History

The nostalgia for British director Tony Palmer’s work continues with the astounding five-DVD set, All You Need is Love, rescued from obscurity for the benefit of music history geeks everywhere. Palmer’s notorious 1968 BBC rockumentary All My Loving re-emerged in full digital glory recently, showcasing the filmmaker’s guile and thorough obsession with music’s cultural reach. At friend John Lennon’s suggestion, Palmer chased after "The Story of Popular Music” next, with All You Need is Love. Between 1976 and 1980, this 14-hour television series explored the origins of jazz, blues, vaudeville, musicals, folk, country, and rock’n’roll. Amidst rare interviews and footage of the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, Frank Zappa, Bill Monroe, and Woody Guthrie, Palmer weaves a compelling historical narrative about a broad scope of vital art. Unquestionably necessary, All You Need is Love is an inspiring, peerless document.