This Week in Music

Martin Scorsese discussed details of a forthcoming documentary about the life of one-time Beatle and accomplished solo artist George Harrison. Scorsese, who made the 2005 documentary No Direction Home based on the life of Bob Dylan, said he wanted to delve deeper into Harrison’s music and his search for spiritual meaning throughout his life. Photograph: Jane Bown/Guardian

Another former Beatle and accomplished solo artist made the news this week. Sir Paul McCartney announced he would be playing his hometown of Liverpool in 2008 to celebrate the city being officially awarded City of Culture status. Photograph: Getty/Getty

Rosie Swash looks at the plight of Acrassicauda, Iraq’s only heavy metal band. Four ordinary guys with a passion for metal who have been forced into exile, they have no legal status in their host country of Syria, therefore cannot work and they’re running out of time and money. An emergency fund has been set up for them and you can donate by clicking here. Photograph: Vice Films

Next week sees the release of PJ Harvey’s eighth album White Chalk, one that John Harris applauds, despite its grim subject matter. Read Harris’s full interview with the elusive Polly Jean. Photograph: Maia Mochnacz/PR

Robin Denselow wonders whether, after twenty years of obscurity, Senegalese group Orchestra Baobab can reclaim their crowns as the kings of African pop. Photograph: Sam Frost/Rex

Pete Doherty made a rare appearance in headlines this week after allegedly giving Kate Moss a dead-rodent brooch as a present. That is, a brooch with a dead rat attached. In other news, Delivery, his band’s first single from new album Shotter’s Nation, entered the charts at number six. Photograph: Bruno Vincent/Getty

Radiohead’s seventh album is out in 2008, but that’s all we really know about the heavily anticipated new album from the alt-rock heavyweights. Until now, that is. According to fans, these weird and wonderful symbols are code, and when decoded they reveal details of the upcoming release. Photograph: none/PR

Though they’re most famous for the likes of Meat Is Murder and The Queen is Dead, Richard Smith argues it was Strangeways, Here We Come that proved to be the Smiths’ greatest album. And it’s 20 years old this week! Photograph: Stills Press Agency/Rex

In what slowly became the great pop trial of the century (though R Kelly’s may challenge that title), the judge presiding over the Phil Spector murder trial was forced to declare it a mistrial this week after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Read the full version of events here. Photograph: David McNew/Getty