English singer-songwriter and left-wing political activist
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Former Blue Rodeo/Wilco's Bob Egan talks about forsaking corporate riches to jump on Wilco's tour bus at age 38 (on the advice of Johnny Cash and at the request of Jeff Tweedy), touring Norway with Bazil Donovan before joining Blue Rodeo for 17 years, bonding with Gord Downie while playing on the Tragically Hip's Juno-award winning Bobcaygeon, his upclose and personal interactions with Keith Richards Sheryl Crow Gary Oldman William Shatner, playing on Austin City Limits with both Billy Bragg and Blue Rodeo, playing 2003's SARSstock in front of half a million fans, and Jim Cuddy's lessons on fan dedication along with the importance of Blue Rodeo playing absolutely EVERYWHERE! For all things Bob Egan, please go to https://www.bobegan.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Of Ghosts And Gods" The New Jersey-born, Harvard educated David Berkeley is one of modern music's true renaissance men. Now, people throw that term out a tad lazily but in the case of Berkeley, it truly fits. Aside from releasing close to ten perfect albums, including The Confluence, Some Kind Of Cure and Oh Quiet World, Berkeley is an author, a label owner, and he's been a river rafting guide, a band manager, a travel writer and a creative writing teacher. A writer of tremendous depth, focus and sensitivity, much like Paul Simon or Nick Drake, Berkeley has the uncanny ability to slow the world down and hold it still. Informed by actual geography as well as the geography of loss and emotional reconstruction, Berkeley's songbook is a wondrous collection of compositions that gaze out at the map of the human heart with effortless poeticism and grace. He's toured with Billy Bragg, Ben Lee and Gary Jules, appeared on This American Life and played South By Southwest and he's one of the most consistently critically-acclaimed musicians around. He's also one half of the aforementioned transatlantic folk duo Sons Of Town Hall. Along with singer/songwriter Ben Parker, Sons Of Town Hall are hard to describe, but I'm going to try. Under the guises of Parker's George Ulysses Brown and Berkeley's Josiah Chester Jones, Sons Of Town Hall are fictitious 19th Century Victorian-era vagabonds who sing about their travels by way of a kind of magical hand-built raft. Falling somewhere between Coleridge, Lord Byron by way of Simon and Garfunkel's Wednesday Morning, 3AM, Sons Of Town Hall's new album Of Ghosts and Gods is a stirring collection of songs about travel, friendship, following your heart and staying afloat while doing it. www.davidberkeley.com (http://www.davidberkeley.com) www.sonsoftownhall.com (http://www.sonsoftownhall.com) www.bombshellradio.com (http://www.bombshellradio.com) www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast: IG + BLUESKY + THREADS: @emberspodcast
For today's episode we have something very special for you - a collaboration between Three Ravens and The History of England Podcast about 15 English Objects.Since St George's Day 2026 A Very English Chat has been encouraging respectful conversations to overcome growing hatred and division around our national identity.The brief is simple: what five objects - anecdotes, artefacts, emotional connections, films, food, landmarks, language, literature, music, nature, places, or people would you include within your own ‘Story of England'?Guests including Billy Bragg and Caroline Lucas have offered their selections of five English objects, and, from a Three Ravens perspective, when our friend and own of our major inspirations David Crowther of the History of England suggested we collaborate to offer our own two pence, we leapt at the opportunity!A Very English Chat is working to tackle England's fraying social fabric and growing polarisation by offering simple responses to potentially difficult and divisive questions about ‘What it means to be English in 2026.'The campaign asks people to identify five objects that signify what Englishness means to them today, using this idea as a starting point to make it easier to have respectful conversations around the subject.As such, we - Eleanor, David and Martin - each came ready to discuss, in less than 45 minutes, our own five favourite examples of 'English Things' - all without comparing notes.Before long, as you will hear, common themes start to emerge about sweetness, curiosity, enterprise, rebellion, and endurance.But of the 15 objects we've chosen, which is the best?And, are we as a trio all destined to get diabetes?!?We really hope you enjoy the episode, and will speak to you again on Monday with a new episode of the Three Ravens Bestiary all about the history and folklore of Imps!Learn more about and listen to The History of England.Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOURVisit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
863 Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue
Hello and welcome again, to an hour of Tales Vinyl Tells as we dig into the great album rock and important music from the LPs of the 60s and 70s that spun and still spin today on turntables around the world. I'm Brian Hallgren and it's my blast to be bringing you the Tales Vinyl Tells since 2019. This is episode 210 and today we salute Barefoot Jerry's guitarist Mac Gayden, Country Joe McDonald and the superb Dave Mason. They've all left us recently (or have they?) You need to stay for the entire hour! It's a good one! Thanks for listening today. My email is talesvinyltells@gmail.com. You can hear a Tales Vinyl Tells radio program when it streams live on RadioFreeNashville.org and here. We do that at 5 PM central time Wednesdays. The program can also be played and downloaded anytime at podbean.com, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, iHeart podcasts, Player FM podcasts, Listen Notes podcasts and many other podcast places. And of course you can count on hearing the Tales on studiomillswellness.com/tales-vinyl-tells anytime. PLAYLIST: 210.1 That's ok, he'll be your brother someday-Barefoot Jerry 210.2 You can't get off with your shoes on-Barefoot Jerry 210.3 Joe Walsh-Days Gone By 210.4 Still in Saigon -CDB 210.5 Struttin' my stuff, y'all-Elvin Bishop 210.6 Everlasting Love-Carl Carlton 210.7 Not so sweet Martha Lorraine, Fish Cheer, Feel Like I'm Fixin to die rag- Country Joe 210.8 World in Changes live, Sad and Deep As You,- Welcome to the Canteen, All Along the Watchtower 210.9 All you fascists bound to lose-Billy Bragg and Wilco 210.10 Al Kooper-I stand alone 210.11 Can't Quit Her-Blood Sweat & Tears
Lance and Matt sit down with the legendary Billy Bragg to discuss Mermaid Avenue, gearing up for Solid Sound, and the ongoing pursuit of being a disciple of Woody Guthrie.
