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Seasick Steve

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Seasick Steve
Seasick Steve at The Big Chill 2006
Seasick Steve at The Big Chill 2006
Background information
Birth nameSteven Gene Wold
Born1941 (age 82–83)
Oakland, California
GenresBlues, rock, boogie, American folk
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitars, diddley bow, stomp box, banjo
LabelsAtlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records, Bronzerat Records, Third Man Records, Dead Skunk Records
WebsiteOfficial website

Steven Gene Wold (born 1941),[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] commonly known as Seasick Steve, is an American blues musician. He plays mostly personalized guitars, and sings, usually about his early life doing casual work.[11]

Life and career

Childhood and early life

Wold was born in Oakland, California.[12] When he was four years old, his parents split up. His father played boogie-woogie piano and Wold tried to learn when he was five or six, but could not. At the age of eight, he learned to play the guitar from K. C. Douglas, who worked at his grandfather's garage, later realising that he had been taught the blues.[13] Douglas wrote the song "Mercury Blues" and had played with Tommy Johnson in the early 1940s.[14] Wold left home at 13 to avoid abuse at the hands of his stepfather, and lived rough and on the road in Tennessee, Mississippi and elsewhere, until 1973.[12][15] He would travel long distances by hopping freight trains, looking for work as a farm labourer or in other seasonal jobs, often living as a hobo.[13][16] At various times, Wold worked as a carnie, a cowboy and a migrant worker. Paraphrasing H. L. Mencken,[17] Wold described this time of his life by saying "Hobos are people who move around looking for work, tramps are people who move around but don't look for work, and bums are people who don't move and don't work. I've been all three."[18]

Adult life and early musical career

In the 1960s, Wold started touring and performing with fellow blues musicians, and had friends in the music scene including Joni Mitchell.[15] Since then, he has worked, on and off, as a session musician and studio engineer. In the late 1980s, while living in Olympia, near Seattle, he worked with many indie label artists.[15] In the 1990s he continued to work as a recording engineer and producer, producing several releases by Modest Mouse[19] including their 1996 debut album This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About.

At one time, living in Paris, Wold made his living busking, mostly on the metro.[2] After moving to Norway in 2001, Wold released his first album, entitled Cheap, recorded with The Level Devils as his rhythm section, with Jo Husmo on stand-up bass and Kai Christoffersen on drums. His debut solo album, Dog House Music was released by Bronzerat Records on November 26, 2006, after he was championed by an old friend, Joe Cushley, DJ on the Ballin' The Jack blues show on London radio station Resonance FM.

Breakthrough and subsequent career

Wold performing in 2009 at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London's Hyde Park

Wold made his first UK television appearance on Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny BBC TV show on New Year's Eve 2006. He performed a live rendition of "Dog House Boogie" on the "Three String Trance Wonder" and the "Mississippi Drum Machine". After that show his popularity exploded in Britain, as he explained in an interview:[16]

"I can't believe it, all of the sudden I'm like the cat's meow!"

He was well received in the UK, winning the 2007 MOJO Award for Best Breakthrough Act and going on to appear at major UK festivals such as Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury. In 2007 he played more UK festivals than any other artist.

Wold toured early in 2008, playing in various venues and festivals in the UK. He was joined on stage by drummer Dan Magnusson. KT Tunstall also dueted with Wold at the London Astoria in January 2008.[20] Wold also played many other festivals throughout the world in 2008, including Fuji Rock in Japan, East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in Australia, also in April 2008,[21] and Roskilde in Denmark.[22]

Wold's major-label debut, I Started Out with Nothin and I Still Got Most of It Left was recorded with Dan Magnusson on drums, was released by Warner Music on September 29, 2008, and features Ruby Turner and Nick Cave's Grinderman.[23]

He has toured the UK extensively since 2007 being supported by Duke Garwood, Gemma Ray, The Sugars, Billie the Vision and the Dancers in January 2008, Amy LaVere in October 2008, Melody Nelson at the Brighton Dome on 7 October, and Joe Gideon & The Shark in January 2009. His tours in October 2008 and January 2009 were all sold out and included performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the Edinburgh Queen's Hall, the Grand Opera House in Belfast, the Apollo in Manchester, the City Hall in Newcastle and the London Hammersmith Apollo.[24][25][26]

In 2009, Wold was nominated for a Brit Award in the category of International Solo Male Artist,[27] That same year, BBC Four broadcast a documentary of Wold visiting the southern USA entitled Seasick Steve: Bringing It All Back Home.[28] On January 21, Wold hosted "Folk America: Hollerers, Stompers and Old Time Ramblers" at the Barbican in London, a show that was also televised and shown with the documentary on BBC Four as part of a series tracing American roots music.[29][30]

Wold participated on Australian television show Spicks and Specks in April 2009, wearing a beaten up John Deere cap. Wold admitted to having enough money to finally buy a model 60 John Deere Tractor, and joked that he could now really hold up traffic, a reference to the joke of his 51 Chevy breaking down at a music festival and requiring a push from members of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós.

