Billy Bragg

"“Billy Bragg, what a great bloke he is.” (John Peel, 15 September 1996 (BFBS))"

Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957), better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes … (read more at Wikipedia)

Links To Peel
Peel first played one of Bragg's songs in June 1983 when Bragg, hearing the DJ mention on Kid Jensen's show that he was hungry, bought a mushroom biryani and rushed it to the BBC studios along with a copy of his first studio album Life's a Riot With Spy Vs Spy. Peel played the song at the wrong speed, initially.

Speaking on his show on 25 June 2003, Peel says that he received a mushroom biryani that evening from Billy to mark the occasion "twenty years ago to the night" of the incident. However, the 25 June 1983 was a Saturday when Peel did not broadcast. The date of the occasion was in fact 29 June 1983, where Peel initially played The Milkman Of Human Kindness at the wrong speed.

Festive Fifty Entries



 * 1983 Festive Fifty: A New England #7


 * 1984 Festive Fifty: The Saturday Boy #29
 * 1984 Festive Fifty: Between The Wars #13


 * 1985 Festive Fifty: Between The Wars #40


 * 1986 Festive Fifty: Greetings To The New Brunette #41
 * 1986 Festive Fifty: Levi Stubbs' Tears #24


 * 1988 Festive Fifty: Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards #25


 * 1991 Festive Fifty: Sexuality #29


 * 1995 Festive Fifty: Northern Industrial Town #37


 * 1996 Festive Fifty: Brickbat #12


 * 1998 Festive Fifty (& Wilco): Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key #30

Peelenium

 * Peelenium 1985: Between The Wars
 * Peelenium 1986: Levi Stubbs' Tears

Sessions
Eleven sessions, the final four live in the studio. The first was released as The Peel Sessions (12" EP, Strange Fruit, 1987) and a selection of tracks on The Peel Sessions Album (LP/CD, Strange Fruit, 1991). 'Love Gets Dangerous' (from #1) appeared on Mixed Peel (cassette, NME, 1987) and 'A New England' (also from #1) on Winters Of Discontent The Peel Sessions 77-83 (2xLP/CD, Strange Fruit, 1991).

1. Recorded: 1983-07-27. First broadcast 03 August 1983. Repeated: 22 August 1983, 29 May 1985.
 * A New England / Strange Things Happen / This Guitar Says Sorry / Love Gets Dangerous / Fear Is A Man's Best Friend / A13 - Trunk Road To The Sea

2. Recorded: 1984-02-21. First broadcast 27 February 1984. Repeated: 24 April 1984.
 * Lover's Town / St. Swithin's Day / Myth Of Trust / To Have And To Have Not

3. Recorded: 1984-09-18. First broadcast 20 September 1984. Repeated: *26 December 1984
 * It Says Here / A Lover Sins / Between The Wars / Which Side Are You On

4. Recorded: 1985-08-20. First broadcast 02 September 1985. Repeated: 16 December 1985
 * Days Like These / Jeanne / The Marriage / There Is Power In A Union

5. Recorded: 1986-09-02. First broadcast 15 September 1986. Repeated: 01 December 1986, 30 December 1986
 * Greetings To The New Brunette / Ideology / The Warmest Room / Chile Your Waters Run Red Through Soweto

6. Recorded: 1988-08-30. First broadcast 19 September 1988. Repeated: 25 October 1988, 27 December 1988
 * The Short Answer / Valentine's Day Is Over / Rotting On Demand / She's Got A New Spell

7. Recorded: 1991-05-12. First broadcast 15 June 1991
 * The Few / Accident Waiting To Happen / Tank Park Salute / Life With The Lions

8. Recorded: 1995-10-13 live in studio. First broadcast: 13 October 1995. Repeated 10 February 1996
 * Northern Industrial Town / A Pict Story / Brickbat / This Gulf Between Us

9. Recorded 1996-12-22, live in studio during Festive Fifty show. First broadcast 22 December 1996
 * Goal Hanger / Levi Stubbs / The Dark End Of The Street / A New England / Deck The Halls With Bows Of Holly

10. Recorded: 1998-07-09, live in studio. First broadcast: 09 July 1998 (featuring songs that didn't make his first album of Woody Guthrie songs with Wilco, Mermaid Avenue)
 * My Flying Saucer / Another Man’s Done Gone / Black Wind Blowing / Psalm / A Song About Law And Order / All You Fascists Bound To Lose / Ingrid Bergman / Christ For President

11. Recorded: 2000-12-13. First broadcast 19 December 2000 (live performance at Festive Fifty 25 years special)
 * Brickbat / Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key

Live

 * 24 August 1996, recorded at Reading Festival 1996-08-24
 * 1) Levi Stubbs Tears
 * 2) Greetings To The New Brunette
 * 3) New Song
 * 4) Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
 * 5) Upfield
 * 6) Sexuality
 * 7) New England


