does anyone like Billy Bragg

[Truck Rutten]

BTW - Please tell me how JHo has improved my life.

Come on mate, agitator is right, Johnny has improved everyone's lives. Everyone who already earnt $100k a year or more

 

[Dogwatcher]

Then try talking about music.

Exactly.

And I can't believe someone from Salisbury's a John Howard fan!

 

[bragg]

Ah Agitor .. tarnishing the thread that is an ode to the great man with your diatribe . Look up to your fearless leader , aspire to mimick him ( only if you qualify through strict breeding criteria ) but talking down a man who spoke of pride in being working class ( between the wars ) , a bumbling teenage romeo( the saturday boy) , a proud father ( Brick bat ) a proud son ( tank park salute ) a humanatarian ( tender comrade) is a cheap shot , especially considering the prime miniature you so proudly adore was once quoted on BoB Dylans birthday in the Herald Scum as follows " .. I liked Bob Dylans music ... I didnt like his lyrics " ????????? hmmm kinda like ... I liked Jimi Hendrixs but didnt care to much for his guitar work ....if you offer a dog a bone it just may bark if you want it to ... so go take your little man for a walk will you


" He was trapped in a haircut
he no longer beleived in "

" and I'll give my consent
to any government
that does NOT deny a man
a living wage ...."

 

[Dogwatcher]

Couldn't have said it better myself Bragg.

Now for an admission:

When I first heard Levi Stubb's Tears (way back in the early 90s), i thought the opening lyrics were "with the money from the accident, she bought herself a mobile phone. So at least she could get some enjoyment out of being alone".

Which didn't seem wrong to me, considering how expensive mobile phones were then....

Ah so young. So long ago.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I have my own little Billy Bragg story from about twenty years ago. In about 1987 Billy was playing a gig at Melb Uni, and did an impromptu lunchtime show in the Union building courtyard the next day. Not many people knew the day gig was on, and if a friend of mine had not been in one of the supports the previous night, neither would I.

So I walked past Billy who was sitting on a low wall tuning his guitar just before the lunchtime performance, and nobody seemed to know who he was - it was just going to be a solo acoustic set, so there were no lights, risers or serious foldback amps set up to suggest to the many who didn't know him from a bar of soap that he was anything other a bar of soap.

Billy had his guitar case open in front of him and as I approached he looked up with an expression that indicated his pleasantly surprising moment of anonymity had been shattered ... he apparently had an autograph hunter or irritating conversationalist about to ruin his pre-gig solitude.

But I couldn't do that to him. Instead, I just reached into the pocket of my jeans, pulled out a couple of twenty-cent pieces, threw them into his guitar case, and slowly walked away. I couldn't contain my grin for the few seconds it took to get out of his immediate vicinity, and I heard him chuckle and throw a remark at me in his inimitable Pommy accent. I've got a feeling I made his day.

And he made my day when I came back half an hour later to watch his lunchtime performance.

 

[MrMeaner]

I can't believe that 'A New England' hasn't been mentioned.

Although he may be best known for his political songs, his (unrequited) love songs are among the best in the business. For me, He's up there with Nick Cave and Paul Kelly as a master story-teller.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Love that song as well, the late Kirsty McColls version of it is quite good too.

 

[bragg]

Love that song as well, the late Kirsty McColls version of it is quite good too.

I was watching the Doco on Shane MaGowan the other night and they played " fairytale in New York " with Kirsty ...cracking song ..such a shame she went ....and a shocking way to go as well



" Its christmas eve babe ...in the drunk tank .."

 

[bragg]

I have my own little Billy Bragg story from about twenty years ago. In about 1987 Billy was playing a gig at Melb Uni, and did an impromptu lunchtime show in the Union building courtyard the next day. Not many people knew the day gig was on, and if a friend of mine had not been in one of the supports the previous night, neither would I.

So I walked past Billy who was sitting on a low wall tuning his guitar just before the lunchtime performance, and nobody seemed to know who he was - it was just going to be a solo acoustic set, so there were no lights, risers or serious foldback amps set up to suggest to the many who didn't know him from a bar of soap that he was anything other a bar of soap.

Billy had his guitar case open in front of him and as I approached he looked up with an expression that indicated his pleasantly surprising moment of anonymity had been shattered ... he apparently had an autograph hunter or irritating conversationalist about to ruin his pre-gig solitude.

But I couldn't do that to him. Instead, I just reached into the pocket of my jeans, pulled out a couple of twenty-cent pieces, threw them into his guitar case, and slowly walked away. I couldn't contain my grin for the few seconds it took to get out of his immediate vicinity, and I heard him chuckle and throw a remark at me in his inimitable Pommy accent. I've got a feeling I made his day.

And he made my day when I came back half an hour later to watch his lunchtime performance.

Had the good fortune to meet him a few times myself Ghost and it was one of those situations you fear ...will this fella you hold in such high regard , the bloke who most definitely shaped your life be a all you have hoped or will he be a complete twit .... thankfully he was an absolute gem ...passed me a stella from the fridge and chatted about Joe Henry , West Ham and the Jayhawks . remember backstage at the Palais him tasking the p iss out of Michael Thomas because " Id love to cover a weddoes song but every one of the buggers mentions a suburb in melbourne "
Met Rancid backstage after a Billy show at the Atheneum .. huge Bragg fans ...nice fellas too.....a little more intimidating than the Braggster though

 

[Herbs]

Don't mind a bit of Billy Bragg for a change of pace. California Stars........

 

[John]

I was watching the Doco on Shane MaGowan the other night and they played " fairytale in New York " with Kirsty ...cracking song ..such a shame she went ....and a shocking way to go as well



" Its christmas eve babe ...in the drunk tank .."

I was in the UK over Xmas and this was rereleased for charity song and got a fair bit of airplay. My son who was with me had never heard it before. After it came on the radio a few times he began to turn it up so I got the message he thought it was great. When we got back home I had to go and buy a copy as I had had a vinyl version of There For the Grace Of God. great song on a very underated album.

I got to see Billy Bragg play at Brisbane Festival Hall in the early Ninties. Fantastic. had the audience eating out of his hand.

 

[John]

I like the story he tells about touring the states and a bloke in the audience keeps yelling red ***! red ***! Billy gets narky and confronts the bloke who was actually calling for the song Red Flag. Billy reckons he retreated with a red face.

 

[Boro]

This thread brings back some great memories of different times I've seen Billy play over the years. He was the first musician whose music really moved me and I'll never get sick of playing his cd's or seeing him live.

Favourite Song: The Saturday Boy
Favourite Album: Workers Playtime

It's definitely time he came back out. I think he's been touring the US lately.

 

[Truck Rutten]

Don't mind a bit of Billy Bragg for a change of pace. California Stars........

California Stars was sung by Jeff Tweedy, and is essentially a Wilco song with Woody Guthrie lyrics. I doubt Billy had much to do with it to be honest. You can tell who wrote the music to the songs on the Mermaid Avenue albums by who sings them.

 

[Fritz_the_Cat]

Yeah great artist.. love most of his stuff.. particular love the song from a few years ago when he teamed up with Wilco "Way over Yonder in A Minor Key"

Sure has a way with words.