Six Strings of Tension

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

17/03/2023

Super special delivery today from 💜⛰️🌿✨️

What an utterly incredible and breathtaking album... so glad to have snagged a copy of this magnificent reissue from records. The whole package, the inserts, the poster, etc... stunning.

Going to have a wonderfully transcendental weekend with these incredible sounds.

03/03/2023

Fantastic cosmic guitar compilation from Petal Motel is out today for bandcamp Friday 💜

https://petalmotel.bandcamp.com/album/compassion-a-petal-motel-compilation-for-human-rights

04/02/2023

Fresh Rise Up, Dead Man tunes on the (distant) horizon.

22/01/2023

31/08/2022

Saw these absolute mad lads shredding it up on the streets of Sidi Bou Saïd in Tunisia last night 🌙

I wanted to interview them, but alas, my French and Arabic is horribly lacking.

Loving it here 🇹🇳

19/08/2022

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, 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 wa**er who could get away with it". 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. 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 transports me 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), 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.

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.

Link in bio and story 🌿

22/07/2022

We bounce back to the USA, this time to Boone, North Carolina, to interview the young and fiery, Holzapfel wielding American Primitive and drone overlord, .a.p.g.

Liam is one of those acrobatic beasts on six strings who can play at breakneck speeds with the masterful "double-thumb" American Primitive technique, but who can also slow things down to that old-time swing, and descend into cavernous drones.

We talk about his demo album, Swung Heavy, and the extensive touring he has been doing this year, playing with the likes of , Mike Gangloff, , , and many others. The discussion veers through tales from the road, into ruminations on landscape and how this not only informs and shapes music, but how music itself can conjure visions of landscapes.

Recording techniques are shared, and Liam relays many tales of recording on tape on stage, in caves and ravines, and in fishing shacks. The guy also talks guitars and gives me a history lesson on guitar builder Carl Holzapfel (whose name I simply cannot pronounce during our chat, so apologies in advance for this), and provides some superb old-timey musical recommendations, like the Hammons Family.

It's a remarkable conversation - Liam is an incredibly interesting person just to listen to, and has a lot of weird and wonderful tales and insights to share. I'd suggest you kick back and pay close attention to this one.

Link in story, bio and below ✨

https://anchor.fm/duncan-park/episodes/SSOT-07---Liam-Grant-e1leg6m

15/07/2022

This week we return to Durban to speak with the passionate (and productive!) .m.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 (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 have moved on to Cape Town and Gauteng in pursuit of new opportunities.

The discussion also broaches more personal topics, such as Mandy's past experiences 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.

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.

Link below to hear some six-stringed tales 🔥🛸🌊🎸

https://anchor.fm/duncan-park/episodes/SSOT-06---Mandy-James-Saturn-Return-Sons-of-Shem-Four-Legged-Friends-e1l84cu

08/07/2022

So unfortunately the last interview fell through, so nothing to upload today... However, I was taking a look at the listener stats for the podcast and saw that fewer than 5% of listeners are actually even in South Africa!

So for all you international folk, I thought I'd share two absolutely stellar South African albums here that don't fall into the crass cultural appropriations of Die Antwoord and their ilk, or the ethnomusicological caricatures that can be prevalent in South African musical representation internationally.

First up, we have Dark Days Exit by Felix Laband. This is my favourite album made by a South African artist. The record is an absolute masterclass in composition, texture, and emotional impact through sound. No other album has made me cry as much as this. It carries a remarkably warm sense of solidarity and comfort in the ethereal tones which seamlessly traverse darkness, playfulness, fear, sadness, euphoria and collapse. In my darkest moments, this is the album where I sought and found reprieve.

It's not a guitar album, but there is guitar on it. It's pretty unique, and Felix Laband only really sounds like himself. I guess an approximate touchpoint would be the Alberto Balsalm-ish sounds of Aphex Twin.

Next up we have Sotho Blue by Abdulla Ibrahim (formerly Dollar Brand) & Ekaya. Right off the bat, this is in no way a guitar album, but it is some of the finest jazz South Africa has to offer.

Ibrahim is one of those guys you should just Google, since he's been around for so long and put out so much music. But this late-career release I truly believe is the best album he ever made. I'm telling you right now, you don't even know that jazz can be as beautiful as this. For a quick hit, try the song The Mountain, and if that lures you in listen to the whole record. Even if you hate jazz, I reckon you will like this.

