Billy Bragg, once-described as a "one-man Clash," has spent the last two decades writing and performing passionate, witty, socially conscious music. This is a reissue of Talking with the Taxman About Poetry, Billy's 1985 album, about which Rolling Stone glowed, "On this album, cheerfully subtitled 'The difficult Third Album,' Bragg expands his pared-down sound ever-so-slightly (violin here, piano and tambourine there). While purists might bitch, the result is a winning mesh, as clever as Elvis Costello, as melodic as Ray Davies and as rocking as Chuck Berry."

Billy Bragg, once-described as a "one-man Clash," has spent the last two decades writing and performing passionate, witty, socially conscious music. This is a reissue of Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, Billy's 1984 sophomore effort, with the addition of 1985's Between the Wars EP. The album title comes from his brief stint on tank patrol in the British Army, about which Billy says, "One guy would park the tank and another would throw the camouflage netting over it, while one of us inside would brew up a pot of tea. But the title could refer to brewing up trouble, as well." The album's grassroots-fueled success made good on an early publicity claim, "Billy Bragg has no band, no 'experimental' haircut, no gimmick, and no video. He has a couple of cheap electric guitars, enormous personality, courage, integrity, a repertoire of timeless songs and, very shortly, a second gold disc to give to his Mum."

Billy Bragg, once-described as a "one-man Clash," has spent the last two decades writing and performing passionate, witty, socially conscious music. On September 6, Yep Roc Records will re-issue "Life's a Riot With Spy Vs. Spy," 1983's mini-LP that first introduced the world to Billy's style -- roughly strummed electric guitar and stark vocals belying a keen sense of melody and committed, deeply humane lyrics on topics ranging from life and love to social upheaval and the plight of the working class. Recorded live to 2-track tape for free over the course of three afternoons in Chappell Music's tiny demo studio in the modest hope of selling the occasional copy at early gigs, "Life's a Riot..." had initial sales topping 50,000 (ultimately over 120,000) without the aid of advertising. It spent 12 weeks at #1 on the UK indie chart and reached #32 in the national LP chart and featured his first underground anthem -- "A New England." Six-Panel Mini-Jacket. Yep Records. 2006.