Latest news with #BillyBragg
Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Dropkick Murphys announce new album and release single
The Dropkick Murphys have announced their new album, For The People, set for release on July 4. The record will be the band's 13th studio album. It includes 12 tracks featuring collaborations with musicians such as Billy Bragg, The Scratch, The Mary Wallopers and Al Barr. The album closes with a tribute to the late Shane MacGowan of The Pogues. The band also released a new single 'Who'll Stand With Us?', the first from their forthcoming longplayer. The song addresses themes of class division and social injustice in the United States. The music video shows people being disappeared, a reference to the Trump administration's recent mass deportations. 'Who'll Stand With Us?' is 'a call for unity, a return to sanity, and a look at what – and who–is really dividing us… When the billionaires and broligarchs get done neutering society, what's left for the rest of us? The song aims to frame class warfare for what it is,' read a statement from the band. Dropkick Murphys will launch their U.S. Summer of Discontent tour with Bad Religion on July 22. Ahead of that, the band known for their Celtic-infused punk sound will perform at Fenway Park in Boston on July 11.
Metro
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Billy Bragg: 'An audience can generate a sense of of social solidarity'
When he was starting out as a young singer-songwriter and rabble-rouser, Billy Bragg used to pride himself on nicking other people's audiences. A spot at a talent competition at the famous Bridgehouse pub in Canning Town, east London, in the early 1980s – one of his first appearances playing solo in front of an audience – had caught the attention of someone at the Tunnel Club in Greenwich. Billy's 'angry poet with an electric guitar' style might have only won him second place in the contest, but it went down well in the venue at the south end of the Blackhall Tunnel. His job was warming up the crowd before the main act, a role he sometimes performed a bit too well. 'If I came off and almost got an encore, the headliners were looking at cranky at me – they were gonna follow what I just done – I was always thought that was brilliant,' he told Metro. 'I mean, I wouldn't get much money for it, but I was learning my craft. I was learning how to grow, you know, sort of grab an audience.' The picture he paints of the music scene in London at that point is vibrant: the New Romantics may have been starting to swallow up the mainstream, but this diverse city had a culture to match. 'One night would be a ska band. Another night might be a traditional rock band,' Billy said. 'There was a band called True Life Confessions who had a couple of strippers with them, that was a bit weird. 'And there was a heavy metal band that I remember – during my brief sound check, they were taking thunderflashes to the front of the stage, which I thought was a bit over-the-top for a pub in east London.' The Tunnel Club doubled as a comedy club at the time, giving Billy more licence to try out his patter on the crowd. A video jukebox was usually kept running during the musical performances, so he would mimic the 'strange, jerky' dance moves of the Tears for Fears boys to the delight of the pubgoers. He said: 'I didn't really have much style, as you've probably noticed if you've looked at any photographs throughout my career, but I did have a lot of content, and part of that content was talking to the audience. 'I don't think you can learn that if you haven't gone out there and played those kind of small venues. You have to engage with people.' On a recent trip to London, Billy walked south along Tottenham Court Road which links Euston with Trafalgar Square. Starting at the north end, near Warren Street Tube station, he could see the building that once housed the Embassy Rooms venue. Then there was the old Roebuck pub, where his mum first saw him perform: 'The NME was there and wanted to talk to her as well. And she told them, you know, he doesn't normally talk like that.' Walking further down, he passed the Dominion, where he once opened for the Style Council. The Astoria, the Borderline – all venues where he had once taken to the stage, all now closed. 'So it's kind of saddened me a bit,' he said. 'Because it's those venues that give people a chance to try out their stuff and find out – you know, how do you find out if your songs were any good, if you only even played them to your girlfriend or your mum or your bedroom mirror? 'You got to get out in front of people. You got to take those first steps, those first tentative steps. More Trending 'You know, I've always believed that the hardest thing to do in rock and roll is make that step between leaving your day job and making a living doing gigs, and you're never going to get there, you know, nobody just suddenly arrives.' London still has almost 180 precious grassroots music venues that still give performers the opportunity to play to a crowd – an opportunity that could change their life, or just make life feel a little better. 'An audience can generate a sense of of social solidarity. It's not a political thing, because you're in a room with paper and they're all focusing on one thing, and they're all cheering one thing, and they're all enjoying one thing, Billy said. 'You as a member of the audience, you feel sort of part of something bigger, you know – I mean, I'm into this cool thing, and everyone else thinks it's cool, therefore, maybe I'm cool too.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Skunk Anansie wouldn't exist without Grassroot venues' MORE: Metro launches London Grassroots Music Tube Map to spotlight city's top venues MORE: When is Eurovision 2025 final? Date, location and latest odds revealed
Metro
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
London's renowned music scene deserves a celebration - here's how we're doing it
