BILLY BRAGG: A People's History. An in conversation

Join BILLY BRAGG in conversation will as we celebrate the publication of 'A People's History' - an oral history by people moved by his music. Brought to us by the wonderful Spenwood Books, our #Louder2025 closing event promises to be the perfect finale to the Festival.

Billy Bragg – A People’s History is an oral history of the British singer-songwriter and political activist in the words of people who have been moved by his music.

Containing over 700 fan memories of seeing Billy in concert, on a demonstration or on TV, Billy Bragg – A People’s History is the story of the Bard of Barking as it’s never been told before.

Whether singing about love in ‘A New England’, domestic violence in ‘Levi Stubbs Tears’ or political activism in ‘There is Power in a Union’, Billy Bragg has been inspiring fans through his music and sparking political debate with his opinions for more than 40 years.

With memorabilia & photographs from Billy’s personal archive and contributions from the man himself, Billy Bragg – A People’s History spans Billy’s career in music, from his days with the punk-inspired Riff Raff through to the present day.

The book includes anecdotes from fans, friends and collaborators of seeing Billy in concert or encountering him as an activist, as well as Billy’s reflections on his long career.

Contributors include Chris Packham, Wiggy, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Cara Tivey, Dave Woodhead, Grant Showbiz, Neil Spencer, Martin Goldschmidt (Cooking Vinyl), Sid Griffin (Long Ryders), Nora Guthrie and Jamie Webster and an introduction by Phill ‘Porky the Poet’ Jupitus.

We have two ticket options available: * Event Only and *Event with Discounted Book Combo deal - books will be available for collection at the Festival.

Our event will be followed by a dedicated signing event with Billy. RRP books will also be available for purchase on the day.

About the Author

Billy Bragg has been making music for over 50 years, initially with his childhood friend and next door neighbour Wiggy, in the band Riff Raff, and then as a solo performer. A singer-songwriter & political activist from Barking, Essex, Billy is best known for songs such as ‘There Is Power In A Union’, ‘Sexuality’, ‘Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards’ and ‘A New England’. He is the author of The Progressive Patriot; A Search For Belonging (Bantam Press, 2006), A Lover Sings – Selected Lyrics (Faber, 2015), Roots, Radicals & Rockers (Faber, 2018) and The Three Dimensions of Freedom (Faber, 2019). Billy Bragg - A People’s History is his fifth book.

About the Editor

Iain Key lives in Manchester. A reviewer for the Louder Than War website, he is the author of All The Young Punks – A People’s History of The Clash (Spenwood, 2025). His weekly music show, Indie Brunch, features music & interviews with new and established music acts plus journalists & authors