It has been more than 70 years since Woody Guthrie changed the direction of popular music when he used the singing voice, an acoustic guitar, and his sanity as a weapon to spread a mindset that slammed injustice and the disparities of an oppressive western society. With the path set, thoughtful pupils with the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Joe Strummer, continued with this humble but thoughtful mission of raising the voice against inequity.
Reinforced by the ideals of his intellectual mentor and the courage of the other apprentices, Guthrie´s latest legitimate heir, Billy Bragg – one of the most authentic and coherent minds in Britain – has been one of the wise commanders in the United Kingdom that favours the unprotected sons of our cracked economic and political system. After an unsuccessful attempt with a punk band in the late 70s, a “successful” failure on joining the British army in his youth, and concerned by how the “leaders” of the system moved their pieces, Bragg had witnessed some of the most outrageous situations that detonated his incessant need to raise the voice: the ashes of decadence from the industrial revolution, Thatcher´s ultra conservative political legacy, the Cold War and other tons of injustice that could fill this page.
After Bragg´s latest acclaimed release, Tooth & Nail’ (2013), the British folk troubadour brought a full piece band to play a handful of newbies, recreate some protest classics, and pay his respects to Guthrie in a special show recorded in June 2013 at the Union Chapel – one of Britain´s most impressive venues. Proud of making a living from what he loves since 30 years, and without the need to work for ‘another bastard’, Bragg´s show is a thoughtful performance of sanity and deep exploration in one of our biggest cancers as a society: injustice. With seven short interviews in between songs and a handful of extras, Live At The Union Chapel exposes Bragg as an astute but angry ambassador of the helpless in the aftermath of Thatcher´s eternal decay. Enriched by an inclusive setlist and lots of black humour, the beautiful photography and camera angles in this magnificent church make the engaging performance to flow smoothly and natural.
Ironically describing himself as a “radical Kenny Rogers”, Bragg´s well informed and wise chatter in between songs is what makes this release – immortally preserved by Cooking Vinyl – a special one. Observations against organized religion, the inequality in the streets of London, low wages; staggering thoughts against the Daily Mail, The British National Party, Richard Dawkins, and even blasts towards the O2 Arena and a lovely story of Ramblin´Jack Elliot – the man that introduced Dylan to Guthrie – enrich the context of the songs and the intimacy of the performance.
Beyond classics like “Ideology” or “Tank Park Salute”, Bragg´s solo acoustic pieces are the truly intimate moments: a statement against sensationalist press in “Never Buy The Sun”; the Dylanesque, “Between The Wars” – preceded by an engaging story on Thatcher´s death – the folkie socialism in “There Is Power In A Union”, and “Goodbye Goodbye”, with an analogy of Breaking Bad and the poor health system for middle class Americans.
In this honest release, Bragg does not leaves behind collaborations made during his big journey towards truth: “Sexuality”, co-written with guitar hero Johnny Marr (The Smiths); “You Woke Up My Neighbourhood”, co-written with Peter Buck (R.E.M.); and a handful of extracts from Bragg/Wilco´s Mermaid Avenue – inspired on Guthrie´s unfinished work – where a superb Stones-like version of dirty blues in “All You Fascists Bound To Lose”, and CJ Hillman´s (guitarist) pedal steel on “Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key”, are some of the highlights from the show.
The closure can´t be better. “Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards” preceded by a final thought: ‘The enemy is not capitalism or conservatism. Is cynism and the cure is activism’.
The lyrics in Billy Bragg´s work are timeless but sadly, his statements against destructive corporations, bloody businessman, outrageous corruption, inhuman inequality, and vampire-like politicians are still relevant and actual issues after more than 30 years. Hence, while the word is still no better place, Billy Bragg will continue to slam with his killing machine of injustice.
Live At The Union Chapel is a splendid collection of tracks combined with the beauty of photography and a thoughtful mind in a magnificent venue. This release is just the correct place to revaluate or reinforce your thoughts through the right path.
Alejandro De Luna
@thesenseofdoubt
Alejandro De Luna
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