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey join Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss The Golden Thread — their debut full-length album together as da Googie + Cara Tivey. da Googie is the solo project of Deb Googe, best known as the bass player in My Bloody Valentine and Thurston Moore Group. Cara Tivey is a pianist and composer whose career includes work with Billy Bragg, Everything But The Girl, Blur, Au Pairs and The Lilac Time. In this episode, Deb and Cara talk about bringing The Golden Thread to Belfast as part of the Oh Yeah Presents immersive series, where the music becomes visual as well as sonic. They discuss how the collaboration began, how Cara's piano changed the shape of da Googie, and how improvised pieces were reshaped into finished songs. They also reflect on creative ownership after decades of working inside other people's music, the challenge of performing the material live, the physical force of My Bloody Valentine, women in alternative music, and why there is no grand master plan for what comes next. For the Belfast performance, The Golden Thread will be presented as an immersive live event at the Oh Yeah Centre, co-produced by Oh Yeah Presents and CQAF. The visuals have been designed by Deb Googe and will be operated and installed by The Fully Automatic Model. Listen to episode #283 of the XS Noize Podcast now. Follow XS Noize: Website: xsnoize.com Instagram: @xsnoizemusic Facebook: XS Noize X: @xsnoizemusic YouTube: @thexsnoizepodcast
This is the 2nd of two installments of songs that Steve played on his college radio show but never played on Suburban Underground...but probably should have. In this show you will hear Simple Minds, Goanna, Hanoi Rocks, New Musik, Robert Ellis Orrall, The Bangles, The Sherbs, Blondie, Alphaville, Australian Crawl, Billy Bragg, Hoodoo Gurus, Peter Godwin, Bow Wow Wow and The Call. On most podcast platforms. Facebook: SuburbanUndergroundRadio Instagram: SuburbanUnderground #newwave #altrock #alternativerock #punkrock #indierock
Matthew Bannister on Andy Kershaw, the radio DJ who championed world music, traversing the globe to bring new and eclectic sounds to a mainstream audience. For a time he was roadie to Billy Bragg who recalls their life on the road together. Dame Averil Cameron, the leading historian who re-shaped our understanding of the Byzantine empire. Her friend, Professor Mary Beard, pays tribute. Dr Judith Rapoport, the child psychiatrist who challenged received wisdom about obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD. And the zoologist, author, artist and TV presenter Desmond Morris, best known for his provocative 1967 bestselling book The Naked Ape.Producer: Catherine Powell Assisstant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Andrea KennedyArchive Michael Parkinson, BBC 1, 06/10/69; Michael Parkinson, BBC 1, 07/11/81; The Evolution of The Naked Ape: Archive on 4, BBC Radio 4 18/04/2026; The Likely Lads, BBC 2; The Time of Your Life, BBC 1, 06/08/85; Timewatch: Verdict on the Shroud, BBC 2, 27/07/88; Andy Kershaw Show, BBC Radio 1, 11/05/90; Andy Kershaw Show, BBC Radio 1, 24/09/95; Andy Kershaw Show, BBC Radio 1, 16/03/98; The Hermit Kingdom (North Korea), BBC Radio 3, 28/12/03; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 08/10/04; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 11/03/07; Judith Rapoport on Dimensional Research in Mental Illness, YouTube, 25/06/13; "Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia" With Judith Rapoport, M.D., YouTube, 12/09/13; A History of the World in 100 Objects : The Rise of World Faiths (200 - 600 AD) : Hinton St Mary Mosaic, BBC Radio 4, 11/03/21;
More llamas per minute than a Falcon Crest binge-watch, Paulo's latest obsession covers semi-nude photo shoots, Urban Dictionary definitions, and a movie about breakdancing, graffiti, and rapping — in which Lorenzo does none of the three.But before we get to #LamLear, Paulo found Hell — and it's in the Namib Desert, where the rains are certainly not blessed.We reveal a man who is part historian, part bootlegger, and how CNN put the “b*tch” in an obituary for Michael J. Fox.Jump To:Toto's "Africa" on Eternal Loop (00:03:54): https://www.vice.com/en/article/worst-sound-installation-ever-to-play-totos-africa-for-all-eternity/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARNS0pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEelW2F0ITduS2mvBSsW47dsZfqj7rAxWvLX6xW2AHLvs4bl7g0QP0IDo_2K_Y_aem_HdWk8E0Pjc142LOOVy0HiwThe Man Who Taped 10,000 Concerts (00:06:44): https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/bootleg-concerts/aadam-jacobs-10000-taped-concerts-now-online?fbclid=IwY2xjawRVSKhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFTNlNCcHR3cDBtc01BSEhVc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhTHk7jBQT2do0GaBnvwONh4bSPr-QAdFIXWHRH15EbnVajexwnkWxs2p3Ur_aem_nVkHPC99ghW1CWEpCNhVtwThe Playgirl Photoshoot (00:13:57): https://www.famousfix.com/post/heather-locklear-lorenzo-lamas-playgirl-magazine-pictorial-united-states-july-1983-43798778Movie Review: Body Rock (00:25:05)Body Rock Opening Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iATxWhmKrcAAwkward S*x Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCGpray1ASoDay Glow Tron Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VGiELiKJB4Chilly has a new coat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYmOYBHeoeEBody Rock Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4dR7purWsLorenzo Lamas, Smooth Talker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeMPCp_4k6oMichael J. Fox's Premature Obituary (00:41:09): https://www.upworthy.com/michael-j-fox-has-the-best-response-after-cnn-accidentally-prompts-death-scare/#That 80 Show, #podcast, #1980s pop culture, #nostalgia, #Dori, #Lorenzo Lamas, #Heather Locklear, #Playgirl, #Toto, #Africa, #art installation, #Namib Desert, #concert bootlegging, #Internet Archive, #Adam Jacobs, #No Tape Left Behind, #Tracy Chapman, #R.E.M., #New Order, #Sonic Youth, #Nick Cave, #Billy Bragg, #Nirvana, #Body Rock, #Chili D, #breakdancing, #graffiti, #Flashdance, #Razzie Award, #Michael J. Fox, #death hoax, #humor, #Future Boy, #Prince, #trivia, #Love Symbol, #pop culture, #music, #celebrities, #80s movies, #humor in pop culture, #cultural commentary.
