Back to Basics

by Billy Bragg

Back to Basics is a 1987 collection of Billy Bragg's first three releases: The albums Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy and Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, and the EP Between the Wars—all of which make their debut in the United States here. This collection did not contain any new material, but did document Billy Bragg's early "one man and his guitar" approach. The songs collected on this release demonstrate major recurrent themes in Bragg's work: highly critical commentary on Thatcherite Britain, laced with poetic love songs. The collection was re-released in November 1993 on the Cooking Vinyl label.