In an interview with an Australian magazine, Wold attributes much of his unlikely success to his cheap and weather-beaten guitar, "The Trance Wonder" and reveals the guitar's mojo might come from supernatural sources.

"I got it from Sherman, who is a friend of mine down in Mississippi, who had bought it down at a Goodwill store. When we were down there last time he says to me, 'I didn't tell you when you bought it off me, but that guitar used to be haunted'. I say, 'What are you talking about, Sherman?'. He says, 'There’s 50 solid citizens here in Como who'll tell you this guitar is haunted. It's the darnedest thing – we’d leave it over in the potato barn and we'd come back in and it would be moved. You'd put it down somewhere and the next morning you’d come back and it would have moved. When you took that guitar the ghost in the barn left'. He told me this not very long ago and I said to him, 'Sherman! Why didn't you tell me this before?' and he said, 'Well the ghost was gone – I didn't want it around here no more!'"[31]

On January 3, 2010, Wold appeared on the popular BBC motoring show Top Gear as the Star In A Reasonably Priced Car. He was the last star to drive in the blue Chevrolet Lacetti.[32]

In February 2010, Wold was nominated for a Brit Award in the category of International Solo Male Artist for the second consecutive year.[33]

In 2010, Wold made numerous festival appearances throughout the summer, including the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival,[34] the main stage at V Festival,[35] the main stage at the Hop Farm Festival and many more.[36] Also, he collaborated with Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall on a song called "Golden Frames" for her third album, Tiger Suit.

In February 2011, Wold signed to Play It Again Sam to release his new album with the exception of the US, where it will be released on Third Man Records. Subsequently his new album You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks was released on his new labels and it was announced that former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones had played on the new album, and performed alongside Wold to promote it.[37] This caused some to believe that he will tour with Wold as a part of his backing band, joining his then-current drummer Dan.[citation needed] John Paul Jones did indeed appear onstage to play with Wold at the Isle of Wight 2011 festival[38] and on the main stage of Rock Werchter 2011.[39] In July that year, Wold played on stage with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and John Paul Jones at Milton Keynes National Bowl in front of a sold-out audience of 65,000. He later played at the Reading and Leeds festivals, and the Fairport's Cropredy Convention, sharing the stage with Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. In August, he finished his European festival season of 2011 with a show on the Lowlands Festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.

In 2012, Wold played on the main-stage of the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf, Netherlands.

In February 2013, Wold unveiled his upcoming album entitled Hubcap Music, and stated it would feature collaborations with John Paul Jones, Jack White and Luther Dickinson. Festivals that year included a one hour set with John Paul Jones and Dan Magnusson at the Glastonbury Festival, a performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands, playing on the main stage at Ahoy Rotterdam, and sets at the V Festival at Weston Park and Hylands Park, accompanied by John Paul Jones and Dan Magnusson. Prior to his own set at Hylands Park, Wold joined Tom Odell on stage. In August he performed at Car Fest South hosted by Chris Evans and included special guest appearances with Texas; he performed live on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 later that month. In December 2013, Wold appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman.

On May 23, 2014 he played a one off sell out benefit concert in support of the Dogs Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, London. He was supported by London based violinist Georgina Leach and Dan Magnussen.

On 16 August 2014 he was the headline act at Beautiful Days in Exeter, UK, and on the 24th August he headlined at 'Victorious Festival' in Southsea, Portsmouth. UK. His "final festival of 2014"

Musical equipment

Wold owns and plays several obscure and personalized instruments.

Guitars

The Three-String Trance Wonder

This is a normal guitar that resembles a GHI Guitar made in Japan in the 1960s. It has an old Harmony pickup added with duct tape, and is tuned to G, A 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 US$75 in this condition in Como, Mississippi, from a man named Sherman, who later told him he only paid US$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.[16] 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.[15] 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] In a BBC interview Wold claimed that the guitar was found by a friend, just with the three strings on it, and he decided to keep it that way.

The One-Stringed Diddley Bow

This is a one-stringed instrument played with a slide, for which he uses an old screwdriver. It consists of a 2-foot-long (0.61 m) 2x4, 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. An instrument like this is known as a diddley bow.

The Morris Minor Guitar

When on the TV show Top Gear, presenter Jeremy Clarkson commented that Wold's car history of over 100 cars included a Morris Minor. Wold then presented a four-string guitar that his friend Davey had made out of two old hubcaps from a Minor 1000 joined back-to-back and his wife's broomstick. Wold then played it a little in the episode. Clarkson replied that it was the best use of a Morris Minor he had ever seen.

