Tone Chasers and String Benders
Temporada 1
The B's Have It
We Got Yer B's Right Here
More B's For Your Buck
Shape of B's
The B's Get Crowded
The B's Keep Coming
The Killer B's
Bring The B's
The Last of the A's
The A’s Get Weird
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por Chaz Charles & Dr. Porifera Glund
In this fourteenth episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund continue their seemingly endless journey through the B's—and somehow manage to travel from the Fillmore East to Canadian jazz clubs, through electric blues, across the classical guitar repertoire and straight into the glorious noise of Babes in Toyland. Along the way, the Doctor recalls seeing the Allman Brothers in their prime, including the extraordinary occasion when he wandered up behind Gregg Allman's Hammond organ, requested a song and actually got it played. There's a Chicago concert that didn't quite go according to plan, some serious discussion about the art of playing together rather than showing off, and the inevitable discovery that remembering rock history and having actually witnessed it are two entirely different things. And somewhere in the middle of all that? We encounter Canada's favorite heavy metal band, a discussion about talcum powder, and the Doctor's apparently inexhaustible supply of questionable recollections. Featured guitarists in this episode: Dickey Betts — The Allman Brothers' melodic Southern rock architect. We explore his interplay with Duane Allman, his contributions to the band's unmistakable sound and his subsequent adventures with Great Southern. Ed Bickert — The Canadian jazz guitarist who made a Fender Telecaster sound like it belonged in the most sophisticated jazz clubs on the planet. An exercise in restraint, harmonic sophistication and knowing precisely which notes NOT to play. Elvin Bishop — From the Paul Butterfield Blues Band to his own distinctive brand of blues-rock, we encounter a guitarist who knows his way around a groove. Ernesto Bitetti — We put down the electric guitars and venture into the world of classical guitar, where the fingers do the talking and there's nowhere to hide behind an amplifier. Kat Bjelland — Babes in Toyland's ferocious guitarist brings distortion, attitude and an entirely different definition of tone to our increasingly unruly alphabetical expedition. Five guitarists. Five completely different musical worlds. Two hosts who probably shouldn't be allowed to operate heavy machinery. Five more guitarists down, 930 to go! 1,000 Legendary Guitarists. A Fiver at a Time. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
The B’s refuse to leave. In Episode 13 of Tone Chasers & String Benders, Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund continue their increasingly improbable alphabetical journey through 1,000 legendary guitarists with five players who manage to cover jazz sophistication, Texas swing, the invention of rock & roll, a genuine mystery man, and modern virtuosity—all before the guys can finally escape the letter B. Featured guitarists in this episode: George Benson – Before the smooth vocals and crossover stardom, there was one hell of a jazz guitarist. Benson sends Chaz and the Doctor into his early work, his unmistakable phrasing, the relationship between the notes he plays and sings, and the realization that “smooth” doesn't have to mean easy. The man can flat-out play. Ray Benson – From one Benson to another, but that's about where the similarities end. The towering leader of Asleep at the Wheel brings Western swing, Texas-sized musical history and a Telecaster into the proceedings. Bob Wills inevitably enters the room, and the guys discover once again that following the guitar backwards usually opens several more doors than it closes. Chuck Berry – Two notes. That's about all it takes. Chaz and Glund dig into the riffs, double-stops, movement, songwriting and guitar vocabulary that became part of rock & roll's basic DNA. There's the duck walk, memories of seeing Berry live, the question of just how much subsequent rock guitar traces directly back to Chuck—and, naturally, an encounter with the infamous John Lennon/Yoko Ono performance that sends everything briefly off the rails. Skeeter Best – And then things get difficult. A respected jazz guitarist with an impressive résumé who proves remarkably hard to actually find. What begins as another entry on the list becomes an on-air musical investigation involving search results, wrong Skeeters, questionable recordings and the recurring Tone Chasers dilemma: how can someone be considered legendary when two guys with the entire Internet at their disposal can barely locate the guitar? Nuno Bettencourt – Finally, the B's arrive in the modern age with one of the great technicians of his generation. Extreme, Pornograffitti, rhythm, melody, impossible-looking technique and a player whose chops never completely obscure the song. And when Nuno's connection to Eddie Van Halen enters the conversation, Chaz finds the performance that gets him every time. And in between? George Benson guitar archaeology. Asleep at the Wheel. Chuck Berry's astonishingly economical recipe for rock & roll. John Lennon trying to play along. Yoko. The mysterious Skeeter hunt. Guitarists singing their own solos. Nuno paying tribute to Eddie. And another reminder that five names on a list somehow never means discussing only five guitarists. Because around here, every guitarist opens another door. Five more guitarists down. 935 to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
