Billy Bragg: Rocking The Cynical World

[marmar]

from YES! Magazine:



.....(snip).....

Madeline Ostrander: You’re widely known as a political songwriter, but you write on your website, “The notion that you can change the world by singing songs can only serve to undermine activism.”

Billy Bragg: I feel it’s my job to remind the audience that only they can change the world. If people just come to my gigs, buy T-shirts, and think they’ve done their bit, that’s the worst kind of hypocrisy on my part. My job is to bring them together in a space where they feel that they’re not the only person who gives a sh*t about an issue. And they go away thinking, “Yeah! I had a sense of community!”

One of the first political things I ever did was Rock Against Racism. Before that, I felt my political views were in the minority. Where I was employed, there was a lot of casual racism. I was the youngest person and the only one who found it offensive. In that Clash crowd, I saw a hundred thousand kids just like me. I realized racism was the issue on which my generation was going to take a stand.

The Clash got me there, but it was the crowd that empowered me.

The song has a part to play—it gives you a different perspective of your position in the struggle and your view of the world. But it’s what we do when we go back to our communities that makes a difference.

Ostrander: You recently campaigned against politicians in your hometown who were using race and immigration to inflame the public. Does it ever feel discouraging that these issues are so cyclical?

Bragg: No, as long as there’s a new generation coming in to fight, you’ve got to pass the torch. When we marched for Rock Against Racism, we were part of a tradition that stretches back to the activists of the 1960s who were out on the streets, to our parents and grandparents who defended London against the Nazis in the 1940s, the people from our country who fought in the Spanish Civil War against fascism, all the way back to the abolition of slavery in the early 19th century. Our job is to pass that information on, to not be discouraged. We’re not the first people to have fought the struggle, and usually we win. The other side has their high points but eventually, we get ’em, and we usually get ’em with our music and our culture. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/what-happy-families-know/rocking-the-cynical-world

[OutNow]

1. He lives his convictions

Billy Bragg not only encourages activism for others, he lives it himself.

The first time I saw Billy Bragg was not at a concert. It was in Managua Nicaragua where I was working for an NGO.

BTW - Mermaid Avenue is one of my favorite CDs.

[VioletLake]

2. I Keep Faith

http://new.music.yahoo.com/billy-bragg/videos/view/i-keep-faith--202273279

[Poll_Blind]

3. "So join the struggle while you may, the revolution is just a t-shirt away!"

From his excellent song, "Waiting for the Great Leap Forward". If you've never heard it you should. If you can, track down the actual music video for it, since (like a lot of performers who mostly play live music) he changes the words in some of the other recordings you're going to find on YouTube, say.

I think EBaumsWorld (of all places) has it.

PB

[ProgressIn2008]

4. Hard choice, but Workers Playtime remains my favorite Billy Bragg album

Much respect for the man.

[Starry Messenger]

5. k&r

If anyone is on Facebook and likes Billy, he often comes to his page to discuss politics, current events and stuff from his tour with people who have joined his page. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Billy-Bragg/44905697470 He's not at all a snot, and really does live his convictions. I'm a little old for fangirlism, but I like him.