What does Englishness sound like?In this episode of OffScript, Dash Arts' Artistic Director Josephine Burton is joined by musician, songwriter, and activist Billy Bragg for an electric conversation about England - its flags, its contradictions, and its capacity for protest.Billy and Josephine dig into what it means to love a country and argue with it at the same time. They explore the politics of the English flag, the radical traditions buried in folk music, and whether a song can actually change the world. Billy even sings.The conversation spills into Our Public House, Dash Arts' new touring theatre production, a state-of-the-nation play set in a pub, born out of four years of travelling England and listening to over 700 people talk about the country they want to live in. It's the kind of England Billy Bragg has been singing about for decades, and it turns out he has a lot to say about it.Because if anyone has spent a lifetime making the case for a different kind of Englishness, one rooted in solidarity, humour, and dissent, it's Billy Bragg.Our Public House is touring England, opening at Leeds Playhouse from May 15th before touring to Prescot, Coventry, Sheffield, Cornwall and London. Find out more at https://www.dasharts.org.uk/our-public-houseThis episode is part of Dash Arts' Albion series - an ongoing exploration of what it means to be English today.Our intro music is Fakiiritanssi by Marouf MajidiBilly Bragg photo by Murdo MacLeod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode I'm joined by Andy White, to chat about 1986's Rave On Andy White, his debut album which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. We chat about living in Dún Laoghaire in the mid-90s; Belfast in the 70s and 80s; Terri Hooley and Good Vibrations; The Clash in Belfast; John Cooper Clarke; John Peel; Billy Bragg; manager Peter Jenner; Dave Robinson and Stiff Records; Tom Verlaine and Television; Janice Long; Peace Together; Sinéad O'Connor; WOMAD; producer John Leckie; recording in Abbey Road and living in Melbourne. Episode notes: www.paulmcdermott.ie/episode-59
Tots tenim una actriu o un actor que ens encisa, d'aquells que amb la seva pres
In this episode, host Andrew Hunter Scholey reached out to his old friend Randell Neudorf to discuss "CFNY: The Spirit of Radio" (2026), a documentary about the legendary radio station. They discuss growing up in Brampton, Ontario, having the station serve as a constant influence in regards to musical taste, and how they consume art well into adulthood.Among Bands/Songs discussed.. hHead - "Collide"HaydenNine Inch NailsThe InbredsMaterial Issue - "Valerie Loves Me"Teenage HeadThe Diodes - "Tired of Waking Up Tired"Billy Bragg - "A New England"Lisa Germano - "The Dresses Song"Lisa Gerrard/Dead Can DanceAdorable -"Homeboy"The Ramones - "Pet Semetary"And a huge rant about The Velvet UndergroundRandell's LinksInstagram @randell.neudorf (art) @oldreverendrandell (current music)And general website: randellneudorf.com
Nueva entrega de Música de Contrabando, semanario de actualidad musical de Onda Regional Murcia (02/04/2026)Entrevistas:-Yayo Delgado nos habla de Primavera Rio. Walls, Rata y Maldita Nerea ofrecerán conciertos en una plataforma flotante sobre el Segura durante las Fiestas de Primavera.- Rosalía ha iniciado gira de "Lux" y recuperamos la entrevista que le hicimos en sus comienzos (2017) cuando vino de invitada a la final del CreaMurcia. No dudamos en afirmar que ya poseía un inmenso talento.Noticias musicales, novedades discográficas Noticias: Jimmy Page ha publicado en YouTube una maqueta inédita de “Ten years gone”, del álbum de Led Zeppelin Physical graffiti. Duffy ha anunciado que compartirá la historia de su vida, incluyendo su secuestro, en un nuevo documental que estrena Disney +.John Fogerty reedita remasterizado su álbum de 1985 Centerfield .Se anuncia la edición del álbum en directo de Pink Floyd Live from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, april 26th, 1975. Sony lo publicará en vinilo transparente para el Record Store Day. Pulp comparten en plataformas su EP con versión de Johnny Cash. Quieres abrir los próximos conciertos de PiL (Public Image Ltd) en nuestro país? The Spanish Wave abre una convocatoria para hacerlo posible. Tienes de plazo hasta el miércoles 8 de abril para inscribirte.Jessie Ware, Katy B, Billy Bragg y Hot Chip, entre muchos otros artistas, formaron parte de la multitudinaria protesta antifascista que tuvo lugar el pasado sábado en Londres. Kanye West publica ‘bully' en Spotify y distribuye el vinilo en tiendas. Bruce Springsteen continúa alzando su voz contra la presidencia de Donald Trump, dejando claro que la gira que comenzará el próximo martes «será política» y que está preparado para cualquier tipo de «represalias».The Killers serán los encargados de actuar en el espectáculo previo a la final de la UEFA Champions League .Novedades musicales:Paul McCartney, Placebo, Courtney Barnett,Gareth Donkin, Soulwax, Hammock, Tofusmell, Melanie Baker, King Tuff, Rogue Wave, Muse, Suki Waterhouse, Thee Marloes, Man Man, José González, Jungle, Meltt, Al Dual, La126, Margarita Quebrada, Aiko El Grupo, Apartamentos Acapulco, Carlangas, Sr Chinarro, Santi Campos, Los Acebo, Segaz, Pedriñanes 77, Sean Frutos, Hoonine, Soge Culebra feat Kristina, Alejo y Kris Floyd, MalvaAgenda de conciertos:Barry B, Feral, Aniquiladora, Jassy Ojeda, Fadadi, Loui Fontaine, Semana Santa Fest, Pepa Robles...
Maggie Holland in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.maggieholland.scot/ English singer and songwriter and became involved in the local folk club scene in the late 1960s. She has played in a number of bands and formed a number of collaborations with other artists, but has become well known in recent times as a solo artist and songwriter. She enjoys singing songs with meaningful words and has named her major influences as Bob Dylan, Al Stewart, Dave Evans, Leon Rosselson, Billy Bragg, Bruce Cockburn and Robb Johnson.
Professor Aubrey and Tim The Nerd are back behind the mic for another electrifying Nerdy Bitz: Songs Of The Week—and this one hits with both heart and groove.Professor Aubrey brings the fire of protest and purpose with “There Is Power In A Union” by Billy Bragg, a track rooted in solidarity, working-class pride, and the enduring strength of collective action. Expect some thoughtful breakdown on the history behind the song, why it still resonates today, and how music can be a catalyst for real-world change.Meanwhile, Tim The Nerd flips the vibe entirely—because balance is everything—with the unstoppable funk energy of “Get Up Offa That Thing” by James Brown. This isn't just a song—it's a command. Tim dives into the legacy of the Godfather of Soul, the raw energy of the track, and why sometimes the best therapy is turning the volume up and moving your feet.From union halls to dance floors, this episode is all about the power of music to move people—physically, emotionally, and culturally.