The B’s keep coming—and apparently they’re determined to give Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund their money’s worth. In Episode 12 of Tone Chasers & String Benders, the alphabetical journey through 1,000 legendary guitarists rolls through early rock & roll, art-rock weirdness, Big Star melancholy, British pub rock and a guitarist whose name wasn’t actually his name. Five guitarists. Five completely different corners of the instrument. And, naturally, several doors that probably should have remained closed. Featured guitarists in this episode: Franny Beecher – Before rock guitar had figured out what it was supposed to be, Beecher was already tearing it up behind Bill Haley & His Comets. A jazz guitarist dropped into the middle of the emerging rock & roll explosion, Beecher brings the guys back to the days when this music genuinely sounded dangerous. There’s vintage footage, devil’s music, barbaric guitar playing—and the realization that somebody had to play those licks while Bill Haley stood out front. Adrian Belew – Where do you start? Frank Zappa. David Bowie. Talking Heads. King Crimson. Robert Fripp. Discipline. Lone Rhino. “Big Electric Cat.” Belew’s ability to make a guitar sound like virtually anything sends Chaz enthusiastically into the weird while the Doctor becomes increasingly unconvinced that “genius” necessarily means “something I want to hear in the car.” And then Robert Fripp’s orbit opens yet another door. Chris Bell – Big Star takes the show somewhere completely different. Bell’s guitar work and songwriting on #1 Recordlead into the extraordinary “I Am the Cosmos,” Alex Chilton, the strange fate of Big Star and one of rock history’s great cult figures—a musician whose influence became vastly larger than the audience he found during his lifetime. Martin Belmont – From Ducks Deluxe to Graham Parker & The Rumour, Belmont brings the show into the sweaty world of British pub rock: economical playing, great hooks and guitar parts built to serve the song rather than announce themselves. Naturally, finding the guitar solo they're looking for becomes an adventure of its own. Ariel Bender – Except Ariel Bender is really Luther Grosvenor, which is exactly the sort of thing this show was designed to stumble into. Spooky Tooth leads to Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs and the glorious theatrical racket of British ’70s rock. Somewhere along the way, Chaz finds himself unwilling to stop the record—which may be the highest honor Tone Chasers can bestow. And in between? Skechers somehow become a discussion of tone and value. Robert Fripp and Toyah wander into the proceedings. Chaz discovers music he could apparently write code to all day. Ducks Deluxe gets confused with Bebop Deluxe. Dr. Glund starts running dangerously low on old concert stories. And then an old thread comes roaring back when Lothar and the Hand People finally get their promised investigation—only for the guys to discover that Lothar wasn't a person at all. Lothar was the theremin. At last: a digression with a point. This isn’t a ranking. It isn’t a lecture. And at this point, pretending the rabbit holes aren't part of the methodology would just be dishonest. It's five guitarists at a time, one record leading to another, until somebody remembers there are still several hundred names left on the list. Five more guitarists down. 940 to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network. (rss.com)
The B’s are getting so crowded that apparently started pulling in the C's.. In Episode 11 of Tone Chasers & String Benders, Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund continue their alphabetical journey through 1,000 legendary guitarists with two Becks, two Beckers… and a Larry Coryell who wanders into the proceedings and refuses to remain merely a diversion. Featured guitarists in this episode: Jeff Beck – Where do you even start? The Yardbirds. Truth. Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. “Shapes of Things.” “Heart Full of Soul.” “Beck’s Bolero.” Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Eric Clapton, Hendrix, Les Pauls, Strats, Tone Benders—and a guitarist who seemingly spent his entire career refusing to sound like anybody but Jeff Beck. The guys follow him all the way to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Patient Number 9” and discover the obvious problem with putting Jeff Beck on a five-guitarist show: eventually you have to stop talking about Jeff Beck. Joe Beck – Jazz guitarist, session monster and owner of a résumé that casually includes Miles Davis, James Brown, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra and Gil Evans. The trail leads through Esther Phillips, Kudu and CTI Records, “From a Whisper to a Scream,” “Lay Down Beside You,” and Beck’s own 1975 solo work. Another record gets saved to Chaz’s library. Mission accomplished. Larry Coryell – Except Joe Beck inevitably opens another door. Coryell was supposed to be a diversion. Then they actually start listening. And once Tone Chasers starts digging through a guitarist’s records, there really is no such thing as a diversion anymore. Coryell officially earns his place in the five as the show veers deeper into jazz fusion—and even plants the seed for a future visit to that Jim Pepper “peyote chant” where Coryell absolutely cranks. Jason Becker – A genuine shred phenomenon whose trajectory seemed limitless: Cacophony with Marty Friedman, then the David Lee Roth gig following Steve Vai, with the chops to stand in a lineage that included Eddie Van Halen. ALS tragically ended Becker’s performing career, but not his music or his connection to the guitar community. Chaz and the Doctor listen to the Roth-era work, marvel at Becker’s playing, and naturally find time to examine a few of Diamond Dave’s more dependable lyrical and visual trademarks. Walter Becker – Just when it seems the episode might be over, another Becker appears. The guitarist, bassist, songwriter, producer and Donald Fagen’s partner in Steely Dan leads straight into the question of what Walter himself brought to a band famous for hiring some of the greatest guitarists alive. The answer becomes clearer when the guys hit Becker’s solo work—11 Tracks of Whack, “Junkie Girl” and Circus Money—and hear just how much unmistakable Steely Dan DNA came directly from Walter Becker. And in between? There’s unfinished Don Beck business, the Yardbirds family tree, Jimmy Page sightings, guitar-gear archaeology, CTI session-player rabbit holes, Larry Carlton, Marty Friedman, Diamond Dave being Diamond Dave, and the increasingly obvious realization that “we’ve diverted a lot on this show” may actually be the show’s mission statement. This isn’t a ranking. It isn’t a lecture. It’s five guitarists at a time—unless somebody finds another record and everything goes sideways. Five more guitarists down. 945 to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
The B’s are getting crowded. In Episode 10 of Tone Chasers & String Benders, Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund continue their alphabetical journey through 1,000 legendary guitarists, moving from outrageous metal virtuosity and Michael Jackson-sized stages to bebop, Steely Dan precision, pedal steel and the Flying Burrito Brothers. And somewhere along the way, they may even find the right Don Beck. Featured guitarists in this episode: Michael Angelo Batio – Metal virtuosity taken to its logical extreme. The famous double guitar, ambidextrous playing, sweep picking and enough technique to make two fretboards seem almost reasonable. Jennifer Batten – Known to millions as Michael Jackson’s guitarist, but listen beyond the spectacle and there’s serious command of the instrument: tapping, harmonics, trills and little technical details everywhere. Her connection with Jeff Beck opens a larger discussion about influence and developing your own voice. Billy Bauer – Back to the sophisticated jazz guitar of the 1940s and ’50s. Bauer worked with musicians including Lennie Tristano and Woody Herman, playing guitar that converses with the ensemble rather than trying to dominate it. An unfamiliar name becomes exactly the kind of discovery this show exists to make. Jeff “Skunk” Baxter – Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers and one of the great lessons in knowing exactly where the guitar belongs. Baxter could step forward when required, but his real genius may have been understanding how a perfectly placed guitar part can help make the entire record work. Don Beck – Supposedly the pedal-steel guitarist associated with the Flying Burrito Brothers. Unfortunately, the first Don Beck Chaz and Glund find doesn't sound remotely like that guy. Cue an on-air investigation involving multiple Don Becks, questionable internet evidence, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman and an increasingly desperate search for the guitarist they're actually supposed to be discussing. Featured recordings include: Michael Angelo Batio / Manowar – “Kings of Metal” Jennifer Batten – Live at the Blue Note Jeff Beck – “Highway Jam” (discussed in connection with Batten) Billy Bauer – “When It’s Sleepy Time” Jeff “Skunk” Baxter – “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” Steely Dan – “Bodhisattva” and early Baxter-era selections Don Beck – “War Gods” — definitely listened to; apparently the wrong Don Beck The Flying Burrito Brothers – selections from The Last of the Red Hot Burritos featuring the Don Beck they were actually looking for The Flying Burrito Brothers – “Sin City,” “Dark End of the Street,” “Juanita” and “Hot Burrito” material Sometimes you discover a guitarist. Sometimes you rediscover one. And sometimes you go looking for a pedal-steel player and wind up listening to “War Gods.” Five more guitarists down. 950 to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
