Chicago Tribune
October 25, 1996
Opposites Attract
Artful Hitchcock, Political Bragg Unite In Folk
by Greg Kot
Billy Bragg, blunt-spoken socialist and street poet; and Robyn Hitchcock, master of surreal, insidiously catchy Psychedelia make for an unlikely pairing. But there's actually a deep affinity between the two artists (who will be sharing the stage Wednesday at the Vic as part of a North American tour).
Both have recently released new albums of stripped-down Pop following more elaborately produced efforts. Bragg's William Bloke (Elektra) -- which is dominated by solo performances featuring little more than his voice and guitar -- succeeds the 1991 Don't Try This At Home, on which he employed a full band. Hitchcock's Moss Elixir (Warner) is his first solo album since breaking up his longtime group, The Egyptians.
For Bragg, it's a return to his '80s solo roots -- when he was blasting away at Margaret Thatcher -- but this time with an emphasis on more personal matters, particularly the birth of his son three years ago. Hitchcock is uncovering a new directness in his art that hasn't been apparent before, and his songs have an uncluttered warmth and poignance that makes Moss Elixir a landmark in his 20-year career.
Play On hooked up a three-way interview with Bragg and Hitchcock in London on the eve of the tour:
You both have found your voice playing solo, as opposed to in a band. Why is that?
Bragg: It's cheaper [Laughs]. But when I played the Reading Festival recently, I came on at 5 in the afternoon after a whole day of guitar bands, and it allowed me to stand out a bit. It's more scary, because there's nothing to hide behind. And that's an attraction for me: the adrenaline rush I get from it.
Hitchcock: We're both recovering from bands at the moment. Now I just borrow musicians, dust them off, give them some money, and hope I haven't offended them. I just didn't want to be part of this six-legged animal, this gang, anymore.
Bragg: I remember when you were in your psychedelic Merseybeat phase with the band. But to me the lyrics, the imagery, were much more vivid and accessible solo.
Hitchcock: You can hide behind electricity. You distance yourself from people. The less there is between you and your audience, the more your songs can come through. With The Egyptians, the band was not a vehicle for the songs, the songs were a vehicle for the band.
Bragg: It's so easy to hide behind production -- like putting something behind a net curtain. You can see it, but not really focus on it. It's hard to overcome the urge to put more on your records.
Hitchcock: Because it sounds more grown-up that way.
Bragg: It'll be huge! It sounds just like Oasis! Just put a little bit more on there. On this album, all the songs were written before I went into the studio -- and they worked live. They didn't need anything more. On the previous album, the production values were distorted because I had Johnny Marr produce three songs -- including "Sexuality" -- and everything I recorded afterward was colored by that.
You're both entering middle age. How has your approach to songwriting changed since you started?
Bragg: When I started I wanted to sound like Elvis Costello backed by The Stones or The Clash. Now, I'm very pleased if I don't sound that way. My bottom line now is to communicate, to get an idea across.
Hitchcock: Like Bill, I wanted to sound like other people at first. Now, I'm relieved when I don't. But I never expected my songs to communicate.
Bragg: You'd have worried if people grasped it all.
Hitchcock: Yes, because I didn't grasp all I was saying. My approach has changed enormously, though, since I was a young, ex-public school psycho. My words were like pictures that you made sense of later (if at all). It's not like I was trying to be unclear or speak in code. Believe it or not, I wrote my share of "Roll over and die, Mrs. Thatcher" songs, but they sounded so contrived to me. Opinion is not enough to carry a song. Bill, you don't just push opinion. It's like you let the listener draw the conclusion you want -- which is something the early Dylan was also very good at.
Bragg: I've been experimenting with writing songs that are less literal. But whenever I do, people always pester me, "What's that about?" So I do tend to write things with literal meaning.
So where does this stuff fit into today's marketplace? Or does that even matter to you?
Bragg: I don't think it matters. We're both really strong lyricists. And contrary to what some people might think, we're natural bedfellows. Without wishing to tread on the cliched ground of Britpop, if you want to hear music from Britain that is Pop-y and has content, this is the ticket.
Hitchcock: Bill's an old punk, I'm an old hippie, and we're both folkies. We both listen to enormous amounts of music. We carry around our own record libraries. And a lot of that has gone into us. They don't make 'em like us anymore.
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