Is Seasick Steve for real

[matt m]

The fact that Steve has had very little success in the the US says the most. They don't fall for it over there. He's a dime a dozen. It's just the tired old American hobo myth watered down and sold to a European audience and most lap it up because they don't know any better

I'm not sure a lot of the people who bought Steve's records even heard his schtick - they bought them cos they saw him on Jools Holland. And I think you're seriously missing a different point: that you don't have to believe a story's true to enjoy it. Bob Dylan told a million lies. Woody Guthrie told a fair few. People liked hearing their stories anyway.

Both America and the UK routinely 'falls for' a million myths about authenticity in music: in hip-hop, country, blues, whatever. The commercial end of hip-hop and country are industries built almost ENTIRELY around them. It's plain stupid to suggest otherwise.

 

[sojourner]

I really liked his first album, didn't think anything of the next few, very very bad in my opinion, but I don't blame him for trying to make a few bucks whilst he can

I liked it, at first. Then I went to see him a couple of years ago, and the fucking audience clapped his every move. tuning up - clap. cough - thunderous applause

i don't blame him either, fuck it. just don't rate him.

 

[ANTHEAD]

matt m, not matt mason? - nah, it's not sour grapes. just the case that i can think of a lot of people that are more deserving of his accolade. like i said i liked his first album and still do. of course the acts i mentioned are not BIG names, but steve is no big bb king or bonnie rait. just trying to offer some new bands to some people cos if you look to the mainstream you will find nothing. last time i saw charlie parr about 70% of his set of strait rural blues - same as steve just without drums or distortion. yeah, congregation split up about 3 months ago. still upset by it...

 

[dooley]

completely fake

also - william elliot whitmore

 

[matt m]

ugh, don't get me started on Whitmore. I came very close to heckling when I saw him at End of the Road. He's like a post-Fat Possum Mick Hucknall. A twat with tats.

 

[dooley]

i like whitmore.

 

[moose]

I'm feeling very disillusioned. Someone told me the other day that Hayseed Dixie didn't really find a box of rock records at the scene of a car crash, and now this!

 

[Funky_monks]

The title of the thread is "Is Seasick Steve For Real".. so I thought I'd try to help.

Yes, and my response to that question, in case you couldn't glean it from my earlier, longer reply is: Who gives a flying fuck?

 

[cantsin]

Yeah, that's what i'm getting from the question too. He's an old guy who plays raggedy ass blues type stuff - that's real. he's pretty good too.
used to be involved in recording and producing bands up in the northwest before Nirvana made that whole scene go global - by then he'd left for Norway I think. If you mean does he still sleep in a railroad car, of course he fucking doesn't, he might of some time in his younger days. so what really.

Modest Mouse's debut album was in 1996, so that's the earliest Seasick could have foresworn hi tech music technolgy for this schtick .

I like him , but the hobo thing is a bit daft - a mate was telling me about SS standing outside the Albert Hall ( on tv ) giving it the "I ain't never been in no place like this bo - fore." etc etc and said it was hilarious - he was in control of digitised 64 track mixing desks not so long ago....

good luck to him, an entertainer

 

[chazegee]

I prefer: Duke Garwood, Samuel James, Robert Belfour, Cedell Davis, Simon Prager, Bob Log, The Fuji, Pepe Belmonte, Boycott Coca Cola Experience, Smoke Fairies, Hat Fitz & Itchy, Bob Meyer, and Made for Chickens by Robots. (FWIW I really like Congregation too and I'm gutted to hear they might be a thing of the past. Find Imelda May totally boring though.)

I thought I knew my blues, I've only ever heard of one of these...

 

[matt m]

I thought I knew my blues, I've only ever heard of one of these...

that's cos there's a worldwide conspiracy against good music.

to be fair, a lot of those acts aren't exactly blues in a 12-bar-blues kind of way.

 

[Adrenalinmonkey]

not sure about the "realness" of his back story, but i can personally vouch for the "realness" of his ability to drink.... polished off a bottle of jager with him after his gig at reading 07' which barely seemed to effect the man. Respect.

I did like one thing he said at bestival this year mind...
" i used to put my hat out for the spare change.... sure got a lot of spare change now..."

nice bloke imho

 

[kazza007]

Does Dubversion like him?

 

[Red Faction]

saw him on jules holland YEARS ago- thought he was ace

then stumbled upon his CD last month in HMV- started out with nothing and still got most of it left
really wasnt impressed at all

ho hum

 

[Funky_monks]

saw him on jules holland YEARS ago- thought he was ace

then stumbled upon his CD last month in HMV- started out with nothing and still got most of it left
really wasnt impressed at all

ho hum

I wasn't massivley keen on that one, sounds a bit too polished. 'Dog House Music' and 'Cheap' are much better.

 

[starfish2000]

I dont get him, he looks like a fakenger, he's meant to be nearly 70 but looks much much younger and seems way too professional for a self confessed bum

Is he for real?

How do you mean, if you want an authentic artist untainted by the corporate world then I suggest you stop buying Q, Mojo etc and just listen out for unsigned bands.

 

[El Jefe]

i don't mind Steve, although there are much better artists out there and the last time I saw him the audience was full of Fifty Quid Men who'd discovered this amazing new music called the blues when they saw Steve on Later...

But notwithstanding the fact that I think he pretty much is "for real" (although merrily exploiting his backstory to make a living, and why not?) the notion of "authenticity is a useless and bogus one anyway...

 

[El Jefe]

WTF does 'for real' mean anyway?

The archetypal blues singer who is a rail-riding hobo or Mississippi front porch dweller is largely a music company marketing and white enthusiasts' stereotype. The vast majority have been musicians with ambitions who wanted to be commercially successful. Just like most musicians.

this, pretty much

 

[Divisive Cotton]

What's a Fifty Quid Man?

 

[El Jefe]

What's a Fifty Quid Man?

Mojo reading office worker who goes to HMV on payday and buys 50 quids worth of CDs and DVDs.

 

[El Jefe]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/mar/01/popandrock2

 

[durruti02]

I'm feeling very disillusioned. Someone told me the other day that Hayseed Dixie didn't really find a box of rock records at the scene of a car crash, and now this!

it wasn't records it was 8track cassettes they found! phew myth restored!

 

[StanSmith]

He guess he supports the Wolves so he will do for me!!!

 

[moose]

it wasn't records it was 8track cassettes they found! phew myth restored!

Oh thank the sweet lord for that! I can sleep easy in my bed tonight. Now, when's Santa coming?

 

[Vider]

is tom waits for real? i have found myself cringing with his whole, lonesome-smokyblues-travelling-loser thing going on.

is that because i'm getting old?

 

[Shirl]

I dont get him, he looks like a fakenger, he's meant to be nearly 70 but looks much much younger and seems way too professional for a self confessed bum

Is he for real?

I saw him at Latitude a couple of years ago. I thought he was for real, but really fucking dull

 

[ouchmonkey]

is tom waits for real? i have found myself cringing with his whole, lonesome-smokyblues-travelling-loser thing going on.

is that because i'm getting old?

Tom is only 24 and Ivy league educated too - it's all a con