In Episode 9 of Tone Chasers & String Benders, Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund discover something they probably should have figured out by now: the B’s are going to be around for a while. Five more names come off the list, and this may be one of the strangest combinations yet. We go from the swampy grooves of Little Feat to the psychedelic birth of Pink Floyd, take a hard left into Cuban classical guitar, climb aboard a freight train with a Dobro, and finally arrive at a guitarist so obscure the guys begin questioning the list itself. In other words, business as usual. Featured guitarists in this episode: Paul Barrere – Longtime Little Feat guitarist whose Stratocaster, slide work and greasy Southern-meets-Louisiana tone helped define one of rock’s great cult bands. Chaz admits Little Feat largely passed him by the first time around—but Barrere’s playing makes a convincing case for catching up. Syd Barrett – Founding force behind Pink Floyd, psychedelic visionary, Telecaster and Danelectro player...but one of history’s great guitarists? Arnold Layne, See Emily Play and The Scarecrow launch a debate over whether Barrett belongs here for his guitar playing—or because without Syd, there may never have been Pink Floyd. Manuel Barrueco – From psychedelic Cambridge to Santiago, Cuba, and suddenly everybody gets quiet. Barrueco’s nylon-string classical playing sparks a conversation about feel—and whether playing slowly, with every note exposed, can actually be harder than playing fast. Guitar as conversation. Guitar as narrative. Nothing to hide behind. Bashful Brother Oswald – Born Beecher “Pete” Kirby, the Dobro pioneer associated with Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys transports the show to another time: freight trains, Tennessee countryside, front porches and, naturally, a big bloodhound sitting nearby. Different instrument. Different era. Same chase for tone. Cal Batchelor – An English guitarist associated with Quiver and Sutherland Brothers and Quiver, Batchelor sends the guys down another rabbit hole—through Tim Renwick, Quicksilver Messenger Service and John Cipollina—before raising the inevitable question: does every guitarist on a list of 1,000 great guitarists really belong there? Featured recordings include: Skin It Back / Feats Don’t Fail Me Now – Little Feat with Paul Barrere Arnold Layne / See Emily Play / The Scarecrow – Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett The Radiant Guitar – Manuel Barrueco Dobro selections – Bashful Brother Oswald Sutherland Brothers and Quiver selections – Cal Batchelor And in between? Syd Barrett versus David Gilmour. Joan Baez wanders back into the conversation. Classical guitar becomes a meditation on speed versus feel. Brother Oswald gains a couple of followers in real time. Quiver somehow leads to John Cipollina’s legendary amplifier rig. And eventually the guys look at this particular batch of B’s and wonder whether the middle of the list might contain just a little bit of... BS. This isn’t a ranking. It isn’t a lecture. And increasingly, it may not even be a good idea. But it’s one hell of a way to discover guitar players. Five more guitarists down... Nine hundred and fifty-five to go... Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
In this episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund dive headfirst into what they quickly discover is one of the deepest sections of the alphabet. The B's aren't just crowded—they're loaded. After marveling at the sheer number of contenders, the pair curate another eclectic lineup spanning progressive rock, big band jazz, Western swing, and pioneering electric jazz guitar, proving once again that guitar history refuses to stay in one lane. The episode opens with the hosts assuring listeners that this list wasn't assembled by AI—followed immediately by an extended and completely unnecessary discussion about the one thing artificial intelligence still can't convincingly fake. It's exactly the kind of detour you've come to expect. Featured guitarists in this episode: Peter Banks – The original guitarist and founding member of Yes, whose Gibson ES-335 helped shape the band's earliest psychedelic and progressive explorations before Steve Howe took the reins. The hosts revisit the debut Yes album, marvel at Banks' inventive playing, and rediscover just how good those first recordings really were. Dave Barbour – Swing-era guitarist, Gibson ES-5 and ES-150 devotee, Peggy Lee's husband, and a master of tasteful jazz phrasing. Chaz and Dr. Glund explore his work with Benny Goodman and Red Norvo while inevitably veering into jokes that would make a 1940s nightclub blush. Junior Barnard – One of the architects of Western Swing guitar with Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. His fiery blend of country, blues, and jazz earns admiration from both hosts, who celebrate the overlooked musicians who quietly built the bridge between early country music and modern electric guitar. George Barnes – One of the first great electric jazz guitarists, known for his elegant Guild and Gibson archtops and his beautifully lyrical duet recordings with Carl Kress. What begins as an unfamiliar name quickly becomes