Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William "Billy" Braggis an English singer, songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is heavily centered on bringing about change and getting the younger generation involved in activist causes...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionFolk Singer
Date of Birth20 December 1957
capable carrying number song songwriter
A song is like a newspaper. It's capable of carrying a number of different messages. Some of them are advertisers, some of them are editorial, some of them are reportage, some of them are sport. So, as a songwriter you can use any of those.
british-musician defeat defining looking next opportunity strike
By the end of the miner's strike I was defining myself as a socialist, clued in and looking for the next opportunity to defeat the Tories.
music protest
Protest music was prematurely declared to be unfashionable,
cop face public talked walked
The thing about Strummer was he walked it like he talked it, ... He didn't cop out. He didn't show one face to the public and have a different face in himself.
true
They were the true inheritors of the mantle of The Clash.
writing trying honestly
I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.
privilege enjoyed
Freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all.
powerful free-education important
At some point in your life you have to engage with the fact that you are part of a society. Yeah the individual is the most important facet in society but unless every individual is the recipient of free health care, free education decent affordable housing and a proper pension then only the rich and powerful will be individuals and the rest of us will be exploited by them.
honesty writing personality
There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own personality traits. But for some reason, once they step out of the bedroom, their honesty doesn't seem to come with them.
use mixing usual
Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.
downloads
You can experience a download, but you can't download an experience.
determination character history
If there is a single trait in our character that has historically set us apart from other nations, it is our determination to limit the authority of those who rule over us.
pride neighbor fountain
Our neighbors shake their heads And take their valuables inside While my countrymen piss in the fountains To express their national pride.
zero years different
By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural dynamic to it which rejected everything and started again from the year zero.