The challenge is to identify this group of layabouts, some of whom were very well known or would become so, and some not. What were they up to, and 10 points for each one you can name.

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i449/charlieboy14/e15c1adf2ac073519a9fd11e9b5f2ae0_zpsans4z9mr.jpg

I love what Stuart Maconie refers to as a salty snack. Tonight I had a large bowl of Twiglets with a pre dinner sherry, though it could easily have been KP Dry Roasted Peanuts, or pistachios. Sure for more poncy occasions an olive is good, or a tray of Waitrose charcuterie. I love a nib. How about you?

Well, we’re all going to get a vote soon. I have to say I’m divided on the subject. Having lived in France for a long time I feel quite European (though I can tell you, most of the French people I know don’t feel European, they feel French) and from a trade point of view I am quite sure we’d be subject to all the alleged red tape which apparently drives everyone mad now. So economically we are probably as well staying in. But, but… I do really resent the way the EU behaves. The Strasbourg bollocks. The financial corruption. The blatant politicing amongst the big players. The busy body legislation (iPod volume limiters etc). And, TBH, the legal constraints about who we can and can’t allow to remain in the country. I am a probable Yes, but have No sympathies and am looking forward to each side making the case. So far, and to his credit, only Nick Clegg has tried and got a grandstanding roasting from Farage for his trouble.

What do you think?

Nice and fresh. Lovely job. Thanks all who laboured on it.

I’m approaching the end of a contract and a major drama exploded today resulting in me having to run around like the proverbial fly with blue nether regions. Not at all what I had in mind for Friday before departure. So I need a musical pick me up. It used to be the first Boston album but today it is Karnataka – pop/goth/prog, with soaring female vocals, stacked vocal harmonies, tons of keyboards, lead guitars, tempo changes and all in a melodic ear friendly package. And drums that go be dum be dum be dum be dum CRACK across the stereo spectrum. Marvellous. What picks you up?

https://youtu.be/YifgGBPAbgw

We talk about Spotty here a lot but are there any Google Play fans? What puts me off Spot is the download function on Android – it requires a lash up of monumental proportions to get it to download to the phone’s SD card which is hopeless. Apparently Google Play is better. Any views?

Hi all – we’ll be recording a review of 2015 podcast on Sunday evening 3rd Jan from 8.30pm – 10pm. All are welcome to participate for as little or long as you like – you just need to dial into my Skype and I’ll add you into the chat. In theory anyway, technical gremlins notwithstanding. If you don’t have my Skype, PM me. Even popping in just to say hello would be great!

Very funny…

http://www.quietroom.co.uk/santa_brandbook/

I saw the first Star Wars film when it came out and quite enjoyed it as far as I can remember, but felt no need to see any of the others. ..however Twang Jr is keen to watch the series en famille…so tell me, Massive, is it better to watch them in order of release, or prequels first in literal historic sequence? Or is a selection of the best ones enough?

I know we’re all busy being angry about Daily Mail columnists, The Guardian, the Government etc etc, but in between the outrage I just thought I’d mention there’s a rather fun new Freeview channel called TalkingPicturesTV featuring mostly 70s pulp movies of the sort I rather enjoy. Currently rediscovering “Can you keep it up all week.”. Tomorrow night there’s “Hannie Caulder” with Raquel Welch and Ernest Borgnine. This is a public service announcement.

Does anyone understand video editing? I don’t do it that often and it always drives me completely insane with all the codecs and containers and arcane dimensions, 1024×576, 16:9 etc etc. If a kind person could do a 101 for morons I would be most grateful. Currently I have a file in which everything is stretched so everyone looks tall and thin (and not in a good way) and whatever I do I can’t get the editor to display it properly – think is, I don’t understand what the parameters mean…some other files display / render OK, but this one doesn’t (even though it looks OK through simple views like Quick Time, or even MS Movie Maker). So I can’t do any sort of diagnostic as I don’t know what I’m looking for. HELP!

It seems we have a British world heavyweight boxing champion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/boxing/34014640

I didn’t even know there might be one…I only have peripheral interest in the sport which can never be called a game…though when I was a kid, fights by Ali, Frazier etc were mainstream television. Of course the alleged corruption and multiplicity of WBO/A/X/Y/Z has degraded it badly. I can imagine some of you out there blanching at the very thought of watching boxing, but there’s something compelling about it…even the Benn/Eubank duels were exciting…I might have watched it if it had been on terrestrial. Here’s Ali, roping a dope

https://youtu.be/sTn9GeHs11I

Here is the Top 10 Neil Young tracks from those who voted….

1. Cortez The Killer 2. Powderfinger 3. Like a Hurricane 4. Revolution Blues 5. Ambulance Blues 6. Cinnamon Girl 7. Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black) 8. Old Man 9. Southern Man 10. Rockin’ In The Free World

Full results in the thread….

Never really listened to the FF band but what I’ve heard I like – kinda big heartland rock. Where do I start? Is there an all-you-need album, or a bunch of tracks?

Anyone fancy a London pint in November? A Friday night?

It must be most upsetting for a new artist to be immediately badged as “new Dylan” (Springsteen et al), “like J.J. Cale” (Dire Straits), “Zep lite” (Def Leppard but too many to mention) etc. Who’s to say these new artists are therefore immediately inferior? First, they probably aren’t that much like the supposed original..it’s just lazy journalistic shorthand. Second, who knows, maybe they are actually worth hearing anyway.

Who are your faves who sound a bit like XXX?

I give you JaR – melodic, slightly jazzy, funky with humour…they sound a bit like Steely Dan (and even have “Peg” guitar supremo Jay Graydon spanking the frets)….