Billy Bragg has confirmed plans to launch a new tour aiming at placing politics back into pop music. Billy Bragg has spent the best part of his life mixing pop with politics. At the peak of his commercial success, the singer was able to appear live on Top Of The Pops with the Miner's Strike dominating the headlines.
Still working hard to promote left wing causes, Billy Bragg watched the London riots in horror. Writing in the NME recently, the singer explained that he wanted pop music to helped channel this anger in a productive, meaningful fashion.
"The disturbances of the past weeks have stirred up a shit storm of opinion in the mainstream media, much of it from people who have no real experience of the pressures faced by this generation, the first in a century that are likely to grow up worse off than their parents. Though this situation has been building for some years, the disturbances have created an opportunity for young people to provide an alternative commentary.”
Fresh from curating the Left Field area at Glastonbury, Billy Bragg has now organised a fully fledged tour. Hopping on board the tour bus, the folk icon will be joined by The King Blues, Akala, Sound of Rum and more.
Aiming to help mix pop with politics, Billy Bragg has revealed that music helped open him up to the political debate. “Music helped me to make connections when I was growing up – between the situation I found myself in and the powerful people who put me there. Artists need to start engaging in this debate again and The King Blues, Akala and Sound of Rum are inspiring examples of those prepared to push against the power.”
