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Billy Bragg

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (December 20, 1957- )
    Born in Barking, Essex, England, United Kingdom
    Birth name was Stephen William Bragg
    Recorded the albums ‘Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs Spy’ (1983), ‘Brewing Up With Billy Bragg’ (1984), ‘Talking with the Taxman about Poetry’ (1986), ‘Workers Playtime’ (1988), ‘The Internationale’ (1990), ‘Don’t Try This At Home’ (1991), ‘William Bloke’ (1996), ‘England, Half English’ (2002), ‘Mr. Love & Justice’ (2008) and ‘Tooth & Nail’ (2013)
    With Wilco recorded the albums ‘Mermaid Avenue’ (1998) and ‘Mermaid Avenue Vol. II’ (2000)

Why he might be annoying:

    He failed his eleven-plus exams and was unable to go to university.
    When his musical career initially failed to take off, he joined the British army, then quickly bought his way out for £175 (1979).
    He called himself ‘a one man punk revival.’
    Despite his own opposition to the war in Iraq, during the 2005 Parliamentary elections, he supported Oona King, a pro-war Labour candidate, over war opponent George Galloway because he worried that splitting the left-wing vote would allow the Conservatives to capture the seat. (Galloway ended up winning.)
    He refused to pay his income tax as a protest against large bonuses being paid to officers of the Royal Bank of Scotland (2010).

Why he might not be annoying:

    When his demo tape got no response, he posed as a TV repairman to get into the office of Charisma Records A&R exec Peter Jenner, who signed him.
    When DJ John Peel mentioned on the air that he was hungry, Bragg rushed to the BBC studio with his debut album and a mushroom biryani (an Indian rice dish); Peel proceeded to play a track from the album.
    Although thought of primarily as a protest songwriter, he has penned terrific love songs.
    Johnny Marr said, ‘He's such a masculine guy, but he's able to tap into a lovely poignancy and vulnerability.’
    Woody Guthrie’s daughter Nora asked him and Wilco to write music for Woody’s unfinished songs.
    He said, ‘The Internet allows me to write a topical song on a Friday, debut it on a Saturday, record it on a Sunday and make available for a free download on a Monday.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 74 Votes: 29.73% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 33.33% Annoying