 * 01 May 1997 live at Divas Bar, London Music Week
 * 1) Goal Hanger
 * 2) Man In The Iron Mask
 * 3) The Boy Done Good
 * 4) Brickbat
 * 5) Greetings To The New Brunette
 * 6) From Red To Blue
 * 7) Upfield
 * 8) Great Leap Forward


 * 30 June 1999: recorded at Glastonbury, 1999-09-26
 * 1) Milkman Of Human Kindness
 * 2) The Warmest Room
 * 3) Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
 * 4) All You Fascists
 * 5) California Stars
 * 6) Glad And Sorry
 * 7) A New England


 * 09 December 1999: recorded at the QEH
 * 1) It Says Here
 * 2) Scholarship Is The Enemy Of Romance
 * 3) Island Of No Return
 * 4) The Myth Of Trust
 * 5) Richard
 * 6) Saint Monday
 * 7) Gene
 * 8) Levi Stubbs' Tears
 * 9) A13 Trunk Road To The Sea


 * 11 October 2001: recorded at King’s College, 2001-09-24 (Peel’s 40th anniversary in radio special)
 * 1) A Lover Sings
 * 2) Milkman Of Human Kindness
 * 3) St Monday
 * 4) She Came Along To Me
 * 5) Everywhere

Other Shows Played
(The listing below is obviously far from complete and was compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)


 * 1983
 * 29 June 1983: The Milkman Of Human Kindness (mini-album - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Utility / Go!


 * 05 July 1983: The Busy Girl Buys Beauty (album - Life's A Riot with Spy Vs Spy) Utility
 * 06 July 1983: Lovers Town Revisited (LP - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Go! Discs
 * 13 July 1983: The Milkman Of Human Kindness (mini-album - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Utility / Go! Discs UTIL 1
 * 15 October 1983 (BFBS): A New England (mini-album - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Utility / Go! Discs UTIL 1
 * 28 November 1983: To Have And To Have Not (album - Life's A Riot with Spy Vs Spy)
 * 29 December 1983: 'A New England (12 inch EP-Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Utility/Go! Discs FF#7 (JP: "All for the price of a mushroom biryani. Quite extraordinary.")


 * 1984
 * 16 October 1984: From A Vauxhall Velox (LP - Brewing Up With Billy Bragg) Go! Discs
 * 25 December 1984: The Saturday Boy (LP-Brewing Up With Billy Bragg) Go! Discs FF#29
 * 26 December 1984: Between The Wars (Peel Session) FF#13


 * 1985
 * 14 January 1985 (BBC World Service): St. Swithin's Day (7”) Go! Discs
 * 04 March 1985: Between The Wars
 * 11 March 1985: Which Side Are You On (7" - Between The Wars) Go! Discs AGOEP 1
 * 19 March 1985: It Says Here (Alternative Version) (7" - Between The Wars) Go! Discs
 * 03 April 1985 (Muriel Gray): 'Between The Wars (7")' (Go! Discs)
 * 17 December 1985: Between The Wars (EP – Between The Wars) Go! Discs FF#40
 * 30 December 1985: Days Like These (single) Go! Discs GOD 8


 * 1986
 * 01 January 1986: I Don't Need This Pressure Ron (12" - Days Like These) Go! Discs


 * 02 January 1986 (BBC World Service): Days Like These (12") Go! Discs
 * 10 June 1986: Levi Stubbs' Tears (7") Go Discs


 * 16 June 1986: Levi Stubbs' Tears (7") Go! Discs
 * 24 June 1986: Levi Stubb's Tears (12") Go! Discs
 * 24 September 1986 (VPRO): There Is Power In A Union (LP - Talking With The Taxman About Poetry) Go! Discs
 * 07 October 1986: The Marriage (LP - Talking With The Taxman About Poetry) Go! Discs
 * 09 October 1986 (BFBS): Greetings To The New Brunette (LP-Talking With The Taxman About Poetry)' (Go! Discs)
 * 22 December 1986: Greetings To The New Brunette (LP-Talking With The Taxman About Poetry) Go! Discs FF#41
 * 24 December 1986: Levi Stubbs' Tears (7 inch) Go! Discs FF#24 (JP: "The only person in the list who bought me a Christmas present.")


