Rockbusters

designed by Pilkipedia's Dr Funke

Rockbusters was conceived by Karl Pilkington and was played on Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's long running Xfm radio show in between 2002-2005. It was brought back in 2006 as part of The Ricky Gervais Show podcast.

It debuted on 12 October 2002 as a phone-in but converted to an e-mail competition the following week. Despite its titular pun, the game has very little in common with Blockbusters. It is played by Karl giving three clues, which he considers "cryptic" but are in reality convoluted colloquialisms which often depend on the answer being mispronounced. Steve once aptly referred to them as "craptic" clues. Along with the "clue", Karl includes the initials of the answer. The winners of Rockbusters would win a selection of prizes known simply as the usual tat.

History

Details of previous Rockbusters competitions:

12 October 2002

• This young man prepared for his death (WY) = Will Young
• Better than the average homeless person (S) = Supertramp
• The little girl is hungry; what shall we do? (F) = Feeder
• Exploding pet (AK) = Atomic Kitten

19 October 2002

• I'll take that book to the toilet with me (LR) = Lou Reed
• Blow the candles out before you eat the cake (FL) = Flaming Lips
• How can I wash up in something shaped like that? (NS) = N-Sync (N sink)

26 October 2002

• At the moment I'm in a river full of logs (JT) = Justin Timberlake
• That lad's got bad asthma (W) = Weezer
• I saw that Mousetrap the other night, but the heating was knackered (C) = Coldplay

02 November 2002

• I don't like them girls; they shouldn't be allowed in this area (B) = The Bangles (ban gulls)
• He doesn't like women, yet he's got a couple of kids. That's a bit weird. (PD) = Puff Daddy
• That bloke who does sport on telly, he's got a little kid (DC) = Destiny's Child (Des' tiny child)

09 November 2002

• That army has got some well nice trenches (DW) = Dandy Warhols (dandy war holes)
• The top of them curtains are wrecked; all the material's worn (HV) = Holly Valance
• I was in Texas, I landed on my knees in a puddle (WH) = Whitney Houston (wet knee Houston)

16 November 2002

• The fella has only got one badge left (E) = Elastica (his last sticker)
• The unmarried lady is a friend I eat out with (MD) = Ms Dynamite (miss dinner mate)
• I really really love that woman. I love everything she does (M) = Madonna (mad on her)

23 November 2002

from Karls Mum...

• This group would be good at doing your hair (TP) = The Platters
• This group sound like dinosaurs (TR) = T.Rex
• This group like to be by the sand and the sea (TBB) = The Beach Boys
• This guy sounds soup-perb (GC) = Glen Campbell

and the official ones...

• Stop throwing that fruit about (CB) = Chuck Berry
• That Scottish fella has made an error (M) = Mistique
• God, you can make a right load of toast with them (G) = Gorillaz

30 November 2002

from Karls Mum...

• This group are nice on toast = The Jam
• This man liked his wine = Dean Martin
• Hope you're not speeding when you meet these = The Police
• Sounds like these lads work for the hospital = Gerry and the Pacemakers

and the official ones...

• You've been dunking that for too long (LB) = Limp Bizkit
• You won't be able to play that game in this pub. The table 'aint big enough (FD) = Fats Domino
• Well, I've had a rubbish day so I'm happy it's over (GK) = Gladys Knight (glad it's night)

7 December 2002

• That'll never get off the ground (LZ) = Led Zeppelin
• That womans got her husbands gloves and a pair of her own (HH) = Hermans Hermits (her man's, her mits)
• You'll get a load of bacon off them (L) = Longpigs

21 December 2002

• There's a load of letters there asking for advice. Put them on Clares desk. Oh and, er, have a good Christmas (F) = Foreigner (for Rana)
• Ask your Mum if you should after you've wrapped the presents (S) = Shalamar (shall I, ma?)
• A couple of people were arguing in the supermarket at the fruit and veg counter but it's busy in there 'cause it's Christmas and that's probably what brought it on (B) = Bananarama (banana drama)

28 December 2002

This was a "best-of" episode - the Rockbusters were taken from the show that aired on 09 November 2002

04 January 2003

• 42 pounds for a torch? That's a bit pricey (D) = Deee-Lite (dear light)
• He'll fit some chocolate to your feet (A) = Aerosmith
• Do you think your kid will get that strawberry for me? (WP) = Wilson Picket (will son pick it?)