In the third installment of songs inspired by the Minnesota Uprising, the songs are harvested from Minnesota, Nashville, Bethlehem, PA, and the Southern coast of England. All four musicians and songs you'll be hearing are energy & affirmation for the valiant community of the Twin Cities of Minnesota, and a spotlight on the vile government force the community has stood up against. Billy Bragg has a few decades of resisting the system under his belt, reaching all the way across the Atlantic Ocean.
Jordan Benjamin is passionate about what his music can do for people. From a family of political campaigners, he's been co-signed by Billy Bragg, written with Tom Morello and is about to tour with Enter Shikari in Australia. His latest album INERTIA, which he's been touring with a full band, is out now. Get in touch giles@mightymoonmedia.com Get yourself some top class Shure microphone gear: https://shu.re/3YhV7p2 Set up Your Band's merch store, for free at Distrokid Direct: https://distrokid.com/direct/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
LAPÊCHE – “Autotelic Nosebleed” LANGKAMER – “Crows” FRIKO -”Seven Degrees” LALA LALA – “Does This Go Faster” WITCH – “Once In A Lifetime” THE SOPHS – “Sweetiepie”. BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE – “Not Around Anymore” THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS – “Wu Tang” ANA CALVI, IGGY POP – “God's A Lonely Man” KEVIN MORBY – “Javelin” lucky break – “City Lights” GLADIE – “Car Alarm” EMMANUELA HUTTER – “Mean Lovin' Machine” THE OLYMPIANS – “In Search Of A Revival Part One” THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – “Pure Sticker Shock” METRIC – “Victim Of Luck” OWELU DREAMHOUSE – “Niger River” GUN OUTFIT – “Unfelt Loss” MARIACHI EL BRONX – “Songbird” ASHER WHITE – “Night Faces” REMEMBER SPORTS – ”Bug” DIRT BUYER – ”Get To Choose” YOUMI ZOUMA – “Drag” BONNIE PRINCE BILLY – “Hey Little” VICTORYLAND – “No Cameras”, BILLY BRAGG – “City Of Heroes' PETER GABRIEL – “Been Undone”
This week, new releases from Billy Bragg, Bruce Springsteen,Dropkick Murphys, Beyond Chaotic, Ghinzu and The Dollheads. Plus faves from, Radiohead, Macy Gray, The Cramps, Killing Joke and more. Roll up a couple for The Duane Strain, strap in for a Friday The 13th set and we go Cover To Cover, Rock. Mock. Dance. Laugh.
On this week's show, we spend quality time with superlative new records from Lucinda Williams and Langhorne Slim, spin fresh tracks from Snail Mail, Courtney Barnett and King Tuff, and fight the power with Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg & Low Cut Connie. All this and much, much less! Debts No Honest Man Can Pay is over 2 rock-solid hours of musical eclectica & other noodle stories. The show started in 2003 at WHFR-FM (Dearborn, MI), moved to WGWG-FM (Boiling Springs, NC) in 2006 & Plaza Midwood Community Radio (Charlotte, NC) in 2012, with a brief pit-stop at WLFM-FM (Appleton, WI) in 2004.
This week's show, after a 1944 Woody Guthrie warble: brand new Billy Bragg, Black Watch, Greg Weeks, Damned, Ratboys, Julies, Sleaford Mods, and Bruce Springsteen, plus The Creation, Arthur Alexander, Billy J. Kramer, Beatles, Dottie West, Lloyd Charm...
Why musician Billy Bragg has outsourced his memoir. More than 600 friends, associates, collaborators and fans collaborate in ‘Billy Bragg: A People’s History’, a book about the life and works of a songwriter whose work has become a soundtrack to people’s lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Minneapolis loves bike rides and Bike Rides loves Minneapolis. Hank and Dan serve up a proper salute to the hearty city and shining state following one of the most difficult weeks in their collective histories. Included: Northern Lights; Greg Bikowski; Marc Skjervem; Wren; Chad Elliot; Billy Bragg; Tom MacDonald; Mick Flannery/Anais Mitchell; The Midnight Republic; Ben Grossup; Bruce Springsteen
Send us a textThe Remote Controls are in this week ahead of them being buried alive by snow as we spoke!It's straight up punk rock from these three, no messin'. We talk drinking culture, smoking culture, dream opening slots and, of course, their two full length records, the newest of which (Too Tough) came out late last year. And, you can get it from Brassneck Records, apparently.Danny Barrett takes his new place in the co-host chair for his maiden voyage, so go easy on him, because I didn't.Songs this week come from: The Vandals, unpolished*, Buzzcocks, Billy Bragg and Grail Guard.
Listing Joe Boyd’s most significant accomplishments as a producer, label owner, and music historian is a tall order. A short list of artists he’s worked with includes Nick Drake (heard here), Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, The Incredible String Band, R.E.M., Vashti Bunyan, Billy Bragg, and 10,000 Maniacs. Additionally, he was the founder of Hannibal Records, the label responsible for bringing the term “world music” into the lexicon, as well as serving as a music producer for Warner Bros., where he collaborated with Stanley Kubrick on the soundtrack of A Clockwork Orange and 1972’s Deliverance. His most recent work is as the author of White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, as well as And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music, which came out in 2024. On this episode, hear how songs by Fats Domino, Fairport Convention, and Carlos Gardel shaped his sensibilities. Boyd will be a part of this year’s Big Ears Festival taking place in Knoxville, TN in March of 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
At Anti Social Camp in November 2025, we recorded two special live conversations with music greats Jamie Cullum and Billy Bragg. It's a rare chance to hear a pair of brilliant and very different songwriters reflect on their craft in front of an audience of songwriters and musicians. Jamie talks about working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the creative discipline of working to a brief, and how collaboration can unlock ideas you would never find alone. Billy shares his belief in songwriting as a way of building connection and empathy, drawing on a career shaped by honesty, community, and lived experience. Together, these conversations offer a warm, generous look at how songs are made, why voice matters, and how music continues to bring people together.
