[quote][cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite] Are you taking something?[/quote]
Don't be fooled. Billy Bragg's no more left wing than you are mate. When you start out as a band or singer, most of the gigs you can get are on festival line-ups or in pub-type venues run by anarchists or environmental charities and that, so you have to pretend to be left-wing to get gigs. Loads of my mates are in bands and write lefty ecological veggie songs as 90% of the gigs they get are from bookers into all that stuff, they don't believe a word of it really, and Bragg is the same - look at him chatting away to the Queen in all them pics. Paul Weller was another, linked in with the Labour party to get gigs, but at least he was honest enough to admit (in the NME) that he was really a Tory voter and monarchist. Most of Bragg's gigs when he was starting out were at GLC and anti-apartite festivals, or in trade union clubs. Do you reckon he would get them gigs if he was singing right wing stuff? 'Course he wouldn't, hence the left-wing act he put on. Most art (be it music, poetry or juggling) is the same. You have to pretend to be a trendy lefty if you want to get the gigs that pay the bills. Don't blame Billy Bragg for playing along, blame the system for making it that he had to.
[cite]Posted By: floydandharvey[/cite]Billy Bragg left wing? You're having a laugh. Google the bloke, you'll find loads of photos of him shaking hands with the Queen. And half his songs have Britain or England in the title. The guy's far right if he's anything. I won't have nothing to do with him.
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]
Are you taking something?
Don't be fooled. Billy Bragg's no more left wing than you are mate. When you start out as a band or singer, most of the gigs you can get are on festival line-ups or in pub-type venues run by anarchists or environmental charities and that, so you have to pretend to be left-wing to get gigs. Loads of my mates are in bands and write lefty ecological veggie songs as 90% of the gigs they get are from bookers into all that stuff, they don't believe a word of it really, and Bragg is the same - look at him chatting away to the Queen in all them pics. Paul Weller was another, linked in with the Labour party to get gigs, but at least he was honest enough to admit (in the NME) that he was really a Tory voter and monarchist. Most of Bragg's gigs when he was starting out were at GLC and anti-apartite festivals, or in trade union clubs. Do you reckon he would get them gigs if he was singing right wing stuff? 'Course he wouldn't, hence the left-wing act he put on. Most art (be it music, poetry or juggling) is the same. You have to pretend to be a trendy lefty if you want to get the gigs that pay the bills. Don't blame Billy Bragg for playing along, blame the system for making it that he had to.
It's the same with Skrewdriver, they are yoghurt knitting, sandal wearing hippies in real life.
Another easy wind up-thread, but seeing him live is a great experience and in years to come, when the political nonsense is forgotten, New England will be seen as a classic. Which it is. His CD with Wilco was a best seller in Peru. Not a lot of people know that
"Some people say love is blind, but i think that's just a bit short sighted / So we passed very fast like ships in the night, or cars in the contraflow system...." (From a Vauxhall Velox)
Der Sturmer readers like DA9 and Goonerhater are always going to loathe the bloke for obvious reasons, but he's written some good stuff.
I know i couldn't stop laughing when i saw him square up to Richard Barnbrook in the Election run up. Two equally self opinionated buffons trying to justify their existance, hilarious!
I'd rather listen to country & western & i'd stab my own eardrums before i suffered that dross!!!
Does that make me part of the 'cretin clan'? I do so like to belong.
So lets get this right, in the middle of the longest serving right wing/Tory government of the last century a musician decides to pretend to be left wing to get gigs. This at a time when arts/festival budgets were being slashed/withdrawn as fast as free speech was across the country. I am amazed he managed to get a gig at all.
Also, since when does having a different view on life and the future make you anti English? I think at the time he was actually chriticised by some of the left for being patriotic (which is of course very different from being nationalist).
[cite]Posted By: Cordoban Addick[/cite]So lets get this right, in the middle of the longest serving right wing/Tory government of the last century a musician decides to pretend to be left wing to get gigs. This at a time when arts/festival budgets were being slashed/withdrawn as fast as free speech was across the country. I am amazed he managed to get a gig at all.
Also, since when does having a different view on life and the future make you anti English? I think at the time he was actually chriticised by some of the left for being patriotic (which is of course very different from being nationalist).
Wow, can't believe that somebody like Billy could attract such ill feeling! Always saw him as a man of the people with great songs (ok - we can't all have similar musical tastes ). Certainly not anti English, quite the opposite in fact. Makes me question the intelligence of a person who would jump to such a conclusion.
Bragg is very patriotic and proud of his Englishness which is why he gets so much stick from the right.
Lots of people who are left leaning and/or liberal are proud Englishmen and women but that doesn't fit in with the Rights "everyone but us hates England" rants so any public figure who a bit of a lefty and who goes against that has to slagged off.
And as a songwriter he is great which is what this thread was actually about.
[cite]Posted By: Cordoban Addick[/cite]So lets get this right, in the middle of the longest serving right wing/Tory government of the last century a musician decides to pretend to be left wing to get gigs. This at a time when arts/festival budgets were being slashed/withdrawn as fast as free speech was across the country. I am amazed he managed to get a gig at all.
