Billy Bragg

反璞歸真的民謠先鋒。Billy Bragg絕對(duì)不是那種帶有天生明星氣質(zhì)的人。或者說(shuō)，他看起來(lái)更像是一個(gè)普通得不能再普通的倫敦工人。但是，這絕對(duì)不是他頻繁參與各種工人聚會(huì)和罷工的解釋。
 
70 年代，Billy Bragg曾經(jīng)加入一支名為Riff Raff的Punk樂(lè)隊(duì)，后因參軍退出。在此期間，他的音樂(lè)取向發(fā)生了重大變化，從之前簡(jiǎn)單三和弦的Punk式暴躁轉(zhuǎn)向?yàn)锽oy Bylan式的啟示民謠。退伍之后，Billy Bragg在一間唱片行打工，在此期間，他以一把電吉他開(kāi)始創(chuàng)作，演唱自己關(guān)于政治和愛(ài)情的主張，并尋找各種演出機(jī)會(huì)，甚至僅僅是擔(dān)任臨時(shí)的替補(bǔ)吉他手。幸運(yùn)的Billy Bragg最終得到了出版自己?jiǎn)吻臋C(jī)會(huì)。 1983年，“Life's Riot With Spy”出版了，這張單曲是Billy Bragg與Spy樂(lè)隊(duì)一起完成的，在排行榜上到達(dá)了第30位的好成績(jī)。在之后的1984年，Billy Bragg的處女專(zhuān)輯“Brewing Up with Billy Bragg”出版，這張唱片使這個(gè)當(dāng)時(shí)還默默無(wú)名的歌手在排行榜上飆升至第16位。
 
成為公眾人物后，Billy Bragg開(kāi)始出現(xiàn)在各種左翼分子的集會(huì)和各種罷工活動(dòng)中，足跡踏遍整個(gè)英倫三島，并且?guī)椭M建了由音樂(lè)人組織的政治團(tuán)體Red Wedge。1985年，他的單曲“New England”登上英國(guó)單曲榜的第7 名，其中運(yùn)用鋼琴和管樂(lè)的點(diǎn)綴使這首歌成為當(dāng)時(shí)最受歡迎的音樂(lè)作品。1986年，他的專(zhuān)輯 “Talking With the Taxman About Poetry”也入選了英國(guó)的十大專(zhuān)輯。
 
Billy Bragg的旋律偏向The Bealtes式的歡快小調(diào)，但是卻包含了曾經(jīng)在Riff Raff的Punk時(shí)期的簡(jiǎn)單和迅速。帶有一定的Blues遺風(fēng)讓人們很容易對(duì)他的音樂(lè)認(rèn)祖歸宗。雖然，Beatles的反戰(zhàn)行為足以讓流行音樂(lè)史忽略每一個(gè)70-80年代的音樂(lè)人，但對(duì)于Billy Bragg這樣的民謠歌手，我們還是應(yīng)該肯定其在歷史上的地位。Billy Bragg影響了Nick Drake等一大批的民謠藝人在其道路上繼續(xù)前進(jìn)，這些與生具有Punk精神的藝人們無(wú)論如何都是時(shí)代的先鋒和楷模。
 
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Finding inspiration in the righteous anger of punk rock and the socially conscious folk tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg was the leading figure of the anti-folk movement of the 80s. For most of the decade, Bragg bashed out songs alone on his electric guitar, singing about politics and love. While his lyrics were bitingly intelligent and clever, they were also warm and humane, filled with detail and wit. Even though his lyrics were carefully considered, Bragg never neglected to write melodies for songs that were strong and memorable. Throughout the 80s, he managed to chart consistently in Britain, yet he only gathered a cult following in America, which could be due to the fact that he sang about distinctly British subject matter, both politically and socially.
 
Bragg began performing in the late 70s with the punk group Riff Raff, which lasted only a matter of months. He then joined the British Army, yet he quickly bought himself out of his sojourn with 175 pounds. After leaving the Army, he began working at a record store; while he was working, he was writing songs that were firmly in the folk and punk protest tradition. Bragg began a British tour, playing whenever he had the chance to perform. Frequently he would open for bands with only a moments notice; soon, he had built a sizable following, as evidenced by his first EP, Lifes a Riot With Spy vs. Spy (1983), hitting number 30 on the U.K. independent charts. Brewing Up With Billy Bragg (1984), his first full-length album, climbed to number 16 in the charts.
 
During 1984, Bragg became a minor celebrity in Britain, as he appeared at leftist political rallies, strikes, and benefits across the country; he also helped form the Red Wedge, a socialist musicians collective that also featured Paul Weller. In 1985, Kirsty MacColl took one of his songs, New England, to number seven on the British singles chart. Featuring some subtle instrumental additions of piano and horns, 1986s Talking With the Taxman About Poetry reached the U.K. Top Ten.
 
Braggs version of the Beatles Shes Leaving Home, taken from the Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father tribute album, became his only number one single in 1988 — as the double A-side with Wet Wet Wets With a Little Help From My Friends. That year, he also released the EP Help Save the Youth of America and the full-length Workers Playtime, which was produced by Joe Boyd (Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, R.E.M.). Boyd helped expand Braggs sound, as the singer recorded with a full band for the first time. The following year, Bragg restarted the Utility record label as a way of featuring non-commercial new artists. The Internationale, released in 1990, was a collection of left-wing anthems, including a handful of Bragg originals. On 1991s Dont Try This at Home, he again worked with a full band, recording his most pop-oriented and accessible set of songs; the album featured the hit single, Sexuality. Bragg took several years off after Dont Try This at Home, choosing to concentrate on fatherhood. He returned in 1996 with William Bloke.
 
In 1998, he teamed with the American alternative country band Wilco to record Mermaid Avenue, a collection of performances based on unreleased songs originally written by Woody Guthrie. Reaching to the Converted, a collection of rarities, followed a year later, and in mid-2000 Bragg and Wilco reunited for a second Mermaid Avenue set. While touring in support of Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2, Bragg formed the Blokes in 1999 with Small Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan. Lu Edmonds (guitar), Ben Mandelson (lap steel guitar), Martyn Barker (drums), and Simon Edwards (bass) solidified the group while Bragg moved from London to rural Dorset in early 2001. One year later, the Blokes joined Bragg for England, Half English, his first solo effort since William Bloke. In 2004 he collaborated with Less Than Jake for The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out, a track included on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 compilation. The two-CD Must I Paint You a Picture? The Essential Billy Bragg appeared in 2003 with initial copies featuring a third, bonus CD of collectibles and rarities. The Yep Roc label released the box set Volume 1 in 2006. The set included seven CDs and two DVDs of previously unavailable live footage. The label simultaneously reissued four titles from Braggs early back catalog in expanded editions.