Basic Folk podcast, eps. 260 – Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg joins lizzie and Cindy onboard Cayamo to talk about songwriting, social justice, punk rock and, of course, The Little Guy (Bragg’s nickname for Woody Guthrie).
In our interview, we talked about using humor as a way to connect to his audience, so that he can bring up his political activism like fighting for transgender rights, the importance of unions and abortion rights. Billy also talked about his place as a British artist in the genealogy of folk music and how working on Mermaid Avenue with Wilco allowed him to be a part of the American folk tradition.
He also shared how he overcame anxiety as a teenage musician. Standing in front of a crowd playing with his friends in a band really boosted his confidence. Plus, he dives into the merits of socialism, why nostalgia rubs him the wrong way, and shares his favorite English treat. Spoiler: it’s marmite. Gross.
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