Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist from Barking, United Kingdom. Born in 1957, he writes and performs songs that draw on folk music, punk rock, protest song traditions, alternative rock, anti-folk and rock, with lyrics that often focus on political or romantic themes.

Early work and first releases

Bragg forms the punk rock and pub rock band Riff Raff in 1977 and tours pubs and clubs in London with the group. Riff Raff releases a series of singles, although they do not receive wide exposure. Around this period he also works at Guy Norris Records in Barking.

In 1981 he joins the British Army as a recruit for the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars of the Royal Armoured Corps, but leaves after three months by buying his way out before serving in a regiment.

He then performs regularly in London, busking and playing solo electric guitar. His roadie at the time is Andy Kershaw, who later becomes a BBC DJ.

Recording career

Bragg's demo tape first gets no response from the record industry, but he gets it to Charisma Records' A&R man Peter Jenner by posing as a television repair man. Jenner likes the tape, and Bragg's first record, Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy, appears in 1983 on Charisma's imprint Utility before later being reissued on Go! Discs. The release gains attention after John Peel plays one of its songs on air.

In 1984 he releases Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, which combines political songs and songs about unrequited love. The following year he issues the EP Between the Wars, a set of political songs that includes a version of Leon Rosselson's "The World Turned Upside Down". The EP reaches the UK singles chart top 20 and leads to a Top of the Pops appearance.

His song "A New England" later becomes a UK top 10 hit for Kirsty MacColl, and Bragg continues to sing the added verse in her memory after her death.

Talking with the Taxman about Poetry follows in 1986 and becomes his first top 10 album. Its title comes from a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky, with a translated version printed on the inner sleeve. Back to Basics appears in 1987 as a collection of his first three releases.

Workers Playtime is released in 1988, and on this album Bragg adds a backing band and accompaniment. In 1990 he releases the mini-LP The Internationale, which partly returns to his solo guitar style but also includes more complex arrangements and brass band parts. The album includes "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", an adaptation that traces back through Earl Robinson's "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" to a poem by Alfred Hayes.

Don't Try This at Home appears in 1991 and includes "Sexuality", which reaches the UK singles chart. Bragg has signed a four-album deal with Go! Discs with a large advance and a promise of singles and videos, and after the contract ends early he regains the rights to his back catalogue.

In 1996 he releases William Bloke after time away to help raise his son.

Collaborations and side projects

Bragg works with Nora Guthrie after she asks him to set unreleased lyrics by Woody Guthrie to music. The project leads to Mermaid Avenue in 1998 and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II in 2000 with Wilco and Natalie Merchant. A dispute with Wilco over mixing and sequencing leads him to form The Blokes to promote the album; this group includes keyboardist Ian McLagan, formerly of The Faces. The documentary Man in the Sand covers the creation of the Mermaid Avenue albums.

Bragg and his long-time roadie Wiggy later continue performing with his backing band The Red Stars, which also appears on the album Don't Try This at Home.

In 2004 he joins Florida ska-punk band Less Than Jake for a version of "The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out" on the Rock Against Bush compilation. In 2005 he performs with the Levellers at Beautiful Days Festival in Devon on songs associated with The Clash, including "Police and Thieves", "English Civil War" and "Police on my Back".

In 2007 he joins The Imagined Village, a WOMAD-inspired collective recording updated versions of traditional English songs and dances and touring later that year.

He also collaborates with the poet and playwright Patrick Jones and performs with him on tour. In 2008 he sings a duet with Kate Nash at the NME Awards, combining "Foundations" and "A New England".

Later work and other appearances

Mr. Love & Justice appears in 2008. It is the second Bragg album named after a book by Colin MacInnes.

Bragg appears in Stuart Bamforth's film A13: Road Movie in 2008, alongside union representatives, vicars, burger van chefs and Members of Parliament in a film about people who are often overlooked or disregarded.

In 2010 he takes part in Pressure Drop at the Wellcome Collection in London, a production described as part play, part gig and part installation, with new songs by Bragg. He performs in the production and acts as compere. He also curates the Leftfield stage at Glastonbury Festival that year.

In 2011 he contributes a piece based on a chapter of the King James Bible to the Bush Theatre project Sixty Six.

He performs a set of Guthrie songs at the Hay Literary Festival in 2012. That period also sees the release of Mermaid Avenue Vol. III and Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions. In 2013 he releases Tooth And Nail, which includes original songs, a piece written for the Bush Theatre and a Woody Guthrie cover, and continues his interest in Americana and alternative country.

In 2017 he releases Bridges Not Walls and the single "Full English Brexit".