Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety pin and a pair of bondage trousers.

Quote by Billy Bragg

Topics: Billy Bragg Quotes

All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of...

All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of...

But, in the end, even a song that's as politically bland as Blowin in the...

But, in the end, even a song that's as politically bland as Blowin in the...

All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.

All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

I enjoyed so much working with the guys from Wilco, and riffing off of them,...

I enjoyed so much working with the guys from Wilco, and riffing off of them,...

It's not a very popular subject amongst my audience, who are by nature more internationalist,...

It's not a very popular subject amongst my audience, who are by nature more internationalist,...

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

My upbringing was very straightforward suburban working class upbringing.

My upbringing was very straightforward suburban working class upbringing.

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...