Billy Bragg – Mid Century Modern: New Song Of The Day

Billy Bragg releases Mid-Century Modern and golly, do we ever need his voice right now!

This version, just released, is a live record of the new song. The studio version will soon be available on Billy’s upcoming new album, The Million Things That Never Happened. But don’t take our word for it…read the record company blurb:

Billy Bragg released new single ‘Mid-Century Modern’ overnight on the Cooking Vinyl label. ‘Mid-Century Modern’ is taken from Billy’s eagerly awaited tenth studio album ‘The Million Things That Never Happened’. Written by Billy, the song is a big wall of sound pop song that weighs up his political and personal standing in this shifting sand world. The musicians on the track are Billy Bragg (electric gtr & vocals), Romeo Stodart (acoustic gtr, bass, piano),  Dave Izumi (Hammond organ), Joe Harvey Whyte (pedal steel, lap steel), and Darren Beckett (drums).

Says Billy: “As a mid century modern geezer, I’m aware that my notions of personal relationships were formed almost fifty years ago, likewise my politics. To cling to that and imagine that you’ve nothing to learn from younger generations, you’re in danger of becoming a dinosaur. Kids have got new priorities and new ideas. Thatcher’s dead. The world has moved on. I’m trying to respond to the things I’m hearing now, rather than reminding folk of ‘the good old days’.”

Billy Bragg has been a fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and peerless political campaigner for over 30 years. He has released 9 solo studio 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); Don’t Try This At Home (1991); William Bloke (1996); England, Half English (2002); Mr Love & Justice (2008); Tooth & Nail (2013); two albums with Wilco – (Grammy nominated) Mermaid Avenue (1998); Mermaid Avenue Vol II (2000); and one album with Joe Henry – Shine A Light: Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad (2016). He released a mini album Bridges Not Walls in 2017. His most recent release was The Best Of Billy Bragg At The BBC 1983-2019 (2019).

At their best, Billy’s songs present ‘the perfect Venn diagram between the political and the personal’ (The Guardian).

Billy Bragg added best-selling author/musicologist to his CV with the success of his acclaimed 2017 book Roots, Radicals & Rockers – How Skiffle Changed The World. His most recent book, The Three Dimensions of Freedom, an extended essay arguing that liberty must be tempered with a commitment to accountability, has been translated into German and Spanish.

www.billybragg.co.uk – for all latest tour dates information for UK, Australia, New Zealand & EU (USA dates to follow)