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I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I got letters from soldiers saying they were listening to these songs, like Island of no return.

Billy Bragg

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Billy Bragg
Age: 67
Born: 1957
Born: December 20
Guitarist
Musician
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Songwriter
Writer
Stephen William Bragg
Bard of Barking
Conrad
William Bragg
Firsts
Letters
First
Songs
Like
Listening
Return
Gulf
Saying
Island
Written
Soldiers
War
Islands
Song
Soldier

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I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records that weren't very political, at all.
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By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural dynamic to it which rejected everything and started again from the year zero.
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Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.
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Freedom is merely privilege extended, unless enjoyed by one and all.
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The idea that musicians should be talking about politics is, in some ways, quite a sixties' idea. Music no longer has a vanguard role in youth culture.
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But, in the end, even a song that's as politically bland as Blowin in the Wind, you probably wouldn't get up and sing that now, whereas some of Bob Dylan's love songs that were contemporary with that, like say Girl from the North Country, you can still get up an play now.
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I'd like to think that in a generation or two we'll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting for them.
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All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of media scrutiny takes real integrity. Tougher still is to live up to the ideals of your dedicated fans.
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The evil lot who did that thing on September 11 did it because they wanted to create a war between America and Islam. And by invading Iraq, we gave them what they hoped for.
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I never met a politician who didn't want to be a guitar player in a rock band. I've got the opportunity to say what I believe in.
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If we accuse Trump of being a liar, he won't just say 'I never said that' or just ignore it and go on to the next thing.
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It would shine a torch into the dirty little corner where the BNP defecate on our democracy, and that would be much more powerful than duffing them up in the street - which Im also in favour of.
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What corporations fear most are consumers who ask questions. Naomi Klein offers us the arguments with which to take on the superbrands.
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Even with politics, stuff comes around again. Woody Guthrie would recognize America today.
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I'm still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I'm much further to the left of them than I used to be, but that's because they've moved, not me.
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Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.
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There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own personality traits. But for some reason, once they step out of the bedroom, their honesty doesn't seem to come with them.
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