Musicians aren’t necessarily good writers or particularly clear minded enough to capture social history under a bigger lens than that of their own history, but Billy Bragg is proving to be an exception.
This is more than just a people’s history; it’s also a kind of autobiography, with Bragg offering his views on various issues raised by others. The book covers his life from starting out, up to almost the present day, including his own reflections on the state of things, plus an extensive gig list as well as memorabilia. But, mostly, it’s written in the words of those who’ve either followed him from the very beginning, seen him onstage or on a demo, as well as those who’ve toured/recorded with him, and it’s been authorised by the man himself. And he’s had quite the ride. He’s worked in a record shop, been a soldier of the Crown (for three months), had a no. 1 single, performed at Wembley Stadium, written a book on patriotism and has shaken the hand of Queen Elizabeth 2nd. Billy has had a life!
This life has seen him have a forty-plus-year career as one of the UK’s most popular singer-songwriters, as well as being a staunch campaigner on political issues and social justice. His views on most major subjects are well known, and it helps his case that he’s erudite and very articulate in how he explains his philosophy. He isn’t university educated, so his commitment to politics and the causes he champions has been learnt on the streets and through interaction with others. His songs reflect the times and struggles ordinary people experience on a daily basis, and he does this without adopting a patronising stance. The sincerity he exudes from his music has been an inspiration to many fans. In NYC in 1985, one fan says hearing Billy Bragg play ‘A New England’ changed his life forever, and the songs on Life A Riot With Spy v Spy converted him from being someone who cared about nothing going on outside, to someone who “gave a sh*t about what’s happening around him.” He wasn’t the only person to express this view.
But it isn’t just his political/social awareness calls which draw the fans. His love songs also resonate. Mia Rankin said, “Behind the stoic left-wing activist is a man who’s written some of the tenderest love songs I’ve ever heard.”
The book also contains several quite amusing tour anecdotes. Flying out of Washington, DC, in a violent rain storm, the plane experiences bad turbulence, so while others fretted, Bragg put his headphones on and listened to the ‘Russian National Anthem’. On the Red Wedge tour during the mid-1980s, Bragg casts doubt on the sincerity of a speaker he’s just heard, to which the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock tells him not to upset that person as “he’s the future of the Labour party” … The person concerned was Tony Blair!
As Billy Bragg’s career approaches the venerable stage, he’s very likely on his way to becoming a ‘national treasure,’ who’d have thought this of the man once christened the ‘Bard of Barking?’ This is a book which’ll have an appeal to everyone with an interest in progressive causes and social justice, as well as the views of fans.
