Billy Bragg- "Strange Things Happen" (1984) Live on The Tube
I'd have a hard time coming up with a musician I admire more than Billy Bragg. Here he is strapped into his busking gear singing to a bunch of bewildered onlookers. I love the part where he stops momentarily and sings to the girl:
i used to really rate Billy Bragg highly voixautre, but i have to say i lost a lot of respect for him when he did that record of Woody Guthrie lyrics with Wilco, "Mermaid Avenue". I saw a documentary about the making of the record in which Jeff Tweedy, basically said Billy was an egomaniac and a total pratt who thought the whole project was all about him, and he showed no respect for Woody Guthrie (or Jeff Tweedy for that matter). A terrible shame really. You probably know this, but the machine that kills fascists is a direct lift from a sign on Woody's guitar. Sorry for posting such a negative rant, but that doco really turned me off him. Funny how many committed socialists are assholes in their private lives eh?
Hi bedlam, I've seen the doc and though Bragg comes off a bit elitist (regarding outback America) in places, it didn't change my opinion about him. It is, after all, a documentary and not an especially good one at that. As far as Wilco goes, I could never figure out why they were even involved in the project. Bragg's contributions to those albums often manage to do justice to the "spirit" of the lyrics, whereas Wilco's songs sound like Wilco songs with better lyrics than usual. In my opinion, the project would have been much better if it had been all about Bragg doing Woody. I don't know Bragg personally, so I can't vouch for what he's like in his private life, but he is the occasional egomaniac or arsehole in his personal life, how does this make him any different than Woody, who put his family through hell more often than not?
i really like your take on Mermaid Ave voixautre - Wilco with better lyrics :)
i think it was Billy's idea to get Wilco involved, from memory he thought it would lend some "authenticity" to the project. i wish i'd never seen the doco, coz like i say, it turned me off him.
woody guthrie was a total asshole, that was the point i was trying (badly) to make... that many people who preach love and humanity toward their fellow humans are often assholes in private. John Lennon is another that springs to mind. it's an interesting conundrum...
yes, I agree, though maybe love and/of humanity is easier to practice in the abstract. You run into the same discrepancies with politicians and philosophers; I guess artists are no exception. I suppose my (poorly articulated) point was that if I avoided every artist who is/was an arsehole while claiming not to be, I'd have a lot of blank space on my ipod, but then again, I could certainly use more space :)
Dudes: All You Need Is Love. Love is All You Need. Did Jesus preach hate? Did they kill him anyway? Did John Lennon sing about death and evil? Did they kill him? It's the message not the messenger. Or am I wrong?
and, to take that idea in a slightly different direction, my point above was it's the art not the artist (although it's nice [though rare] when they are both worthy of admiration)
England in the early 80's was exciting musically, imho. The Clash bashing the establishment, PIL bashing the establishment, XTC bashing....themselves?
ReplyDeleteand Billy Bragg with his electric machine that also kills fascists
ReplyDeleteBrilliant video, great somng, nice performance...magic.
ReplyDeleteTim, thank you for following the blog, it's good to have you with us, and yes, I love this clip. That rig he's wearing is amazing
ReplyDeletei used to really rate Billy Bragg highly voixautre, but i have to say i lost a lot of respect for him when he did that record of Woody Guthrie lyrics with Wilco, "Mermaid Avenue". I saw a documentary about the making of the record in which Jeff Tweedy, basically said Billy was an egomaniac and a total pratt who thought the whole project was all about him, and he showed no respect for Woody Guthrie (or Jeff Tweedy for that matter). A terrible shame really. You probably know this, but the machine that kills fascists is a direct lift from a sign on Woody's guitar. Sorry for posting such a negative rant, but that doco really turned me off him. Funny how many committed socialists are assholes in their private lives eh?
ReplyDeleteHi bedlam, I've seen the doc and though Bragg comes off a bit elitist (regarding outback America) in places, it didn't change my opinion about him. It is, after all, a documentary and not an especially good one at that. As far as Wilco goes, I could never figure out why they were even involved in the project. Bragg's contributions to those albums often manage to do justice to the "spirit" of the lyrics, whereas Wilco's songs sound like Wilco songs with better lyrics than usual. In my opinion, the project would have been much better if it had been all about Bragg doing Woody. I don't know Bragg personally, so I can't vouch for what he's like in his private life, but he is the occasional egomaniac or arsehole in his personal life, how does this make him any different than Woody, who put his family through hell more often than not?
ReplyDeletei really like your take on Mermaid Ave voixautre - Wilco with better lyrics :)
ReplyDeletei think it was Billy's idea to get Wilco involved, from memory he thought it would lend some "authenticity" to the project. i wish i'd never seen the doco, coz like i say, it turned me off him.
woody guthrie was a total asshole, that was the point i was trying (badly) to make... that many people who preach love and humanity toward their fellow humans are often assholes in private. John Lennon is another that springs to mind. it's an interesting conundrum...
yes, I agree, though maybe love and/of humanity is easier to practice in the abstract. You run into the same discrepancies with politicians and philosophers; I guess artists are no exception. I suppose my (poorly articulated) point was that if I avoided every artist who is/was an arsehole while claiming not to be, I'd have a lot of blank space on my ipod, but then again, I could certainly use more space :)
ReplyDeleteDudes: All You Need Is Love. Love is All You Need. Did Jesus preach hate? Did they kill him anyway? Did John Lennon sing about death and evil? Did they kill him? It's the message not the messenger. Or am I wrong?
ReplyDeleteand, to take that idea in a slightly different direction, my point above was it's the art not the artist (although it's nice [though rare] when they are both worthy of admiration)
ReplyDelete