ROBB JOHNSON has long been one of Britain’s most political singer-songwriters, with an outstanding repertoire of witty topical songs and concert collaborations with artists as diverse as Attila the Stockbroker and Leon Rosselson.
 
His latest album Pandemic Songs with his band The Irregulars is, as the title suggests, a commentary on the so-called new normal of Covid-19, and the response of right-wing leaders like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson.

“Nearly all the songs were written during the first critical wave between March 16 and June 17,” he says.

“I wanted to write about what was happening and it is basically a diary of song for those three months.

“There are 14 in all —  some desperate, some lonely — but I felt it was necessary to release a record promulgating alternative views rather than promoting government propaganda.”

The album is certainly successful in that respect. Songs like The Highlight of My Week reflect on a trip to the supermarket and how the workers there have more of a definite plan than the government. 

Victory in Europe highlights how Britain has the highest rate of deaths on the continent with the disappearance of 60,000 smiling faces, while Disinfectant and Big Floyd look at the state of Trump’s America.

Lockdown Jokes and Stories pays tribute to three black workers who lost their lives to Covid-19, comparing their sacrifice to the lack of contrition shown by Dominic Cummings for breaking lockdown restrictions.

Johnson has been used to writing about contemporary events since he started performing in 1973 and feels the issues remain the same.

“In the words of Billie Holiday, the pandemic has once again highlighted “Them That’s Got Shall Get, Them That’s Not Shall Lose.”

This also applies to the entertainment industry, where smaller venues are under threat but the emphasis is on preserving “crown jewels” like the Royal Albert Hall.

Johnson stresses that we need to build an inclusive culture “where people are not reduced to being passive spectators but are actually participants” and his new album can certainly play a role in shaping that inclusive culture.

And Star readers can also look forward to Johnson’s next initiative, a tribute CD to that true working-class fighter Dennis Skinner.

Pandemic Songs is released on Irregular Records.