Another week, another episode of All You Need Is Love that posed more questions than answers.

How can you devote an hour to the story of country music and omit to mention Earl Scruggs, Hank Williams or Johnny Cash? Or Willie Nelson and the whole Austin scene that was going on at the time of its making? No country rock, either, which I understand was quite popular.

With all the footage of rollercoasters and hotdog stands around Opryland, it briefly threatened to show the other side of the story before veering back up the mountains (and up its own arse). Scores of curious instruments were picked up and plucked without any explanation of what they actually were (Appalachian harp? Two-handed dulcimer?) or why folk in those parts felt such a strong urge to yodel. And, despite plentiful footage of bagpipes, it hardly touched the music's lineage in Scots and Irish folk. Instead we got a Cajun wedding, the Opry's equivalent of a pearly queen, and a rather rubbish child prodigy playing on pop's stoop.

It was the same last week, when the story of rhythm and blues and soul somehow contrived to leave out Sam Cooke, James Brown and Jackie Wilson then ended with Elvis getting signed.

Some of the footage is undeniably great, and the series is best enjoyed as a moving musical tableau, washing over you late on a Friday night in a sleepy red wine fug. It has a dream-like quality, for sure, but absolutely no coherence. Rather than the "the story of popular music", All You Need Is Love strikes me as several stories, with some popular music, lots of unpopular music, and a load of charmingly random other stuff.

Should I stick with it?

I remember hearing on the podcast that Mr Hepworth uses Airport Express to stream music from his computer to speakers in the living room.

This is a quick heads-up for him, and anyone who does the same. The new ITunes 8 has a bug in it, making compatibility with the Airport Express an issue. You'll find that it comees up with an Unknown Error.

What you need to do is update your Airport Express firmware to 6.3 (free download at Apple's site), and also ensure that ITunes sharing is enabled in the Firewall section of System Preferences.

All a bit irritating, though I'm sure Word readers will appreciate the new Genius feature which compiles bespoke playlists of things you already own, and things you might like to buy, from every track in your library.

I just wanted to be able to post this...

You got 5 of 5 correct.
Your score: 100%

This Morrissey/NME controversy means we now have the nucleus of a corking supergroup. Garry Bushell could drum up some press, the Mail On Sunday could give away the album, Ron Mael could advise on their "look"....

On vocals, it's Stephen Patrick "the gates are flooded" Morrissey.

On drums, it's Phil "if Labour get in, I'm leaving the country" Collins.

On guitar, it's Eric "we should send them all back... Keep Britain white" Clapton.

On piano, it's Elvis "Ray Charles is a blind, ignorant n-----. Oh, did I say that? I was terribly drunk at the time" Costello.

But who could be the bassist? Are they all frighteningly PC? Or just so boring that no-one asks their opinion on anything?

After paying £1,000 for a ticket, you pick up a flyer advertising next summer's stadium gigs

Jason Bonham is allowed to have a ctack at 'Moby Dick'. For 20 minutes.

Mobile phones are held aloft during 'The Battle Of Evermore'

Jimmy Page wears the baggy powder blue chinos that he had on at Knebworth '79.

The acoustic segment encompasses 'Black Dog' and 'Rock'n'Roll'

"We're gonna do some our solo stuff now, starting from Jimmy's time in The Firm."

Phil Collins comes on to reprise Live Aid's "two drumers" brainwave.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you saw him earlier.... Paolo Nutini!"

So, Morrissey has decided to give NME his thoughts about immigration, the "gates" to the country being "flooded", that sort of thing. Perhaps understandably, they've splashed them all over the cover along with the amusing headline "Bigmouth Strikes Again!"

However there's been a whole world of plea bargaining going on behind the scenes in the run-up to this piece, including assurances that the article wouldn't be controversial, a rewrite by "the NME" (do I detect the hand of Sutho?), and the original writer, Tim Jonze, requesting that his name be taken off it.

On hearing that the piece was going to be "stronger" than expected, Moz's manager fired off a legal letter to NME. Not sure, though, that his case will be helped any by him publishing this letter, clearly marked "Not for publication".

Still, for now, enjoy this revealing insight into the workings of the music press.

http://true-to-you.net/morrissey_news_071127_01

2007 has been a fantastic year for singles. A glance at my iPod's 'Best Of 2007' playlist reveals great work by the likes of Cold War Kids, Feist, Sarabeth Tucek, The Troubadours, Operator Please, King Creosote, Cherry Ghost, Candie Payne, The Hours, David Vandervelde, Glasvegas, The Draytones, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip and even Groove Armada.