The Strange Brew - artist stories behind the greatest music ever recorded
Damon Minchella, founding bassist and songwriter of Ocean Colour Scene, and longtime collaborator with Paul Weller and Richard Ashcroft, talks about his time in music. Damon reflects on a remarkable career spanning Britpop's rise, creative battles with major labels, his friendship with Oasis, and performing with The Who for Live 8 and Paul McCartney for War Child. He also discusses his autobiography You'd Look Good on a Donkey, the realities behind Ocean Colour Scene's success, and how a life-changing injury led him into academia while continuing to tour at the highest level. Further information Damon Minchella: You'd Look Good On A Donkey: Britpop, Basslines & Bad(Ish) Decisions Podcasts also available: Steve Cradock, Stephen Street, Billy Bragg, Lynval Golding, Bruce Foxton This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Damon Minchella – Ocean Colour Scene appeared first on The Strange Brew .
The Catholic Church in England and Wales has a new leader - Richard Moth has been named as the new Archbishop of Westminster, succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols who turned 80 last month. We hear from Ruth Gledhill, Assistant Editor at the Catholic weekly The Tablet. A new song from the singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg is called "Put Christ back into Christmas". The title is a reference to the current campaign by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Last weekend we reported on the Robinson-inspired carol service in London; Billy Bragg turned out for a rival carol service orgainsed by Stand up to Racism. He explains why. Today is the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year when, as the priest poet John Donne put it, the "whole world's sap is sunk". At three minutes past three this afternoon the earth tilts furthest from the sun, and from that moment the days begin to lengthen. It is a moment marked in pagan tradition, and we are joined by Erin Johansen, the first pagan chaplain at Sussex University who is also training to be a Priestess of Avalon.Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Katy Davis and James Leesley Technical Producers: Isabelle Whitehead & Sharon Williams Editor: Tim Pemberton
Good Morning, ‘Hark!' ‘Do you hear what I hear?' ‘They said there'd be snow this Christmas; they said there'd be peace on earth' ‘Do they know it's Christmas?' ‘I pray God it's our last!' Throughout the land the lyrics of Christmas songs are being piped in shopping centres and pubs and, loved or loathed, we sing along. This year's official Christmas No1 will be decided on Friday. Current favourite is Kylie, with oldies from George Michael and Slade chasing hard. As Slade's Noddy Holder sings; ‘Does your granny always tell ya that the old songs are the best.' Then, in a tradition begun by Lennon and taken up by Rage Against The Machine, there are the Christmas protest songs. This year's from Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel with ‘Lullaby', a song for Gaza, and Billy Bragg's ‘Put Christ Back Into Christmas', with Bragg asking us ‘to stand with those who need the most' and reminding us that Christmas celebrates the birth of a refugee. It seems very British to me that we are free to mix protest in with sentimentality and silliness. The Christmas story is spacious enough to contain all our hopes and fears, our joy and praise, our rage and indifference. Even our scrooge-iest revulsion. For I contend that the birth of Christ is itself a kind of cosmic protest song. The original Christmas No.1 was after all sung by angels to people at the margins of society: the young Mary and Shepherds, those far from the corridors of power and status; a startling song that announces a change to the status quo, a tune sweeter and louder than the prevailing mood music of despair, the monotonous dirge of violence and oppressive power, of one bad thing after another: ‘Do not be afraid' it declares. ‘There will be peace on earth.' It's arguable that we might never have heard this story had the message not been sung to people who were immediately in tune with it, and able to sing back in words of astonished wonder and praise: ‘he has scattered the proud, put down the mighty, exalted those of lowly degree.' Or ‘My eyes have seen your salvation.' Once you've ‘hailed the incarnate deity'; or seen the Godhead veiled in flesh, the chances are you're going to sing about it. Christmas invites the world to sing a different tune. I'd even suggest that part of the reason we still sing about it – even if we stray into sentiment - is that its core melody is like a pop tune or great carol you can't help but sing along with. ‘No. I can't get you out of my head; because God and sinners are reconciled; because mild he lays his glory by; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee; And so this is Christmas.'
Re-Air Date: 12–2-25 Unless you were a member in May of 2024, this episode of SOLVED! will be brand new to you! If you were a member back then, THANK YOU and this one is worth a re-listen. We're slowing down production for a little bit to reorganize our production processes, so enjoy this episode from our archives (and B.Y: before YouTube) where Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - How supply and demand economics is not about "distribution of goods with the greatest efficiency" and is instead about nothing more than predatory greed Ch. 2 - How what we value as humans goes far beyond the price of commodities Ch. 3 - More examples of "enshitification" as companies reach inside our homes to control things we already bought Ch. 4 - How companies are restricting functionality to extract even more from us FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon REFERENCES: WELCOME TO PRICING HELL - The Atlantic The Gap Between the Price You See and What You Pay Is Getting Worse - The Wall Street Journal Welcome to the Golden Age of User Hostility - The Atlantic My Printer Is Extorting Me - The Atlantic Bought a Model Y? Tesla may charge you to use the battery's full range - Yahoo! Finance Corporate America Knows We're Miserable. Is a Toilet Bomb the Answer? - The Wall Street Journal EXTRAS: 00:12:53 "Not everything that counts can be counted" by Billy Bragg 00:42:41 Best of the Left Ep. #1629 - "Hitting Where it Hurts in Our Era of Negative Partisanship: Messaging left-wing politics amid cultish politics" (Air Date: May 2024) 00:48:44 Best of the Left Ep. #1628 - "New Era of Antitrust for a New Era of Capitalism, Mega-Corporations and Big Tech" (Air Date: May 2024) Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening!
Grammy-winning producer and singer-songwriter Joe Henry gives us insight into his multi-faceted careerPART ONEPaul and Scott chat about their music-themed road trip and say R.I.P. to MTV. PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Joe HenryABOUT JOE HENRYJoe Henry is a singer-songwriter who became a record producer as a protege of T Bone Burnett. He went on to win Grammy awards for his work with Solomon Burke, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Bonnie Raitt. Additionally, he produced the final albums of the late Allen Toussaint, who credited Henry for ushering him out of retirement. Henry's contribution to American music remains somewhat enigmatic. Joe's own records often feature adventurous contributions by instrumentalists, such as one of only two cameos Ornette Coleman ever made with a singer, while his song “Stop” was reworked into Madonna's hit pop single, “Don't Tell Me.” The long list of artists Joe has produced includes Ani DiFranco, Aimee Mann, Bettye LaVette, Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Aaron Neville, Hayes Carll, Joan Baez, The Milk Carton Kids, Rhiannon Giddens, and many others. As a songwriter he has collaborated with Rosanne Cash, Jakob Dylan, Loudon Wainwright III, Billy Bragg, Madonna, and many more, while releasing 17 studio albums as an artist. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Americana Music Honors & Awards in 2025. Joe's most recent album is Life and Time, a collaborative project with fellow songwriter Mike Reid. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Billy Bragg talks about his life in music and activism, from his early days and the DIY spirit The post Billy Bragg appeared first on The Strange Brew .