Feeling the drumbeat in your core. The sweet smell of the smoke machine. Closing your eyes and belting out the lyrics. When it comes to nights out, there's very little that can beat catching a bit of live music. A decent gig can brighten your week; a great gig can change your life. It might be a cramped performance in a room above a pub, where it feels like you could reach out and strum the guitar yourself. It could be a stadium show, where you're surrounded by thousands of people jumping in unison. Londoners are lucky enough to have easy access to both those options – and everything in between. Some performers, like pop superstar Dua Lipa and heavy metal legends Iron Maiden, have climbed every rung on the ladder and are now selling out some of the biggest venues in the country. But they would not have made it to that level if they had not taken the initial step, and walked out in front of a tiny audience at one of London's grassroots music spots. For singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg, it all started in the early eighties with weekly gigs at Greenwich's Tunnel Club, where the air smelt of sawdust and a couple of hundred punters could fit in at a push. He told Metro: 'I had a Tuesday night residency there for about three months, and I kind of learned how to to stand in front of a crowd and get their attention, because I was opening for whoever played, just me solo. 'I dealt with all sorts of audiences playing. It really was an apprenticeship to connect with an audience, absolutely crucial in the way I do gigs now.' Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden's lead singer, said his band and thousands of others had 'taken on the world after starting their journey in London's clubs and venues'. 'London's diverse music scene and its grassroots venues are essential to nurture and support new artists, to bring music fans together and create lifelong passions and memories,' he said. 'We need to cherish it, celebrate it and protect it.' To do all three, Metro has joined forces with the Mayor of London, Transport for London and organisations including the Music Venue Trust, Featured Artist Coalition, Outernet and Universal Music for a new campaign. At its heart is a reimagined London Underground map, which puts a spotlight on the artists and locations that define culture in the capital. Each Tube line reflects a different element of that heritage: the Piccadilly line features contemporary artists; the Northern has music legends; the Jubilee features albums and the Bakerloo contains much-loved songs about the city. The artwork celebrates the venues that have made this happen – and aims to encourage Londoners to take advantage of the musical opportunities on their doorstep. According to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), the 179 grassroots music venues in London hosted almost 330,000 performances last year which were attended by around 4.3 million people. Talent from that scene will feature in the music programme for the first ever SXSW London, which is taking place next month. The event's head of music Adem Holness said these venues 'often feel like our best-kept secret'. 'As a Londoner, I'm super proud to see the iconic status of grassroots music culture celebrated as a reminder that some of London's best bits come to life after dark,' he added. Skin, the frontwoman of Skunk Anansie, told Metro it was the small gigs where 'people are a lot less precious' that allowed her rock band to 'get good'. The capital's grassroots scene was described by Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, as 'renowned around the world'. He said: 'This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone.' But the Mayor added that many of these sites have 'faced huge challenges in recent years', a concern shared by Mark Davyd, the founder of the MVT. Mark said lots of venues are facing the painful reality of a 'dual personality': 'We're selling more tickets to see live music in the UK than we've ever done before. Certainly, we're selling significantly more in London we ever have done before. 'The challenge of running one of these venues, though, is that the costs in the last five years have absolutely exploded.' Between staffing, energy bills, business rates and rent, a critical situation has developed where 'most of them are really struggling to survive in a climate in which live music has never been so highly valued', he said. Celebrating the history and impact of these beloved spaces will help 'secure London's future as a world-leading music capital', according to Metro editor Deborah Arthurs. More Trending She said: 'At Metro, we believe in the power of culture to bring people together and tell the stories of a city—and nowhere is that more alive than in its independent venues and emerging artists. 'Grassroots music isn't just where great talent gets its start—it's where community, creativity, and identity thrive. These spaces keep live music accessible and affordable for audiences. 'Supporting them means everyone has the chance to experience the energy, connection and inspiration that only live music can offer.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Prison officer caught on bodycam filmed kissing and hugging inmate avoids jail MORE: How to get around London without the Tube network MORE: Fire breaks out at Keir Starmer's north London home
BreakingNews.ie
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Billy Bragg says open letter from music stars defending Kneecap ‘lacks nuance'
Musician and activist Billy Bragg has said an open letter from music stars defending Kneecap's right to freedom of expression 'lacks any sense of nuance'. The statement, signed by artists including former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, Paul Weller and Primal Scream, opposes the politicians calling for the rap trio to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival line-up. Advertisement It comes following the emergence of two videos, one from a November 2023 gig that allegedly shows a member of the group saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Billy Bragg (@billybraggofficial) The other video, from November 2024, appears to show one member shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', which are terrorist organisations banned in the UK. Both are being investigated by counter-terrorism officers. In an Instagram post, Bragg, 67, said: 'I'm glad to see that a number of artists have signed a letter defending Kneecap from attempts to remove them from various festival bills in the wake of comments made at shows over two years ago. 'The band have apologised for the hurt they caused to the families of murdered MPs and distanced themselves from Hamas and Hezbollah.' Advertisement In a statement, Kneecap said it has 'never supported Hamas or Hezbollah' and apologised to the families of Tory MP Sir David Amess and Labour MP Jo Cox. After the footage emerged, a string of cancelled gigs followed, including the band's concert at the Eden Project in Cornwall on July 4. 