Episode 1 – 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.