THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST

EP.207 - BILLY BRAGG

Oct 9, 2023

British musician Billy Bragg joins Adam to discuss their meeting at Glastonbury, the importance of manners on social media, being a progressive patriot, old-fashioned ways of listening to music, encounters with Neil Young and Stanley Kubrick, and their shared love for a particular brand of pudding.

01:24:20

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Episode guests

Billy Bragg

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Music has the power to create connections and a sense of solidarity among people.

Billy Bragg's evolution as an artist and political thinker emphasizes the importance of empathy and compassion.

Skiffle, a genre of music popular in the UK, played a significant role in shaping British pop music and inspiring future rock and roll bands.

Deep dives

Billy Bragg's Early Music Career and Activism

This podcast episode features an enjoyable and rambling conversation with English writer and musician Billy Bragg. They discuss his early music career, including how he learned to play guitar and formed his first punky pub rock band called Riffraff. Billy also shares his frustrations with the music industry and his decision to make the music he wanted to hear. Alongside his music, Billy discusses his ongoing political activism, his writing career, and his thoughts on the balance between free speech and accountability.

Introduction

3min

Billy Bragg's Musical Journey and Political Activism

12min

The Decline of Accountability

17min

Musical Memories and Acquiring Promotional Material

20min

The Many Uses of Ramekins

4min

Random Topics and Ideological Shifts

20min

Exploring the Potential of Podcasting and a Sponsor Ad for Squarespace

2min

A Mistaken Schedule and Apologies

4min

Expressing Gratitude and Bonding with the Listeners

3min

Adam talks with English musician Billy Bragg about the time they met in Glastonbury when Billy was keeping some unexpected company, why manners matter on social media, the challenge of being a progressive patriot, what posters Billy had on his wall as a boy, Dial-A-Disc and other ways we listened to music in the olden days, why Neil Young and Stanley Kubrick made their way to Barking, the fondness that Billy and I share for a certain brand of pudding, how Billy's approach to politics has evolved over the years, the fascinating place that Skiffle holds in music history and close encounters with Bob Dylan and David Bowie.

CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

This conversation was recorded face to face in London on August 1st, 2023

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and conversation editing.

Podcast artwork by Helen Green

RELATED LINKS

BILLY BRAGG WEBSITE

ADAM AND JOE INTERVIEW BILLY BRAGG AT GLASTONBURY - 2000 (YOUTUBE)

BILLY BRAGG'S SKIFFLE PLAYLIST (SPOTIFY)

JIMMY PAGE (AGED 13) & BAND - 'MAMA DON'T WANT TO SKIFFLE ANYMORE', 'COTTONFIELDS' - 1957 (YOUTUBE)

BILLY BRAGG - TANK PARK SALUTE (LIVE IN MILWAUKEE) - 2010 (YOUTUBE)

MAVIS NICHOLSON INTERVIEW WITH BILLY BRAGG - 1986 (YOUTUBE)

BILLY BRAGG - FULL ENGLISH BREXIT (LIVE PERFORMANCE) - 2017 (YOUTUBE)