If you've ever lost touch with a friend or been heartbroken by a platonic breakup, Stella Donnelly's new album is for you. Documenting the end of a friendship, it's a brutally honest, heartbreaking, and hopeful record so many of us can relate to. And Zan couldn't wait to talk with her all about it.
My Music with Graham Coath — Anna May (not Anime!)This week Graham sits down with Anna May — Connecticut-born, sometimes-San Diego-based singer–songwriter — for a wide-ranging conversation about voice, vulnerability and finding your lane when you don't fit neatly into one genre. Anna grew up on a diet of female storytellers (Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette), 90s alt, dad's country (The Mavericks, Dwight Yoakam) and a childhood of jazz rooms—and it all threads through her work.She talks candidly about writing lyrics first (often as poems), letting the voice improvise live so no song lands the same way twice, and recording one-take magic with engineer Steve Rizzo in Rhode Island. We touch on k.d. lang (“Constant Craving”, “The Air That I Breathe”), unexpected covers (yes, Ozzy Osbourne), social media's darker edges, boundaries, and how a bruising breakup became a healing body of songs. There's even a New England vs California detour, a Billy Bragg nod, and a Groove Armada truth bomb: “If everybody looked the same, we'd get tired of looking at each other.”
Border Radio: Thanks to Studio 1 Vintage Guitars Brand new Todd Snider, Wednesday. Our new best friend, Lachie Hayes, Billy Bragg 'cos it's Labour weekend, Bruce and Neil and a whole bunch more.
‘Billy Bragg: A People's History' is just out, a new and wholly original kind of memoir written by himself, friends, collaborators and fans, and packed with old snapshots, concert bills, reviews and ephemera. It's very good indeed. He looks back here with us at … … meeting Taylor Swift – “and we both knew who the other was!” … a total of 2,700 gigs – “not counting prisons, In-Stores, Port-A-Stacks and picket lines” … old blokes trying to take selfies … finding old diaries in his archives and sensing how the memory plays tricks … songs that get you out of trouble on stage … bootlegging albums on his reel-to-reel, aged 12, complete with noises off - eg “Bridge Over Troubled Water plus a voice telling me Reach For The Sky was on telly!” … a word-perfect recitation of Mr Tambourine Man … listening to the Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll when the rest of the school was Glam Rock … buying Ronnie Lane's amp, “like returning home with a religious relic” … “the power of music”: meeting someone who'd heard him on the radio beyond the Iron Curtain … anxiety about American border control: “I was advised to get a new phone. As if that'll make any difference. I'm Billy Bragg, political songwriter!” … lost off-grid in Salt Lake City in the days before internet … “Music can't change the world but it gives you the ability to think it can be changed” …plus Ian McLagan, Desmond Dekker, Ry Cooder, Jam b-sides and Motown Chartbusters Vol 3. Order Billy Bragg: A People's History here: https://burningshed.com/billy-bragg_a-peoples-history_book https://www.billybragg.co.uk/product/billy-bragg-a-peoples-history-an-oral-history-in-the-words-of-people-who-have-been-moved-by-his-music/Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
‘Billy Bragg: A People's History' is just out, a new and wholly original kind of memoir written by himself, friends, collaborators and fans, and packed with old snapshots, concert bills, reviews and ephemera. It's very good indeed. He looks back here with us at … … meeting Taylor Swift – “and we both knew who the other was!” … a total of 2,700 gigs – “not counting prisons, In-Stores, Port-A-Stacks and picket lines” … old blokes trying to take selfies … finding old diaries in his archives and sensing how the memory plays tricks … songs that get you out of trouble on stage … bootlegging albums on his reel-to-reel, aged 12, complete with noises off - eg “Bridge Over Troubled Water plus a voice telling me Reach For The Sky was on telly!” … a word-perfect recitation of Mr Tambourine Man … listening to the Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll when the rest of the school was Glam Rock … buying Ronnie Lane's amp, “like returning home with a religious relic” … “the power of music”: meeting someone who'd heard him on the radio beyond the Iron Curtain … anxiety about American border control: “I was advised to get a new phone. As if that'll make any difference. I'm Billy Bragg, political songwriter!” … lost off-grid in Salt Lake City in the days before internet … “Music can't change the world but it gives you the ability to think it can be changed” …plus Ian McLagan, Desmond Dekker, Ry Cooder, Jam b-sides and Motown Chartbusters Vol 3. Order Billy Bragg: A People's History here: https://burningshed.com/billy-bragg_a-peoples-history_book https://www.billybragg.co.uk/product/billy-bragg-a-peoples-history-an-oral-history-in-the-words-of-people-who-have-been-moved-by-his-music/Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
