Seasick Steve
„Blues In Mono“
Blues, Raw, Vintage. LP 2021

It certainly wouldn't be appropriate for the artist to talk too much about Steve Wold, aka Seasick Steve. Steve plays blues with homemade guitars, so a single-stringed brush handle is enough. So, Steve sits on stage with his battered amp, a guitar, and stomps his foot on a wooden box, accompanied by his trusty drummer - rocking the stage.

Steve had long envisioned a kind of reminiscence for the pioneers of the blues by reinterpreting parts of their songs. Just an acoustic guitar, a Western Electric 639a mono microphone from the 1940s, a Berlant tube amp, and an old Ampex mono tape recorder. It couldn't be simpler. The result is 12 fairly short songs. It couldn't be more authentic.

Four songs are by Steve himself, the rest are by various blues artists who impressed Seasick Steve and influenced his artistic path. I'll list them all.

It begins with “Fred’s Worried Blues” by Fred McDowell, an American Hill Country Blues singer and guitarist.
Born: January 12, 1906 in Rossville, Tennessee, USA
Died: July 3, 1972 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Song two, “My Babe,” is by Willie Dixon, an American blues bassist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer.
Born July 1, 1915 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA.
Died on January 29, 1992 in Burbank, California, USA.
Inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980.

“Laughing To Keep From Crying” is by blues singer and guitarist Joe Callicott in the tradition of the Songsters.
Born: October 11, 1899 near Nesbit, DeSoto County, Mississippi.
Died: May 1969, Mississippi.

Song four “Well Well Well” is a typical melodic Seasick Steve song.

“Buddy Brown” by Lightnin’ Hopkins aka Sam Hopkins, a country blues singer, songwriter and guitarist.
Born: March 15, 1912, Leon County, Texas, USA.
Died: January 30, 1982, Houston, Texas, USA.

„Goin‘ Down South“ written by R. L. Burnside.
Born: November 21, 1926, Lafayette County, Mississippi.
Died: September 1, 2005, Memphis, Tennessee; buried at Free Springs Cemetery in Harmontown, MS.

“Waitin’ For The Greyhound In Charleston” is by Seasick Steve himself.

„Miss Maybell“ is again written by R. L. Burnside.

Song nine, “Whiskey Headed Woman,” was written by K. C. Douglas.
Born on November 21, 1913 near Sharon, Madison County, MS.
Died on October 18, 1975 in Berkeley, Alameda County, CA.

"Moon Going Down" by Charley Patton. He was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is considered the "Father of Delta Blues" and inspired most Delta blues musicians.
Born: April 1891, probably in Hinds County, Mississippi.
Died: April 28, 1934 on the Heathman-Dedham Plantation in Mississippi.

Song 11, “Golden Spun,” played on a banjo, and 12, “Dusty Man,” were written by Seasick Steve.

Once again something completely different for our ears, "Blues In Mono" was and is just as authentic as Seasick Steve. Reinterpreted songs by the pioneers of the blues, recorded with old technology. A successful reminiscence of Seasick Steve. It sounds raw, old, and at times worn out. Like the beginnings of electronic records. If you like the blues, you should get it. Highlights: "Laughin' To Keep From Crying," "Waitin' For The Greyhound In Charleston," and "Moon Goin' Down."
The record itself wasn't particularly clean, which should have been noticeable at the pressing plant. I washed the record once at home, and now it sounds OK. Otherwise, no unnecessary crackling or rippling.

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.