Why not test how sharp your audiophile ears are by way of a Stanford University 'is it live or is it Memorex' type test.

https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~craffel/etc/mp3challenge/

I'd love to take the credit for this nugget but found it by way of Jonh Ingham's MOG
http://mog.com/Jonh_Ingham

This is a gripper of clip in it's own right, as Lee Dorsey skips his way through Ride Your Pony (with the horns vamping synchronised dance routines), although it left me with a couple of questions

Who are The Sam and Dave Orchestra? I've seen plenty of vintage clips where known names are spottable in the backing band, but here, I don't recognise any member.

And has this show Offenbach '67 ever had an official release ?

Is there an album, single or song that has you telling a tale and signing off with that line? Perhaps a break up tune, a bad buy, a reminder of something you just don't need reminding of. Something which stays forever filed in the Never Again section of the collection. For me it's the grimnastics of Lou Reed's Berlin.

Aged 21 most peers and pals were moving out, or, moving upwards and onwards with proper jobs, morgates - marriage even. And horror of horrors, the next landmark birthday on the schedule would be a shoulder-slumping 30. Gateway to Middle Age. Taking to bed one Sunday evening and coming down with a thunderous bump following a run of too many pints and late nights, and caught in a dry spell between girlfriends - what soothing sounds and musical pacifer did reach for ? Yes Uncle Lou's 'paint it bleak' concept piece - Berlin.

From the clattering chitter-chatter and Overlook Hotel piano of the opening tones to the crying kiddies in wide-scream, it was all too much. And…

Rated 'high' on the rand-o-meter

High-flying Jeeps, random cavalries, unexplained explosions and an improv' escape at 2:05 that is so eye-spinning, it would have Steve McQueen raising an eyebrow. Tuck into Bollywood's bare knuckle Bond-Alike.

Chas and Dave (above Fairport!) supporting The Zep'! At Knebworth!! Has there ever been a more mind-frying line up, or mismatched main and support?

Saw Avatar at the weekend, and I'm no prog-fan - but have browsed past enough Yes, Budgie and Asia album covers to see it's clear the designs, geography and general look of the Avatar's alien planet have been borrowed from Roger Dean's portfolio: sky islands, butterfly coloured flying dragons, psychedelic shrubberies. Apparently Rog' hasn’t received any remuneration or credit - but surely this is more than influence or inspiration?

Roger Dean:top two pics - Avatar: bottom two

Ian Dury, John Martyn and errrm Razzle from Hanoi Rocks are the only names I can claim to have seen alive and gigging. Surely someone (anyone) can top my sorry threesome.

Collectively The Massive must stretch to a star-spangled roll call of dead ledges seen live - but which furious gig-goer has bagged the greatest number or heaviest hitting?

A mate of mine once saw Sinatra live purely on the so-I-can-say-I've-seen-him premise. Is his Frankness toppable?

If you weren't at the recent blog-meet, you may have seen the Eno/Roxy night on BBC 4 last Friday. Footage was shown of him Eno-ing about in the studio from his Warm Jets/Another Green World period. Clearly it seemed to be from a documentary or Eno feature of the time - but what? I've been following Eno since the early 80s and only seen these snippets once before, when he appeared on C 4's The Tube.

So what is it and where is it - any ideas? Perhaps it's filed next to the vid of Bowie singing Even a Fool Learns to Love (seen in the BBC Documentary My Way)

If you caught the Arena documentary, Eno is Professor Pleasant isn't he - and came across to me, as the Clarence Oddbody of rock.

It’s mildy crushing when a long cherished chestnut is not actually as original as you’d believed. Yesterday, I discovered Colin Bluntstone's Say You Don't Mind was a Denny Laine number from the sixties. Over Christmas I came across You Heard It Here First, an album that lets light in on a fistful of first versions supplying source material for bigger hits including..

Anymore obscure originals or perhaps first-timers you favour over the more famous refit (Gloria Jones - Tainted Love, gets my vote) - that you’d care to share with The Massive

If you've read Rat Scabies and The Holy Grail (if you haven't, you really should), how about this - it appears to be going live action. Rat Scabies, a punk drummer in a past life, is something of a Grailologist (yes, honestly) and attempts to untangle the mysteries of The Holy Grail and Rennes-le-Chateau in his ever-present moccasins

It's The Damned do The Da Vinci Code.

I've been a the 'tube-trawler for some years now, and far from the footage being over farmed - Youtube's online archives regularly turn up trivia, tit-bits and golden nuggets. Take just three from many I've discovered this week..

You'll know the tune - but did you know, it's Graham Bonnet (later, Lungbuster-in-Residence for Ritchie Blackmores's Rainbow) belting out a Gibb Brothers composition?

There's two more in the comments..

I'm putting together a Christmas podcast, which I'm hoping to pepper with retro fan club/celeb Xmas messages. The Beatles set (and outtakes) have been bagged, along with a few LWT scraps and a couple from the Smash Hits 1982 Christmas flexidisc.

But could anyone/does anyone have audio/links to other film,TV or musical fanclub messages. I'd be eternally grateful for any contributions

A Nigel Shirt from Boy's 1981 Black Mail catalogue

Were you ever a 'Nigel' wearer (desperately trendy until they became A Flock of Seagulls signature shirt)? Or perhaps fitted yourself out in some other futurist finery: a Zoot Suit with key chain and armbands, shortly replaced by Tukka boots and stretch jeans, or some Kung Fu slippers and a Japanese flag T-shirt..

In the seventies it may have been Orange Tab Levis, Lois or Brutus jeans, cheesecloth shirts, Lord Anthony childrenswear or crepes, spoons or stacks for footwear

I'm guilty of all of the above - but what were your favourite fads and forgotten fashions, did you order clothing advertised in the backs of music mags (Bowie Pleated Trousers, Jam Shoes)? Forget the shorthand and stereotypes (80s = Shoulder pads and mullets, 70s = Glam-Disco-Punk), it's the Devil in the detail we want..

But has Cynthia missed some marketing tricks over the years - surely there's milage to be milked from her novelty rockers emporium?

Back scratchers, salt and pepper shakers, door stops or torches perhaps - although the Jimi Hendrix edition could light up the sky Bat-Signal style.

Any other items members of the massive could suggest for Cynthia styled stocking fillers?