 * 1987
 * 08 June 1987: A Change Is Gonna Come (6-track EP) (free with Wake Up magazine, distributed by Backs/Cartel)
 * 09 June 1987: A New England (LP-The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
 * 10 June 1987: A Change Is Gonna Come (6-track EP) (free with Wake Up magazine, distributed by Backs/Cartel)
 * 19 June 1987 (BFBS) (Peel 063 (BFBS)): 'Love Gets Dangerous (12"-The Peel Sessions)' (Strange Fruit)
 * 21 September 1988: She's Got A New Spell (LP - Workers Playtime) Go! Discs


 * 1988
 * 12 September 1988: Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards (7") Go! Discs


 * 21 September 1988: She's Got A New Spell (LP - Workers Playtime) Go! Discs
 * 27 September 1988: Rotting On Remand (LP - Workers Playtime) Go! Discs
 * 18 October 1988: Rotting On Remand (LP - Workers Playtime) Go! Discs
 * 26 December 1988: Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards (LP-Workers Playtime) Go! Discs FF#25


 * 1989
 * 07 February 1989: The Busy Girl Buys Beauty (LP - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy) Go! Discs (JP: 'Oh well he bought me a mushroom biriyani after I played that the first time, that sort of thing doesn't happen these days of course.')
 * 29 August 1989: Reason To Believe (live) (12-inch – Utility Sampler) Utility promo
 * 23 September 1989 (BFBS) (Peel 116 (BFBS)): 'Reason To Believe (live) [1] (Compilation LP-Where Some Of The Artists Could Become Stars)' (Utility)


 * 1990
 * 03 April 1990: The Marching Song Of The Covert Battalions (album - The Internationale)
 * 28 August 1990: Scholarship Is The Enemy Of Romance
 * 03 November 1990 (BFBS) (Peel 163 (BFBS)): 'Seven & Seven Is (2x Compilation CD-Rubáiyát (Elektra's 40th Anniversary))' (Elektra)
 * 10 November 1990: Seven & Seven Is [v/a LP - Rubáiyát (Elektra's 40th Anniversary)] Elektra


 * 1991
 * 16 June 1991: Sexuality (single)
 * 22 June 1991: Bad Penny (b/w Sexuality) Go! Discs
 * 28 June 1991 (BFBS): Sexuality (7") Go! Discs
 * 01 July 1991 (BBC World Service): Bad Penny (single - Sexuality b-side) Go! Discs
 * 07 July 1991: Seven And Seven Is (2CD - Rubyaiyat: Elekra's 40th Anniversary) Elektra
 * 07 July 1991: Jeane (12" EP - Greetings To The New Brunette) Go! Discs
 * 28 September 1991: God's Footballer (album - Don't Try This At Home) Go! Discs 828 279
 * 28 December 1991: Jeane (12" EP - Greetings To The New Brunette) Go! Discs


 * 1992
 * 18 January 1992: Between The Wars (CD - The Peel Sessions Album) Strange Fruit
 * 19 January 1992: Which Side Are You One? (LP - The Peel Session Album) Strange Fruit
 * 26 January 1992: A Lover Sings (The Peel Sessions album) Strange Fruit
 * 02 February 1992: Jeanne (The Peel Sessions Album) Strange Fruit
 * 09 February 1992: Days Like These (Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
 * 16 February 1992 (BFBS): Jeanne (LP - The Peel Session Album) Strange Fruit (JP: "And he got his first radio play Billy you know, because I was still doing my programme in London one evening and musing, you know, between records and saying I very much care for a Mushroom Biriyani I think it was, and Billy turned up at Broadcasting House with such a Biriyani and a copy of his debut record, so I immediately played a track from it, that's the kind of corrupt bloke I am, I'm afraid no scruples at all")
 * 22 February 1992: The Marriage (CD – The Peel Sessions Album) Strange Fruit
 * 07 August 1992: Accident Waiting To Happen (Live) (CD – In A Field Of Their Own) New Musical Express
 * 05 October 1992 (BBC World Service): When Will I See You Again? (v/a LP - Ruby Trax - The NME's Roaring Forty) New Musical Express
 * 11 October 1992 (BFBS): When Will I See You Again? (CD - Ruby Trax) NME


 * 1993
 * RF Sessions 19: Tank Park Salute (v/a album - The Best Of Mountain Stage Live - Volume Two) This Way Up / Blue Plate Music 514 495-2
 * 20 March 1993: Sexuality (Phantom Fifty #41)
 * 07 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles): A New England (Peel session)


 * 1995
 * 22 October 1995 (BFBS): (JP: 'I had that Billy Bragg in the studio when I did my last programme here at home, playing some new songs, and of course he's such a nice man anyway, and the songs were really good...One of the records I was playing while he was waiting was 'Oz On 45' by the Squirrels, and when it first started, he said, "I'm not so sure about this one, John," and I said, "Ah! but wait till you get to the Lollipop Guild bit. And after you've heard that, you'll have to agree with me."')
 * 29 December 1995: Northern Industrial Town (Peel Session) #37


