Game Theory was a power pop band founded by Scott Miller in 1982. I remember they got some MTV airplay. Miller was the only constant member of the band which changed members frequently. Game Theory got a lot of college play in the 80s.
Mitch Easter, who produced R.E.M. produced Game Theory. This song was on their album The Big Shot Chronicles which was praised when it was released and now. In the 2007 book Shake Some Action the album was #16 in the top 200 power pop albums of all time.
Scott Miller was a special songwriter. He influenced artists such as The New Pornographers, Jellyfish, Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet, Ben Folds, Guided by Voices, and more.
Miller committed suicide in 2013. After Miller’s death, it emerged that he’d been planning a new Game Theory album with the working title, Supercalifragile. Miller’s widow enlisted The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow, along with some Game Theory bandmates, to finish the L.P. It was released in 2017.
There are many that compare him to Alex Chilton musically…and also in terms of being a really good songwriter that doesn’t beyond a cult following.
Alex Chilton and Scott Miller
Erika’s Word
Erica’s gone shy
Some unknown X behind the why
All is some less today
Mass not conserving in the old way
Checking out with Brother Jay
I’ll miss your half of me
Girl are you leaving something
You might later need?
Erica’s word, taking me clear and leaving me blurred
Erica’s news, singing the praise and playing the blues
Pulling the rug out under my shoes
Twelve years ago
Shorthand allegiance to the long throw
Make believe and pretend
I remember when they served the same end
You always liked the photo of us
Sitting in our car
Just like we’re driving
Girl it’s not looking like we’ll go all that far
Erica’s word, taking me clear and leaving me blurred
Erica’s find, blowing my hair and tearing my mind
Throwing for grabs and leaving behind
Maybe you’ll find that promised love
The tingle to the touch
Girl and I hope it comes through for you in a clutch
But I wouldn’t bet much
Erica’s word, taking me clear and leaving me blurred
Erica’s news, singing the praise and playing the blues
Pulling the rug out under my shoes
Erica’s find, blowing my hair and tearing my mind
Erica’s word, taking me clear and leaving me blurred
Knocking me down from second to third
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Another new one to me. Sounds decent, very power-pop, good enough that I’d like to hear more from him/them. Good connections too – Ken Stringfellow, Mitch Easter, both one degree of separation from REM and Enigma Records, home of Smithereens back then.
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I thought you may have heard of them…I wasn’t sure. I remember it on MTV
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I love Game Theory – Lolita Nation is an excellent record. I’ve been listening to his 1990s stuff with The Loud Family recently too.
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I remember them in the mid eighties on MTV but that is about it. I love what I’ve heard from them.
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Definitely hearing some other band’s influences yet they have their own sound. So sorry to hear of Miller’s suicide. It always hurts to hear about a creative ending their own life 😦
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That shocked me when I wrote it. I was going to look up what he was doing now.
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😦
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Yes new one to me also Max. I like the guitars the frenetic lead singer and the fact that the band was coed. Tragic about lead singer
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Also tell me more about that book Shake Some Action
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I’ve never read it…that was just a quote about it but it seems really interesting…to focus on bands like this.
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I’ll have to look it up. – seems like a great resource.
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Where do you find this stuff man? lol
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Looking everywhere lol…it’s amazing how many bands were out there.
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When I saw GNR back in 91 the announcer introducing the band said ” Out of 25 million bands in the world, here’s another one!” lol that dude called it.
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LOL…that is about it.
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The other time I seen GNR back in 91 was the same dude said ‘You Wanted The Best? Well they didn’t;t show up?! lol
They should just make a loop of those intros…lol
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LOL…that one is classic
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Sure is ….
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Very intriguing tune by yet another band I had never heard of before. It’s a quite catchy song, even though it doesn’t use very common chord progressions and the melody is unusual – pretty cool!
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It caught my ear in the eighties but I had never heard it since
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