two 4th formers when I was in 3rd Form had Bowie Alladin quiffs - 1974 - they were like giants to me, and one morning before school started and everyone was milling around the quadrangle one of them let off a Thunder Banger firework --- such days.
Another terrific show. Billy went to school not far from where I went to school in Hornchurch. Its so true about what bands you were allowed to like. I loved Slade and Mud and it was okay to like T-Rex but Bowie was a bit far out. Then he did Starman on top of the pops on the TV. You Had Ronno in that gold cat suit. David looked at the screen and sung. I had to phone someone so I picked on you, hoo, hoo. and pointed at ME!!! Was never the same after that. Then queen were on the pops doing Killer Queen and it was suddenly okay not to have to be the best and the biggest. I had all my vinyl in a loft then I bought one of those record players you can plug into your computer. My god I did not realise how compressed a CD is till you listen to the original on a couple of good speakers. Don't put yourself down Billy, you did write: I saw two shooting stars last night, I wished on them, but they were only satellites, Its hard to wish on space hardware, I wish, I wish, I wished you cared. One of the greatest lyrics ever written. Love this show, why is this not on the TV?
Great talk! I was travelling to London the second time on my own in 1983 from my hometown way up north in Sweden (Skellefteå). 15 years old. Bought a copy of Life Is Riot Spy vs Spy, just on how the cover looked. Then when I came home and listened to it, he became "my Dylan" and I picked up the guitar. On a later trip to London I bought his songbook Back To Basics with Billy Bragg which included audio aid on a flexi. And over the years a lot of records. One of my favorite song writers of all time. Had to buy a near mint copy of The Sutherland Bros - The Sutherland Brothers. Never heard that album but I trust Billy :)
"...vanquished in the cleansing fire of punk". He was always an eloquent one was Billy. WAY TOO FEW people in his industry have the same prowess of language, especially now (btw I love his little dig at Oasis). THIS was the best one yet for me. This is coming from a massive Andy Partridge fan with everything by XTC....meanwhile I have never bought ONE Bragg record. Andy was good, of course. But nope, Billy has it. Compelling!! I could've listened to the man bang on for a lot LOT LOT longer about his stuff. Loved it. I actually APPLAUDED at the end.
Couldn't fail with Billy, always entertaining. I still remember his ad-libs from the stage at a festival 35 years ago, the first time i saw him. "I'd like to thank the bloke who invented the plastic bottle, i think he just saved my life".
One of the best episodes. So many albums and records that formed my youth also. Love it. One of my favourite albums is Sutherland Bros & Quiver Reach for the Sky and singles In a Broken Dream.
I love Billy, bless his cotton socks but this episode was one of the best ones. Funny and heartfelt and interesting that Elvis Costello was a huge influence on him. May he never rest his boots until they sink soil deep - and may that not be for a long time yet. Thanks guys, that was was good.
I never stop marvelling at Art Garfunkel’s Lech Walęsa tache on the cover of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. That was wonderful. Seeing that plethora of paper just confirms what I’ve long felt, that the tactile pleasures of physical ephemera are almost entirely absent in a digital age. Even tickets are starting to only exist electronically. Bah humbug. Where are my slippers?
I've never been a fan of Billy Bragg's music or politics , however , this is a brilliant insight into his own musical tastes , which are quite similar to mine . Always interesting to listen to his interviews , if not his music .
I am one of the people who feels as attached to obscure Billy Bragg songs as he does to the Sutherland Brothers. For me it’s the Fourteenth of February, which was the first dance at my wedding. He’s a true gent.
Never really been a fan of Billy's but this was a brilliant episode. great stories well told, not at all what i expected. It is indeed a paradox, whod've thought it!
i remember downstairs at Guy Norris, i was down there all the time, my Saturday job was just over the road slightly further down at " The Bargain Centre " used vinyl mainly.
I saw Billy on the Billy, Hanks and Franks tour at Salford Uni (1984). I then saw him 30 odd years later with Heaton and Abbott and The Divine Comedy at the Hull Kingston stadium. Still great.
