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Billy Bragg, The Progressive Patriot

Posted on October 27th, 2009 in Uklondonpubs

Chat with Billy Bragg a couple of weeks ago and came to my head a strange connection between it and the Boss. There is a long way from Essex to New Jersey and a great difference between Billy and Bruce, but like neighboring New Jersey is the worker, less glamorous than New York’s Essex, home county of Billy Bragg, London neighbor less cool. Bragg ends his concerts with a terse “I” m Billy Bragg, I “m from Barking, Essex” and their geographic roots are thus present in all his work.

Billy Bragg visit us tomorrow at the Kursaal, and like all their concerts, the event will be special. Alone, without a group, with his guitar and his protest songs and political themes, likely to engage the public with honesty, dedication and humor. As he said with his usual irony: “No one comes to see me dance.” And so, we’re going to listen to his songs and what they have.

But who is Billy Bragg? Born, of course, in Barking, Essex in 1957, Stephen William Bragg Billy started his career as a singer in the punk band Riff Raff. After the almost inevitable failure of the band, he enlisted in the British Army in 1981. Upon completing the training period, he discovered that he had little to do with military life, and 175 pounds, he bought his departure: “Money is better spent in my life.”

Decided to make one last effort with the music. With a collection of songs very politicized and started playing his guitar on the hard circuit of pubs in London. He acquired a growing reputation thanks to some concerts after he had the opportunity to release their first album in 83, Life ’sa Riot with Spy vs Spy. Since then he has published twelve more albums, some solo, others in their group The Blokes and others more in collaboration with other musicians and bands like REM, Wilco, Johnny Marr, or Natalie Merchant. Some will remember for a couple of commercial successes and Sexuality in 91, but perhaps his best known song is A New England, all a hit with the singer Kirsty MacColl.

And with music, politics. Vociferous in their support for British miners in the bitter strike of 84, was also one of the founders of the leftist movement Red Wedge, relentless in its anti-Thatcher campaign and its support for Tony Blair’s New Labor, support which resulted in the disappointment to Bragg. His songs touch on issues such as fascism, racism, sexism or homophobia, as has the honor of being the taste of far-right groups like the British National Party (BNP), whose members often have attacked . Consistent with its membership in 2004 also recorded a song for the compilation Rock Against Bush.

Bragg supports Scottish independence-some not so rare in English. He sees it as part of what he calls the “progressive patriotism” and the importance of talking seriously about issues related to national identity. He says he wants to reclaim patriotism for the left, rescuing him from his usual identification in some countries with the extreme right: “I love the transformation of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the last 20 years of a conservative party to a progressive party. I like to see something similar in England. There is a huge difference between right-wing nationalism of the BNP and the SNP’s progressive nationalism. Some people do not want to understand the difference, but others we see a difference, know what it means, “says Bragg.

The item you are interested in both the first book in the six years between his 2002 album Español, Half Español and the next and last, in 2008, Mr Love and Justice, is entitled The Progessive Patriot.

Billy Bragg is involved in a diverse range of projects. Breaking Rocks is an NGO founded by singer, trying to change the lives of prisoners through the music, providing guitars to prisoners in British jails. Bragg sees it like this: “Playing a musical instrument is a very practical way to assist in the reintegration of these people.” Along with Mick Jones and Topper Headon, the Clash former also involved in the project, re-recorded the song for Jail Guitar Doors documentary of the same name.

Asked about his collaboration in preparing the 2012 Olympic Games says: “It is very important that people in east London and Essex take something tangible from this, other than a television event or just for the rich. It is important that the neighborhoods they have left something to improve their lives: housing, jobs, a better future “. And he jokes: “Or at least, a new stadium for our football team, West Ham United”

Live he usually plays alone. “It’s a shame, but I do not profitable to play with the group today,” laments Bragg. But he adds: “I’m lucky because I can still make a living doing something I love so much.”

His last album, Mr Love and Justice, was well received both in the music press as the most prestigious newspapers. It’s an album more tender, warmer, less aggressive but no less delivered, and above all, honest and somewhat confessional.

“Mr. Love and Justice. Is that you, Billy? ”

- Mr Love and Justice I? I like to think that Billy Bragg is a bit like that.