I'm getting really excited about this upcoming release from Billy Bragg. Entitled, The Roaring Forty (1983-2023), it's a celebration of the best of his music, spanning the 40 years since the release in May, 1983 of his first album, Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy. In the promo video he explains:
The frustration of seeing nothing that spoke to me on Top of The Pops in the early 80s made me realise if I wanted to hear music that had something to say about the state of the world and real life, I'd have to make it myself. 18 months later I recorded my first LP. To mark the 40th anniversary of Life's A Riot with Spy vs Spy, I've compiled a number of commemorative releases that trace the arc of my career since those fateful Thursday nights.
Head to the Billy Bragg website to pre-order The Roaring Forty and to get info about his upcoming UK and Ireland tour, in Autum 2023. In the meantime, I'm reliving all of the hits through the playlist he put together. Enjoy!
