Six Strings of Tension

03/08/2025

16/10/2023

Breaking out of the acoustic trend we've been riding for a while, I'm incredibly excited that on this episode we ascend the jagged, soaring peaks of transcendental, ambient, brutal death metal for a conversation with Cody Drasser of Long Island's wyrdest purveyors of brutality, Afterbirth.

All the more special, we had this conversation on Cody's 48th birthday, and I'm pleased to report he is "still alive, still playing death metal, still doing the thing". In fact, there's a genre shattering new Afterbirth album entitled "In But Not Of" coming out on Willowtip Records this Friday, October 20th.

We chat about how he got into metal by "borrowing" Iron Maiden albums he found in (Afterbirth bassist; also of the band Helmet) David Case's older brother's record collection. Seeing the music video for "Betrayer" by Kreator at a sleepover when he was a kid, and a friend's immediate feeling of repulsion to the band, was another key touchpoint in nurturing his love for auditory malevolence.

We also cover the beautiful, albeit heartbreaking story of how he ended up with his first guitar, teaching himself to play, and briefly taking lessons from the guy who would later evolve into Bumblefoot (most well known for his brief stint in Guns 'n Roses).

Beyond that, we talk about Afterbirth's strange, almost esoteric or, dare I say, "spiritual" sound, the importance of not trying to be explicitly "different" or a novelty act, but simultaneously not trying to fit into any kind of pre-existing musical template, and most crucially, creating art that is uncensored, honest and authentic. As Cody says "I don't know if there's any intention other than just being real".

Anyway, there's so much more we talk about, so give it a listen - Cody is easily one of the most kind, thoughtful, down to earth, and insightful players I've ever had the opportunity to interview.

It's difficult to fully express how much Afterbirth's music means to me. They are certainly not for everyone, but if you've got an open mind and a taste for that which is both esoteric and malevolent, definitely check them out!

Listen here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/GdYWsv1zWDb 🔥

26/09/2023

After a year of persistent requests, I finally agreed to let William Randles (aka ) interview me for the podcast... everything is backwards, but I'm glad we did it! Here is what Will has to say about this episode:

On this episode we journey back to Ethekwini to finally hear from the man behind the mic, the host of this here fine podcast, the myth, the legend, the one and only: Mr Duncan Park - .

Deploying his knowledge of the craft in a solo capacity as well as across various musical projects such as the mighty Return to Worm Mountain and the alright Rise Up, Dead Man, Duncan’s guitar playing ranges from gentle melodic indie and pop informed balladry, and sublime acoustic acid folk raga fingerstylings to heavy aggressive black metal, doom, psych-rock, cosmic drone, and noise

Over our sprawling three and half hour conversation interrupted intermittently by barking dogs jumping on laps and knocking microphones I talk to Duncan about his musical journey, his earliest musical memories, his influences, various projects past and present, composition versus improvisation, recording methodologies, the video game Dark Souls, the mental health challenges that can come with creating art, the wonders of DRONE, how his engagement with Buddhist philosophy and practice has informed his music, our mutual appreciation of Robert Thurman aka Bobby T aka Bobby T-Money aka Bobby The T man OG aka OG Bobby T Aka aka Atlanta temporal deficit 💸 and so much more…

Thank you for finally agreeing to engage in this dialogue Duncan and for starting this podcast.

Delve deeper into The EXCLUSIVE TRUE STORY of Duncan Park by smashing that link in the bio yo

25/09/2023

Super cool cigar box guitar built by Klumbsy Oxx 🔥🎸🐂

04/09/2023

As winter melts away in the southern hemisphere, and autumn begins to fall upon the north, we are joined this week by the singular . His elegant, articulate playing is matched only by his soft-spoken, honey-toned voice, and gentle approach to conversation.

Eli joins us from his home in Chicago for a thoughtful chat, and throughout the conversation you can hear the sounds of traffic, background music, the occasional aeroplane, roommates washing dishes and chatting; the sounds of life. Turn this one up and listen closely - through the mic hiss and ambience you will hear Eli quietly sharing his thoughts about music, guitar, the administrative toil behind the craft, and mental health in an insecure industry built on artistic expression.

