Here’s a little game I’d like to try out, without having put a great deal of thought into it to ensure its chances of success. In other words, I ask you to cut me a break in advance, if this turns out to be a terrible idea.

A Townsperson will suggest a guest musician on a noted artist’s record, such as Eric Clapton playing on The Beatles‘ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” We’re talking actual guest appearances or appearances as session musicians, not a spell when said “guest” was actually a member of the band (eg, Johnny Marr‘s membership in Modest Mouse does not count as “guest appearance”). Easy enough, right?

Then, the next Townsperson needs to cite someone who has 1) guested on that guest musician’s own recording, 2) another recording by an artist on which the first guest musician has recorded, or 3) a guest musician on the most recently-introduced artist’s recording who can be tied back to the previous guest artist.

For instance, in the case of Clapton guesting with The Beatles, the next Townsperson would need to cite either 1) someone who has guested on a Clapton record or 2) someone who has guested on a recording by another musician with whom Clapton has guested. In this example, for instance, Townsperson #2 may play George Harrison guesting with Delaney, Bonnie and Friends, with whom Clapton also guested! (Harrison may have been a guest musician on a Clapton record, for that matter – either direction would work, if this is the case.)

With that move played, Townsperson #3 would need to cite a musician who has 1) guested with Harrison, 2) guested with another musician with whom Harrison has also guested (eg, Clapton!), or 3) guested with the most recently-introduced artist in this tangled web, Delaney, Bonnie and Friends.

Got me? I’ll tell you what, to make sure you’ve got me, let’s say those first two moves have been played and the first Townsperson to play is Townsperson #3. You may even play that Clapton card I just gave you as a possible answer at your own risk: the coencentric circles of Clapton-associated musicians may quickly become too much to bear!

We may never get off this topic, or we may throw up our hands and determine it’s time to put a halt to these proceedings in the Halls of Rock. Godspeed, Townspeople!