He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flag-waver for the Labour Party. He is Billy Bragg, best known as a passionate political songwriter and urbane folk singer, but equally admired for his offbeat love songs. Billy Bragg is a British institution who never went out of fashion (he was never in fashion in the first place). In America he was chosen as the spiritual heir to legendary protest singer Woody Guthrie, beating rival claims from the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. In the UK he surfaced on current affairs TV programmes during the 2001 election dressed as a Roman legionary advocating tactical voting to keep the Tories out. Billy Bragg is a one-off and Still Suitable for Miners is his official story, a portrait of a peerless entertainer and a fearless campaigner growing up in Britain in the years after rock 'n' roll. The book includes childhood photos and previously unseen images from Billy's personal archive.
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"* 'A good, enthralling, recommended read' Folk Roots * 'Essential reading for anyone who thinks that pop music is either a redundant or a toothless art form.' The Irish Times
From the Author
Amazon is a godsend to Bragg fans around the globe.
Just a quick note to say that I have received many e-mails from Billy Bragg fans around the globe since this book was published in September 98 who are unable to buy it in Canada, Australia, wherever, and I always say to them, 'Try Amazon' (it's a godsend to readers everywhere). This is an authorised biog, and Billy gave generously of his time and private archive to help make it a definite story (we hope). If you're a Bragg fan, you might just like it! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Just a quick note to say that I have received many e-mails from Billy Bragg fans around the globe since this book was published in September 98 who are unable to buy it in Canada, Australia, wherever, and I always say to them, 'Try Amazon' (it's a godsend to readers everywhere). This is an authorised biog, and Billy gave generously of his time and private archive to help make it a definite story (we hope). If you're a Bragg fan, you might just like it! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
How disappointing that the official biography of such a lyrical songwriter should contain almost no references to the songs. Collins seemingly forgets to examine any of the songs in any kind of depth, doesn't give any insights into how when or why they were written and fails miserably to give reasons for songwriting. Reading this book Billy Bragg could easily have been a plumber, what Collins gives is a litany of Billy Braggs tour dates and album releases.
The reason I read a biography of a songwriter or poet is not so that I can learn where they played in the summer of 1984 but why they created, what makes them different from me or other people. Andrew Collins should have read another songwriters' biography before putting pen to paper, Joe Kleins "Woody Guthrie : A life" that not only told you When but How and Why
The reason I read a biography of a songwriter or poet is not so that I can learn where they played in the summer of 1984 but why they created, what makes them different from me or other people. Andrew Collins should have read another songwriters' biography before putting pen to paper, Joe Kleins "Woody Guthrie : A life" that not only told you When but How and Why
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By MisterKeith
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
It's not what you'd expect. Billy Bragg, he's an out-and-out politico, who writes the odd love song here and there.
Let's face it, unless you know your Billy Bragg in depth, that's probably what you'd be thinking. And how wrong you'd be. Andrew Collins has written a superb book that really goes a long way to exploding the myth of Bragg. Using Bragg's own scrapbooks, and interviewing all the key people in the story, he's put together a highly detailed biography that doesn't flinch from showing his subject in an (occasionally) unsympathetic light. But what shines through is what an honourable and hardworking, unbelievably hardworking, if sometimes misguided, man Billy Bragg is. And he has some strange friends: I ask you - Boris Johnson???
OK, so some of the puns are somewhat laboured (boom boom), but it all adds to the tone of the book - it could all have been so dour.
And anyway, it's worth buying purely because Collins constantly calls Phil Jupitus "Porky". Hahahahahahahaha, no, seriously, if you liked anything about "indie" music from the last 70s onwards, you need this book.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Andrew Collins combines both personal insights and a fascinating history of Billy's career. Very easy to read and never dull, the book should be an inspiration to any aspiring singer-songwriter.
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