There are huge links between music and the American Civil Rights Movement - nowhere more so than in Memphis, Tennessee.

As mentioned in my last post it was also the city where Martin Luther King Jr was shot.

On a recent visit to Memphis I toured the Stax Museum, which carries on the legacy of the famous Stax Records. In segregated America is was a rare haven where black and white people worked alongside each other as equals.

The studio spent 15 years across the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, turning out hit after hit from stars such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, Booker T, & the MGs, and many others.

It's legacy was almost lost when the studio was declared bankrupt in 1975. The museum opened 10 years ago to tell its story.

While in Memphis I sat in on a panel discussion with some of the big names from the Stax heyday. Here are some highlights about their memories of the studio and Martin Luther King Jr:

We like to talk about freedom a lot. And rightly so, because it is the cornerstone of human existence.

But it hasn't always been the case, and still isn't the case for too many still today.

I recently traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to write about a number of different aspects of the city and I thought I'd share some of my experiences.

And the story actually starts on my flight over to Newark (for a connection to Memphis), when I watched Lincoln on the inflight entertainment system.

Liverpool council has announced this afternoon that it has brought in a PR consultant, after failing to find anyone good enough to do the job full time.

Former head of PR at Coventry council Mark Fletcher-Brown will be paid £650-a-day for a total of 75 days work. He started at the end of March and will remain with the council until September.

On a pro-rata basis If Mr Fletcher-Brown were to work for the council five days a week for a year (260 days) he would pocket £169,000. As it is he will make £48, 750 for his 75 days.

Liverpool council describe him as a "leading communicator", who has worked with more than 75 public sector organisations. He describes himself as "commsmeister" on his Twitter profile. He is director of Reputation. You can also read more about Mr Fletcher-Brown on his Linkedin page.

There is quite a bit of talk of late, suggesting that Labour Party leadership should conduct behind-the-scenes talks with the Liberal Democrats about the possibility of having a coalition Government with them post-2015.

Frankly - I think a coalition between the Labour Party and the Lib Dems would be a travesty.

Another five year coalition may keep the media and political heavyweights excited, but the public do not have faith or trust in politicians as it is.

You probably missed this gem of a tweet from an account purporting to be from former Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley to current Lib Dem leader Richard Kemp.

He has however been quick to deny any involvement, which followed the defection of Rosie Jolly from the Lib Dems to Labour.

Her defection sparked an angry email from Cllr Kemp in which said her efforts had been "below what we expect of a Lib Dem councillor".

The user of twitter account @wazza23666 sent Cllr Kemp a message which stated: "you're a complete t*****, your quotes regarding Rosie just about sums you up. Once a d*** always a d***.......

It wouldn't be a year on Liverpool council without another defection.

Rosie Jolly is the latest to jump ship from the Liberal Democrats to Labour. It was hardly a surprise and indeed I predicted it in March.

It's always fun to see the emails that are sent between the defector and the party they are leaving, here they are:

OUT: Peter Papworth and Marie Rimmer

Last night was a night of the long knives in Merseyside politics.

St Helens council leader Marie Rimmer was deposed in a coup by her deputy Barrie Grunewald.

A coup that was plotted whilst she was on holiday in Turkey, and culminating with a vote of 22 to 18 in favour of Cllr Grunewald.

Monday marks the 24 anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives.

Below is a poem written by survivor John Holmes:

It's easily done - hitting reply all on an email.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson appears to be the latest to fall foul of this.

A bit of background first. Last year there was a row (storm in a tea cup) over weeds growing in Liverpool, some were as tall as 6ft tall apparently.

Last year's changeable weather and a mistiming of weed spraying was apparently the cause.

Today cabinet member for neighbourhoods Cllr Steve Munby emailed all councillors to give them a schedule for this year's weed spraying.

Then the mayor replied:

Lady Thatcher's passing is perhaps news that many had been expecting and some, it has to be said, were even looking forward to in recent years. With deteriorating health and a limited number of public appearances, Mrs Thatcher closed her office in the House of Lords and finally bowed out of British politics.

Thatcherism as her politics become known around the world, was predicated on the idea that unemployment was a price worth paying and that each individual, regardless of their socio-economic status or educational attainment, should simply look after number one - and the state had little or no role to play in mobilising the talents of society.