Tone Chasers and String Benders

Chaz Charles & Dr. Porifera Glund
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A journey through the players who shaped the sound of modern music. Each episode spotlights five guitarists — where they came from, the guitar they’re known for playing, the bands and recordings that defined their sound — and the track that best captures what made them legendary. Rock, jazz, blues, country, fusion, classical, session masters, innovators, and tone pioneers — all part of the six-string story. Five guitarists at a time… until we reach one thousand. For tone chasers, string benders, chicken pickers, boomer bombers, fuzz freaks, and anyone who ever lost a day chasing the perfect riff.

Episodes

  1. The A’s Get Weird

    May 23

    The A’s Get Weird

    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 AndrewSelections from Joan Armatrading’s 1970s acoustic eraDirty Mistreater – Kokomo Arnold & Casey Bill WeldonClassical recital performances – Alice ArtztSpanish Fly – Eddie Van HalenAlong 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.

    47 min
  2. The A’s Roll On

    May 1

    The A’s Roll On

    In this fourth episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, co-hosts Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund pick things up right where the signal starts to hum. This episode’s five take us across continents and styles—Brazilian elegance, New York soul grit, Greenwich Village folk circuits, British folk-blues purism, and full-throttle UK blues-rock muscle. Featured guitarists in this episode: Laurindo Almeida – Brazilian-born master who helped bring bossa nova into North American living rooms, blending classical technique with jazz phrasing. His tone? Silky, effortless, like a Sunday afternoon that never ends. Carlos Alomar – The unsung architect behind some of David Bowie’s most iconic grooves. A rhythm player with a lead player’s instinct, threading soul, funk, and rock into a signature sound that defined Station to Station and beyond. Eric Andersen – A staple of the 1960s folk revival, cutting his teeth alongside Dylan and Paxton. Coffeehouse poet, acoustic storyteller, and a reminder that sometimes the guitar is there to carry the words, not outrun them. Ian A. Anderson – Not that Ian Anderson—this one a British folk-blues scholar, bottleneck devotee, and torchbearer of traditional forms. A player rooted in the past, keeping the old ghosts alive one slide at a time. Miller Anderson – The revelation of the episode. A Scottish blues-rock powerhouse whose work with the Keef Hartley Band—and beyond—delivers gritty tone, soulful vocals, and the kind of playing that makes you lean forward and grin. Featured recordings include: The Lamp Is Low – Laurindo AlmeidaStay / Golden Years – David Bowie with Carlos AlomarViolets of Dawn – Eric AndersenDeath Folk Blues Revisited – Ian A. AndersonLeaving Trunk / House of the Rising Sun – Miller AndersonAnd somewhere in between the needle drops? You get Dr. Glund recalling hazy nights at the Fillmore… stories of Woodstock arrivals by helicopter… deep dives into tone, gear, and the unsung heroes behind legendary records… and a spontaneous, heartfelt tribute to Dave Mason—a reminder that the story of guitar is still being written, even as we lose some of its authors. And a special This isn’t just a list. It’s a living archive—messy, funny, human. Five more guitarists down… nine hundred and eighty to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.

    54 min
  3. The A's Get Loud

    Apr 24

    The A's Get Loud

    Episode 3 – The A’s Get Loud This episode moves through a wide and colorful stretch of the guitar universe—touching on Argentine jazz brilliance, swampy Louisiana grooves, modern prog muscle, and deep Chicago blues fire. Each player brings a different voice, a different feel, a different reason why the guitar continues to matter. Featured guitarists in this episode: Oscar Alemán – Argentine jazz master whose fluid technique and rhythmic depth reveal a player far ahead of his time, delivering elegance and fire in equal measure. Billy Alexander – Modern guitarist and bandleader of YYNOT, blending progressive structure, melodic instinct, and pure tone-chasing passion into a sound that celebrates the instrument itself. Johnny Allen – Louisiana-born swamp pop stylist, bringing rhythm guitar, accordion textures, and Creole flavor into a sound that bridges early rock and regional tradition. Luther Allison – Blues journeyman with a searing vibrato and relentless touring spirit, carrying the torch of Chicago blues across decades and continents. Duane Allman – Slide guitar visionary and cornerstone of The Allman Brothers Band, whose feel, phrasing, and unmistakable tone continue to define what expressive guitar playing can be. Featured recordings include: Besame Mucho – Oscar Alemán Wire and Wood – YYNOT (Billy Alexander) Promised Land – Johnny Allen Bad News Is Coming – Luther Allison Whipping Post / Black Hearted Woman – Duane Allman with The Allman Brothers Band And in between? Stories spill out—front row memories, chance encounters, and those moments where the music connects directly to life. There are reflections on innovation, from Les Paul’s experiments with “the log” to the feel-driven magic that separates great players from unforgettable ones. There are laughs about technology, debates about tone, and the shared realization that no matter the era or genre, it always comes back to the hands on the strings. This isn’t a lecture. It’s a living conversation about the guitar—messy, funny, passionate, and real. Five more guitarists down… nine hundred and eighty-five to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.