Both albums are on all the streaming services, so happy listening and hope you enjoy 💫

01/07/2022

I never dreamed that by episode 5 I would be interviewing quite possibly my favourite guitar player currently tickling the strings, but here we are. For this episode I had the privilege of having a lengthy, and incredibly enjoyable conversation with the reputationally enigmatic, yet remarkably warm, Ben Chasny - the psych-folk, and at times, noisy musical adventurer of , Rangda, , Comets on Fire, etc.

I'd suggest you just hit play right now, but in summary, we cover Ben's origins as an acoustic guitar wielding hermit after his dad introduced him to the breathtaking playing of Nick Drake, leading to the early days of Six Organs, which has blossomed into the sprawling, genre-defying catalogue of music the project is known for today.

We chat about guitars (it's a guitar podcast, after all) and specifically about Ben's somewhat limited guitar collection - across his career he's only had three (!) acoustic guitars. Along the way, he mentions that the bad action on his first acoustic was a probable contributing factor to the adoption of open tunings, which ultimately became a defining characteristic of Six Organs' music. We also get a little nerdy and celebrate the "even-ness" of tone which nickel strings provide - seriously, if you are an acoustic player and you haven't tried them yet, get on the nickel string train!

As the conversation progresses, secrets are revealed! There's a lot in the pipeline, including a number of new albums, some Hexadic developments, but most exciting (for me) is that Ben recorded an album with British guitar maestro, Rick Tomlinson (Voice of the Seven Woods), which is pending the final master before (a hopefully soon) release. Basically, Ben is a busy guy, gifting our ears with his prolific output.

We speak about a whole bunch of other stuff (shredding, Mr Bungle, "spiritual" music, Leo Kottke, the piezo tone of death, Fripp's League of Crafty Guitarists, etc.), and honestly, this was one of the most enjoyable conversations I've had in a very long time. I cannot thank Ben enough for taking the time to come on the show, and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed the conversation.

Link in bio, story and below 💫

https://anchor.fm/duncan-park/episodes/SSOT-05---Ben-Chasny-Six-Organs-of-Admittance-Rangda-New-Bums-Comets-On-Fire-etc-e1kj9jh

17/06/2022

Happy Friday folks! You may have noticed that interview output here has slowed down a bit, but fear not, I have an exciting slew of guests lined up for the next few weeks. Just needed to slow down due to a concatenation of circumstances, including day job commitments, some work at the Piesang Palace, and a few musical projects which I needed to focus on (spoiler - you can expect a new album in the coming weeks).

In the meantime you can check out the existing interviews (link in bio), and I also strongly recommend you give the new and albums a spin - both are out now on .

Nonetheless, my guitar thought for today is centered around the magnificence of both Nick Drake and Elliott Smith - a pair of incredible guitarists, singers and songwriters, whose legacies have become mired in mythologising around their respective struggles with depression and subsequent untimely deaths.

When Elliott Smith was deployed in the Tiny Rick episode of Rick and Morty, it was the overwhelming beauty of his music that saved Rick from the emotional turmoil of being young again. And Smith's music is used like this all the time in popular culture - his song Needle In the Hay is the soundtrack to the attempted su***de scene in The Royal Tenenbaums. To a significant degree, his music has become popular shorthand for emotional turmoil, depression and su***de.

Nick Drake is similarly idolized by lonely teens who wish to appear brooding and troubled. His story is largely one of failure, and his almost archaic British sound is one that can easily become a blueprint for a lonely teen trying to figure out who they are in this absurd world.

And while the above is all fair and true, I would like to shift the focus to their actual guitar playing - it's high time they are lauded as unique players who pioneered open tunings, strumming and picking styles, and used these incredible techniques to craft some of the best songs you'll ever hear. Really, they are on par with guitar maestros like Bert Jansch, John Fahey and Jack Rose.

Let's acknowledge their impact on the guitar, rather than just the sad tales of their deaths. 💜

03/06/2022

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 (just Evan).

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.

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 - 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 (tried tagging but FB just wants to tag Micky Mouse and some other mice). 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, 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.

Link in bio 💫 and also right here: https://anchor.fm/duncan-park/episodes/SSOT-04---Evan-van-Zyl-Taekwondo-Sleepover-Temple-of-The-Myths-e1jceja