's got two thumbs and just got his pick approved?
This guy!
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MrBRulzOK
Wade Wilson
Mr No-Pants Heathen
Something Witty Here.
Posts: 26,719
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Post by MrBRulzOK on May 26, 2015 17:53:52 GMT -5
That reminds me... you promised the three of us a bowl of purple M & Ms before each judging. I don't care that they don't make them anymore. We had a binding agreement! I promised ONE bowl of purple M&Ms and I give them out every round, it seems to me that you are not getting your fair share good sir. JUDGE FIGHT! That slimeball Dub H... I knew he'd been holding out on me! And to think he tried to pin it on pegasuswarrior all this time.
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