Lad's, Like Mr. Bragg we all had a lady in the Post Office who would sell you your Postal Order's. Each week I'd stand in line and this week I was going to ask her out. But by the time I got to the counter my nerve had gone, sweating like I was inside a Sauna, jelly in my knee's and my voice had turned into a high pitched squeak. So that week it didn't happen but I was going to try again next week. I'm still waiting to try. Young dreams. Cheers, Chris Perry.
This was a great episode. While a lot of his political views may differ from mine, I do like his music. I've always had the feeling that Billy Bragg is honest and genuine. He's also extremely funny and an excellent raconteur. I had no idea about his varied taste in music. This, along with Danny Baker are the best two so far. Please try and get either of them on again if possible.
May I suggest that David Bowie however imasculated in the 1970s had done a U-turn for the labyrinth film and over compensated for what he'd missed out on.
Rod Stewart ,Ronnie Lane,Bowie,Motown and then the Sutherland Brothers ,we could have been siblings .Gawd Iuv the Bard of Barking .stay safe and well everyone x
To be honest, as I grew up and grew out of Leftism (becoming more free-thinking, less doctrinaire and more focused on personal freedom/personal responsibility/opportunity creation, rather than change driven by "the vanguard" elite - i.e. same old same old...) I lost my taste for Billy. Adored his early work. Always imagined a bloke tramping around cold grim North England busking with a sound system strapped to his back, and I thought - yep, that's the punk ethos mate, you'll do! But watching this and seeing how much of the same musical highlights - being the same age - shaped our life's journey, I feel a strange (re)new connection haha haha He's a good bloke, but party politics leaves some cold. I vote for the local candidate who will do right by their constituents, bugger the rest of it. Hope you've earned some quids since this was produced Billy (and thanks guys for letting him rave on) --- shit some musos must've lost their shirts due to the lockdowns, over-mortgaged and over-spending, suddenly nil cash flow! Be like an Undertone kids - have a hit record ---immediately buy a house in your home town. Never fails. I maintain a blog on a surfing club from my home town (in NZ) which was firing up in the late 70s, punk/new wave fuelled, it records - "British music papers, in particular the punk championing NME, were available, also months late, and were devoured furiously. Something of a separation was appearing: the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers were unceremoniously dumped as Talking Heads and The Ramones emerged, with a sound and attitude more reflective of the times". What sea change huh! Sorry for raving on.
Hepworth's collection is ALPHABETICAL he says. Noooooo!! "H'mmmm what shall I put on?...let's see now, AC/DC, Air, Amon Duul, Argent, Aswad, Attilla The Stockbroker....h'mmm what anout the B's? Beatles, Bhundu Boys, Blue Oyster Cult, Booker T., Bow Wow Wow.....nah!" IT......DOESN'T.....WORK!!
I have always ordered my LPs and CDs alphabetically by artist and then chronologically by time of release. It does work! Its what they do in record shops (though they do introduce genre, then alphabetical.) It means that you know where to find each item.
Wonderful conversation and insight. Roll on the Album and Tour
Enjoyed this one immensely good old Billy Bragg the thinking man's Paul Gambaccini 😂
Billy Bragg could chat away for days & never get boring. Top man.
two 4th formers when I was in 3rd Form had Bowie Alladin quiffs - 1974 - they were like giants to me, and one morning before school started and everyone was milling around the quadrangle one of them let off a Thunder Banger firework --- such days.
Another terrific show. Billy went to school not far from where I went to school in Hornchurch. Its so true about what bands you were allowed to like. I loved Slade and Mud and it was okay to like T-Rex but Bowie was a bit far out. Then he did Starman on top of the pops on the TV. You Had Ronno in that gold cat suit. David looked at the screen and sung. I had to phone someone so I picked on you, hoo, hoo. and pointed at ME!!! Was never the same after that. Then queen were on the pops doing Killer Queen and it was suddenly okay not to have to be the best and the biggest. I had all my vinyl in a loft then I bought one of those record players you can plug into your computer. My god I did not realise how compressed a CD is till you listen to the original on a couple of good speakers. Don't put yourself down Billy, you did write: I saw two shooting stars last night, I wished on them, but they were only satellites, Its hard to wish on space hardware, I wish, I wish, I wished you cared. One of the greatest lyrics ever written. Love this show, why is this not on the TV?