We discuss the joys of musical collaboration, and Eli's good fortune of playing with an incredible range of stellar musicians. We explore the influence of jazz, british folk music, and even slivers of country music that seep into the incredible songs he has crafted over the course of three albums. I stand by the claim that his most recent, self-titled solo album is a pioneering work in the country-jazz fusion genre (not sure if Eli agrees, but he very politely chuckles at the proposition).

Most exciting for me, however, are the discussions around how Eli got into discovering his own music tastes by stumbling across albums by Weird Al Yankovic and The Shins, and playing Guitar Hero as a kid. We learn that even Eli has his own stash of parody songs, that perhaps someday we will be privileged to hear.

The discussions around his song titles, and the "non-musical" factors which inform his work take both a lewd, lighthearted, and simultaneously sombre turn. From his debut record being framed by the destruction wrought by Hurricane Harvey in his home city of Houston, Texas, to the unintentional sexual innuendo that seems to imbue a significant number of his song and album titles, his art seems to embrace both the tragedy and comedy of our absurd existence.

But we talk about so much more. Eli is an incredibly thoughtful and humble person, and one of the absolute finest guitarists making music right now.

Link in bio ⚡

14/08/2023

To Virginia! The heart of colonial America, but a more gracious reputation would be that it is the home of guitar phenom, artist, historian, folklorist, writer, vegetable grower, and excellent fellow, Daniel Bachman. And what a conversation we have!

Of course, we dive deep into colonial history, its resonances to our current context, and unpacking the past as a lens to understand our place in this world. This history and the deep power of place is intimately imbued in Daniel's music, as he invokes ghosts, spirits and "non-human collaborators" on albums such as the spectacular and singular Axacan (released by the legendary recordings).

We get into some esoteric territory, talking about the historical trauma held by the earth itself, recording in these traumatised spaces, and the darkly poetic reality that as sea levels rise in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay, the land that was so deeply traumatised by colonialism, slavery, slaughter and brutality will be the first to sink beneath the water.

But before this all starts sounding too bleak for your tastes, know that Daniel, and this conversation, is filled with compassion, love, connection, reflection and honesty. We talk about musicians, and how the emotional awareness necessary to create moving and powerful music, often comes from broken, but beautiful souls. We talk guitars, songwriting, and Daniel's journey from banjo picker to guitarist (upon hearing the mighty sounds of Fahey and Jack Rose), and now back to the banjo. Years on the road making music, and growing into scholarship without a formal university qualification - we are all free to engage in these things.

Perhaps most exciting, we speak about his forthcoming new album (tentatively due around November), and discuss the inspiration and intention behind the record. His "string band" album, inspired by family history, and specifically the blind Hostetler String Band. But make no mistake, the record pushes firmly forward in the aesthetic of Almanac Behind and his more recent work.

Go and give it a listen. Don't lose hope - we can live in balance with the earth and with the past, but as Daniel says "it's a lot to live through."

Link in bio...

08/08/2023

I had the privilege of being joined this week by the singular guitarist, singer-songwriter, (former) guitar maker, and general scene-builder, archivist and custodian of weird acoustic music, . He is most notably recognised for both his solo work, as well as being one half of the folk duo Arborea. He has also curated stellar tribute compilations for guitarists such as Jack Rose, Steffen Basho-Junghans and Robbie Basho, as well as releasing an archival Robbie Basho live album (all of these collections are absolutely essential listening).

We chat about his long a colourful history, blossoming into a guitar maker (check the second pic for a great shot of Buck with his Butterfly guitar which he built) and eventually a full time musician. It's an intriguing tale, and one which brings wonderful clarity and insight to Buck's rich catalogue of music. With a musical style that frequently blends intricate fingerpicking with haunting vocals, one of the most striking features of Buck's music (to my ears anyway) is his impressive use of space, silence and sustain in his compositions and playing.

