On a decades-long path to translate the creative sparks in his head through many sonic inventions and songs, Claude Hay is still as adventurous as ever. After moving from Leichhardt to Katoomba over 20 years ago, he currently fronts two trios as a lead singer and guitarist – Claude Hay and the Kung-Fu Mustard, and Fuzztronica.
The former group bears hints of his pre-COVID music career as a blues-based one-man band, armed with looping pedals. Hay released four solo albums in this style between 2007 and 2016, which earned him prominent listings on Australia’s Roots Music Report and the USA’s Billboard Blues Charts. Albums such as 2010’s Deep Fried Satisfied also helped Hay secure support slots for American blues guitarists like Joe Bonamassa and Seasick Steve in Australia. While aboard the Seasick show, Hay befriended Steve’s bassist, John Paul Jones, who was also the bassist for Led Zeppelin. The two bonded over their love for building quirky guitars with unlikely objects. “He’s got a guitar that folds out of a briefcase, and a guitar built from a toilet seat”, Hay recalled.
“I’ve made at least 15 guitars”, says Hay. “I’ve worked with electronics for most of my life”. Now the proud inventor of guitars integrating effects samplers and video game joysticks, his self-taught obsessions inspired Fuzztronica’s formation shortly after the Kung-Fu Mustard was first spread out of its jar. The sound and guitar tone of Hay’s second trio is perfectly described by its name – an attention-grabbing blend of tight funk grooves and controlled digital chaos.
Apart from his frequent tinkering and wild live shows, another main thing that Hay loves about his current process is the ability to create things in a band setting, after his former solo career. This change arose as one of the countless jolts of inspiration to be felt by artists worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic’s required isolation. Perhaps ironically, this appears to be a case of an artist who yearned to create music in a group dynamic while locked down in quarantine, after performing as a one-man band when the world was more open.
“When you’re small and independent, you forget about taking time out to write…and I prefer to make albums [instead of singles]”, Hay explained. “Being able to write for a band is much more fun.” Come March 14, Hay will be performing for the fourth time at the Blue Mountains Music Festival, in his first appearance in a band. On bass, Ryan Van Gennip, longtime member of Chase The Sun, with Isaac Beggs on drums, formerly of Basil’s Kite and Feast Of Fools. Wrapping up our interview with some advice for fellow Blue Mountains musicians, Hay tells Let’s Connect, “passion and ambition is all you need”.
Fuzztronica recently toured with Modus Fire from Buddy’s Bar in Newtown on February 6, to The Servo in Port Kembla on February 7 and Elton Chong in Penrith on February 8. Witness Claude Hay and the Kung-Fu Mustard at the Blue Mountains Music Festival on Saturday, March 14, and find Hay’s past and upcoming music by searching for Claude Hay and Fuzztronica online.
Radical!
• ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR THE ‘LET’S CONNECT’ NEWSLETTER, JANUARY 2026/ PHOTO OF CLAUDE HAY AND THE KUNG-FU MUSTARD BY MICHAEL JOY (L-R: ISAAC BEGGS, RYAN VAN GENNIP, CLAUDE HAY)