Billy Who?
Billy Bragg's not exactly a name that energizes America's youth into an album-buying frenzy. He doesn't play sold-out stadiums (at least, not here) and his songs aren't covered on American Idol or even most local karaoke bars. In fact, the closest he's come to mainstream attention in this country was his work putting Woody Guthrie lyrics to music with the help of American country rockers Wilco. The work was nominated for two Grammy's and sold over 600,000 copies. (Guthrie, by the way, is the socialist American folk singer who wrote lots and lots of songs you've never heard of, and one that you have, "This Land is Your Land")

Small Head and a Pouch
Yes, Bragg is neither famous on this side of the pond nor entirely marketable. He's unapologeticly British. He forgoes guitar solos and finely produced bubblegum pop for folksy chord progressions and staunchly political songs geared towards the workingman (and woman). And he's no typical rock star pretty-boy, either; the guy's head is just a wee bit too small for his body, and he currently sports a pouch that seems to have seen its fair share of pints at the local pub. So, what exactly are you missing by not listening to Billy Bragg? Simply put, you're missing rock and roll at its finest, most poignant and rawest form.

Yes, Billy Bragg epitomizes all that's right about rock music. His most passionate songs are all about rebellion - no, not teen-angst, nobody-loves-me rebellion, but peaceful rebellions against governments run afoul. His words are a kick in the groin to the greedy and corrupt; he rallies against bigotry and war, poverty and the disenfranchised. Yes, he has some lovely autobiographical songs about failed romances and fatherhood, but his most biting pieces see Billy performing his almost civic duty of communicating the plight of the world to all who will listen. And the best way to hear Bragg communicate is through his live performances.

Funny, Brilliant and Well-educated
A Billy Bragg live show is an experience unto itself. Part rock concert, part stand up comedy act, part sing-along, and part political protest, seeing Bragg live, or even just listening to one of his many live recordings, you get a real taste for what Billy is all about. Although he sometimes plays with an accompaniment band (Billy Bragg and the Blokes), he's at his best just standing behind his acoustic guitar, bellowing out old fan-favorites, new material, and the occasional cover. Bragg routinely changes lyrics to keep his political songs relevant to today, and to keep the fans who know all the words already on their toes. Oh, and then there's the occasional dissertations he makes between songs. He's about as funny, brilliant and well-educated a person as you'll ever hope to come across, and you almost find yourself hoping he'll hurry up and finish singing so he can get back to the jokes and political orations. Where else can you hear a ten minutes of jokes and political insight that involves The Smiths, Tony Blaire, Florida's voting debacle, and the conflict in the Middle East? You'll find yourself not only immensely entertained, but also looking at things in a different light, no matter what side of the political spectrum you rest on. Well, unless you're a fascist pig, in which case you'll just be pissed.

Mmm... Bootleg
On a final note, Bragg is currently wrapping up the U.S. leg of his tour, and in a refreshing turn of events from other artists fighting the distribution of their mp3s, he's giving out free bootlegs of his own material. To combat the current war efforts in Iraq, he's recorded a song entitled "The Price of Oil", and is asking fans to put it out on the web for everyone to download. If you're interested, it can be found at: www.jungle.ca/ThePriceOfOil.mp3.