I had the pleasure of going to see Seasick Steve with Mrs unclewilco at the Millennium centre in wet Cardiff bay last night, this will not be a review, someone more wossname will do that job but it was brilliant!
photo credit: Bengt Nyman
Steve seems a very humble bloke but with so much talent, the voice and the way he played his makeshift guitars and banjos, his drummer Dan Magnusson was amazing, Steve’s son Paul Martin played the washboard and spoons (and did his own stuff, a bit emo for me but a good guitarist) and the lovely Amy Levere on double bass and vocals
But I am sure those instruments must have been made in some shed or workshop somewhere, and his new John Deere tractor must have a shed somewhere!
Info from Wikishedia
As well as an electric guitar and self electrified acoustic guitar, Wold owns (and plays) several obscure and personalised instruments, including:
- The Three-String Trance Wonder – This is a normal guitar that resembles a Fender Coronado, but with only three strings. It has an old Harmony pickup added (with duct tape) and is tuned to G, G and B using an E string in the A position, a D in the G position and a G in the B position. At his gigs, he often tells the story that he bought it for $75 in this condition in Como, Mississippi from a man named Sherman, who later told him he only paid $25 for it the day before. Wold vowed never to add another string, and that he would tour the world telling his story of how Sherman ripped him off.[8] All in good fun as Sherman Cooper is a good buddy, who gave him the guitar having had it nailed to the wall as a decoration.[7] A lot of the time he also adds (while picking up or putting away the guitar) that it is the “…biggest piece of shit in the world, I swear”.[citation needed]
- The One-Stringed Diddley Bow – This is a one stringed string instrument played with a slide (He uses an old screwdriver for this purpose). It consists of a 2 foot long 2×4, with a semi-loose piece of broom wire nailed to it at both ends. It was made especially for him by James ‘Super Chikan’ Johnson.
- The ‘MDM’ (Mississippi Drum Machine) – A small wooden box that is stomped upon, providing percussion. It is decorated with a Mississippi motorcycle license plate (“MC33583”), and a small piece of carpet.[7]
- Roland Cube Amplifer – Placed on a chair to his left and set to the ‘tweed’ setting.[24]
- A Cigar Box Guitar – [25]
Anyway if you have not heard Steve before (where have you been) and like blues tinged with county and a bit of everything, then check out his work.