Also, since when does having a different view on life and the future make you anti English? I think at the time he was actually chriticised by some of the left for being patriotic (which is of course very different from being nationalist).
[cite]Posted By: KBslittlesis[/cite]Henry, you're right. He writes great songs.
He should stick to that & give singing & politics a wide berth.
It's not his views i find irritating, its his hypocrasy. He likes to ensure he is heard, yet doesnt allow others the same priviledge.
Most of his songs aren't political and those are the best IMHO but isn't he as entitled to engage in politics as anyone else?
And when does he stop others being heard? Because he confronts Fascist scumbags in the streets? Bragg has always said that the anti-fascists have to win the arguement not just stop the fascists speaking.
Good on him and the people of Barking who kicked them out.
There is no such thing as a "left wing patriot"
FACT.
I'll tell my dad that despite serving in the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal in WWII and loving his country he can't have been a patriot as he was a bit of lefty.
He doesn't live far from you GH so you can come round and spit in his face to add to the insult.
and don't you dare come back with "it was a joke" because you know it wasn't. You actually believe that crap, more's the pity.
We feast on flesh and drink on blood
Live by fear and despise love in a crises
(what with today's high prices)
Bring some paper and bring some wood
Bring what's left of all your love for the fire
We'll watch the flames grow higher!
Comments
Are you taking something?[/quote]
Don't be fooled. Billy Bragg's no more left wing than you are mate. When you start out as a band or singer, most of the gigs you can get are on festival line-ups or in pub-type venues run by anarchists or environmental charities and that, so you have to pretend to be left-wing to get gigs. Loads of my mates are in bands and write lefty ecological veggie songs as 90% of the gigs they get are from bookers into all that stuff, they don't believe a word of it really, and Bragg is the same - look at him chatting away to the Queen in all them pics. Paul Weller was another, linked in with the Labour party to get gigs, but at least he was honest enough to admit (in the NME) that he was really a Tory voter and monarchist. Most of Bragg's gigs when he was starting out were at GLC and anti-apartite festivals, or in trade union clubs. Do you reckon he would get them gigs if he was singing right wing stuff? 'Course he wouldn't, hence the left-wing act he put on. Most art (be it music, poetry or juggling) is the same. You have to pretend to be a trendy lefty if you want to get the gigs that pay the bills. Don't blame Billy Bragg for playing along, blame the system for making it that he had to.
I think he's taking the urine : -)
It's the same with Skrewdriver, they are yoghurt knitting, sandal wearing hippies in real life.
I'm sorry FandH, but I dont believe a word of it.
England, Half English
Thatcherites
There Is Power in A Union
The Red Flag
Is that true about Screwdriver ?
more than Elke Brooks !!
;-)
Errrm I don't thnk so P...LOL!!
LOL
Cant stand the bloke TBH
His CD with Wilco was a best seller in Peru. Not a lot of people know that
Der Sturmer readers like DA9 and Goonerhater are always going to loathe the bloke for obvious reasons, but he's written some good stuff.
Honey I'm a big boy now.
Levi Stubbs tears.
There is power in the union.
Brewster (Milburn).
More like 'Fun, jokes etc'????
I know i couldn't stop laughing when i saw him square up to Richard Barnbrook in the Election run up. Two equally self opinionated buffons trying to justify their existance, hilarious!
I'd rather listen to country & western & i'd stab my own eardrums before i suffered that dross!!!
Does that make me part of the 'cretin clan'? I do so like to belong.
Also, since when does having a different view on life and the future make you anti English? I think at the time he was actually chriticised by some of the left for being patriotic (which is of course very different from being nationalist).
I loath the mouthy little tosser.
ps I love him, St Swithins day my personal no.1
Lots of people who are left leaning and/or liberal are proud Englishmen and women but that doesn't fit in with the Rights "everyone but us hates England" rants so any public figure who a bit of a lefty and who goes against that has to slagged off.
And as a songwriter he is great which is what this thread was actually about.
SAA£, irony?
He should stick to that & give singing & politics a wide berth.
It's not his views i find irritating, its his hypocrasy. He likes to ensure he is heard, yet doesnt allow others the same priviledge.
Most of his songs aren't political and those are the best IMHO but isn't he as entitled to engage in politics as anyone else?
And when does he stop others being heard? Because he confronts Fascist scumbags in the streets? Bragg has always said that the anti-fascists have to win the arguement not just stop the fascists speaking.
Good on him and the people of Barking who kicked them out.
There is no such thing as a "left wing patriot" ------------- FACT.
Blackheath in not big enough for all the people who need burning thats a fact --- FACT.
You consider yourself a patriot, does that mean you need burning?
I'll tell my dad that despite serving in the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal in WWII and loving his country he can't have been a patriot as he was a bit of lefty.
He doesn't live far from you GH so you can come round and spit in his face to add to the insult.
and don't you dare come back with "it was a joke" because you know it wasn't. You actually believe that crap, more's the pity.
We feast on flesh and drink on blood
Live by fear and despise love in a crises
(what with today's high prices)
Bring some paper and bring some wood
Bring what's left of all your love for the fire
We'll watch the flames grow higher!
(words and lyrics not by BB)
Roy Hattersley
No such thing as a left wing patriot?