Billy Bragg Bibliography

Books

Bragg, Billy:
Back to basics / with Billy Bragg. — Woodford Green : [IMP] International Music Publications, 1985. — 72 p. : ill. ; music ; 30 cm (pbk.) + 1 audio disk (45rpm) ; 18 cm

ISBN: 0-86359-1236-8 : £8.95

On cover: 'Complete ; contains the songs from the albums Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy and Brewing Up With Billy Bragg plus Between The Wars ; unabridged' ; 'Top lines, chords and lyrics. A font of useless information and family snapshots'. Sticker on cover: 'Includes free audio aid ; pay no more than £8.95'. Contains 1 square flexi disc (Tracks: A. 'Billy Bragg Back To Basics Audio Aid' ; B. 'Play In A Day The Billy Bragg Way').

Contents: 'The Goat In The Polythene Bag', an appreciation by Susan Williams (p5-7). 'The Official Braggography', a biography by Andy Kershaw (p10-13). Braggigology 1982-1984 : From Hull To Eternity', complete tourdates (p15-23). 'Discography And Radio Sessions' (p24-25). 'Life On The Road', sketches of tour life, by Billy (p26-27). 'I Taught Him Everything', a different biography, by Wiggy (p28-31). Song Index (p32) followed by 21 songs (p33-70): Like Soldiers Do, Strange Things Happen, A Lover Sings, It Says Here, The Myth Of Trust, Island Of No Return, Richard, From A Vauxhall Velox, The Saturday Boy, A New England, The Busy Girl Buys Beauty, The Milkman Of Human Kindness, The Man In The Iron Mask, To Have And To Have Not, Lovers Town Revisited, St. Swithin's Day, Between The Wars, Love Gets Dangerous, This Guitar Says Sorry. On p35 and p63 comic strips by Phill 'Porky' Jupitus on Strange Things Happen and Lovers Town Revisted respectively.

Salewicz, Chris:
Billy Bragg : midnights in Moscow / by Chris Salewicz. With photographs by Adrian Boot. — London ; New York, N.Y. ; Sydney, NSW ; Cologne : Omnibus Pr., 1989. — 93, [2] p. : ill. ; 26 cm (pbk.)

ISBN: 0-7119-1670-5
 


Contents: Introduction, by Billy Bragg (p[5]). 'Billy Bragg : A Brief Outline', biography (p7-[22]). 'Midnights In Moscow', the Russian tour of November 1987 (p[23]-93). Discography (p[94]).

Bragg, Billy:
Billy Bragg / Billy Bragg ; a cura di Alba Solaro. — Roma (C.P.741, I-00100) : Stampa Alternativa, 1989. — 81 p. : ill. ; 20x20 cm (pbk.) + 1 audio disk (33rpm) ; 18 cm

Lit.14.000
(1989 ; no. 4)
Parallel text in English and Italiano; translations by Alba Solaro. Incl. a seven-inch single at 33rpm (SCONC013) with tracks: 'New England' (live at Concordia, Italy, 11.07.1988), 'Waiting For The Great Leap Forward' [sic!] (live at the Dominion Theatre, London, 29.11.1988). Distributed for the book trade by Nuovi Equilibri, for export by Materiali Sonori.

Contents: 'On Capitalism = Del Capitalismo' (p4-6; from New Route, Fall '88). 'Billy Bragg Goes To Nicaragua = Billy Bragg In Nicaragua' (p8-16; from NME 5.09.1987). Song lyrics (p18-79): The Milkman Of Human Kindness, To Have And To Have Not, Richard, Lovers Town Revisited, The Man In The Iron Mask, The Busy Girl Buys Beauty, It Says Here, Love Gets Dangerous, From A Vauxhall Velox, Myth Of Trust, The Saturday Boy, Island Of No Return, This Guitar Says Sorry, Like Soldier's Do, St. Swithin's Day, Strange Things Happen, A Lover Sings, Between The Wars, Which Side Are You On, The World Turned Upside Down, Days Like These, Greetings To The New Brunette, The Marriage, Ideology, Levi Stubbs' Tears, Honey I'm A Big Boy Now, There Is Power In A Union, Help Save The Youth Of America, Wishing The Days Away, The Passion, The Warmest Room, The Home Front, She's Got A New Spell, Must I Paint You A Picture, Tender Comrade, The Price I Pay, Little Time Bomb, Valentine's Day Is Over, Rotting On Demand, Life With The Lions, The Only One, The Short Answer, Waiting For The Great Leap Forward [sic!]. Discography (p80-81). p[56-63] comic strip by Marco Petrella.

