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Billy Bragg (the B-Side)

Episode 2 of 14

The 'Bard of Barking' about his career-defining album, 'Talking with the Taxman about Poetry'. With John Wilson. From 2012.

John Wilson launches a major new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the 91Èȱ¬'s iconic Maida Vale Studios.

Programme 1, Side B. 'Talking With The Taxman About Poetry' - Having discussed the making of his self-proclaimed 'difficult' third album (in the A-side of the programme), Billy Bragg responds to questions from the audience.

He considers the state of protest songs today, reveals what music he is writing at the moment and explains what poetry he would discuss with today's taxman. And he plays excerpts from the album live in front of the audience.

Future Programmes will include Paul Weller talking about the Jam's last album, 'The Gift'; Suzanne Vega recalls the making of 'Solitude Standing', the album that made her a worldwide superstar; and Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone takes us back to the seminal Zombies' record 'Odessey and Oracle'

Complete versions of the songs performed in the programme (and others) can be heard on the 'Mastertapes' pages on the Radio 4 website, where the programmes can also be downloaded and other musical goodies accessed.

Producer: Paul Kobrak

First broadcast on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 in 2012.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Tue 21 Mar 2023 21:00

More about Billy Bragg

More about Billy Bragg
Watch videos and read reviews of Billy's recent albums on the 91Èȱ¬'s Music pages.

The John Peel Lecture

The John Peel Lecture
Billy Bragg explores how the pirates of radio become mainstream and in what ways broadcasters should reflect that.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 5 Nov 2012 23:00
  • Fri 16 Feb 2018 18:30
  • Sat 17 Feb 2018 00:30
  • Tue 27 Jul 2021 23:30
  • Tue 21 Mar 2023 21:00

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Watch and listen to exclusive live performances from the Mastertapes recordings.

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