Alternative Acoustic

Michael Franti occupies a unique position in the current music scene. He was a founding member of late-'80s experimental funk band the Beatnigs -- which combined noisy, industrial punk and hip-hop with hard-hitting political songs, eventually evolving into the marginally more accessible Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy.

The talented Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance recently stopped by the Acoustic Guitar offices to perform three songs in his hypnotic psych-folk style.

San Francisco post-punkers Translator reunite and unplug for Acoustic Guitar Sessions

Joseph Arthur delivers stirring covers of a pair of tunes from the album, "Coney Island Baby" and "Sword of Damocles," in addition to a couple of top-notch originals.

For almost 20 years, Oliver and Chris Wood nurtured separate musical careers: Oliver with his band King Johnson and as a Tinsley Ellis sideman, Chris with experimental jazz group Medeski Martin and Wood.

Buzz Osborne, the wild-haired front man of the Melvins, has gone acoustic on his latest album, This Machine Kills Artists. Buzz stopped by the AG studios recently for our latest installment of Acoustic Guitar Sessions to discuss his self-described “ham-fisted” playing technique, and showcase a couple of songs from the new album.

In this Acoustic Guitar Session, Peter Case discusses the solo-acoustic inspiration he got from his blues idols Lightnin' Hopkins, Robert Johnson, and Mississippi John Hurt, which led the former Plimsouls member to discover the advantages--both artistically and economically--of going solo.

John Doe, the founder of the trailblazing Los Angeles punk band X as well as the influential alt-country band The Knitters, sat down with Acoustic Guitar Sessions to talk about his songwriting legacy.