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The Internationale (2000)
Character: Self
THE INTERNATIONALE draws on people's stories of an emotionally charged radical song (the long-time anthem of socialism and communism) to celebrate the relationship between music and social change, and to evaluate the uncertain fate of once thriving movements of the left.
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Way of the Morris (2011)
Character: Himself
As quintessentially homegrown as a game of cricket or a plate of fish-and-chips, Morris dancing is one of England's most ancient roots traditions. And yet to your average man on the street, it's seen as little more than a national joke. And a bad national joke at that. Something to ridicule. Something to be embarrassed about. A heartfelt docu-ballad in praise of birthplace, bloodline and rural brotherhood, WAY OF THE MORRIS follows Tim on a deeply personal journey from the barley fields of his childhood to the killing fields of The Somme, as he traces the poignant link between the spirited folk revival of the mid-1970s and the true story of the young Adderbury Morris side so decimated by the carnage of the First World War.
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Evidently... John Cooper Clarke (2012)
Character: Himself
A look at the life of John Cooper Clarke. From his rise as a 'punk poet', through his heroin addiction, and finally to his comeback.
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Rock Island Line: The Song That Made Britain Rock (2019)
Character: Himself
In January 1956, a new pop phenomenon appeared in the UK charts: a British artist playing a guitar. His name was Lonnie Donegan and the song he sang was Rock Island Line. Donegan’s rough-and-ready style was at odds with the polished crooners who dominated the charts. He played the guitar in a way that sounded like anyone could do it. Rock Island Line sounded like nothing else on the radio and it inspired a generation of British youths to pick up guitars and begin a journey that would take them to the top of the American charts.
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Beyond the Maypole (1991)
Character: Himself
Zimbabwean musician, Biggie Tempo, talks to a number of UK folk musicians about their work and their views on traditional music.
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Hazel Dickens: It’s Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song (2002)
Character: Self
A biographical documentary about the life Hazel Dickens profiling a modern woman dealing with contemporary issues from a feminist perspective that is the product of her experiences being Appalachian, being displaced physically and culturally, being poor and working class, being a woman artist in a man’s world, and being a bearer of tradition.
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Billy Bragg: Tooth and Nail (2013)
Character: N/A
This 10-song DVD accompaniment to the Tooth and Nail CD release showcases music videos from Billy Bragg's career, 1986-2002.
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Freedom Beat (2003)
Character: Self
On January 5, 1988, Artists Against Apartheid held a huge show in London to protest against the racist regime in South Africa, demanding the release of Nelson Mandela, jailed for 25 years for fighting to end prejudice against black people. British musicians like Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello and Sting joined beloved bands like Style Council and Big Audio Dynamite, and black musicians of the calibre of Sade, Hugh Masekela, Maxi Priest and Princess, to show the world that there is no more tolerance. for racism.
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A Curious Life (2014)
Character: Self (voice)
Borne out of the anarcho-squatting free-festival scene of the eighties the Levellers have survived over 25 years of music press vitriol, drink and drug addictions as well as many barren years in the wilderness. But the band had seven consecutive gold albums throughout the 90s, sold out their own festival for the last ten years and run their own creative centre, the Metway. Via the eccentric artist, archivist, whiskey loving bassist Jeremy Cunningham we are taken on a journey; how the band rose to fame and how they survived. A potted history of 25 years of subsidised dysfunctionalism. An uplifting tale of battling demons, that reminds us that behind every band there is always a story of struggle for expression, acceptance and survival.
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Sirppi ja kitara (1988)
Character: himself
A Finnish documentary about the feelings of a rock generation in the Soviet Union during Gorbachev's regime: the film follows underground bands' rise to publicity, the country's first "official" rock festival called the Moscow Rock Panorama-87 and the rocket-like ascent of Uralian Nautilus Pompilius into the starry sky of Soviet rock. Also appearing: "Аквариум", "Авиа", "Телевизор", "Браво", "Ва Банкъ", "Бригада С", "Новая Коллекция", "Мистер Твистер", "Круиз", "Нюанс", "Альянс", Uriah Heep.
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Dawai rock-n-roll (1989)
Character: himself
Documentary film for german TV about rock music in Soviet Union. Featuring: "Мистер Твистер", "Ва-Банкъ", "Чудо-Юдо", "Женская Болезнь", "Ночной Проспект", "Аквариум", "Ноль", "Аукцыон", "Телевизор", "АВИА", "Звуки Му". In 1989 an album with recorded soundtrack was released.
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Set the Night on Fire: The Story of Ewan MacColl (2021)
Character: Self
Born James Henry Miller in 1915, MacColl became prominent on the folk scene in the 1950s and was also a labour activist and actor. This affectionate documentary offers insights into all these aspects of his life and features new versions of some of his songs, including The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Contributors include Billy Bragg and his widow, Peggy Seeger.
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Days Like These (1986)
Character: Self
Documentary containing interviews and concert footage of the various musicians and bands within the Red Wedge organization on a tour within the UK.
