My Family and Other Rock Stars by Tiffany Murray review – Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and my mum

The British novelist’s first memoir is a sublime account of famed Welsh music studio Rockfield, where her indomitable mother ruled the kitchen in the 70s and rock’n’rollers were great fun – and infuriating

On my radar: Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket, on his cultural highlights

The US children’s author and novelist on a sublime musical trio, how spices reinvigorated his cooking, an addictive ‘mid-19th century’ BBC panel show and being floored by a new jazz track

‘The truth was just too painful’: the highs and lows of Mama Cass

The daughter of ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot has written a book to explore the tragically short life of her mother, from relentless fat-shaming to a myth about her death

Track Record by George the Poet review – Black artistry and home truths

The spoken word artist and podcaster’s hybrid of social history and rallying cry is heartfelt, if occasionally hectoring

On my radar: Andrew O’Hagan’s cultural highlights

The novelist on a comedic TikTok sensation, the importance of a good suit and his favourite educational app

The big idea: what would culture look like without nightlife?

Live music venues, clubs and bars feed creativity and drive social change. But they’re increasingly in danger

Billy Bragg: ‘There’s nothing like going out there singing your truth. That ain’t changed’

The activist singer-songwriter on fighting for trans rights, his 40 years in the music business and his forthcoming tour with his son

How Portugal’s 1974 Eurovision entry toppled the country’s fascist regime

Fifty years ago, a remarkable chain of events set in motion by the broadcast of a series of songs led to the fall of a dictatorship

On my radar: CMAT’s cultural highlights

The Irish musician on her favourite traditional pub, converting to the cult of baseball, and gigs in a western movie set

George the Poet: ‘Poetry is the artistic wing of politics’

He performed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding and was offered an MBE before he turned 30 – but the writer is ready to head in a more radical direction

Travels Over Feeling: Arthur Russell, a Life review – down the rabbit hole with a musical maverick

He played cello for Allen Ginsberg, nearly joined Talking Heads and was sampled by Kanye West. Now the singular, genre-spanning Russell has the exhaustive study he deserves

All You Need Is Love: The End of the Beatles by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines review – from best man to muckraker

In this ‘director’s cut’ of their 1983 book, which Paul McCartney burned, a former Beatles employee and a music writer appear preoccupied with stirring up scandal around the band’s split

On my radar: Vashti Bunyan’s cultural highlights

The English singer-songwriter on an evocative Scottish railway museum, a much-missed painter and a forgotten American female musician

Surge of interest in Ethiopian culture boosts case for return of treasures, says Sissay

Poet who is curating country’s first Venice Biennale pavilion says ‘part of the heart’ of the country was looted and is being held in museums

Spring into spring! 17 simple, surprising ways to refresh and renew your life

This is the perfect time to make lasting changes – whether embracing exercise, learning a new language, planting seeds or painting your house