A similar guitar was made out of Hudson Terraplane hubcaps, one of them given to him by Jack White,[40][41] referring to "Terraplane Blues" by Robert Johnson.

56 Dano

He can be seen playing a '56 Danelectro/Silvertone single cutaway (modified) on various gigs.

National Triolian

He used a National Triolian on some gigs and studio recordings. It has SEASICK etched on the body.

Four-String Cigar-Box Guitar

Often seen using this on gigs.

Acoustic Parlour Guitar

Unknown make. Has a Harmony pickup placed in sound hole. Often tuned to open D. He uses this often in the studio and on most of his gigs.

Other

The Mississippi Drum Machine

A small wooden box that is stomped upon, providing percussion. It is decorated with a Mississippi motorcycle registration plate ("MC33583"), and a small piece of carpet.[15]

Roland CUBE

A Roland CUBE 30 W amplifier placed on a chair to his left and set to the 'tweed' setting.[42]

Fender Bassman

A Fender Bassman amplifier, used at the Pinkpop Festival 2012.[43]

Nickname

When asked about his nickname, Wold has said: "because it's just true: I always get seasick". When he was ill on a ferry from Norway to Copenhagen, later in his life, a friend began playfully using the name and, despite Wold not rising to it for a while, it stuck. When asked about his name on British Sunday morning television show, Something for the Weekend, he replied, "I just get sick on boats".[13][16][44] On Top Gear, when asked about his name, Wold replied "Well, I guess I just don't like boats!"

Personal life

Wold had two children with his first wife: Sevrin and Ivan. Sevrin is the lead singer in a rock band called Peratus. Wold married his second wife, in 1982 and together they have three adult sons. Wold has problems putting down roots in one place, and he and his wife have lived in 59 houses to date. They currently live in Sandefjord, Norway and the UK.[15]

One of Wold's sons, Didrik, is an illustrator who is responsible for designing all of his father's album artwork, merchandise, print ads, and websites.[45] His youngest son, Paul Martin Wold, played drums on Dog House Music and first made a guest appearance with him on percussion at the Astoria in January 2008. He has since performed with Wold frequently, playing washboard, shakers, tambourine, floor tom and occasionally guitar. He also works as Steve's guitar-tech. Paul Martin Wold, aka "Wishful Thinking", released his debut album A Waste of Time Well Spent on November 2, 2009, and showcased a selection from the album whilst touring the UK with his father.[46]

Discography

Studio albums

Album Title Album details Chart positions Certifications
AUS
[47] 		BEL (FLA)
[48] 		FRA
[49] 		IRE
[50] 		NL
[51] 		SWE
[52] 		UK
[53]
Cheap — — — — — — 198
Dog House Music — 99 — 69 — — 36
I Started Out with Nothin
and I Still Got Most of It Left 		17 38 107 13 — 30 9
Man from Another Time — 13 191 15 70 — 4
You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks 90 16 198 18 9 — 6
Hubcap Music — 42 — 28 46 — 14
Sonic Soul Surfer TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Compilation albums

Album Title Album details Chart positions Certifications
UK
[53]
Songs For Elisabeth[56] 33
Walkin' Man
  • Released: 2011
  • Label:
 —

EPs

Album Title Album details
It's All Good

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK UK
Indep 		US
2007 "Dog House Boogie" 187 — — Dog House Music
2008 "Cut My Wings" 151 — —
"It's All Good" — 5 — non-album single
"St. Louis Slim" — — — I Started Out with Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left
2009 "Walkin' Man" — — —
"That's All" — — — Man from Another Time
2011 "Write Me a Few Lines"/"Levee Camp Blues" — — — You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
2013 "Coast Is Clear" — — — Hubcap Music

Backing band

Current members
  • Dan Magnusson - drums, percussion (2008–Present)[57]
  • John Paul Jones - bass guitar (2011–present)[37]
Former members, as "The Level Devils"
  • Jo Husmo - bass guitar (2001–?)
  • Kai Christoffersen - drums, percussion (2001-2004)
  • Dan Magnusson - drums, percussion (2004–06) [58]