However, just occasionally a record stops you in your tracks. Maybe not immediately, in this case, but definitely around the 2 minute mark.

Remember the first time you heard that metallic 'clunk' on Radiohead's 'Creep'? Or the rattly balalaikas on Portishead's 'Sour Times'? Well prepare to be spellbound by a 22-year-old from Wales who, until earlier this year, was still working in a shop yet somehow conjures the indefatigable spirit of Marianne Faithfull and Ronnie Spector.

My only worry is that this record is already overexposed; that its creator will never be able to live up to its promise. But, for now, enjoy an ode to one of the less salubrious areas of the Wirral in the company of Duffy.

(And do post if you think I'm getting carried away.)

The ever-excellent Health & Happiness and Sonic Cathedral club nights came together last night to celebrate the life of Lee Hazlewood.

Pete Aves of the High Llamas (a member of Lee's backing band in 2002 and 2004) acted as MC, offering lots of reminiscences about the great man. Apparently, Charles Shaar Murray's one-word review of 'Poet, Fool Or Bum' ("Bum") still stung late into Lee's life. He once said, "I'm 74 years old, but if I ever saw that guy I'd punch his lights out."

Among the performances were a unique splicing of The Tambourines and The Left Outsides, Holton's Opulent Oog with Lisa Bilson of The Loose Salute, Pete and his band, the still-fragrant Dot Allison, and The Magic Numbers.

Footage of Lee's 78th birthday party was screened, as well as 'Cowboy In Sweden', and unique Lee badges and stick-on droopy moustaches were on sale in support of his favourite charity, the Arizona Salvation Army.

The whole thing was pleasantly ramshackle with some genuinely magical moments. It was packed, but anyone who feels that they wished they'd heard about the event and others like it (the same guys did a tribute to Syd Barrett and a paisley-underground afternoon featuring The White Stripes), should keep checking:
http://www.soniccathedral.co.uk
http://www.healthandhappiness.co.uk
http://www.rocknrollsoul.co.uk

Last night's episode of 'The Sarah Silverman Programme' centred around her taking in a homeless guy in a shameless attempt to outdo her sister's cop boyfriend, who was due to receive a humanitarian award.

It was someone she knew from school, who'd flipped out in the face of being bullied over the unfortunate noises made by his mother's voluminous lady parts emitting air when she walked.

Said mother appeared to Sarah as a ghost while she was on the toilet, although when challenged for not speaking in a spooky voice, she said: "Speaking to a ghost in a spooky voice is like using the N word to a black person."
To which Sarah replied: '..well intetrupting a Jewish woman on the toilet is like saying the Holocaust never happened."

Anyhow, even though Sarah bought him a new cardboard box and a bundle on the end of a stick, the homeless guy ended up trying to stab her; she was only saved by the fearsome karate skills of her gay neighbour in an extended kung-fu sequence.

I only mention, because this sort of thing doesn't happen on 'My Family'.

They may have looked like a firm of chartered accountants at their Live8 reunion, but there was a time (1970, to be precise), when the Pink Floyd could set hearts a-flutter. Here we see them soundchecking for an outdoor gig in St Tropez, David Gilmour bare chested in figure-hugging jeans, and Roger Waters wearing nothing more than a pair of very brief Speedos.

As featured in 'Word' magazine's Home Service, when it was reviewed by the astute Mr Rob Fitzpatrick, here's an hour's worth of soul that rocks and rock with soul for you, courtesy of London's currently homeless but nonetheless still rocking club night, http://www.rocknrollsoul.co.uk

Unless I'm very much mistaken, you should be able to subscribe here http://rss.mac.com/rocknrollsoul/iWeb/Site/Podcasts/rss.xml

Those of you who live outside of London may not be aware of the debate that's been literally sweeping the capital for the last week or so, namely: what are the very best films about real musicians (as opposed to fictional bands)? Anyway, according to 'Time Out' magazine, these are they...

http://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/3567/

...and the eagle-eyed among you will notice yours truly arguing a passionate case for 'So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star' and 'Rough Cut & Ready Dubbed'. I won't spoil the surprise by telling you which film won. But, despite the best efforts of Meat Loaf as the driver, it's not 'Spiceworld'.

So, which films has 'Time Out' left out? And which bands' lives would you most like immortalised on film ('Going For Gold: The Shed Seven Story', perhaps?). 'Word' readers, it's over to you.