"Who is the brainiest music geek in the world?" That's the question the Mercury will set out to discover with our new feature, the "Music Trivia Challenge!" And here's how it works! Every month we will pair up the two brainiest music geeks we know to go head to head in "music trivia." Each participant will have one minute to answer 10 questions covering a broad spectrum of musical knowledge. The winner of the match will be declared "Grand Champion Music Geek" and will have to defend his or her title in the next installment of "Music Trivia Challenge."

This week's challengers are truly the brainiest of geeks. First, we have Isaac Brock, leader of the simply smashing indie rock band Modest Mouse, whose new album, Sad Sappy Sucker (a compilation of early Modest Mouse recordings), is available in stores now! Our second challenger is Julianne Shepherd, the Arts Editrix of the Portland Mercury, and self-proclaimed "professor of random stuff nobody gives a shit about." For the record, Julianne had no prior knowledge of the following questions, primarily because we wouldn't mind seeing her get her ass beat.

You are invited to play along at home, to see how you stack up against our brainiacs (answers can be found at the bottom). First, we'll list the questions, and then each of our respondent's answers. GOOD LUCK!

The Mercury Music Trivia Challenge!

1) Bobby Brown was originally a member of what R&B group?
2) What was the name of the Vancouver, BC label that first signed Heart?
3) What Northwest resident was in both Guns 'N Roses and the Fastbacks?
4) Who wrote "Stars and Stripes Forever"?
5) What was the name of Ricky Martin's first band?
6) Who will be the lead singer for the newest incarnation of Rage Against the Machine?
7) What's the first song on side one of Led Zepplin II?
8) Name one band on the VH1 show, Bands on the Run.
9) What two rock stars died within sixteen days of each other at the age of 27 in 1970?
10) What Northwest band was also known by the names "Pen Cap Chew" and "Skid Row"?

ISAAC'S ANSWERS!

1) Ummm Jets! NO! Uh no idea. WRONG!
2) Island? WRONG!
3) Duff McKagan. CORRECT!
4) Not a clue WRONG!
5) I I don't know! WRONG!
6) Chris Cornell. CORRECT!
7) God I don't know. WRONG!
8) I don't have cable! WRONG!
9) Jimmy Carter and Tipper O'Neil. WRONG!
10) The Accused? WRONG!

JULIANNE'S ANSWERS!

1) New Edition! CORRECT!
2) Chrysalis? WRONG!
3) Uhhh Duff McKagan! CORRECT!
4) Aaron Copeland! WRONG!
5) Menudo! CORRECT!
6) Errr Chris Cornell? CORRECT!
7) Oh, gee "Stairway"? WRONG!
8) Touched by a Janitor? WRONG!
9) Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison. WRONG!
10) Ohhhhhh Pearl Jam? WRONG!

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Julianne Shepherd for winning the first "Music Trivia Challenge," with a final score of four to two! Isaac was a great sport, and would like to say he would've done much better if he "hadn't been baked." Julianne was not such a good sport, screaming "I AM THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!" and then skipping off down the stairs.

Are YOU currently in a band, and think you can take down the haughty genius, Julianne Shepherd? Send a letter of interest to julianne@portlandmercury.com, and YOU might be chosen to participate in the next Mercury "Music Trivia Challenge!"

Answers!
1) New Edition. 2) Mushroom. 3) Duff McKagan. 4) John Phillip Sousa. 5) Menudo. 6) Chris Cornell. 7) "Whole Lotta Love." 8) Harlow, Flickerstick, Soul Cracker, or the Josh Dodes Band. 9) Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. 10) Nirvana.