h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was astonished to find barely a mention of the Bard of Barking in these pages, so I cobbled together a little something:
http://www.h2g2.com/A487046
Please let me know if you like it.
Are there too many quotes?
Too much politics?
Is the style too wordy?
All Feedback, as ever, appreciated
PF

Not too much politics. That is what he is known for after all. The over-all tone is perhaps a little slanted towards the left, though - especially the opening paragraph - and this might rattle a few feathers, particularly among our American cousins (did you read the Peer Review entry on "anti-socialism" ?). I realise some of it is probably intended to be tongue in cheek, but I don't think you will get away with saying that *everyone* under 30 hated Margaret Thatcher. A lot of people did (myself included) but what about the Young Conservatives ? What about Mr Hague ? I think balance here has to be the watch-word.

The references to more contemporary politicians may also be problematic, as these are likely to leave non-UK readers perplexed. I doubt many people in Australia or the US will have heard of Mo Mowlam, for example. The references may also date the article quite quickly.

That said, this is an extremely well-written piece and certainly deserves plenty of attention. The lyrics you quote are well chosen. I don't think there are too many, but there might be copyright issues involved in using them all. I am no expert on that. I hope not, as they add enormously to the overall piece. How else can you demonstrate the quality of the material ?

Overall then, a big thumbs up.

MDS

Thanks for the feedback, MDS. Always nice to know someone's listening.
I've made one improvement based on your first comment, though it hardly restores balance...
I'll have a look at the others over the w/e
PF

*stifles a laugh*

Honestly...

A good addition might be his collaboration with Wilco on "Mermaid Avenue". Most music critics voted it the best CD of 1998 (and a well-deserved vote it is!!!) and his memorializing of the legendary Woody Guthrie reflects his passionate leftist political and social politics. "Christ for President" and "I Guess I Planted" are wonderful examples of both men's beliefs.

For anyone who hasn't listened to this recording, I strongly recommend it. Bragg went to Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, and asked to put music to and record some of her father's uncompleted songs. All the Guthrie family had were the lyrics. Bragg, together with the American alt.country band Wilco, added the music. Everything is perfect. A rarity in today's music scene.

Thanks FG,
I have to admit to being out of the Billy loop in the last few years, having been abroad a lot. That's good information (and I welcome any more people may have) - I'll try to weave it in there. I'll also try to get the album, but that needn't hold up this process
PF

PS. (Please don't take offence, FG) For fellow DNRC members: This is where I could just hear Dogbert's reply -
"Dear Fraulein Barfbag..."

Okay, updates completed.
New section on Mermaid Avenue added.
Contributing Researcher credit to Fraulein G.

As far as I'm concerned, it's ready. Anyone disagree?

PF

From a Scouty point of view, I really like this entry, although I wouldn't consider myself to be a fan of BB. It's got a nice balance of text and quotations.
You might, however, still get pulled up on the politics. It would be entirely wrong to divorce BB from the political dimension of his work and the opinions he holds - you haven't tried to do that, and I'm glad of that. Is William Hague even more unpopular than Thatcher? depends if hating and despising are the same thing I suppose...
"Were it not for his left-wing leanings, he might have made an ideal choice as a modern Poet Laureate" is perhaps unfair - let's face it, a pop/folk singer, no matter how pro-establishment, would not be made poet laureate in this day and age.
You may, of course disagree with me, some of my fellow scouts probably do!

Thank you for the plug, PF!

*glances at the checkbook to see if she has enough money to buy the follow-up to Mermaid Avenue*

Have you heard anything about this recording? It came out with very little fanfare (as compared to M.A.) and I haven't heard any of the critical reviews.

BTW, my favorite song on Mermaid is "One By One". It makes me cry every time I hear it. Sigh.