'Having taken that step, I believe they deserve to be reinstated on those bills that have removed them, and also confirmed as playing at those festivals where they are already scheduled to perform', Bragg said. Kneecap members Liam Og O Hannaigh (Mo Chara), JJ O'Dochartaigh (DJ Provai), and Naoise O Caireallain (Moglai Bap) (Ian West/PA) 'However, I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable signing the letter (I wasn't asked). My problem is that the wording lacks any sense of nuance or understanding of why this whole furore kicked off. Advertisement 'And in trying to avoid the complexities of this issue by claiming that the politics of an artist's views are irrelevant, the signatories are arguing that the only principle at stake here is free speech. I disagree.' Bragg went on to say that 'we need to accept that words have consequences' and said we must be careful to not allow 'considered and cogent arguments' to 'be undermined by flippant statements that we later have to apologise for.' He also said the band is being 'punished' for the 'anti-Israel statements they made at Coachella' and added that 'the people calling for Kneecap to be banned are the same people who decry cancel culture whenever anyone of their political persuasion is called to account'. The hip-hop group from Belfast received criticism after their April performances at the American festival, where they projected messages including: 'Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.' Advertisement Kneecap performing. Photo: Niall Carson/PA. Bragg added: 'Perhaps if they addressed some of the complexities of this situation in an interview, putting their statements and subsequent treatment into context while defending their right to call out genocide, it might clear the air and garner wider support for Kneecap to perform as scheduled this summer. 'What I don't think helps them – or any of us who wish to engage in debate around highly contentious issues – is a blanket demand that artists be allowed to say whatever they want to say, without consequence.' The open letter, signed by dozens of artists, said there is a 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' Kneecap, while claiming that politicians are 'strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band' while ignoring a 'genocide' in Gaza. Ireland Kneecap's manager says rap trio 'happy to meet' Da... Read More On Thursday, the Met Police said they were made 'aware' in April of two lots of footage from November 2023 and November 2024, and the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be investigating. Advertisement A statement said: 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.' Kneecap, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, formed in 2017 and are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language.
RTÉ News
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Billy Bragg says open letter defending Kneecap lacks 'nuance'
Musician and activist Billy Bragg has said an open letter from music stars defending Kneecap's right to freedom of expression "lacks any sense of nuance". The statement, signed by artists including former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, Paul Weller, and Primal Scream, opposes the British politicians calling for the rap trio to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival line-up. It comes following the emergence of two videos, one from a November 2023 gig that allegedly shows a member of the group saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." The other video, from November 2024, appears to show one member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah", which are terrorist organisations banned in the UK. Both are being investigated by counter-terrorism officers. In an Instagram post, Bragg, 67, said: "I'm glad to see that a number of artists have signed a letter defending Kneecap from attempts to remove them from various festival bills in the wake of comments made at shows over two years ago. "The band have apologised for the hurt they caused to the families of murdered MPs and distanced themselves from Hamas and Hezbollah." In a statement, Kneecap said it has "never supported Hamas or Hezbollah" and apologised to the families of Tory MP David Amess and Labour MP Jo Cox. After the footage emerged, a string of cancelled gigs followed, including the group's concert at the Eden Project in Cornwall on 4 July. "Having taken that step, I believe they deserve to be reinstated on those bills that have removed them, and also confirmed as playing at those festivals where they are already scheduled to perform," Bragg said. "However, I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable signing the letter (I wasn't asked). My problem is that the wording lacks any sense of nuance or understanding of why this whole furore kicked off. "And in trying to avoid the complexities of this issue by claiming that the politics of an artist's views are irrelevant, the signatories are arguing that the only principle at stake here is free speech. I disagree." Bragg went on to say that "we need to accept that words have consequences" and said we must be careful to not allow "considered and cogent arguments" to "be undermined by flippant statements that we later have to apologise for". He also said the group is being "punished" for the "anti-Israel statements they made at Coachella" and added that "the people calling for Kneecap to be banned are the same people who decry cancel culture whenever anyone of their political persuasion is called to account". The hip-hop group from Belfast received criticism after their April performances at the American festival, where they projected messages including: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people." Bragg added: "Perhaps if they addressed some of the complexities of this situation in an interview, putting their statements and subsequent treatment into context while defending their right to call out genocide, it might clear the air and garner wider support for Kneecap to perform as scheduled this summer. "What I don't think helps them - or any of us who wish to engage in debate around highly contentious issues - is a blanket demand that artists be allowed to say whatever they want to say, without consequence." The open letter, signed by dozens of artists, said there is a "clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform" Kneecap, claiming that politicians are "strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band" while ignoring a "genocide" in Gaza. On Thursday, Britain's Metropolitan Police said it was made "aware" in April of two lots of footage from November 2023 and November 2024, and the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be investigating. A statement said: "Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos." Kneecap, made up of Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, and Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, formed in 2017 and are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language.
