Billy Bragg hits out at smoking at gigs

April 26, 2006

Singer-songwriter Billy Bragg has challenged the age old rock and roll cliché of chain-smoking musicians by launching a blistering attack on cigarettes while attending a music event in Liverpool.

Bragg, whose heavy smoking father died of lung cancer when he was 18, was speaking at the Liverpool Now High and Dry music Festival, before playing a gig.

Speaking to young bands at the famous Picket venue, whose Dry Bar is sponsored by the Liverpool-based anti-smoking campaign Direct Movement by the Youth Smokefree Team (D-MYST), Bragg said making gigs smokefree is essential.

"There is nothing more pernicious than secondary smoking at venues - I'm really opposed to it,' he said. "Most young people think they're going to live forever and it's hard to get them to realise that how they live will have a long term effect.
"I've done gigs in America where the tobacco companies have been handing out free cigarettes to young people as they come in - I was disgusted. I now won't perform on any stage that is sponsored by the tobacco industry.

"When I get home from some gigs my clothes stink of tobacco smoke. D-MYST's work to make environments smokefree and get young people off cigarettes is great."

Legislation to make all workplaces in Britain smokefree was passed by parliament earlier this year, but will not come into force until 2007.

Gina McDaid, Project Co-ordinator with D-MYST, said in the meantime the campaign to raise the smokefree issue amongst the young people of the city must go on.

"It is fantastic to get this kind of support from such a prominent and respected figure in the music industry as Billy Bragg. He is speaking from the heart and hopefully that will encourage people to question the stereotype of the heavy smoking musician.

"D-MYST has been heavily involved with the Liverpool Now High and Dry festival at the ticket, which has been totally smokefree for the last two weeks.

"It really is important to try and make something as glamorous as the music scene smoke free. That can really change attitudes among young people."