Lawmaker, ex-procurement chief team up for rock and roll trivia quiz

Known for his encyclopedic knowledge of local political geography and long-forgotten election returns, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis of Virginia helped protect the Republicans' narrow majority in 2000. Even though the 2002 midterm elections are rapidly approaching, Davis faces a more imminent challenge Tuesday when he travels to Cambridge, Mass., to compete in Harvard University's rock and roll trivia contest.

"This is defending the title," Davis said.

Joining musical forces with Harvard University Professor Steven Kelman--who headed federal procurement reform efforts under the Clinton administration--Davis said the "bipartisan team" last year won the contest by beating out some of Harvard's best music trivia minds.

"We were strong on the 'bubble gum,' " Davis said. "We were better on the music. ... They were better on the history."

Kelman said he has often issued a challenge to his students on 1960s trivia.

"Last year, somehow I mentioned this to Congressman Davis, and he said, 'Can we team up?'" Kelman recalled.

Kelman said this year's contest pits Davis and Kelman against four first-year public policy master's students. He said each side will take turns asking about 25 questions on music between 1963- 1970.

Kelman said he and Davis dominate the Top 40 format, but are not as good with more obscure titles. "We've struggled on that and are weaker on what is known as classic rock," Kelman said. "I guess maybe we were just too straight during the '60s."

But Kelman said each team can tap into three "lifelines" for help, and he said the "fogy team" has lined up three GAO employees with individual expertise on Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead and British groups. As for the opposition, Kelman said, "The students are asking their parents."

Leading a small Capitol tour for constituents earlier this week, Davis recalled a couple of last year's questions. "One of the questions was, 'What was a steely dan?'" Davis asked, referring to the band by the same name. The answer: "You don't want to know." The band's official Web site informs readers that at the behest of a music industry executive in 1973, the "Windsor Unimax 5000 computer system" produced 9,087 names for test marketing, leading to the name "Steely Dan."

In another question, Davis asked, "Which British Invasion band made the most appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show?'" Davis rejected "The Beatles" as the answer and informed his tour the correct response is "The Dave Clark Five."

Davis said he and his family will combine the trip with a stop in Boston Monday to allow his wife to run in the Boston Marathon. Davis, who noted that he has previously run three marathons, said this time he will be watching the kids and cramming for the final. "I've been preoccupied with the elections," Davis said. "I've got the weekend."