Episodes
On this episode, John Halo of hard-rock quartet Downtown Equipment is here to work on his Les Paul Standard while our host, Patrick Grant, changes the strings on an old friend, his sea-foam Fender Jaguar. John handles guitars, composition and vocals in his band, and he’s in charge of molding young minds as a program coordinator in the New York City public school system. We’ll find out how many guitars John actually owns and how he names them, and of course, he and Patrick will boot up and...
Published 12/31/16
Published 12/31/16
This time on the Strings and Things podcast, super-shredder Sudeip Ghosh is here to change the strings on his Dean Zelinsky guitar while our host, Patrick Grant, works on his trusty Les Paul. Sudeip grew up playing and singing Indian classical music, but a chance encounter with a hard rock mixtape ignited his dreams of power chord glory. Sudeip will tell us how a one-string acoustic and a scarcity of guitar magazines tested his determination, and how he’s come into his own as a metal...
Published 12/07/16
 Computer programmer, film composer and supreme shredder Sudeip Ghosh joins us on the next Strings and Things podcast. He'll be here to change the strings on his Dean Zelinsky guitar, while our host Patrick Grant works on his trusty black Les Paul. Sudeip will tell us how he discovered heavy metal while growing up in India, and we'll hear how totally underwhelming his first guitar was. This is the Strings and Things podcast, where guitarists come by to change their strings, swap some stories...
Published 11/22/16
Bass player Jeremy Nesse's initial reaction to seeing a Chapman Stick was one of surprise."When I first saw it, I thought this looks like a board of wood from a picket fence or a two by four." Despite that first impression, Jeremy was inspired to add the 12-string tapping melodic bass to his arsenal of instruments by listening to Tony Levin's work with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's solo albums. On this episode of Strings and Things, he relates to host Patrick Grant how his style of...
Published 10/03/16
On the next Strings and Things podcast, bass player Jeremy Nesse is on tap to tell us about the albums and musicians who inspired him to pick up the Chapman Stick, and he’ll describe the pitfalls of playing such an unusual instrument. We’ll find out how his Dad handed down his deep love of music…and why Jeremy’s own son hasn’t quite caught the musical bug yet. This is the Strings and Things podcast, where guitarists come by to change their strings, shoot the breeze and play some music. Look...
Published 09/18/16
The podcast goes unplugged this week! Our host, Patrick Grant is in the front parlor with James Moore of the Dither Guitar Quartet. They've got National and Ovation acoustic guitars and they intend to use them. We’ll find out how James made it from the San Francisco Bay Area to the new music scene here in New York. He’ll tell us about the strange playing techniques he uses on his recent album of solo guitar music by John Zorn, and we’ll hear an exclusive rendition of a Chet Atkins ballad.
Published 08/21/16
On the next Strings and Things podcast, a new music guitar maven looks back on how his family helped set him on his career path. James Moore, a co-founder and director of Dither, the electric guitar quartet, will be here with his National steel string while our host Patrick Grant works on an Ovation Balladeer. James tells us what his grandmother taught him about composition, and discusses his recording of John Zorn’s Book of Heads, a set of eclectic etudes for solo guitar.  
Published 08/14/16
Thanks to everyone who’s been listening to the Strings and Things podcast! We really appreciate you spending time with us and our talented guests while we do the glamorous work of changing our gummy guitar strings. But, we want to let you know about another project we've wrapped up here at Peppergreen Media: It’s the new Tilted Axes album! You may remember we’ve met some of the guitarists on the podcast through Patrick’s project, Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars. It’s both a...
Published 08/08/16
This week, our host Patrick Grant welcomes guitarist/composer Daniel Reyes Llinas to the Strings and Things podcast. Daniel’s got a Fender Strat he customized himself, and he’s the co-founder of the New York instrumental group, Parias Ensemble. We’ll hear about the impact that the Beatles, Latin rock and New Wave made on him as a kid growing up in Colombia, and we’ll find out what’s cooking with Daniel’s new album. Find out more at stringsandthingsshow.com.
Published 07/09/16
  A Colombian-born, New York City composer brings in his custom Strat and looks back on his earliest musical influences.  Daniel Reyes Llinas, co-founder of the Parias Ensemble takes us back to his first 10 dollar guitar and traces his evolution as a musician through some of his favorite genres: classical, pop, new wave, metal, jazz and progressive rock. Then he’ll tell us what he’s making when he’s not onstage or in rehearsal. Join our host, composer/performer Patrick Grant, on the Strings...
Published 07/04/16
On this episode of Strings and Things, Angela Babin drops by to work on a Melody Maker that hasn’t been out and about in years, while host Patrick Grant restrings his studio-weary Les Paul. Angela has been performing live since she was 13 years old in many different venues, from Folk City and CBGBs, to BAM and the Berlin Jazz Festival. She entered the downtown New York music scene playing with Off Beach and the Ordinaires while she was a teenager, and has played guitar, tres, and bass on...
Published 06/19/16
A 1963 Melody Maker comes out of retirement for a much needed tune-up when Angela Babin, guitarist for The Ordinaires, Homer Erotic and The Gotham Roots Orchestra drops in on the Strings and Things podcast. She'll describe some of the musical games she played with her father, who was himself a child prodigy, and she’ll tell us how her fascination with numbers inspired her current musical project. Join our host, composer/performer Patrick Grant, on the Strings and Things podcast, where...