‘Billy Bragg: A People's History' is just out, a new and wholly original kind of memoir written by himself, friends, collaborators and fans, and packed with old snapshots, concert bills, reviews and ephemera. It's very good indeed. He looks back here with us at … … meeting Taylor Swift – “and we both knew who the other was!” … a total of 2,700 gigs – “not counting prisons, In-Stores, Port-A-Stacks and picket lines” … old blokes trying to take selfies … finding old diaries in his archives and sensing how the memory plays tricks … songs that get you out of trouble on stage … bootlegging albums on his reel-to-reel, aged 12, complete with noises off - eg “Bridge Over Troubled Water plus a voice telling me Reach For The Sky was on telly!” … a word-perfect recitation of Mr Tambourine Man … listening to the Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll when the rest of the school was Glam Rock … buying Ronnie Lane's amp, “like returning home with a religious relic” … “the power of music”: meeting someone who'd heard him on the radio beyond the Iron Curtain … anxiety about American border control: “I was advised to get a new phone. As if that'll make any difference. I'm Billy Bragg, political songwriter!” … lost off-grid in Salt Lake City in the days before internet … “Music can't change the world but it gives you the ability to think it can be changed” …plus Ian McLagan, Desmond Dekker, Ry Cooder, Jam b-sides and Motown Chartbusters Vol 3. Order Billy Bragg: A People's History here: https://burningshed.com/billy-bragg_a-peoples-history_book https://www.billybragg.co.uk/product/billy-bragg-a-peoples-history-an-oral-history-in-the-words-of-people-who-have-been-moved-by-his-music/Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is the last of the year-specific shows, leading up to the last show of Suburban Underground in late November. This show contains all 1983 songs by these artists: Thompson Twins, Sparks, UB40, Industry, Violent Femmes, The Romantics, Yaz, R.E.M., Spandau Ballet, The Cure, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Espionage, A Flock Of Seagulls, Beat Rodeo, SSQ, Billy Bragg. AI-free since 2016! On the Air on Bedford 105.1 FM Radio *** 5pm Friday *** *** 10am Sunday *** *** 8pm Monday *** Stream live at http://209.95.50.189:8178/stream Stream on-demand most recent episodes at https://wbnh1051.podbean.com/category/suburban-underground/ And available on demand on your favorite podcast app! Facebook: SuburbanUndergroundRadio *** Instagram: SuburbanUnderground *** #newwave #altrock #alternativerock #punkrock #indierock
Some musicians do better with chaos. Others under deadlines and with teams. Tristan Clopet is a rare pro who's done both, and because of it knows the value of working towards a greater goal with a big team (and bigger pressure).Tristan's prolific work on film and TV scores gives him a deep insight into the nature of that side of the industry (and how different it is from his touring days supporting X Ambassadors, Billy Bragg, Tove Lo, Glen Hansard, and The Weeknd). It's a collaborative, deadline-oriented, large effort, with hundreds of creatives contributing to the final work. He shares how inspiring that journey is, and how knowing the boundaries can unlock even more creativity. I loved his story about scoring to Martin Freeman's solo acting in a car. (Martin Freeman happens to be one of my favorite actors.)His credits include:Sony Pictures Television's StartUp, created by Ben Ketai and starring Martin Freeman, Ron Perlman, Adam Brody, Mira Sorvino, and Edi Gathegi. In 2020, Netflix licensed all three seasons and it quickly became the streamer's #1 acquired series around the world.The Universal Studios feature film River Wild, for which he earned an HMMA nomination.The Infiltrator, starring Bryan Cranston, City of Lies, starring Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker, Sundance Film Festival winner Crown Heights, starring LaKeith Stanfield, AMC's Pantheon, with Brandon Roberts, Marco Beltrami, and Buck Sanders, and CBS's military procedural The Code.For 30% off your first year of DistroKid to share your music with the world click DistroKid.com/vip/lovemusicmoreSubscribe to this pod's blog on Substack to receive deeper dives on the regular
Through his work in Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, Jeff Tweedy has played a significant role in the shaping of Americana and alternative rock since the early 90’s. The title of Uncle Tupelo’s highly influential first album, No Depression, both spawned a resurgence in music more widely described as “Americana,” as well as gave it its name. Later in his career, Tweedy and Wilco collaborated with Billy Bragg on the Mermaid Avenue records that featured lost lyrics by Woody Guthrie, released the groundbreaking album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and put a total of 12 band and four solo records, four books, and helped establish the bi-annual Solid Sound Festival in western Massachusetts. Hear how how songs by Meat Puppets, Neil Young, and Blondie charted his musical course. Tweedy’s newest work, a triple record titled Twilight Override, was released on September 26, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As musician and activist BILLY BRAGG makes a welcome return as a voice of countercultural sanity, we revisit the Lost History of Skiffle as he takes us on an extraordinary whirlwind tour through the music that the counterculture forgot. Along the way, we hear about the emergence of The Teenager in post-war Britain, the massive impact of Rock Around the Clock, the Soho espresso bar culture of the 50s and the birth of British youth culture. We explore why Skiffle, which soundtracked that youth culture for a few intense years and was the inspiration for musicians in The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who and The Rolling Stones, has been oddly forgotten. And Billy explains why, as the first British DIY musical revolution, Skiffle provided the template for the Punk movement of the 70s that was to inspire him. Along the way, we get educated about the post-war 'trad jazz' movement, the cultural stranglehold of the BBC - and the terrific transformatory power of a guy - or a girl - with a guitar. For more on Billy and his book Roots, Radicals and Rockers: https://www.billybragg.co.uk/product/roots-radicals-and-rockers-how-skiffle-changed-the-world-hardback-signed-by-billy/ #skiffle #billybragg #beatles #rock'n'roll #teenager #1950 #musichistory
Harvey is back from assignment with a full report from the powerful People's Conference for Palestine. Harvey describes his participation, and we include clips from Mahmoud Khalil and Chris Smalls. The theme of the conference was that Palestine is our compass, our guide, our wayshower to humanity and peace. We finish with a song about Palestine by Billy Bragg.