Bragg, Billy:
Victim of geography / Billy Bragg. — Woodford Green : [IMP] International Music Publications, 1991. — 96 p. : ill. ; music ; 30 cm (pbk.)

ISBN: 0-86359-812-9 : £9.50
On cover: 'Words and music from Talking With The Taxman About Poetry and Workers Playtime lp's' ; 'Featuring photographs by Pennie Smith'.

Contents: 'Wiggy's Top Ten Tips For Tour Survival', comic strip by Porky (p4). Tourdates 1985 (p6-7), 'The Hypocrises And Ironies Of Music', by Douglas Joseph (p8; taken from 'New Route' mag, Fall '88). 'Billy Bragg On Capitalism', Billy's reply (p9; from 'New Route'). Tourdates 1986 (p10-11). 'A To Z Of Life On The Road', comp. by the Grief Brothers (?), illustrated by Porky (p12-13). Tourdates 1987 (p15-16). 'A-13 Trunk Road Too The Sea', a sketch on Essex (p16-17). Tourdates 1988 (p18-19). 'Blood, Sweat And A Torrent Of Tears', sketch on football (p20-21; taken from 'The Guardian'). Tourdates 1989 (p23-24). 'Discography 1983 To 1990' (p24-25). Tourdates 1990 (p26-27). 'A Who's Who Guide To The Songs', illustrated by Porky (p29). 'Rock Family Trees. No. 273: Billy Bragg', by Pete Frame (p29). Songs (p30-96): Greetings To The New Brunette, Train Train, The Marriage, Ideology, Levi Stubbs' Tears, Honey I'm A Big Boy Now, There Is Power In A Union, Help Save The Youth Of America, Wishing The Days Away, The Passion, The Warmest Room, The Home Front, She's Got A New Spell, Must I Paint You A Picture, Tender Comrade, The Price I Pay, Little Time Bomb, Rotting On Demand, Valentine's Day Is Over, Life With The Lions, The Only One, The Short Answer, Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards, Days Like These, Scholarship Is The Enemy Of Romance, I Don't Need This Pressure, Ron. Comic strips by Porky on Honey I'm A Big Boy Now (p42) and Little Time Bomb (p70).

Billy Bragg : what the papers say ; press cuttings from 1983-1991. — [London] : [Go!Discs], [1992]. — [24] p. : ill. ; 30 cm (pbk.)

Booklet included free with Accident Wainting To Happen (EP) 12" (Go!Discs GODX67) as released 14.02.1992.

Contents: Facsimiles of articles from various British and international magazines and papers: NME, MM, Rolling Stone, Select, etc.

Collins, Andrew:
Still suitable for miners : Billy Bragg ; the official biography / Andrew Collins. — London : Virgin, 1998. — 280 p. : ill. ; 23 cm (pbk.)
ISBN: 0-7535-0232-1 : £12.99

 


Contents: Acknowledgements (pv-vii). Foreword, by Billy Bragg (p1-2). Preface (p3-7). 16 chapters (p9-261). Bibliography & Sources (p262-263). Discography (p264-272). Index (p273-280).

Figura, Martin:
This man's army / by Martin Figura. — Manchester : Dewi Lewis, 1998. — 72 p. : mainly ill. ; 30 cm (hbk.)
ISBN: 1-899235-91-4 : £12.95

 


The author kindly provided the following information: The book examines the institution struggling to come to terms with the pressures of contemporary life. Billy contributed a short introduction, on which he holds the copyright. I approached Billy, because I knew he had been in the army. I have been a fan from the outset of his solo career and knew his ideas on masculinity and nationhood would relate to the work well. Also, to be honest, he would add some much needed recognisable left-wing credibility to the book in the market it was placed (retired army majors not having much, in that respect). We had a meeting in London and a few phone conversations. As ever, Billy was generous and produced the goods, despite a very heavy schedule with the Mermaid Avenue album. I contacted him, initially through the record company, who gave me the details of his management office and wrote to him there. He then phoned me and it all happened from there. ``Former Army Major Martin Figura spent the last five years of his period in the Army recording the experiences of it on camera. The result is a fascinating and unique insight into an organisation struggling to come to terms with the pressures of contemporary life. ``Through stunning portraits (reminiscent of the work of the great August Sander) Figura presents an extraordinary insider's view and captures the sense of change within army life as woman take an increasing role and as long held traditions become increasingly fragile and difficult to maintain.'' (back cover)

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