As someone who grew up in Northern England in the 1980's, I would just like to say what a great article this is, and how it should have a place in the full guide (and would have, if I had any say in the matter.) Up in Durham (where I was living during the miner's strike) we never had much time for 'cocknees' and so Billy's Essexness used to annoy us a bit, but he was, and is, a Top Bloke.
My favourite Bragg tracks:-
New England (I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song)
Saturday Boy (In the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of Unrequited / Whilst she was giving herself for free / At a party to which I was never invited)
She's got a new spell (One minute she says she's gone to get the cat in / The next thing I know she's mumbling in latin)
Levi Stubb's tears (... roll down his face)
Island of no return (Can't think of any lyrics, but contains Billy's best guitar solo.)

Maybe your article could contain a little more about Billy's music. He actually was (and is) a bloody good guitar player, as any guitarist who has tried to copy his stuff will tell you.

The guy's just God, actually.

As someone who grew up in Northern England in the 1980's, I would just like to say what a great article this is, and how it should have a place in the full guide (and would have, if I had any say in the matter.) Up in Durham (where I was living during the miner's strike) we never had much time for 'cocknees' and so Billy's Essexness used to annoy us a bit, but he was, and is, a Top Bloke.
My favourite Bragg tracks:-
New England (I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song)
Saturday Boy (In the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of Unrequited / Whilst she was giving herself for free / At a party to which I was never invited)
She's got a new spell (One minute she says she's gone to get the cat in / The next thing I know she's mumbling in latin)
Levi Stubb's tears (... roll down his face)
Island of no return (Can't think of any lyrics, but contains Billy's best guitar solo.)

Maybe your article could contain a little more about Billy's music. He actually was (and is) a bloody good guitar player, as any guitarist who has tried to copy his stuff will tell you.

The guy's just God, actually.

As someone who grew up in Northern England in the 1980's, I would just like to say what a great article this is, and how it should have a place in the full guide (and would have, if I had any say in the matter.) Up in Durham (where I was living during the miner's strike) we never had much time for 'cocknees' and so Billy's Essexness used to annoy us a bit, but he was, and is, a Top Bloke.
My favourite Bragg tracks:-
New England (I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song)
Saturday Boy (In the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of Unrequited / Whilst she was giving herself for free / At a party to which I was never invited)
She's got a new spell (One minute she says she's gone to get the cat in / The next thing I know she's mumbling in latin)
Levi Stubb's tears (... roll down his face)
Island of no return (Can't think of any lyrics, but contains Billy's best guitar solo.)

Maybe your article could contain a little more about Billy's music. He actually was (and is) a bloody good guitar player, as any guitarist who has tried to copy his stuff will tell you.

The guy's just God, actually.

Sorry for that.

It isn't that I thought my contributionwas so important, I had to send it three times. Rather that Swisscom (my Internet provider) and H2G2 are so bleedin' slow I keep thinking my message hasn't actually been posted.

In deference to comments above, a couple of minor modifications have been made - including making the Hague reference slightly less crass and (hopefully) wittier, though (hopefully again) no more respectful.

As for the rest of the politics - yes, there's a leftist bias. But then again, I've been almost as anti the Labour party as the Tories. I've tried to stay with the flavour of BB's lyrics and the beliefs behind them. Call it 40% deliberate and 60% the genuine feelings of someone sick of the cynical populism of modern politics

Also, I removed the Wilco link because... well, to be frank, it didn't work. Bad URL! Naughty URL!

PF

PS FG - I haven't played M.Ave enough yet to have developed any real favourites - it arrived in the middle of the Christmas hols - but it all sounds good to me!

I snuck away on my lunch hour and bought the follow-up CD. Can't wait to get home to shove it in the stereo...

Positive Feedback:

Congratulations! This article has been submitted to The Powers That Be, and they think it is every bit as good as I do. It is now going forward to become a part of the Edited Guide.

You'll get an e-mail when it officially appears, though that might not be for a while yet.

In the meantime: well done, and keep up the good work!

MDS

Editorial Note: This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review forum because this entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

If they haven't been along already, the Scout who recommended your entry will post here soon, to let you know what happens next. Meanwhile you can find out what will happen to your entry here: http://www.h2g2.com/SubEditors-Process

Congratulations!

Thanks for writing it - it's a great article for a great man - all we need now is a similar entry for the wedding present.