one of the episode's biggest discoveries as the hosts stumble into a catalogue of remarkably tasteful guitar performances. Martin Barre – The longtime guitarist of Jethro Tull, whose precise, muscular playing helped define classics like Aqualung while somehow standing shoulder to shoulder with Ian Anderson's flute. The conversation explores Barre's underrated legacy and why he deserves far more recognition among rock guitar fans. Featured recordings include: Every Little Thing – Yes featuring Peter Banks Stompin' at the Savoy – Dave Barbour Fat Boy Rag – Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys featuring Junior Barnard Blue Moon – George Barnes & Carl Kress Aqualung – Jethro Tull featuring Martin Barre And in between? You get vintage Yes albums rediscovered in real time. Western Swing history lessons. Peggy Lee stories. Hollow-body guitar "appreciation". A detour into Eddie Lang and Dick McDonough that sends everyone down another musical rabbit hole. Arguments over forgotten jazz masters with barely two thousand monthly Spotify listeners. And, somehow, Norm Crosby, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Max Headroom, and flatulence all make appearances before the first half-hour is over. Because around here, every guitarist opens another door. Five more guitarists down... Nine hundred and sixty to go... Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
In this episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund leave the A's behind and officially launch into the B's—five more guitarists, five more musical rabbit holes, and one unforgettable jazz detour that threatens to steal the whole show. This installment proves just how wide the definition of "legendary guitarist" can be. From Canadian arena rock and avant-garde free improvisation to British pub rock, Southern rock, and early rock & roll, the episode spans nearly every corner of guitar history while continuing the alphabetical journey through the 1,000 legendary guitarists. Featured guitarists in this episode: Randy Bachman – The driving force behind The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, whose instantly recognizable riffs powered classics like American Woman, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, and Takin' Care of Business. Along the way, the hosts dive deep into Bachman's guitar tone, fuzz sounds, Gretsch guitars, the Garnet Herzog overdrive amplifier, and the happy accidents that create legendary recordings. Derek Bailey – One of the most uncompromising figures in avant-garde jazz guitar. Bailey's free improvisation leaves one host fascinated, the other bewildered, as the discussion explores whether music needs melody, structure, or even recognizable songs to become influential. Guy Bailey – Best known for his work with The Quireboys, Bailey represents the swaggering British blues-rock tradition, blending Faces-style groove, Keith Richards-inspired rhythm work, and pub-rock attitude into a sound built more on feel than flash. Barry Bailey – The longtime guitarist of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, whose tasteful playing helped define one of Southern rock's smoothest and most melodic bands. The conversation wanders through session work, Southern rock history, and the understated artistry of players who always served the song first. Micky Baker – One half of Mickey & Sylvia and one of early rock & roll's most influential yet underappreciated guitar pioneers. Beyond his own recordings, Baker's session work, instructional books, and pioneering electric guitar style helped shape generations of players who followed. Featured recordings include: American Woman – The Guess Who (Randy Bachman) Takin' Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive Selected improvisations – Derek Bailey Quireboys classics featuring Guy Bailey So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section (Barry Bailey) Love Is Strange – Mickey & Sylvia featuring Micky Baker The episode also makes room for one of its trademark digressions when a discussion of jazz guitar leads to Barney Kessel. What begins as a sidebar quickly becomes a celebration of one of the great architects of modern jazz guitar, his influence on studio legends like Larry Carlton, and why some of the instrument's biggest innovators remain criminally overlooked. As always, the conversation drifts delightfully between guitar tone, vintage gear, fuzz pedals, recording techniques, bizarre musical experiments, Canadian rock history, British blues, Southern grooves, and enough bad jokes to require their own effects pedal. Five more guitarists down... Nine hundred and sixty-five to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
