MOVIE 'bad boy', Steven Seagal has a new lease on life. His latest movie, Exit Wound, was number one when it opened at the United States box office on Friday, March 16, where it made US$19 million. It is currently number three at the box office with US$34 million. Now he is looking to launch a successful musical career with an album which the movie star described as "youthful hip-hop, R&B, contemporary and modern.
The actor/singer is an avid collector of guitars. He has between 30 and 40 of the instruments made mainly made of ashwood and rosewood in one room measuring 7 metres by 8 metres at his Bel Air mansion, in California, United States.
"When you sleep in that room you feel you are surrounded by music and by the history of music," he told Showbiz.
He has some of his guitars on a four-poster bed, with others "mostly on the floor."
"I spend most of my time playing the guitar," he said.
The movie star started collecting his favourite instrument "many, many, many years ago."
Among them are guitars previously owned by some of the biggest names in music, including Stevie Ray Vaughn, Albert Cawlings, Lenny Kravitz and Jimi Hendrix. But his most prized was given to him by the late Albert Cawlings.
"Before Albert Cawlings died, he had requested that his wife, Gwen, give me his guitar and amplifier. This guitar is over 30 years old," he told Showbiz, adding that Mr. Cawlings was a dear friend.
"My guitars are some of the greatest on earth," he told Showbiz.
"They all give different sounds when I want smooth, rough, mean, anything there is a special guitar I play. I had more guitars, but when I became a Buddhist, I did not want too many material things and anything I was too attached to. So I sold most of them," he said.
He said that the two Stratacaster guitars made by Fendi that he brought to Jamaica were two of his most special. One was made in 1954 and the other in 1956.
