Jersey Mike

Not that kind of fantasy, you creepy vouyers.

It’s a Fantasy Rock Band draft I’m speaking of.

Do you know those guys who play “Fantasy Football” and spend incredible amounts of time hosting fantasy “drafts” and fantasy “trades” and fantasy “leagues”?

Of course you do.

And do you know those guys that normally mock that kind of pasttime?

I was one of them.

Until I participated in one on a message board which I frequent.

Essentially, it’s the same thing as a fantasy football draft- only with rock stars instead of football players.

(Being one who has never participated in any sort of fantasy sports league, this was a virgin, cherry-poppin’ experience for me)

My good friend Rich from C-Ville started and organized the draft and limited participants to the first ten who replied. (In the end, there turned out to be twelve total bands- he got talked into letting someone in at the last minute and drafted his own band as well)

ANYWAY-

There are rules-

you will draft the following lineup …

2 singers
2 guitarists
1 bass player
1 drummer
1 wild card (can be a keyboardist, another singer … anything)

rule :: only people living and present in the world can be drafted
rule :: anyone in the hold steady or lftr pllr can not be drafted
rule :: once a musician is taken and his line-up slot is taken, that is final and they can not be drafted again by anyone or changed in position by the drafter. example – if you draft dave grohl as your drummer he will be judged as that and he can not be judged as a singer or guitarist.

your band will be primarily but not entirely judged on the following …

comprehensive ability to rawk and actual potential to play together as a unit.
possibilities of arrests, scandals or death while styling and looking cool onstage and off.
the overall creativity/theme concept of your drafting efforts and the team you built.

Initially, I was reluctant to participate. But with the convincing efforts of both Rich and my visiting friend from the Jersey Shore, I decided to play along- but only as a team.

And this, my friends, is the end result of the debating, Googling and bantering about who the best choices for our band would be-

“Bridge and Tunnel”
Vocals- Axl Rose and Billy Idol

Guitar- Prince and G.E. Smith

Bass- Flea

Drums- Johnny Rabb

Wild Card- Murray Hewitt (Manager) and Jay-Z (vocals)

What do we win?

Not sure, really.

Bragging rights? Set of steak knives?

Who cares. It’s just fun.

I guess that’s what sports-types say about Fantasy Football.

(2009 shall be my year of acceptance)