It was never like that where I was. My brothers always got the Bowie. My fav was Slade, but they haven't aged well.
Battersea Park - Days like these. Magic my friend!
Great talk!
I was travelling to London the second time on my own in 1983 from my hometown way up north in Sweden (Skellefteå). 15 years old. Bought a copy of Life Is Riot Spy vs Spy, just on how the cover looked. Then when I came home and listened to it, he became "my Dylan" and I picked up the guitar.
On a later trip to London I bought his songbook Back To Basics with Billy Bragg which included audio aid on a flexi. And over the years a lot of records.
One of my favorite song writers of all time. Had to buy a near mint copy of The Sutherland Bros - The Sutherland Brothers. Never heard that album but I trust Billy :)
"...vanquished in the cleansing fire of punk". He was always an eloquent one was Billy. WAY TOO FEW people in his industry have the same prowess of language, especially now (btw I love his little dig at Oasis).
THIS was the best one yet for me. This is coming from a massive Andy Partridge fan with everything by XTC....meanwhile I have never bought ONE Bragg record. Andy was good, of course. But nope, Billy has it. Compelling!! I could've listened to the man bang on for a lot LOT LOT longer about his stuff. Loved it. I actually APPLAUDED at the end.
The Sutherland Brothers Brilliant, I’m getting the shivers. Saw them live during this period. Lucky me.
The thing I hate most about your shows is that they end! Every episode is brilliant!
Legend. Favourite line of Billy’s, “I had an uncle who once played, for Red Star Belgrade.”
"How can you lie back and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team?"
Couldn't fail with Billy, always entertaining. I still remember his ad-libs from the stage at a festival 35 years ago, the first time i saw him. "I'd like to thank the bloke who invented the plastic bottle, i think he just saved my life".
One of the best episodes. So many albums and records that formed my youth also. Love it. One of my favourite albums is Sutherland Bros & Quiver Reach for the Sky and singles In a Broken Dream.
What a lovely, witty, honest human being BB is. Impeccable taste, too!
Just brilliant. I could sit and listen to Billy for days.
I love Billy, bless his cotton socks but this episode was one of the best ones. Funny and heartfelt and interesting that Elvis Costello was a huge influence on him. May he never rest his boots until they sink soil deep - and may that not be for a long time yet. Thanks guys, that was was good.
I never stop marvelling at Art Garfunkel’s Lech Walęsa tache on the cover of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.
That was wonderful. Seeing that plethora of paper just confirms what I’ve long felt, that the tactile pleasures of physical ephemera are almost entirely absent in a digital age. Even tickets are starting to only exist electronically. Bah humbug. Where are my slippers?
I presume you mean Paul Simon's tache.
I've never been a fan of Billy Bragg's music or politics , however , this is a brilliant insight into his own musical tastes , which are quite similar to mine . Always interesting to listen to his interviews , if not his music .
Great edition. Thanks Billy, David and Mark!
“I gave my Eagles records to the lady in the Post Office” is a line straight out of a Bragg song
init!
He looks terrific. Very distinguished. Am very jealous.
I am one of the people who feels as attached to obscure Billy Bragg songs as he does to the Sutherland Brothers. For me it’s the Fourteenth of February, which was the first dance at my wedding. He’s a true gent.
Fabulous episode ,
Thank you very much, first class 🥃🥃🥃 x
Never really been a fan of Billy's but this was a brilliant episode. great stories well told, not at all what i expected. It is indeed a paradox, whod've thought it!
i remember downstairs at Guy Norris, i was down there all the time, my Saturday job was just over the road slightly further down at " The Bargain Centre " used vinyl mainly.
I saw Billy on the Billy, Hanks and Franks tour at Salford Uni (1984). I then saw him 30 odd years later with Heaton and Abbott and The Divine Comedy at the Hull Kingston stadium. Still great.
