Billy Bragg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Bragg
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Bragg in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stephen William Bragg |
| Also known as | William Bragg |
| Born | 20 December 1957 Barking, Essex, England |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
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Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author, and activist. He is known for blending folk music, punk rock, and protest songs. His lyrics often talk about political ideas or romantic feelings. Billy Bragg also works for social change and supports left-wing political causes.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Billy Bragg was born in 1957 in Barking, Essex, England. His father worked for a cap maker, and his mother had Italian family roots.
He went to school in Barking. At age twelve, he found a love for poetry when his English teacher chose him to read his poem on a local radio station. He then focused on learning to play the guitar with his neighbor, Philip Wigg (Wiggy). They were inspired by bands like the Faces and the Rolling Stones. He also enjoyed folk music from artists like Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan.
In the late 1970s, punk rock and new wave music became popular. Billy Bragg was inspired by Elvis Costello and especially by the band The Clash. He saw The Clash play live and at a "Rock Against Racism" event. This experience helped him understand how music could be used for political action. It also shaped his strong beliefs against racism.
Billy Bragg's Music Career
Starting Out as a Musician
In 1977, Billy Bragg formed a punk rock band called Riff Raff with his friend Wiggy. They recorded some songs, but they didn't become widely known. The band broke up in 1980.
After trying different jobs, Billy Bragg felt stuck with his music. In 1981, he joined the British Army but bought himself out after three months. He then dyed his hair and started performing alone with an electric guitar around London. He called himself Spy vs Spy.
His first demo tape didn't get much attention. But by pretending to be a TV repairman, he managed to get his tape to a record company manager named Peter Jenner. Jenner liked the music and helped Billy Bragg release his first album, Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy, in 1983. A famous radio DJ, John Peel, played one of his songs on the radio, which helped him become more known.
Later, a new record label called Go! Discs re-released his album. Around this time, Andy Kershaw, who supported Bragg's music, became his tour manager.
One of his album songs, "A New England", became a Top 10 hit for singer Kirsty MacColl in 1985. Billy Bragg always sings an extra verse in her honor when he performs the song live.
In 1984, he released Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, which had both political songs and love songs. In 1985, he released an EP (a short album) called Between the Wars, which had political songs. This EP reached the Top 20 in the UK and led to him performing on the TV show Top of the Pops.
He went on his first tour of North America in 1985. He used a special portable sound system called a "Portastack" that he could carry around. This allowed him to perform anywhere, even outside music conferences.
Later Success and Collaborations
In 1986, Billy Bragg released Talking with the Taxman About Poetry, which was his first album to reach the Top 10. In 1988, he had his only Number 1 hit single with a cover of The Beatles' song "She's Leaving Home". This was part of a charity album where different artists covered songs from The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album.
His fourth album, Workers Playtime, came out in 1988. For this album, Billy Bragg used a full band, adding more instruments to his sound.
In 1990, he released a political mini-album called The Internationale. Some songs went back to his solo guitar style, while others had more complex arrangements, including a brass band.
His sixth album, Don't Try This at Home, was released in 1991. After a long world tour, he decided to leave his record label.
In 1996, Billy Bragg released William Bloke. This album was simpler and more personal, as he had taken time off to help raise his son.
Around this time, Nora Guthrie, the daughter of American folk legend Woody Guthrie, asked Billy Bragg to put some of her father's unrecorded lyrics to music. He worked with the band Wilco and singer Natalie Merchant. They released the album Mermaid Avenue in 1998, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. They released a second album, Mermaid Avenue Vol. II, in 2000.
Billy Bragg became interested in English national identity. This led to his 2002 album England, Half-English and his 2006 book The Progressive Patriot. In the book, he shared his idea that English socialists could take back the idea of patriotism from right-wing groups. In 2007, he joined a group called The Imagined Village, which updated traditional English folk songs.
His album Mr. Love & Justice was released in 2008. In 2009, he was asked to write new lyrics for "Ode to Joy", a famous piece by Beethoven, which is a song about unity.
Recent Projects
In 2010, Billy Bragg helped organize the Leftfield stage at the Glastonbury Festival, a big music event, and has continued to do so.
On 18 March 2013, he released the album Tooth & Nail. It was recorded quickly and featured 11 new songs. This album explored Americana and alternative country music styles. It became one of his most successful albums in a long time.
In 2016, Billy Bragg received the Trailblazer Award and the Spirit of Americana Free Speech Award for his contributions to music. In August 2016, he released Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad with Joe Henry. They recorded songs while traveling by train across America.
His second non-fiction book, Roots, Radicals and Rockers, was published in 2016. It tells the history of the British skiffle music movement.
In 2019, Billy Bragg started a new tour format called One Step Forward, Two Steps Back. He would play three shows in a row at each place: one with a mix of his songs, one with songs from his first three albums, and one with songs from his next three albums.
During the pandemic, he worked on new music, leading to his thirteenth album, The Million Things That Never Happened, released in October 2021.
In 2023, he announced a collection of his music called The Roaring Forty (1983–2023) to celebrate 40 years of making music. He also released a new song called "Rich Men Earning North of a Million" as a response to another popular country song.
Politics and Activism
Billy Bragg has been involved in political movements throughout his career. His songs often reflect his beliefs. He has also performed famous socialist songs like "The Internationale". He believes that music can inspire action for social change. He has said that The Clash influenced him not just with their lyrics, but with their actions and what they stood for.
Early Activism
His political focus grew stronger after the Conservative Party won a big election in 1983. Billy Bragg was very active during the 1984 miners' strike in the UK, playing many benefit concerts to support the miners.
He also helped form a group called Red Wedge in the 1980s. This group of musicians supported the Labour Party and spoke about youth issues before the 1987 general election.
Billy Bragg has always been against fascism, racism, and sexism. He supports a multi-racial Britain and has spoken out against far-right groups like the British National Party (BNP).
Later Activism
In 1999, he suggested a way to change the House of Lords (part of the UK Parliament) so it would better represent election results.
In 2007, he started an organization called Jail Guitar Doors. It provides musical instruments to prisons and encourages prisoners to deal with their problems peacefully.
In 2010, Billy Bragg spoke out against a bank's plan to pay large bonuses to its staff. He even considered withholding his income tax as a protest.
He was very active in his hometown of Barking to oppose the BNP leader who was running for election there. He called out the BNP for their racist views.
In 2011, he released a song called "Never Buy the Sun" to protest against a newspaper involved in a phone hacking scandal. He also joined the Occupy Movement protests in London.
Billy Bragg supports both Scottish and Welsh independence. In 2014, he welcomed David Bowie's comments on Scottish independence, saying it encouraged discussion in England.
He has supported the Green Party and Jeremy Corbyn, a former leader of the Labour Party. He believes that politics should be more compassionate and connected to people's needs.
In 2019, Billy Bragg publicly criticized fellow singer Morrissey for his political comments and support of a far-right political party. He said Morrissey was damaging the legacy of his old band, The Smiths.
Personal Life
Billy Bragg has an adult son named Jack with his partner, Juliet. He is a supporter of the West Ham United football team.
See also
In Spanish: Billy Bragg para niños
