Good for you acegardener. Being slated by purists is always a good thing IMHO but I've tended to find they are more common online than in real life!

I'm very keen on open tunings myself, although I play banjo and guitar, not bazouki. "Standard" banjo tuning is open G, and it's fairly easy to play a melody within the chords (if that makes any sense?) I suppose what is that if you are playing in open G in the key of G it's hard to hit a wrong note on an open string. Same goes for open D and key of D of course.

Seasick Steve's playing is deceptively simple! He might use a three string guitar but the groove he gets going is hard to imitate!

Have funb,

Pete.