 * 1996
 * 24 June 1996: Greetings To The New Brunette (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
 * 01 July 1996: Between The Wars (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
 * 18 August 1996: Brickbat (LP - William Bloke) Cooking Vinyl
 * 25 August 1996: The Space Race Is Over (CD: William Bloke) Cooking Vinyl
 * September 1996 (FSK): The Space Race Is Over (CD - William Bloke) Cooking Vinyl
 * 01 September 1996: Northern Industrial Town (CD - William Bloke) Cooking Vinyl
 * 15 September 1996 (BFBS): 'From Red To Blue (CD-William Bloke)' (Cooking Vinyl) (JP: "He's from around here wherever you are! That sounds like a sort of publicity thing, but it's absolutely true. Billy Bragg, what a great bloke he is.")
 * 21 September 1996 (BFBS): 'Goalhanger (CD-William Bloke)' (Cooking Vinyl)
 * 16 November 1996: Never Had No One (Various Artists CD - The Smiths Is Dead) Les Inrockuptibles
 * 29 December 1996: Brickbat (CD-Wiliam Bloke) Cooking Vinyl FF#12


 * 1997
 * 06 January 1997: Jeanne (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)


 * 05 May 1997: The Boy Done Good (LP - Bloke On Bloke)
 * 09 December 1997: A New England


 * 1998
 * 19 May 1998 (& Wilco): Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 20 May 1998 (& Wilco): She Came Along To Me (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 21 May 1998 (& Wilco): Ingrid Bergman (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 28 May 1998 (& Wilco): She Came Along To Me (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 02 June 1998 (& Wilco): She Came Along To Me (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 03 June 1998 (& Wilco): I Guess I Planted (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 09 June 1998 (& Wilco): Eisler On The Go (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 07 July 1998 (& Wilco): Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key (CD: Mermaid Avenue) East West
 * 24 June 1998 (BFBS) (& Wilco): The Unwelcome Guest (CD-Mermaid Avenue) Elektra
 * November 1998 (FSK) (& Wilco): My Thirty Thousand (CDS-Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) Elektra
 * 11 November 1998 (& Wilco): My Thirty Thousand (single-Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) white label
 * 25 November 1998 (& Wilco): My Thirty Thousand (CDS-Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) Elektra
 * 28 November 1998 (BBC World Service) (& Wilco): Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key (single - Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) Elektra
 * 29 November 1998 (BFBS) (& Wilco): My Thirty Thousand (CDS-Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) Elektra
 * 10 December 1998 (& Wilco): My Thirty Thousand (EP - Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key) Elektra
 * 23 December 1998 (& Wilco): Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key (CD-Mermaid Avenue) Elektra FF#30


 * 1999
 * 25 March 1999: Peel Acres – Bragg turns up and plays tracks from 'Mermaid Avenue Tour / You Can Call Me Cupcake' release sold at gigs
 * All Your Fascists Bound To Lose
 * The Milkman Of Human Kindness
 * A New England
 * Hoodoo Voodoo
 * 06 April 1999: My Flying Saucer (LP: Mermaid Avenue Tour) Billy Bragg
 * 15 April 1999 (Radio Eins): The Milkman Of Human Kindness (album - Mermaid Avenue Tour / You Can Call Me Cupcake) BB5108
 * 17 August 1999: Shirley (aka Greetings To The New Brunette) (CD-Reaching To The Converted) Cooking Vinyl
 * 26 August 1999 (Radio Eins): Greetings To The New Brunette (CD-Reaching To The Converted) Cooking Vinyl
 * 01 September 1999: Sulk (EP – Greetings To The New Brunette) (Not able to attend 60th birthday because he was in the States - Billy Bragg)
 * 05 September 1999 (BFBS): Sulk (CD-Reaching To The Converted)' (Cooking Vinyl) (recorded on 60th birthday)
 * 15 December 1999: Between The Wars (CD-Life's A Riot / Between The Wars) (Cooking Vinyl) (Peelenium 1985) (JP: "An alternative national anthem, as far as I'm concerned. I should love to be able to stand up somewhere and sing that, if I could remember all of the words.")
 * 16 December 1999: Levi Stubbs' Tears' (7”) Go! Discs (Peelenium 1986)


 * 2000
 * 07 June 2000: My Flying Saucer (LP - Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2) Elektra
 * 13 June 2000: Stetson Kennedy (LP - Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2) Elektra


 * 2001
 * 01 May 2001: Which Side Are You On?


 * 2003
 * 25 June 2003: Between The Wars (LP- Life's A Riot/ Between The Wars)' (Cooking Vinyl)


 * Other
 * Peel Late Sep Early Nov 1984: The Myth Of Trust
 * Peel 009 (BFBS): World Turned Upside Down (7"-Between The Wars) Go! Discs
 * Kilburn 85: #4 repeat (07 October 1985). Recorded 1985-08-20
 * 11 November 2004 (Rob Da Bank): 'A13' - (Peel Session)
 * 16 December 2004: How Soon Is Now? (BBC Peel tribute)
 * As I Roved Out: A Century Of Folk Music