We cover a wide range of topics, including life as a full time musician, reflections on how much the scene has changed from the late-2000s heyday of Arborea to our current, post-covid context, the pressure of becoming the custodian of Robbie Basho's legendary 12 string guitar (check it out in the first pic), balancing fatherhood, touring and recording, and a whole bunch of other stuff too.

So go ahead and give it a listen - Buck's passion for guitar is utterly infectious, and deeply inspiring.

Link in bio!

17/07/2023

I had the absolute pleasure and privilege to chat with Tennessee's finest and kindest exploratory guitarist, vocalist, and musical world builder, Joseph Allred.

This is one of the most winding and expansive discussions we've ever had on the show, traversing themes of cultural appropriation, global imperialism, mental health, religion, the commoditization of culture and music, contemporary politics, but most importantly, discovering who we are as people amidst all of this noise, and what this means for our role in society and the music we create.

Joseph is an amazingly thoughtful interviewee, practically bursting with ideas, observations, insights and wisdom; all articulated with a degree of nuance, compassion and sympathy that is desperately void from so many of the prevailing conversations on our screens and headphones. But beyond these conversations around culture, politics, society and power, Joseph speaks honestly and openly about their individual journey and personal circumstances with a frankness and vulnerability that reaches straight into your chest, and cradles your heart with a gentle poignancy. At times, it feels like an empathetic bloodletting of personal history, experience, and emotion. I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of this conversation. Honestly, this also makes for a fair description of Joseph's music.

We also talk a bit about guitars and guitarists (being a guitar podcast, after all), specifically Joseph's Holzapfel 12 string (built sometime between 1925 - 1935) and the immediacy with which it projects sound due to its build and less obstructive bracing under the guitar's top. Our discussion veers into lengthy tangents on the glory and magic of Robbie Basho, his playing, his singing, and his otherworldly brilliance.

But really, a description is a failed exercise for this conversation - hit that link in the bio and listen for yourself. This episode truly is something not to be missed.

Thank you, Joseph, for the words, for the music, and for sharing your world with us.

Listen here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ZO468zc0vBb

14/07/2023

Just a touch of shameless self promotion here...

11/07/2023

Join us for a new conversation as we drift across to continental Europe, to the city of Madrid where we explore the expansive and rich playing of the singular (and apologies for my poor pronunciation of names and album titles throughout our chat)!

You will hear us unpack the joys of being a creator, unbound by regional and stylistic aesthetic, but existing as an outsider on the fringes of various musical movements and cultures. We explore the limitations of language, and how instrumental music can at times be the most effective means for communicating complex or significant ideas and statements.

Notwithstanding this, it is worth noting that Xisco's latest (and chronically under-hyped) album, Folk-Lore, is a collection of traditional folk songs with lyrics and singing (I strongly recommend you go and give it a listen ASAP). This gives us a space to explore some ideas around the universality of the human voice, and tales, or stories, as a means to convey complex and rich tapestries of meaning. Additionally, it adds a new dimension (with the addition of vocals and lyrics) to Xisco's vast, and perhaps aesthetically disparate back catalogue of releases. Even so, as a humble listener, I am of the view that there remains a common and consistent thread which ties all of his output together rather neatly.

One of my favourite things about this conversation is that all of the above themes are largely external to the guitar itself. But fear not, for this is a podcast about guitars, and we do walk through Xisco's extensive collection of wonderful instruments, that will leave any six string fanatic drooling. His passion for big, bass-heavy, harmonically rich instruments will have you shopping around for dreadnoughts before the interview is through.

Lastly, I believe Xisco's final note and response to my last question is one of the most touching and beautiful moments for the podcast yet. Make sure you listen to the whole thing, and given Xisco's proclivity for complex conversation, perhaps consider giving this one a second listen, so as to ensure you didn't miss any jewels of wisdom that he slips out unassumingly as he speaks.

Kick back and enjoy ✨️ LINK IN BIO