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Last Shop Standing (2012)
Character: Self
Last Shop Standing, inspired by the book of the same name by Graham Jones, takes you behind the counter to discover why nearly 2000 record shops have already disappeared across the UK. The film charts the rapid rise of record shops in the 1960's, 70's and 80's, the influence of the chart, the underhand deals, the demise of vinyl and rise of the CD as well as new technologies. Where did it all go wrong? Why were 3 shops a week closing? Will we be left with no record shops with the continuing rise of downloading? Hear from over 20 record shop owners and music industry leaders as well as musicians including Paul Weller, Johnny Marr, Norman Cook, Billy Bragg, Nerina Pallot, Richard Hawley and Clint Boon as they all tell us how the shops became and still are a part of their own musical education, a place to cherish and discover new bands and new music.
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The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space (2008)
Character: Himself
Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt tell the story behind The Mighty Boosh in their own words. They visit locations key to their past, including the comedy club where they first performed and the studio where the radio show was recorded, which is now an organic supermarket. Featuring interviews with Stewart Lee, Danny Wallace, Lee Mack, Steve Coogan, Russell Brand, Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Jo Whiley, Lenny Henry, Kasabian and The Horrors as well as never before seen photos and home movies from the boys themselves.
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Urban Hymn (2015)
Character: Himself
Set against the backdrop of the 2011 UK summer riots, Jamie, a young female offender who possesses a remarkable voice, meets a determined social worker who inspires her to use it.
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Kirsty MacColl at the BBC (2024)
Character: Self (archive footage)
Described by Bono as 'the Noel Coward of our generation’, the singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl would have turned 65 this year had her life not been tragically cut short in December 2000. Signed at the age of just 19 after being the backing singer for a failed punk band, Kirsty went on to write and record songs that spanned genres, including rockabilly, pop and South American. She had hits like A New England and Days and sang a key part in one of the nation’s favourite Christmas songs, Fairytale of New York. Respected by those who worked alongside her, including Billy Bragg, Johnny Marr, Jools Holland and many others, she has left a legacy that is still valued today. This programme brings together performances that highlight the wit and intelligence of this unique performer
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The Big Meeting (2019)
Character: Self
Every second Saturday in July, since 1871, the city of Durham has been taken over by miners, trade-unions and the general public for one of the biggest annual gatherings in Europe, the Durham Miners' Gala - known locally as "The Big Meeting".
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Billy Bragg & Wilco: Man in the Sand (2005)
Character: Self
"Man in the Sand" is a 1999 music documentary that chronicles the collaboration between Billy Bragg and Wilco, which involved the musicians creating new music to accompany lyrics that were written decades earlier by folk singer Woody Guthrie. The project, which was organized by Woody's daughter Nora, spawned two albums: "Mermaid Avenue," released in 1998, and "Mermaid Avenue Vol. II," released in 2000.
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Beyond Barricades (2020)
Character: Himself
Beyond Barricades is a documentary on political punk band Anti-Flag, featuring interviews with Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, Tim McIlrath, Brian Baker & More. The film explores the trials and tribulations of playing politically charged music and devoting your life to activism.
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Woody Guthrie: Three Chords and the Truth (2019)
Character: Himself
Woody Guthrie is one of America’s legendary songwriters. A voice of the people, he wrote hard-hitting lyrics for a hard-hit nation. His is a tale of survival, creativity and reinvention. He is proof that there is always potential for change and even in 2019, more than fifty years after his death, he is challenging Donald Trump from beyond the grave. With enormous influence on successive generations of musicians like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez and Billy Bragg, this film proves he has a true place in 21st-century culture.
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Where Are You, Jay Bennett? (2021)
Character: Self
A feature-length documentary about musician Jay Bennett (1963-2009), who was a key member of Wilco on the "Being There," "Summerteeth," "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "Mermaid Avenue" albums.
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A World Without Beethoven? (2020)
Character: Self
"What would the world be like without Beethoven?" That’s the provocative question posed by this music documentary from Deutsche Welle. To answer it, the film explores how Ludwig van Beethoven's innovations continue to have an impact far beyond the boundaries of classical music, 250 years after his birth.
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Call Me Lucky (2015)
Character: Self
An inspiring, triumphant and wickedly funny portrait of one of comedy’s most enigmatic and important figures, CALL ME LUCKY tells the story of Barry Crimmins, a beer-swilling, politically outspoken and whip-smart comic whose efforts in the 70s and 80s fostered the talents of the next generation of standup comedians. But beneath Crimmins’ gruff, hard-drinking, curmudgeonly persona lay an undercurrent of rage stemming from his long-suppressed and horrific abuse as a child – a rage that eventually found its way out of the comedy clubs and television shows and into the political arena.
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Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune (2011)
Character: Self
From civil rights to the anti-war movement to the struggles of workers, folksinger Phil Ochs wrote topical songs that engaged his audiences in the issues of the 1960s and 70s. In this biographical documentary, veteran director Kenneth Bowser shows how Phil's music and his fascinating life story and eventual decline into depression and suicide were intertwined with the history-making events that defined a generation. Even as his contemporaries moved into folk-rock and pop music, Phil followed his own vision, challenging himself and his listeners. Not one to pull punches, Ochs never achieved the commercial success he desperately desired. But his music remains relevant, reaching new audiences in a generation that finds his themes all too familiar.
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