"This is the music God hears in his sleep when He has a high fever..."
-- Spider Robinson, co-author with Robert A. Heinlein of VARIABLE STAR
"Seth Augustus, Throaty bluesman, between Mongolia and Charley Patton."
-- Thierry Porée (Radio Libertaire, Paris)
BIO:
Seth Augustus sings and howls surreal tales in a throaty voice reminiscent of the old Delta songsters. His original and haunting songs draw from many and diverse influences. After having been in several experimental punk bands in Boston and San Francisco, he stumbled upon Tuvan throatsinging (a rare vocal technique) and was instantly smitten. Ironically, this fascination with the music of a far away land brought him right back home and ignited an obsession with the Delta Blues of the 1920s-1930s.
Soon after hearing Tuvan music, Augustus met the legendary Bluesman and self-taught throatsinger, Paul Pena (Ghenghis Blues), who mentored him in throatsinging, as well as vocals and Blues guitar. The two became close friends during the last 6 years of Paul's life. In 2000, Seth traveled to Tuva, began to study with throatsinging masters Igor Koskendey, Mongoun-ol Ondar and Aldar Tamdyn (of the group Chirgilchin), and learned to play the Igil (2-string fiddle). All of this has colored and lodged itself into his sound.