Published 06/14/16
Thanks to everyone who's been listening to the podcast and all the guitarists who have spent time with us so far - it's been a blast! The show is going on a brief midseason break and will be back in June with new musicians, more duets, and a whole lotta dirty strings! In the meantime, we hope you'll scroll back and dig into previous episodes of Strings and Things you may have missed. Join us when we return in a few weeks! Check us out on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play, or visit our...
Published 05/07/16
This week on the Strings and Things podcast, Brooklyn native Randolph Hudson III is here to work on a limited edition Veilette-Citron guitar, while our host Patrick Grant restrings a favorite Danelectro. Randy’s going to tell us about the history of the EBow and where you’ve heard it before, and we’ll hear about trying to be an environmentally conscious guitarist when you also have a jones for tube electronics. Find out more about this episode at stringsandthingsshow.com.
Published 04/25/16
On the next Strings and Things podcast, guitarist Randolph A Hudson III (Bongwater, Kramer, Bowing) restrings his bright red Veillette-Citron Shark baritone, and explains to our host, Patrick Grant, how he became a wizard of the EBow. We'll find out what other uses he had for his record collection, and he'll tell us how it ain't easy being green when you're a stickler for fine electronics. This is Strings and Things, the show where musicians come by to change their strings, talk about things...
Published 04/19/16
This time on the Strings and Things podcast, we have Anthony Mullin, from the merry band of head-banging hard-rockers called The Blackfires. He’s here to work on a very special Les Paul with a cool backstory, and he’ll tell us how his PhD influences his musical efforts.  While he and our host Patrick Grant re-string their guitars, we’ll hear how Anthony’s parents played a pivotal role in his early days as a musician, and we’ll find out what riffs and records inspired Anthony’s blues-based...
Published 04/09/16
The next Strings and Things podcast will come at you LIVE from Leeds...well, sort of. Briton Anthony Mullin, dynamic guitarist for the hard rock band The Blackfires will be here to discuss the finer points of re-stringing his Gibson Custom Joe Perry Les Paul. We'll ask him about the songs and albums that first inspired his call to musicianship, and he'll make amends for a youthful outburst. This is Strings and Things, the show where players come by to change their strings, talk about things...
Published 04/05/16
On this episode of Strings and Things, we have the prolific composer/guitarist Nick Didkovsky, founder of the rock ensemble Doctor Nerve, and an agent of destruction in the grindcore outfit Vomit Fist. While changing the strings on his B.C. Rich Stealth guitar, he tells our host, Patrick Grant, how he uses the programming language HMSL to compose music, and explains the virtues of his single humbucker pickup. Then Nick and Patrick plug into some Vox Amps for an electrifying duet. Strings...
Published 03/26/16
On the next Strings and Things podcast, guitarist, composer, and programmer Nick Didkovsky drops by to work on his B.C. Rich Stealth guitar, and explains the virtues of its single humbucker pickup. He ponders the mysteries of humankind's ability to constantly throw common sense out the window, and then amps up for a duet with our host, Patrick Grant. This is Strings and Things, the show where musicians come by to change their strings and talk about all kinds of things. When the turning and...
Published 03/21/16
On this edition of Strings and Things, the versatile electric guitarist Matt Grossman works on an iGuitar and host Patrick Grant attends to a Les Paul Standard. An in-demand soloist in New York City, Matt describes how he finds his role in different kinds of ensembles, from jazz to R&B, and rock. He relates the story of a particularly alarming performance, and then amps up for a funky duet with Patrick. Strings and Things is a Peppergreen Production for Headstepper Media. Find out more...
Published 03/11/16
Coming up on Strings and Things, the versatile lead guitarist Matt Grossman will be here to restring his iGuitar, and he'll discuss the demands of switching genres in his work as a busy soloist in New York City. This is Strings and Things, the show where musicians come by to change their strings and talk about about all kinds of things. Then we amp up and put those new strings right to work in a special performance with our guest. We hope you’ll join us for our next episode! Strings and...
Published 03/06/16
On this second episode of Strings and Things, the eclectic guitarist and singer/songwriter Ann Klein re-strings her Telecaster, while our host Patrick Grant works on his surf green Jaguar. While the old guitar strings get replaced, Ann runs down the pros and cons of performing for live theatre and describes a couple of hairy moments onstage. We'll hear about her dog's hidden talents and then plug in the Vox amps for a live rendition of her song "Chocolate Pie". Find out more at...
Published 02/25/16
Next on the Strings and Things podcast, guitar dynamo Ann Klein works around the b-bender on her Telecaster and talks about life in the broadway trenches.   This is Strings and Things, the show where musicians come by to change their strings and talk about about all kinds of things. Then we amp up and put those new strings right to work in a special live performance. We hope you'll join us!   Strings and Things is a Peppergreen Production for Headstepper Media. Find out more at...
Published 02/20/16
On the premiere episode of Strings and Things, composer/guitarist Tony Geballe stops by to change the strings on his custom-built Nelson Fidelis TG1 electric guitar, while our host Patrick Grant re-strings his Rickenbacker 330. Tony tells us about his first guitar hero, and how he started playing in a Progressive Darkwave band. Then the Vox amps come out and they perform an excerpt from Tony's score for a stage version of Faust. To find out more about Tony Geballe, visit his...
Published 02/12/16