This is the story of music performed on the streets, in subways, in parks, in schoolyards, on the back of flatbed trucks, and beyond, from the 1920s to the present day. Drawing on years of interviews and eyewitness accounts, Down On The Corner (Jawbone Press, 2025) introduces readers to a wide range of locations and a myriad of musical genres, from folk to rock'n'roll, the blues to bluegrass, doo-wop to indie rock. Some of the performers he features--Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, The Violent Femmes--went on to become international stars; others settled into the curbs, sidewalks, and Tube stations as their workplace for the duration of their careers. Anyone who has lived in or travelled through a city will have encountered street musicians of one kind or another. For the first time, veteran journalist and music-industry publicist Cary Baker tells the complete history of these musicians and the music they play, from tin cups and toonies to QR codes and PayPal. Born on Chicago's South Side, Cary Baker began his writing career at sixteen with an on-spec feature about Chicago street singer Blind Arvella Gray for the Chicago Reader. His return to writing follows a forty-two-year hiatus during which time he directed publicity for six record labels (including Capitol and IRS) and two of his own companies, working with acclaimed artists such as R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, The Smithereens, James McMurtry, The Mavericks, Bobby Rush, Willie Nile, and more. Prior to his PR years, Baker wrote for the Chicago Reader, Creem, Trouser Press, Bomp!, Goldmine, Billboard, Mix, Illinois Entertainer, and Record magazine. He has also written liner notes for historical reissues from Universal, Capitol/EMI, Numero Group, and Omnivore. He has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 1979. He lives in Southern California. Cary Baker's website. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and Frank Zappa's America (LSU Press, 2025). He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM and is the director of its music film festival. His forthcoming book is U2: Until the End of the World (Gemini Books, October 2025). Bradley Morgan on Facebook and Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
This is the story of music performed on the streets, in subways, in parks, in schoolyards, on the back of flatbed trucks, and beyond, from the 1920s to the present day. Drawing on years of interviews and eyewitness accounts, Down On The Corner (Jawbone Press, 2025) introduces readers to a wide range of locations and a myriad of musical genres, from folk to rock'n'roll, the blues to bluegrass, doo-wop to indie rock. Some of the performers he features--Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, The Violent Femmes--went on to become international stars; others settled into the curbs, sidewalks, and Tube stations as their workplace for the duration of their careers. Anyone who has lived in or travelled through a city will have encountered street musicians of one kind or another. For the first time, veteran journalist and music-industry publicist Cary Baker tells the complete history of these musicians and the music they play, from tin cups and toonies to QR codes and PayPal. Born on Chicago's South Side, Cary Baker began his writing career at sixteen with an on-spec feature about Chicago street singer Blind Arvella Gray for the Chicago Reader. His return to writing follows a forty-two-year hiatus during which time he directed publicity for six record labels (including Capitol and IRS) and two of his own companies, working with acclaimed artists such as R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, The Smithereens, James McMurtry, The Mavericks, Bobby Rush, Willie Nile, and more. Prior to his PR years, Baker wrote for the Chicago Reader, Creem, Trouser Press, Bomp!, Goldmine, Billboard, Mix, Illinois Entertainer, and Record magazine. He has also written liner notes for historical reissues from Universal, Capitol/EMI, Numero Group, and Omnivore. He has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 1979. He lives in Southern California. Cary Baker's website. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and Frank Zappa's America (LSU Press, 2025). He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM and is the director of its music film festival. His forthcoming book is U2: Until the End of the World (Gemini Books, October 2025). Bradley Morgan on Facebook and Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts
This is the story of music performed on the streets, in subways, in parks, in schoolyards, on the back of flatbed trucks, and beyond, from the 1920s to the present day. Drawing on years of interviews and eyewitness accounts, Down On The Corner (Jawbone Press, 2025) introduces readers to a wide range of locations and a myriad of musical genres, from folk to rock'n'roll, the blues to bluegrass, doo-wop to indie rock. Some of the performers he features--Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, The Violent Femmes--went on to become international stars; others settled into the curbs, sidewalks, and Tube stations as their workplace for the duration of their careers. Anyone who has lived in or travelled through a city will have encountered street musicians of one kind or another. For the first time, veteran journalist and music-industry publicist Cary Baker tells the complete history of these musicians and the music they play, from tin cups and toonies to QR codes and PayPal. Born on Chicago's South Side, Cary Baker began his writing career at sixteen with an on-spec feature about Chicago street singer Blind Arvella Gray for the Chicago Reader. His return to writing follows a forty-two-year hiatus during which time he directed publicity for six record labels (including Capitol and IRS) and two of his own companies, working with acclaimed artists such as R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, The Smithereens, James McMurtry, The Mavericks, Bobby Rush, Willie Nile, and more. Prior to his PR years, Baker wrote for the Chicago Reader, Creem, Trouser Press, Bomp!, Goldmine, Billboard, Mix, Illinois Entertainer, and Record magazine. He has also written liner notes for historical reissues from Universal, Capitol/EMI, Numero Group, and Omnivore. He has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 1979. He lives in Southern California. Cary Baker's website. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and Frank Zappa's America (LSU Press, 2025). He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM and is the director of its music film festival. His forthcoming book is U2: Until the End of the World (Gemini Books, October 2025). Bradley Morgan on Facebook and Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music
From Glastonbury performers to classical music buffs, Westminster has always been packed full of music obsessives. But the music industry has not always been so obsessed with politicians. Who could forget Stormzy calling out Theresa May over Grenfell or Elton John calling Keir Starmer's government "absolute losers"? So this week on Westminster Insider, host Sascha O'Sullivan finds out what how important the cultural capital of the music industry is to SW1. She talks to boss of music lobby PRS organisation and former Longpigs frontman Crispin Hunt about Tony Blair being buoyed to success during the Britpop era. Corbyn advisor James Schneider reflects on Grime4Corbyn in 2017 and explains how important Stormzy leading the "Oh Jeremy Corbyn" chant was as a cultural moment. James Frith, Labour MP and former frontman of Finka, who once performed Glastonbury, takes Sascha inside the political scene at the music festival. Caroline Dinenage, chair of the culture select committee and former Tory culture minister, told Sascha the music industry was often ungrateful to Conservative politicians, saying they probably said "f*** the Tories" under their breath even after billions of pounds in pandemic-era support. And she takes Sascha inside the current row over artificial intelligence and the music industry. She said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was initially "arrogant" and "swallowed the A.I. kool-aid". Lord Brennan, Labour peer who was part of the Lord's recent rebellion over AI and is currently leading a fan-led review into music, says the intervention of top musicians can help move the dial and he tells a story of teaming up with Billy Bragg to exact policy change over guitars in jails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cara Tivey in conversation with David Eastaugh https://dagoogie.bandcamp.com/album/the-golden-thread https://www.carativey.com/ https://carativey.bandcamp.com Cara Tivey joined Birmingham band Au Pairs as keyboard player in 1983. In 1985, Tivey got her first recording break with Everything But the Girl on Baby the Stars Shine Bright. In 1988, she started working with Billy Bragg on the Workers Playtime album, singing vocals on "Must I Paint You a Picture". She shared the bill with Bragg on the song "She's Leaving Home", which they recorded for the Beatles tribute Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father compilation. Tivey performed on Bragg's 1990 album The Internationale and on 1991's Don't Try This at Home, before he took a five-year break in recording. Also in 1990 and 1991, Tivey contributed to the Lilac Time's & Love for All and Astronauts albums. During Bragg's hiatus, Tivey contributed to the Music in Colors album by Stephen Duffy in 1993. She also became Blur's live keyboardist during their Modern Life Is Rubbish and Parklife era.