Review
"* '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
Billy Bragg (or Stephen William Bragg to give him his full name) was born on 20th December 1957 in Dagenham, Essex. From an early age his interests were eclectic, including politics and local history as well as punk and pop music. The young Bragg spent time in the army although he later became a peace campaigner. The 1980s saw his rise to fame, following the release of his first hit album, 'Life's a Riot With Spy vs. Spy' in 1983. Later his reputation as a political songwriter blossomed, and he championed his ideals through practical as well as artistic means, forming Red Wedge (a touring band of Labour-supporting musicians) and playing benefit gigs during the miners' strike. In this excellent authorized biography various friends and colleagues pay tribute to him, including DJ Andy Kershaw and his long-standing bandmate Wiggy. Bragg comes across as a genuinely decent man and one who sticks to his beliefs, whilst always trying to understand more about the world around him. He retains his left-wing views, although he is no fan of New Labour. This is a fascinating insight into an unsung hero in modern music and it deserves the best recommendation you can give this sort of book - it makes you want to go out and buy his music. (Kirkus UK)
Product Description
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.