Six Strings of Tension

Really stoked to have a new (to me) player on the show who I only first heard this year. Matthew Geary is making probably the finest American Primitive guitar music I've heard in 2026, and he's been seriously getting out there, with two cassettes released this year on Carbon and Scissor Tail Records respectively, as well as playing a relentless slew of live shows, and touring with last week's guest, Rob Mohan.It was really interesting to talk to Matt as someone from Philadelphia, who inadvertently saw Jack Rose open for Sunn O))) back when he was an impressionable 13 year old kid, and over nearly two decades has seen his guitar and music making endeavours come full circle from that moment. We talk music, guitar, technique, touring, recording, writing, but also dive into the emotional and expressive side of music, as well as broader topics like loneliness, the opioid epidemic, the inspirational writing of Cormac McCarthy, and a whole bunch of other stuff.Matt is an incredibly inspirational guitarist who really seems to be in the thick of his creative stride right now, with a whole lot lined up for the future. Looking forward to having another conversation in a few years' time to revisit his journey down this road.

Were I a gambling man, my money would be on everybody (in the world of instrumental acoustic guitar, which is, admittedly, a limited world of people) knowing the name William DeLee by the end of 2026. He is finger-picking wizard playing solo acoustic guitar, charango and ronroco in a style that has extended beyond the trappings of the increasingly popular American Primitive style, and embraced flamenco and classical techniques to land on something truly unique and transcendental (bear in mind, I'm saying this as someone who absolutely loves AP). He has a full length record coming out in June on Carbon and Feeding Tube Records, and a tour with (king of AP) Liam Grant lined up for July, so the momentum is just starting to build.Our conversation covers Will's history with guitar (and a range of other instruments too), how he developed his technique and landed on his distinctive style of playing. But a prevalent thread throughout the discussion is the importance of community and connection with other people in getting Will to where he is today. Within the first three minutes of us talking he says "I can't emphasise enough how much of a mentor Rob [Vaughn] has been", while he shares numerous accounts of friends introducing him to music, his meeting with Skyler Pia at university (who now, years later, has recorded part of Will's forthcoming LP), and subsequently meeting Emmett Martin of Bud Tapes, who ultimately recorded and released Will's first EP, amongst other friendships that have nudged his musical journey along the way. It's a pertinent reminder of the importance of community and connection in this world of underground music, and frankly, in life generally.Also, as a fellow South African, I've got to shout out Derek Gripper, because after we stopped recording Will suddenly realised he hadn't mentioned how encountering Derek's Tiny Desk Concert on YouTube was a critical formative moment in helping him recognise the possibilities of acoustic guitar.

This episode constitutes a remarkably wide-ranging and thoroughly enjoyable conversation with Joe Tunis of Carbon Records; a creator and artistic conceptualiser of note. To the outside observer, Joe is an insanely busy musician, artist, and curator of musical releases and shows. He generally disagrees with being called "busy" (which is wild), but some of his ongoing projects include: putting out a steady slew of diverse releases on Carbon Records (for over 30 years now!), doing his annual Joe+N Day Tour, organising what's become the annual (week long!) Carbon Fest, playing blizzard shows with the outlandishly performative project, Tumul, participating in at least 5 different musical projects, and endless other boundary pushing musical and performative exploits. Our discussion covers a broad range of topics, from Joe's musical history, to his artistic exploits, the trials and tribulations of running a label, organising shows, the interplay between personal and community expression, and a whole load of other stuff. We also briefly chat a bit about guitar and Joe's history with the instrument. For me, this is a conversation not to be missed!

For the first time on the podcast we have the privilege of being joined by a guitarist extraordinaire from that most illustrious of cities straddling between the Pacific coast and Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia. He is a man with three decade's worth of experience as an active musician and DJ, and is currently carving out a path as an ecstatic primitive acoustic guitarist who dabbles in the blues-rooted traditions of American Primitive, but also bends this medium into what can be termed "madcap ambient" forms - most evident on his most recent album, Wizrad, which dropped last Friday. This isolated Australian axe-wielder is none other than Darren DC Cross. Our conversation veers through Darren's rich musical history, including collaborations with the likes of Kylie Minogue and Kool Keith, playing gigs with the Avalanches and hearing the songs that would later become their breakthrough album "Since I Left You", as well as touring with an endless list of the finest and wildest musicians and bands of the 90s and 2000s. And while a history like his undoubtedly makes for interesting conversation, the real meat of our chat (for me at least) lies in Darren's philosophy around solo acoustic guitar, as he talks about how he approaches each album and adapts his playing by adopting a new tuning and embracing new techniques. I reckon there's a lot to be learned and embraced by other players in listening to how he pushes himself on the instrument to expand his technique and compositional prowess. We also talk guitars and discuss his most recent custom made Opus acoustic, and bond over our shared feelings of disgust for Ovation guitars. Key takeaway is that plastic guitars are awful and Florentine cutaways are the best. Anyway, check out the interview, but much more importantly, go and listen to his latest album Wizrad on thee bandcamps (while it is still alive)!