In this sixth episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund reach what appears to be the end of the alphabet’s first letter… and immediately discover they missed somebody. What was supposed to be a straightforward march through the final A-list guitarists turns into a full-blown audit of the roster. Along the way, the hosts establish a new tradition: before moving on to a new letter, they stop and ask the most dangerous question in podcasting: “Who did we miss?” The answer leads to an unexpected addition, a legendary sideman with connections to Dickey Betts, the Allman Brothers orbit, Jimi Hendrix alumni, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s bandmates, and virtually every guitar magazine on Earth. Meanwhile, the hosts hand out the show's latest official judgment: “Uh-Oh.” Not every guitarist survives the court of appeals. Featured guitarists in this episode: Irving Ashby – Jazz-era guitarist associated with the Nat King Cole Trio and the post-war big band world. A respected player whose appearance on the list sparks one of the episode’s most spirited debates. John Ashton – Guitarist for The Psychedelic Furs, bringing post-punk textures, new wave atmosphere, and MTV-era guitar sounds to the conversation. Chet Atkins – The undisputed giant of the episode. “Mr. Guitar” himself. Fingerstyle pioneer, architect of the Nashville Sound, Gretsch icon, producer, innovator, and one of the most influential guitarists in American music history. Mike Auldridge – Dobro master and bluegrass innovator whose fluid slide playing helped elevate resonator guitar from supporting instrument to featured voice. Andy Aledort (The Missing A) – Guitar World editor, educator, session player, Allman Brothers disciple, and guitarist’s guitarist. The surprise addition whose résumé proves that sometimes the players behind the legends become legends themselves. Featured recordings include: Pretty in Pink – The Psychedelic Furs with John Ashton Classic Nashville recordings and fingerstyle showcases – Chet Atkins New Grass Revival and dobro performances – Mike Auldridge Groove Kings performances and instructional classics – Andy Aledort And in between? You get a detour into Eric Clapton’s role in creating the Les Paul-through-Marshall blueprint that shaped British rock. There’s a discussion about guitarists who could create magic in the studio but struggled to reproduce it live. There’s a reminder that sometimes the most important musicians are the ones standing just outside the spotlight. Most importantly, the hosts close the book on the A’s—at least for now. Five more guitarists down… and if the listeners know another A we missed, they’re invited to file an appeal. Nine hundred and seventy to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.
In this fifth episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund continue their alphabetical expedition through the world of legendary guitarists—and somewhere between psychedelic San Francisco, Delta bottleneck blues, British canal boats, and Spanish nylon-string seduction… things get gloriously strange. There are debates about what actually makes a guitarist legendary, stories from the Fillmore East, deep dives into the roots of slide guitar, and a spontaneous detour into why the Gibson SG was originally supposed to be a Les Paul model… until Les himself hated it. And somewhere in the middle of all that? Janis Joplin hands Dr. Glund a rose through the window of a Cadillac in the dead of winter. Featured guitarists in this episode: Sam Andrew – Psychedelic San Francisco survivor and longtime musical partner of Janis Joplin, remembered for his work with Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Cosmic Blues Band. A rhythm player, arranger, and essential side man whose story becomes one of the emotional centerpieces of the episode. Joan Armatrading – Acclaimed singer-songwriter whose subtle acoustic playing and introspective songwriting sparked spirited debate between Chaz and the Doctor about what qualifies someone for “legendary guitarist” status in the first place. Kokomo Arnold – Delta blues bottleneck pioneer whose raw National Steel slide guitar work reminds everyone that the guitar is as much a percussion instrument as it is melodic. Dirty, rhythmic, hypnotic blues from the roots of everything that followed. Alice Artzt – Classical guitar virtuoso and recital circuit master whose nylon-string precision, dynamic touch, and elegant phrasing bring an entirely different kind of intensity to the show. Eddie Van Halen – Not officially “up” yet in the alphabet… but impossible to ignore. A surprise detour into Spanish Flyturns into a full-blown reverent discussion of the third great innovator of electric guitar alongside Les Paul and Leo Fender. Featured recordings include: I Need a Man to Love – Janis Joplin with Sam Andrew Selections from Joan Armatrading’s 1970s acoustic era Dirty Mistreater – Kokomo Arnold & Casey Bill Weldon Classical recital performances – Alice Artzt Spanish Fly – Eddie Van Halen Along the way, Chaz and Dr. Glund wrestle with the difference between technical brilliance and historical importance, debate whether some artists belong on the list at all, and accidentally create the show’s newest recurring segment: “Uh-Oh.” A sound effect. A judgment. A guitar court of appeals. This week’s episode proves the list is becoming more than a countdown—it’s becoming a living argument about tone, influence, feel, and the weird roads guitar music has traveled to get here. Five more guitarists down… nine hundred and seventy-five to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.