Seasick Steve – Cheap (2004)

Seasick Steve (real name Steve Leach, then Wold after he took the surname of his wife as his) is a rather strange character, part real bluesman, part invented or exaggerated persona.  His schtick is that of a poor original American blues man but like Dylan before him he has partly invented a more romantic past to fit his later style.  Born in 1951 in Oakland California, he apparently left home as a young teenager in the early Sixties and was a hobo, often travelling the freight trains from town to town.  He was a musician and did join a few bands over the years and was also a record producer, especially in the 80s in Seattle where he was part of the ‘garage’ scene.  Moving to Norway and then later to England where he settled he became Seasick Steve and would intersperse his songs, both live and on record, with tales (imagined or real) of his time as a hobo.  He manufactured some of his guitars out of metal and old bits of wood and plays a sort of tinny picking and rhythm style.  He famously appeared on one of Jools Hollands ‘Hootenanny’ shows and his late in life fame developed after this.  A real character and not a bad artist.  Best songs on this are ‘Sorry Mr. Jesus’, ‘Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde’ and ‘8 Ball’.  Not for the faint-hearted I would say.