Normality is restored this week as I have the privilege of chatting with acoustic guitar extraordinaire Ethan WL all the way from Boston. Ethan is part of the ever growing and snowballing third wave of American Primitive players, alongside the likes of Liam Grant, Joseph Allred and a blossoming plethora of young musicians in the USA (and around the world). We chat about his album The Pink House, the album's convergence of acoustic primitive playing with field recordings, electric soundscapes and noise, and the shift he is making for his forthcoming new record, which looks set to consist of purely solo acoustic guitar performances, akin to a live show. We explore the debate around cheap vs. expensive guitars and gear (there remains no definitive conclusion to this debate), the relaxing nature of drone and even harsh noise music, and the not-so-tenuous links in meditative quality in the aforementioned drone and noise styles of music, and the transcendence of American Primitive. I really enjoy discussing the college and underground music scenes of Boston, learning about a musical realm partly overshadowed by (and even in conflict with) the Berkley College of Music (my only prior knowledge of Berkley is gleaned from memes and Eric Andre). It's super cool to hear about house shows and regular gigs with bills consisting of American Primitive, harsh noise and Hyperpop artists back to back. I really dig the idea of a scene where participants lean into these vastly different forms of extreme music, and Ethan truly is the embodiment of someone who is all about extremes when it comes to music. Finally, we talk about discovering American Primitive music, playing with Liam Grant, Mike Gangloff, Glenn Jones and many other giants of the genre, as well as working with the legendary Rob Vaughn (his work on Liam Grant's Amoskeag has become something of a benchmark in audio engineering). And of course, the ever present influence of big daddy Neil Young and embracing simplicity in composition. But anyway... give it a listen - Ethan is doing awesome stuff, and you can expect to hear loads of amazing things coming from him over the forthcoming years, and dare I say, even decades. Early days for the third wave - don't sleep on it!

As winter melts away in the southern hemisphere, and autumn begins to fall upon the north, we are joined this week by the singular Eli Winter. 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 being overwhelmed with anxiety over whether or not to buy these strange, perhaps even taboo albums), 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 (apparently there is a Born In the USA spoof in there somewhere). 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, and I gotta say - Eli is such an incredibly thoughtful, humble and kind person, and one of the absolute finest guitarists making music right now. Go buy his albums, get tickets to his shows - he's going on tour tomorrow and you won't be disappointed. Thank you for listening.

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, Buck Curran. 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 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, 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.

For this episode we traverse to the British Isles for the first time to speak with shadowy Welsh apparition, and apocalyptically dexterous Welsh Primitive player, Gwenifer Raymond. A lesson in Welsh musical history is imparted, with tales of Newport once being dubbed the "new Seattle" with flagship venue TJ's leading the charge (post-interview research reveals this is allegedly where Kurt Cobain proposed to Courtney Love), and the glory of playing in punk bands in The Valleys. We speak about Gwenifer's musical origins and influences, and how "Hendrix was the only guitar wanker who could get away with it" (what a fucking quote, eh). Also, when it comes to electric guitar, the love of feedback triumphs over the classic solo. Electric guitars aside, we talk about Welsh landscapes and how the ineffable feeling of visions and nostalgia of where and how you grew up permeates the music you create. In Gwenifer's instance this would be the woods at the foot of the Garth Mountain - dark forests, cold, misty, and imbued with gothic atmosphere. And as a South African living in the tropical city of Durban where monkeys swing from the trees, I can confirm that the cold, gothic forests and mountains of an Ancient, Arthurian Wales is exactly where Gwenifer's music somehow transports me to every time I hear it. In terms of six stringed technicalities, for a third time on the podcast, nickel strings get a shout out (technically nickel alloy if you want the specifics), and the merits of certain recording techniques and the use of digital processing in recording acoustic guitars are discussed (if it sounds good, go for it). Chats about horror movies are where the conversation gets truly interesting, and for real, A24 needs to get Gwenifer to write a soundtrack for a classic British folk horror that they almost certainly have in the pipeline. Songs about dogs are the only beautiful songs. Please also note the announcement that the Lovely Eggs are the best band in the UK. At first, you can hear how nervous I am to speak with such an incredible guitarist whomst I hold in the highest revere, but the nerves quickly settle as soon as we get into the familiar discussion territory of the glory of grunge, and the genius of Joey Santiago. It must be noted that every single song in Gwenifer's solo repertoire is an attempt to do Vamos by the Pixies.  I hope you enjoy this chat with the wonderfully wild and surprisingly affable Gwenifer Raymond.