    56 min
  4. Electric Mischief

    Apr 17

    Electric Mischief

    In this second episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, Chaz Charles and co-host Dr. Porifera Glund crack open the next chapter in the alphabet—five more guitarists, five more rabbit holes… and at least one completely unnecessary detour that somehow becomes the whole point. Before they even get there, though, the show veers—hard left—into the origin story. Not of rock. Not of blues. Of electric mischief itself. Enter Les Paul—mad scientist, tape-loop hustler, and patron saint of “what happens if I plug this into that?” And across the ring, Leo Fender—a man who never played guitar… and still changed it forever. One chased tone with his fingers. The other built the machine that made tone possible. Together? They didn’t just invent the electric guitar, they are the OGTCs, the OG Tone Chasers that electric guitarists the world over owe a debt of gratitude to - the founders of the six string attitude we live and love. And somewhere in the middle of all that—multitracking, “The Log,” fake live tricks, and Mary Ford sounding like she’s singing from three dimensions at once—you realize: these weren’t just innovators… they were charming liars with soldering irons and schmaltz. Then… back to the list. Featured guitarists in this episode: Will Ackerman – The quiet one. Fingerstyle, Windham Hill, music that sounds like it’s being played in a room with very expensive sunlight. You don’t rock to Ackerman—you drift. Pairs well with indica... Roy Acuff – Not really a guitar hero… and that’s exactly why he matters. A king of early country, a Grand Ole Opry pillar, a reminder that sometimes the guitar isn’t the star—it’s the glue holding the whole damn thing together. Stuart Adamson – The man who looked at a guitar and thought, “What if this sounded like bagpipes?” And then… did it. Big Country’s entire identity hangs on that sound—part Scotland, part circuitry, all attitude. Bernard Addison – Swing-era rhythm assassin. The kind of player who never needed the spotlight because he was the engine. Backing giants like Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, he proves that subtlety can hit just as hard as a solo. And you can hear those strings... Jan Akkerman – Now we’re cooking. Dutch virtuoso. Focus. “Hocus Pocus.” Yodeling madness up front, absolute surgical precision underneath. Jazz, blues, prog—he doesn’t visit genres, he raids them. Featured recordings include: The Bricklayer’s Beautiful Daughter – Will Ackerman Fireball Mail – Roy Acuff In a Big Country – Big Country with Stuart Adamson Swing-era sessions – Bernard Addison Hocus Pocus / Sylvia – Focus with Jan Akkerman And in between? You get stories. Front row sightings. Bootleg T-shirts signed by the wrong guy. Arguments about whether something is tuned to 440 or 432 like it’s a conspiracy involving monks and oscillators. A detour into a roadie with a rolling toilet (yes, really). This isn’t a lecture. It’s a ride. Five more guitarists down… and somewhere, Les Paul is still overdubbing himself into the conversation. Nine hundred and ninety to go... Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.

    56 min
  5. The Reset Begins

    Mar 24

    The Reset Begins

    In this reimagined premiere episode of Tone Chasers & String Benders, host Chaz Charles is joined by co-host Dr. Porifera Glund as the show resets its approach and begins again—this time with a sharper focus on commentary, context, and celebration of the guitarists themselves. After a run-in with the realities of music licensing, the format evolves. Gone are the full-track plays, replaced with curated excerpts, sharper analysis, and deeper discussion of tone, technique, and influence. The mission remains the same: to explore 1,000 legendary guitarists, five at a time, moving alphabetically from A to Z. This episode revisits the very beginning of the list—this time in the correct order—and sets the tone for what the show will become: part discovery, part debate, part masterclass in guitar history. Listen to all the guitarists featured in this episode deeper on our curated - growing - Spotify Tone Chasers & String Benders: 1000 Legendary Guitarists - Dr. Glund's Cut Tape Play List. Featured guitarists in this episode: Tosin Abbasi – Modern progressive metal innovator and founder of Animals as Leaders, redefining the instrument with extended-range eight-string guitars, complex rhythmic structures, and a hybrid approach that merges rhythm, lead, and bass into a single voice. Drew Abbott – Detroit-born guitarist best known for his work with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, delivering clean, disciplined Stratocaster-driven tones that helped define mainstream American rock radio in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott – Groove metal pioneer and co-founder of Pantera, whose aggressive tone, pinch harmonics, dive bombs, and precision riffing reshaped the sound of heavy guitar in the 1990s. John Abercrombie – Influential modern jazz guitarist associated with ECM Records, known for his warm tone, spacious phrasing, and understated mastery on the Gibson ES-175. Mick Abrahams – Founding guitarist of Jethro Tull and later Blodwyn Pig, bringing a raw, blues-driven Les Paul sound to the early British rock movement. Featured recordings include: Physical Education – Animals as Leaders (Tosin Abbasi) Her Strut – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Drew Abbott) Cowboys from Hell / Cemetery Gates – Pantera (Dimebag Darrell) Lungs – John Abercrombie (Blodwyn Pig/Jethro Tull era selections) – Mick Abrahams Along the way, Chaz and Dr. Glund debate technique versus feel, old school versus modern, and what truly qualifies a guitarist as “legendary.” Five guitarists down, nine hundred and ninety-five to go. Hosted by Chaz Charles and Dr. Porifera Glund. Only on the Boneless Podcasting Network.

    49 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

A journey through the players who shaped the sound of modern music. Each episode spotlights five guitarists — where they came from, the guitar they’re known for playing, the bands and recordings that defined their sound — and the track that best captures what made them legendary. Rock, jazz, blues, country, fusion, classical, session masters, innovators, and tone pioneers — all part of the six-string story. Five guitarists at a time… until we reach one thousand. For tone chasers, string benders, chicken pickers, boomer bombers, fuzz freaks, and anyone who ever lost a day chasing the perfect riff.

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