11 January 2003

• Don't argue with him. He aint gonna change his mind (AA) = Adam Ant
• He always gets what he wants and doesn't worry about anyone else (P) = Pixies (picks his)
• I'll have to put that woman in the oven (AB) = Anita Baker (I need to bake her)

14 June 2003

• He's got American coins all the way down his spine. (N) = Nickelback
• Jeremy Beadle has got arthritis. What's going on there? (SLF) = Stiff Little Fingers
• Foxy, Shipman and some country and western singer on a merry go round (SD) = Spin Doctors

21 June 2003

• If you're going to France, you might as well buy your fags on the boat because you'll get 'em a lot cheaper. (BF) = Bryan Ferry (buy on ferry)
• There's a little foreign cafe that's growing its own steak. (D) = Del Amitri (deli meat tree)
• If there was a Jamaican fella on the Titanic, he might have screamed this. (CD) = Chris DeBerg (Christ, de berg!)

28 June 2003

• The doctor said part of the foot and the leg was no good, so he took 'em off and threw 'em away. (TB) = Tony Bennett (toe, knee, bin it!)
• The Scottish monster has got a bit of a tan. (TD) = The Darkness
• Well, the 60's singer had a heart attack whilst he was 'avin it away. We won't be seeing him again. (FNM) = Faith No More

05 July 2003

• All the police cars are on fire. (BS) = Blazing Squad
• The director of "28 Days Later" is shouting about sleeping outside. (DB) = Daniel Beddingfield (Dan yell bed in field)
• He wants to be a sailor. Why is that? (B) = Beyonce (be on sea)

08 November 2003

• That Teletubby has got lice. (TP) = The Police

(Karl messed up this clue. It was supposed to be "That Teletubby has got nits.")

• I'm saving that money to buy condoms. (JC) = Johnny Cash
• When you're making bread, add a bit of color for a change. (D) = Dido (dye dough)

15 November 2003

• If you go to Chepstow you will. (S) = Seahorses (see horses)
• ET's upset. What's up with him? (ME) = Missy Elliot (missing Elliot)
• I had a tape with Humpty Dumpty and Hickory Dickory Dock on it, but I broke it. (BR) = Busta Rhymes (busted rhymes)

22 November 2003

• I'm going to the northeast. Why am I doing that? (S) = Seal (see Hull)
• She's related to the man in the lamp. (G) = Genesis (genie's sis)
• The Jamaican fella would love to live there, but it's a bit pricey. (DS) = Dire Straits (dear streets)

Podcast Series 2, Episode 1

• I don't want a house that far away from the water. I want to be right on top of it. (B) = Beyonce (be on sea)
• That part of me leg is English. (B) = Britney (Brit knee)
• The fitness teacher has got a speech impediment. (KW) = Kanye West (can you rest?)

Podcast Series 2, Episode 2

• Steal that women's flower. (RP) = Robert Plant (rob her plant)
• Keep whacking the cooker with a stick. (It doesn't have to be a stick.) = (B) = Beethoven (beat oven)
• Venice. It's all water, innit? How would you describe it? (M) = Morrissey (more is sea)

Podcast Series 2, Episode 3

• That Jamaican fella doesn't want anything. (ND) = Neil Diamond (nil demand)
• I ask them to pass me the ball by using their head. (E) = Editors (head it to us)
• He's got the wooly ones, but I've got the ones that run and charge at you. (R) = Ramones

Podcast Series 2, Episode 4

• I went to the restaurant on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and the fella who makes the food was there each time. (SC) = Sam Cooke (same cook)
• Go into that woman's store and rip her off. (C) = Cornershop (con her shop)
• You've had a go at laying down a track, but it ain't perfect. (E) = Eurythmics (your rough mix)

Podcast Series 2, Episode 5

• Those songs you sing at Christmas, that bloke who sings 'em is brilliant at it. (CK) = Carole King
• I told the homosexual man that the grape tree was mine. (MG) = Marvin Gaye (my vine, gay)
• I ask you, Ricky, if you believe in Father Christmas. What do you say? (S) = Santana (Santa? nah)