This week we return to Durban to speak with the passionate (and productive!) Mandy James. Any Durbanites who are into the alternative scene will know Mandy from the many stages upon which she performs, the musical videos on her Instagram page, and the incredible energy and enthusiasm she brings to any instrument she wields. In the interview we discuss how her current bands, Saturn Return and Sons of Shem, are musical expressions of empowerment, both personally and socially. Given that Saturn Return have erupted to the fore of the Durban scene, we take the time to talk about their position as a female-fronted band championing women's empowerment, and their subsequent experiences both negative (in the form of sexist sound guys and patronising comments) and positive (the huge reception and resonance they have tapped into with their audience, whilst providing visibility of the LGBTQI community in rock and roll circles in South Africa). We also chat about the current state of guitar-based music in Durban, which (forgive the horrendous cliché) is in the throes of rising like a phoenix from the ashes of its recent collapse (most significantly symbolised by the closure of the Winston Pub), and the emergence of new venues such as the Westville Warehouse, Ace's Pizza, and the semi-rogue Alive Events filling the long-stagnant void of Durban's once vibrant music scene. Mandy, and both her bands Saturn Return and Sons of Shem are currently key players this new wave of original Durban music, as many of the veteran artists, performers and bands have moved on to Cape Town and Gauteng in pursuit of new opportunities.  The discussion also broaches more personal topics, such as Mandy's experience of falling into the misconception that in order to create "good" art, one must be in a place of suffering, at the expense of personal and mental health. While music may be an incredible way to work through emotional difficulties, this is certainly a darker narrative that I have seen all too many talented musicians fall into. But the conversation covers all kinds of weird and wonderful other stuff too - parody folk, Backstreet Boys covers, unfortunate electrical capers with American-made guitars, house fires, slamming too many tequilas and falling on stage in Amanzimtoti... The joys of rock and roll, baby. So take the time to give the episode a listen, and hear some six-stringed tales directly from one of Durban's most exciting players.

Ah yes, episode four, and we're getting into some meaty deep conversations now. This time with the noise-making, guitar-smashing, all-round swell fella, Evan van Zyl. This one is really interesting, because, as discussed in the episode with Cameron Lofstrand, Evan is one of the most unique and distinctive guitarists in the Durban music scene. He is a very tall man who plays a rather small guitar, which he hunches over and absolutely pummels into noisy oblivion, whilst storming into the guts of unsuspecting audiences, head butting and wreaking absolute chaos in his wake - and it is an electrifying experience to behold. Undoubtedly, Taekwondo Sleepover are my favourite band to watch live. They are a blessing to us in these dark and torrid times, as they bestow unto us even darker, more torrid music (also, they recently dropped a brand new single called Sapling, so I suggest you go and listen to that before listening to the podcast). As the above insinuates, Evan is the guitarist of Taekwondo Sleepover, but he also wields six strings (as well as percussion, bass and various other objects) in Temple of - a band which is almost the total opposite of Taekwondo Sleepover, consisting of acoustic, indie and folk musings bordering on pop music. Worth mentioning that Temple of is a duo between Evan and Damon Miles of the legendary Durban psych band MOUSE. Two noisy giants (although really, only one of them is giant in stature) collide and create some of the most beautiful, tear-inducing acoustic ballads to come out of the sweaty streets of Durban. I sincerely hope to be hearing a lot more music from them in the coming months and years. But anyway, this conversation covers Evan's beginnings as the drummer of The Myths, his love of Lars Von Trier and David Lynch films (and how cinema influences his music), the pros and cons of music meme culture, a brutal review of the new Batman movie, why Silent Hill 2 is Evan's favourite game ever (mine is Dark Souls, a game which Evan sort of "mentored" me through on my first playthrough), the horrors of sexual assault in international music scenes, and a juicy update on some mainstream musical beefs (i.e. the conversation gets horribly derailed, and much like a highway car crash, it is impossible to look away). Let the darkness envelop you, as we dive into what was one of the most enjoyable conversations I've had on this show yet.

The first episode of Six Strings of Tension is out! Our first guest is the enigmatic William Graham Randles of Seven Rivers of Fire, Rise Up, Dead Man and Dr Haphazard's Magic Factory. In our conversation we discuss his roots as a hip hop fan and lo-fi bedroom producer as Dr Haphazard's Magic Factory, and thereafter reconnecting with acoustic, "traditional" roots music, triggering his move back to playing acoustic guitar and ultimately spawning the projects Seven Rivers of Fire and Rise Up, Dead Man. The discussion also covers philosophical understandings and approaches to music as a spiritual expression of love and transcendentalism, the many names of God, being spiritually informed by growing up in the cultural melting pot of Durban, the limitations of language, the glory of old spiritual songs, and littering the Hermit Hut inbox with unsolicited bandcamp download codes (apologies to Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance). Nonetheless, please enjoy this conversation with a remarkable, enigmatic, and above all, unique guitar player, spawned from the green streets of Durban, South Africa.