Born Steven Gene Wold in Oakland, Calif., the musician known as Seasick Steve first picked up a guitar at age 8, left home at 13 and has been hopping from place to place ever since.
Though he currently has homes in Norway and Norfolk with his wife, Seasick Steve remains a mover who constantly hits up festivals with his raw-boned blues music. His repertoire of instruments famously includes his haunted "Trance Wonder," the Japanese "Three-String Trance Wonder" and the "Mississippi Drum Machine," which consists of a small wooden box decorated by carpet and a license plate.
With his trademark John Deere cap, his earthy vocals and his lived-in songs, Seasick Steve is the real deal. His recent break into the spotlight was a long time coming, and his latest album — I Started Out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left — has only enhanced that fame. With appearances by Ruby Turner, Grinderman and K.T. Tunstall, the two-disc release is full of foot-stomping tales, straight from Seasick Steve's life story. Here, he talks about his albums, what it's like to wake up famous, his new career start and his legendary guitars.
Copyright 2009 XPN
