Billy Bragg doing "Woody Guthries work?
Billy Bragg took 10 min of my life this morning to tell me about the Occupy Movement and to come across as an arrogant fake. Heres, the worse part- hes NOT an arrogant prick. He is an extremely talented and intelligent musician/activist yet in 9 minutes I went from huge fan to 'sweet Jesus shut up and sing'.
There is nothing worse than a preachy preachy entertainer. Some are notorious for it (anyone remember Richard Gere and his Tibet obsession?) and there is the delivery of your message. The Clash were considered political (note Billys guitar at 4 min) yet never did I feel preached to. They sang, incorporated it in their lyric and got on with their show.
For Bragg to school yard spar with the rather obnoxious reporter within this film made him look like a tool on the hunt for a laugh. It was almost like old man syndrome, just trying to look cool. I would like to think of this video as out of context. I think Bragg is articulate enough but maybe (and hopefully) the binding intelligence got lost in the edit.
To call himself the 99% is rather amusing and the fact that hes also touring "Occupy' sites along his tour route almost makes me feel like hes just grabbing the OP. Seems alot of 'stars' are doing just that. Aside from Kanye who was the ventriloquists dummy of silence, everyone has something to say.
I encounter the Occupy movement Monday-Friday on my way to work. I occupy my office. I occupy my place of voting. I occupy the goods and services I feel deserve my support.
I don't camp and bitch. Well, yeah actually I do but on vacations.