Billy Bragg

"Trying to change the world by singing about it is a dirty business but someone has to do it." -- Billy Bragg, 1988 Billy Bragg, once-described as a "one-man Clash," has spent the last two decades writing and performing passionate, witty, socially conscious music. In doing so, he's forged a career that has seen the London Times declare him a "national treasure," while here in the states, Woody Guthrie's daughter, Nora, handpicked Bragg to resurrect the spirit of America's own radical dissenter, assigning him the task of bringing Woody's unfinished songs and lyrics to life. The latter's result, "Mermaid Avenue", brought him and collaborators Wilco a Grammy nomination. 1983's "Life's a Riot With Spy Vs. Spy" first introduced the world to Billy's style -- roughly strummed electric guitar and stark vocals belying a keen sense of melody and committed, deeply humane lyrics on topics ranging from life and love to social upheaval and the plight of the working class. Yep Roc Records has re-issued Bragg's first four releases singly and as a 9-disc box set that includes 2 bonus DVDs with previously unavailable live footage. The releases include his debut, along with "Brewing Up With Billy Bragg", "Talking to the Taxman About Poetry", and a disc that combines the "The Internationale" and "Live & Dubious" EPs. Each release will feature the re-mastered original and a second disc of bonus material, much of it previously unavailable and handpicked by Billy and longtime Bragg cohorts Grant Showbiz and Wiggy -- a labor of love indeed.