Loved listening to this, super interesting and you can feel the devotion they all have for the music and the scene.
Always fun .. billy is a true gent 👍
Great choice Billy,The pie is a great song on my Deezer Favourites !
that was great...top man BB
Lad's, Like Mr. Bragg we all had a lady in the Post Office who would sell you your Postal Order's. Each week I'd stand in line and this week I was going to ask her out. But by the time I got to the counter my nerve had gone, sweating like I was inside a Sauna, jelly in my knee's and my voice had turned into a high pitched squeak. So that week it didn't happen but I was going to try again next week. I'm still waiting to try. Young dreams. Cheers, Chris Perry.
Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.
Brilliant.
My brother actually knew Ariel Bender, and this kid at school always called me 'Ariel Bender's mate's brother'. Another true fact this time tomorrow.
Superb episode!
great show :)
great vid, thank you sirs!
love this!
This was a great episode. While a lot of his political views may differ from mine, I do like his music. I've always had the feeling that Billy Bragg is honest and genuine. He's also extremely funny and an excellent raconteur. I had no idea about his varied taste in music. This, along with Danny Baker are the best two so far. Please try and get either of them on again if possible.
Agree with much of this. (My politics are closer to the great Bragg.) Bragg and Baker have ben standouts in a very strong field.
Waiting for the great leap forwards ... words of 2020
Tank Park Salute.
So good
Brilliant! I had an ear to ear smile throughout.
May I suggest that David Bowie however imasculated in the 1970s had done a U-turn for the labyrinth film and over compensated for what he'd missed out on.
Rod Stewart ,Ronnie Lane,Bowie,Motown and then the Sutherland Brothers ,we could have been siblings .Gawd Iuv the Bard of Barking .stay safe and well everyone x
"now ernie had a rival, an evil looking man" ...taking up memory space lol
There is no substitute for a ball struck firmly and squarely ..... G..O...A...L......!!!!
123clouds were the first prog band
To be honest, as I grew up and grew out of Leftism (becoming more free-thinking, less doctrinaire and more focused on personal freedom/personal responsibility/opportunity creation, rather than change driven by "the vanguard" elite - i.e. same old same old...) I lost my taste for Billy. Adored his early work. Always imagined a bloke tramping around cold grim North England busking with a sound system strapped to his back, and I thought - yep, that's the punk ethos mate, you'll do! But watching this and seeing how much of the same musical highlights - being the same age - shaped our life's journey, I feel a strange (re)new connection haha haha He's a good bloke, but party politics leaves some cold. I vote for the local candidate who will do right by their constituents, bugger the rest of it. Hope you've earned some quids since this was produced Billy (and thanks guys for letting him rave on) --- shit some musos must've lost their shirts due to the lockdowns, over-mortgaged and over-spending, suddenly nil cash flow! Be like an Undertone kids - have a hit record ---immediately buy a house in your home town. Never fails. I maintain a blog on a surfing club from my home town (in NZ) which was firing up in the late 70s, punk/new wave fuelled, it records - "British music papers, in particular the punk championing NME, were available, also months late, and were devoured furiously. Something of a separation was appearing: the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers were unceremoniously dumped as Talking Heads and The Ramones emerged, with a sound and attitude more reflective of the times". What sea change huh! Sorry for raving on.
Hepworth's collection is ALPHABETICAL he says. Noooooo!!
"H'mmmm what shall I put on?...let's see now, AC/DC, Air, Amon Duul, Argent, Aswad, Attilla The Stockbroker....h'mmm what anout the B's? Beatles, Bhundu Boys, Blue Oyster Cult, Booker T., Bow Wow Wow.....nah!"
IT......DOESN'T.....WORK!!
I have always ordered my LPs and CDs alphabetically by artist and then chronologically by time of release. It does work! Its what they do in record shops (though they do introduce genre, then alphabetical.) It means that you know where to find each item.
Must be the Tories fault hey Billy? 😉
Gotta say, that was chockfull. Lovely. Ronnie Lane. top