Seasick Steve made up his hobo past shock

equalsql

Oh dear... I will have to ritually burn my copy of Walkin' Man and ask the great gods of the Blues for forgiveness for worshipping a false idol

axisus

The world reeled today in the shock news that a musician used a false image to promote himself. People who are worried by this have been advised by the govt to either ring the following number, sit down and have a cup of tea or just grow the fuck up.

Fretwired

Bucket said:

Fretwired said:

I have more of a problem with white middle class English dudes trying to play authentic blues - they should have been singing 'woke up this morning in my nice warm semi in Surrey - mum brought me breakfast in bed as I ain't in no hurry .. got a job that pays loads of dough .. I'm really rather loaded .... etc"

I don't think there's any shame in being a white guy and playing the blues. Doesn't matter if you're middle class or not, everyone has problems, and if blues is some kind of outlet for it that you enjoy and feel a connection with, then good luck to you.

Cultural appropriation.

Drew_TNBD

https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14484667_703309766487273_5534729801032139055_n.jpg?oh=e60aa22487845bc75c48589c999c45ba&oe=58646F13

cj73

I've just found out that Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie all along 

p90fool

I don't really care about any made-up backstory that musicians give themselves - but it does seem a bit rich when that backstory is trying to convey an anti-showbiz, rootsy, authentic "simple man" persona.

Maybe he should take a leaf out of Kevin Moore's book and call himself Ste' Wo'.
 

not_the_dj

After this shocking revelation I'm having doubts about hayseed dixie 

richardhomer

The biggest shock for me was reading about the forthcoming B B King bio.

Apparently his parents were very wealthy and he was schooled at Eton, before returning to America and going on to study business at Harvard. The story goes that they expected him to work on Wall Street - but he suddenly got interested in the guitar and rebelled.

Its incredible that this hasn't come out before.....

mgaw

richardhomer said:

The biggest shock for me was reading about the forthcoming B B King bio.

Apparently his parents were very wealthy and he was schooled at Eton, before returning to America and going on to study business at Harvard. The story goes that they expected him to work on Wall Street - but he suddenly got interested in the guitar and rebelled.

Its incredible that this hasn't come out before.....

they also managed to keep his Royal heritage quiet as well, apparently he was 6th in line to the throne...the Queens brother from another mother i heard

JezWynd

Dylan assumed a similar hobo heritage when he started out, most of it cribbed from Woody Guthrie. Dylan had bags of talent though, whereas this guy comes over as a one trick pony.

TheBlueWolf

At least Slipknot aren't just a bunch of mask wearing nutters on day release. No one can burst that bubble for me.......

slacker

I've got 3 or 4 albums somewhere. I personally think that he started to repeat himself in his songwriting. Full disclosure I've not written as anywhere near the quantity or quality he has. 

RE this 'news' a) I'm not surprised and b) I dont care. The Nirvana connection has always been made public, and working in the music industry to a point. He's admitted to living in the UK and Norway for a while and he's got grown up kids. So the hobo thing was always a long time ago. He has built a character, but who wants to be a bluesman when you are a posh kid from Dartford? The story of the 3 string guitar has always been fake and been admitted. 

I think the news article is a non story (like most of them). 

suspiciousminds

Saw him live in wolverhampton last year -  great gig and a very nice humble guy.

equalsql

richardhomer said:

The biggest shock for me was reading about the forthcoming B B King bio.

Apparently his parents were very wealthy and he was schooled at Eton, before returning to America and going on to study business at Harvard. The story goes that they expected him to work on Wall Street - but he suddenly got interested in the guitar and rebelled.

Its incredible that this hasn't come out before.....

Yeah.. tell me about it, I was his fag. Him and Lucille gave me quite a beating..

Bucket

Fretwired said:

Bucket said:

I don't think there's any shame in being a white guy and playing the blues. Doesn't matter if you're middle class or not, everyone has problems, and if blues is some kind of outlet for it that you enjoy and feel a connection with, then good luck to you.

Cultural appropriation.

So what about all those black guys who weren't poor field workers but played the blues anyway? Is that cultural appropriation too? That term really pisses me off.

@Norwegian_Blue I think those people are probably Guardian readers who just bought it to show how right-on they are.

Fretwired

Bucket said:

Fretwired said:

Bucket said:

I don't think there's any shame in being a white guy and playing the blues. Doesn't matter if you're middle class or not, everyone has problems, and if blues is some kind of outlet for it that you enjoy and feel a connection with, then good luck to you.

Cultural appropriation.

So what about all those black guys who weren't slaves but played the blues anyway? Is that cultural appropriation too? That term really pisses me off.

For the prosecution: the first Led Zep album. Black bluesmen ripped off and given no credit - Zep weren't the only  ones. Not sure what slaves have to do with it - slavery was abolished in Britain in 1833 and the USA in 1865. Most experts agree that blues originated from African Americans around the end of the 19th century long after slavery ceased to exist.  Suggest you do some research.

Bucket

Fretwired said:

For the prosecution: the first Led Zep album. Black bluesmen ripped off and given no credit - Zep weren't the only  ones. Not sure what slaves have to do with it - slavery was abolished in Britain in 1833 and the USA in 1865. Most experts agree that blues originated from African Americans around the end of the 19th century long after slavery ceased to exist.  Suggest you do some research.

Your point about slavery is quite correct, I got my wires crossed and have edited to reflect that. I stand by my point though.

And yes, Zeppelin (well, Page) ripped bluesmen (and numerous others) off without credit and that is deplorable, but I don't see any of these more recent white blues guys trying to claim the art form as their own - most seem to fall over themselves to heap praise on their influences. That's just culture spreading around the place and reaching new people. I don't see that it's anything to be scornful of.

Handsome_Chris

 I do not care.  This is all bollocks.  I am a Jazz racist.

Sambostar

Anyone watch Napoleon Dynamite today?  Ace film.  Simon Jeffes. Ace,

blueskunk

Anyone who believed that shit is daft anyway.