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Who is Seasick Steve? Was He Formerly a Disco Star in France?

Wielding a war-torn guitar with only three strings and keeping the beat on a homemade foot stomper, Seasick Steve rocked the world when he appeared on the Jools Holland show on New Years Eve in 2006.

"Seasick" Steve Wold performed his trademark song, Doghouse Boogie which tells his backstory of leaving home before the age of 14 and becoming a hobo.

Once the video hit Youtube, he became a worldwide sensation.

Writer, Matthew Wright claims to have uncovered a much different backstory to Steven Wold in his biography, Seasick Steve: Ramblin' Man. Among those claims are that Wold is really Steven Leach, a session musician who has performed in various acts over the years, including Shanti, a transcendental meditation band from 1972 and, most shockingly, as frontman for Crystal Grass, a French disco act from the mid-70s! Wright's research says Seasick Steve's hobo period may have happened, but was far more temporary than the blues musician previously claimed.

IS THIS THE REAL SEASICK STEVE?

Among the author's claims is that Seasick Steve is actually 10 years younger than he originally claimed and has been a session man in the music industry since the early 70's. Wright claims Steve has performed or worked with Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Modest Mouse and even spent time with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. ...And that's on top of the disco peroid when he briefly lived in France!

So was this whole act a fraud or just an exaggeration of Steve's actual past?

Sean O’Hagan noted in an Observer article, “The trajectory of his life since [1973] is hazy and, one suspects, he plays down the semi-settled years, sensing correctly that his mainly young audience prefer the myth to the reality.”

Seasick Steve realized the kids needed an old hero who didn't play slick music.

Hmm...Robert Zimmerman reinvented himself into Bob Dylan and he followed it up by bringing the goods. It appears Seasick Steve has done the same.

One peculiar observation on this whole story is the fact that Matthew Wright's book has been on the market since June, but the news is only breaking now, right as Seasick Steve releases his much awaited album, Keepin' The Horse Between Me and the Ground. The double record set features more of Steve's homemade music on two records, including a cover of John Hartford's "Gentle On My Mind."

Fan response to the book has been mostly negative, with reviewers unhappy that Wright didn't bother to interview old bandmates, an ex-wife or other people in the industry. Apparently, Wright relies mostly on newspaper clippings as his sources.

To get even more info on these revelations, check out The Guardian's article.

Personally, I'm going to buy the new album and play it loud. Also, I may have to go record shopping to find the Crystal Grass and Shanti albums so I can complete my collection.

...because sometimes a legend is more powerful than the truth.

-Shane Speal, "King of the Cigar Box Guitar"

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Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on October 4, 2016 at 6:15am

The saying goes that if you can remember the 60s then you weren't there. Maybe the same goes for disco too. To be honest I'd never heard of him until I found out about cigar box guitars in December last year. His music is too heavy for my liking and if the back story is to be challenged then there's nothing else that interests me really. He's not the first to embellish a story and he won't be the last either. People like his music and that's what they should remember. The story doesn't say he wasn't homeless, just that he may have exaggerated a little. Lying isn't good, though sometimes kinder, but he got to ride the story to the top. Fair play to him but in answer maybe he now needs to understand that's possibly going to end. Was it worth lying about and for? Only he can answer that.

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Permalink Reply by smilingdog1 on October 4, 2016 at 6:41am

I can only hold Steve to what he's doing today, not from his past. It's sometimes interesting to find a history behind a legend but it boils down to can he perform?

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Permalink Reply by Alainpdx on October 4, 2016 at 8:28am

LOL; Haters gonna hate. Most of this info is on Seasick Steve's site. He's a working musician and a damn good one at that. He's paid his dues and whatever his current incarnation I'll listen to and buy his music.

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Permalink Reply by Gwil Colman on October 5, 2016 at 11:41am

If true, you know what this means? It means that all us members of CBN are more authentic bluesmen than Seasick Steve!!!

I'm cool with that.

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on October 5, 2016 at 12:04pm

I don't know about that..
There's a CBG member in here (who shall remain nameless) that used to make trance music.

Here's the link.. https://m.soundcloud.com/homeworkcausesbraindamage

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on October 5, 2016 at 12:43pm

Well, crap. I like the old legend. Regardless, Steve is a great player and singer and somehow has a lot of It factor.

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Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on October 5, 2016 at 4:06pm

Sounds legit. I'll take two. Did you say something about accepting beans as payment? If so I'll take four.

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Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on October 5, 2016 at 5:39pm

Mine used to be worth loads of other beans but not any longer. They're Has Beans. Kinda like me ;)

I'm going to do a runner before my jokes get even worse. I'm a runner bean.

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Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on October 6, 2016 at 4:12am

Ha! Sounds like you need more fiber beans! Shall we say five fiber beans per guitar? Where do I sign?

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on October 5, 2016 at 3:50pm

Shoulda saved this one for 04/01/2017!

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Permalink Reply by smilingdog1 on October 5, 2016 at 4:06pm

I would like to know what made Steve sea sick?

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Permalink Reply by jabes on October 6, 2016 at 12:05am

well,well, iread this story in the Grauniad last week . it reminded me that Ssteve had said on tv that he had been working as a sound engineer in Norway (I think) now that is not a job you pick up on the road, it made me wonder at the time.On a tv show covering some music fest in the UK some young feller said how much he'd enjoyed steve's set " that was fantastic ,I've never heard music like that in my life !"

Does it matter that Steve was putting on a show ? A bloody good one at that..

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