FRIDAY MUSIC: Steve Wickham, by JD

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You may not know the name but Steve Wickham is/was fiddle player with Scots/Irish band The Waterboys in the 1980s and here are a few songs from his solo career as well as some tales.

Steve Wickham is an Irish musician. Originally from Marino, Dublin, but calling Sligo home. Wickham was a founding member of In Tua Nua and played violin on the classic U2 song “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, as well as recordings by Elvis Costello, the Hothouse Flowers, Sinéad O’Connor, and World Party. He is a long-standing member of The Waterboys. Wickham plays both rock and roll and traditional Irish music, and has developed a rock music technique for violin he calls the “fuzz fiddle”.

Wickham is also accomplished with the mandolin, tin whistle, concertina, saxophone, piano, guitar and bones.

Not a Theme Night – Saints and Angels (Steve Wickham)

Pascal – Steve Wickham

Recorded live as part of Theme Night #31 – Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo, Ireland.

Steve Wickham plays The Gold Ring

Pascal – Steve Wickham

Recorded live as part of Theme Night #31 – Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo, Ireland.

All Will Be Well – Steve Wickham

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In 1984 Wickham was in a band called InTuaNua who were one of the supporting acts when Bob Dylan played at Slane Castle in county Meath Steve tells how he met Dylan and was invited to perform with him:

“A tall American guy came over and told us that Bob would like to meet ‘the fiddler and the singer’. He brought Leslie Dowdall and myself over to see Bob in his quarters, an oasis of peace and tranquility away from the madding crowd. Bob came out of his tent to greet us, casually smoking a cigarette. Dylan’s eyes were startling and lined with heavy black eyeliner. He was wearing a jungle print shirt hanging open to the waist and a very robust looking pair of biker boots with brass hoops at the ankles. He looked otherworldly and spoke quietly. Bob praised InTuaNua and asked if Leslie and I would join him for a song during his set. Bob suggested that we play ‘Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat’. ‘It’s a regular blues’ he drawled in his familiar voice.”

You can read the full tale here -