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Henry Northmore uncovers the legend of Seasick Steve, a true bluesman, whose life as panhandler, hobo, and record producer means he can truly walk the walk and talk the talk
\er_\ no\\ and then pop cultttre tliroxxs
something into the pttblic coiisciotisness
based .solel_\ on tltialit}. |t ma} not be
fashionable. it’s not pan of a new mmement. it doesn't tit into an} scene. it‘sjust good.
This year's phenomenal anomal} is Seasick
60 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE :‘i ‘
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Stew. a genuine hobo turned one man blues tour de I'oi'ce. Seasick is ran. ragged and aching!) authentic. or ‘kinda low down blues and such.‘ as the man himsell'describes it.
Born SILWC \Vtiid. Seasick “its unceremoniotisl} kicked otit ol his (‘alil‘ornia home in the 50s at the tender age 01' 14. so he took to the road. tra\elling the length and breadth of .-\merica. panhandling. riding the railcars. sleeping rough. pla)ing tor mone}. He learned his cral't the hard \\a_\ \sith genuine e\perience to drau on lot‘ his rich pining blues and heartbreaking soul. all rounded oil with a countr) \ibe.
B) the late (itls he lotind himsell' in San l-'i'ancisco. pla}ing mm the likes M John Lee Hooker. Son House and Lightnin' Hopkins. linall} linding some stabilit} as a prol‘essional musician and sound engineer. In the ‘)()\. uhile making in ()l_\mpia. Washington. he produced the lirst t\\o Modest Mouse albums.
‘()l~ course it \\ as great to meet all these old legends and that made a big impression] he sa_\s. “But the strongest memories are the characters I met briel'l} during the rambling _\ears through the .\Iid\\ est and South. The short moments \\ hen someone pla}ed a song on a beat-up guitar in a dirt} bo\car. or an old gti} pla} ed the harmonica and told stories. the old lashioned \xa}. the ualking l‘olk-blues st}le. l ne\ er \;t\\ or heard ‘em again. the) nexer got recorded. it u as just there and then.'
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'THE STRONGEST MEMORIES I HAVE ARE THOSE OF SOMEONE PLAYING A SONG ON A BEAT-UP OLD GUITAR'
Seasick's la\oui'ed instrument is the 'thi’ec stringed trance \xoiidei” i 'biggest piece ol shit in the \xorld. I sueai” as he iegtilat‘|_\ pi'oclaiiiis at his gigsi. an old guitai \\it|i itist three strings that he reluses to patch up. producing the most astotiiidingl} rich sounds lrom its battered l'i‘ame. He accompanies himselt on the '.\lississippi di’tiin inacliiiic‘. a small \xooden lio\ adorned \\ith a Mississippi licence plate. \xhicli Stew kicks loi' percussion.
Once a rambling man a|\\a_\s a iamblmg man. Seasick no\\ resides in \oixxa}. lollouitig pitstops in l'i'aiice. Holland and the l‘K. He released his first solo record. “we Hiiuu' .‘IHWt in little. lolloued b} (Vim/i. liis lii'st cut \\llil Suedish i'h}t|im section the in cl |)c\i|s. Recentl} he has been championed b_\ the likes ol' .Iools Holland. .i\nd.\ Keisha“ and .llii/o maga/ine. e\en winning Best Bi'eaktliotigli .-\ct at their ;I\\;tl'ti\ back in June.
Riiik‘l'l .ltihllstill sold his siilli [U the dL‘HI lii gixc the \Hil'iti the iiitlcs. Seasick Slt‘u‘ has picked tip the baton to remind tis iust “it.” the real blues is all about.
T on the Fringe, Liquid Room, 225 2564, 14 Aug, 7pm, £12.
MORE EDINBURGH BLUES...
';i.':‘..‘i ".ii't.l;\'- th) shows from the Scottish master of the blues vocal (solo and full band respectively). a man whose stage presence and ability to take a song be it from the canon of Muddy Waters or Bob Dylan — and make it his own. is unsurpassed. Acoustic Music CentrefaJSt Brides. 346 7405. 72 Aug, 7. 75pm.
5: 70 “38); Sp/ege/garderi, 667 8940. 79 Aug, 8pm, f 73.
7.72%.": itcai‘i Turn up to SeaSICk Steve's show good and early for another local delicacy; armed With his trusty nation steel guitar. Acari does a stomping blues that owes as much to the early muSic of America's deep SOuth as it does any contemporary turns. T on the Fringe, Liquid Room, 225 2564. 74 Aug, 7pm, E72.
Belly of the Piano This maybe a tribute show to the might and fancy of Tom VVZJIIS but Stewart D'Arrietta possesses a set of lungs to do iustice to the great man's repertoire. Assembly Rooms, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 73/, 77.59pm, $72—$73 (f7 7— 72/,
John Renbourne The one-time Pentangle man 's gunar work in the 608 and 70s Changed the way musos thought of folk and blues guitar playing and continues to delight With a folk-Jazz- blues fUSlOn. Acoustic MUS/c Centre@8t Brides, 346 7405. 74 Aug, 7. 750m, E72 (E70).
Johnny Dickinson Bottle neck gunar playing IS a skill many flirt With. but few have mastered it dude like this nimble~fingereo Englishman. Acoustic MUSic Centre@St Brides. 346 1405, 26 Aug, 7. 75pm, £72 (£70).