Seasick Steve made up his hobo past shock

mgaw

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/sep/29/seasick-steve-session-musician-ramblin-man-book

bbill335

Shocker.

Heartfeltdawn

But Bowie was an alien, right? 

pintspiller

I thought he said somewhere himself that he only bummed about for a year or two as a teenager. 

mgaw

you got to love the press like anyone really gives a shit

EricTheWeary

Yes, I think he always said he only hoboed for a short period a long time ago. 

pintspiller said:

I thought he said somewhere himself that he only bummed about for a year or two as a teenager. 

mgaw

he lives about 5 miles from me so shall enjoy ribbing...and thats is riBBing gents...him next time i see him in town

jd0272

The wee tinker.

mgaw

personally i think the fact an artist has created a false back story / failed to reveal their true past shocking....

Fretwired

Who cares .. it's none of our business anyway. Last time I checked the music industry was a branch of the entertainment industry so myth makining is OK. It's not like he wanted to stand for US president - on second thoughts forget the last bit.

If I looked like Mr Lemon and sang in a disco band I'd want to bury the fact behind a brand new identity .. :-)

Some of the comments in the Guardian are hilarious .... typical lefty ..

TwistedCripple

I think it does matter that he did this, because it is disrespectful of genuine hobos. He's made his fortune on the back of other's misfortune. And he's stereotyped Mississippi, which is arrogant and unhelpful to say the least. Also, lying and maintaining the lie for a decade purely for financial gain is more than a bit sociopathic. He sounds like a horrible person!

mgaw

guardian comments section is the best bit me thinks  anybody would think he was trying to make a living out of the entertainment industry...wish it was me!

merlin

Art is only sellable in the modern world if there's a story attached. Music is little different if the people making it want it to sell. People are much more interested in story and attitude over aptitude is a very common flaw in the modern world. It's everywhere.

I will continue to listen to Sea-Sick Steve Wold and think of it as theatre. C**t. 

bingefeller

lol @ John McLaughlin ripping off Seasick Steve's Shanti.  

axisus

I'm not bothered in the least. Non-news.

Did they use entrapment to find out?

lloyd

Not really a shock if you ever saw any interviews with him, he alludes to being a session guy or at least in the recording game in the 80's/90's and referenced knowing in passing kurt cobain from memory.

Sloghtly dishonest perhaps but he's a character and he plays the part well, no one wears dungarees and John Deere hats nowadays.

Got one of his albums, it's fantastic, if (like all blues) a little samey and some tunes (like all blues) the intro is amazing then becomes a bit stale.

Saw him at V a few years ago, he was superb, held 70,000 people's attention with a 1 string broom and his voice at 1pm, that takes a lot of talent.

jonnyburgo

I like the guy and if he spins a yarn then who cares? Captain Beefheart claimed to have left school at 3 yrs old and said he stayed awake for a year and a half, and I fucking love that guy. All part of the myth, just enjoy the music. Fixating on "celebs" personal lives is all a bit weird anyway, let the music speak for itself.

Strat_a_tat_tat

... but surely... the bit about him feeling a bit queasy when he's on a channel ferry... surely that's still true?

HAL9000

Fretwired said:

Who cares .. it's none of our business anyway. Last time I checked the music industry was a branch of the entertainment industry so myth makining is OK.

I take your point, but with most artists you know it's all a bit tongue in cheek. I think the problem in his case is the claim to some sort of authenticity.

richardhomer

Never thought he was any good, irrespective of his age or story....

dogload

Who gives a shit? It's a persona,. Actors and entertainers have been doing it forever. It's coz he 'plays the blues' he has to be 'authentic'.

Dominic

richardhomer said:

Never thought he was any good, irrespective of his age or story....

Agree completely......seen a hundred better buskers