References

  1. ^ Akbar, Arifa (2009-01-21). "Seasick Steve sings the blues for a Brit". London: The Independent. Retrieved 2009-03-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Seasick Steve flouts Tube alcohol ban". Irish News. 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  3. ^ Colothan, Scott (2009-02-19). "Seasick Steve Busks At Earls Court Tube Station Before Brit Awards". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  4. ^ Gioia, Ted. "Do Blues Musicians Need to Be Really, Really Old?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  5. ^ McNair, James (2013-04-26). "Seasick Steve: I'll keep playing till the wheels fall off". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  6. ^ Leadbetter, Russell. "Seasick Steve on why Jack White floats his boat". The Herald: Scotland. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  7. ^ Welch, Andy. "A new wave of Seasick Steve". Halesowen News. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  8. ^ "Seasick Steve amazed by success". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  9. ^ McNair, James. "Seasick Steve: no longer a hobo with a couple of hubcaps". The National. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  10. ^ Jack, Malcolm. "Gig review, Seasick Steve - Edinburgh". The Scotsman. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  11. ^ Op de Beeck, Geert (2007-02-16). "Humo's Pop Poll de Luxe: goed gerief van Seasick Steve". HUMO NR 3467. p. 158. Template:Link language
  12. ^ a b “”. "Last Po'man — performance intro". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-08-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b c Interview on The Paul O'Grady Show on YouTube 15 Oct 2008
  14. ^ Harris, S (1989). Blues Who’s Who, 5th paperback edition. New York, Da Capo Press, pp. 160-161
  15. ^ a b c d e f O'Hagan, Sean (2008-09-14). "Only a Hobo". London: The Observer. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ a b c d Op de Beeck, p. 159. Cite error: The named reference "Op de Beeck, p.159" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  17. ^ Mencken, H.L. (1937). "On the road again". The American Language (4th ed.). grammarphobia.com (July 25, 2009). Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2013-05-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ On the BBC Four documentary Seasick Steve: Bringing It All Back Home
  19. ^ Op de Beeck, pp. 159-160.
  20. ^ Raucous night of hobo blues This is London, 25 Jan 2008
  21. ^ "Seasick Steve Returns to Australia This April — Music News, Reviews, Interviews and Culture". Music Feeds. 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  22. ^ "Seasick Steve Tour Dates and Concert Tickets". Bandsintown.com. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  23. ^ Andrew Perry (2008-09-27). "Seasick Steve — I Started Out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left: pop CD of the week review". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-05-03. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ Posted on 21 January 2009 by Rich Thane (2009-01-21). "Joe Gideon & The Shark album news, tour with Seasick Steve". The Line Of Best Fit. Retrieved 2010-05-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Seasick Steve Opens UK Tour With KT Tunstall As Guest". Gigwise. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  26. ^ "Seasick Steve / Billy The Vision And The Dancers — Leeds Metropolitan University on Thursday 31 January 2008". eGigs.co.uk. 2008-01-31. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  27. ^ "Seasick Steve" BRITs Profile.
  28. ^ "Four Programmes — Seasick Steve: Bringing It All Back Home". BBC. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  29. ^ "Voice of the people". New Statesman. 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2010-05-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ "Folk America — Documentary Series". BBC. 2000-12-31. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  31. ^ ripitup.com.au [dead link‍]
  32. ^ "Top Gear — Home". BBC. 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  33. ^ Seasick Steve, Brits, UK
  34. ^ "Glastonbury Festivals — Line-up". 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
  35. ^ "Line Up". Vfestival.com. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  36. ^ "2010 Summer Festival Photo Diary". Seasicksteve.com. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  37. ^ a b "Later with Jools Holland - Latest show information and exclusive performances filmed for the web". BBC. 2011-07-12. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  38. ^ "Seasick Steve - Interview on BBC Breakfast". BBC. 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-08.
  39. ^ "Rock Werchter announcement - John Paul Jones to join Seasick Steve on stage". Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  40. ^ Cassandra Tobi, "Seasick Steve performs at Bluesfest", Sunshine Coast Daily, March 19, 2012.
  41. ^ Seasick Steve: Interview.
  42. ^ "Seasick Steve and the Cube-30X amp". Dolphinmusic.com. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  43. ^ Video on YouTube
  44. ^ "Miquita interview". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  45. ^ "new album "Man From Another Time" out now! | news". Seasick Steve. 2009-10-18. Retrieved 2010-05-03. [dead link‍]
  46. ^ "Wishful Thinking tours with Seasick Steve". Whisperinandhollerin.com. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  47. ^ "Seasick Steve - Australian Charts". australian-charts.com/ Hung Medien.
  48. ^ "Seasick Steve - Belgium (Flanders) Charts". ultratop.be/nl/ Hung Medien.
  49. ^ "Seasick Steve - French Charts". lescharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  50. ^ "Seasick Steve - Irish Charts". irish-charts.com/ Hung Medien.
  51. ^ "Seasick Steve - Dutch Charts". dutchcharts.nl/ Hung Medien.
  52. ^ "Seasick Steve - Swedish Charts". swedishcharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  53. ^ a b "Seasick Steve - UK Charts". www.chartstats.com/. Archived from the original on 2013-01-02.
  54. ^ a b c d bpi.co.uk
  55. ^ bpi.co.uk
  56. ^ "BBC Review of 'Songs for Elisabeth'". BBC. 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
  57. ^ "Album review: Seasick Steve - Review". Uncut.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  58. ^ themonkalways.blogspot.co.uk

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