Hailing from Australia's Blue Mountains, Claude Hay is a prime example of the Do-It-Yourself work ethic, having hand-built his own twin-neck guitar, lovingly called "Betty," and customized his tour van with a kitchen and a recording studio. In addition to building his own instruments, Hay also built his own house, too. And his musical approach is no different – he's literally a one-man band, constructing layer-upon-layer of instruments live and in the studio until he has listeners guessing where the rest of the band is hiding.

In Claude's case, it's just his amazing technical and musical abilities showcased to the max, as he fuses vocals with slide guitar, sitar, bass and electronic percussion in a loop-driven performance that invokes the best of stomping traditional blues with a booty –shaking funk edge. His fresh, unique take on blues and roots attracts a wide spectrum of listeners, but Claude still has the chops to grab blues enthusiasts.

In 2007, his independently released first album, Kiss the Sky, enabled him to perform at venues and festivals all over the world, including Europe and the U.S. On Deep Fried Satisfied, his debut for the Asheville, NC-based Ingot Rock label, Claude showcases his talents as the ultimate DIY musician, honing his craft with hook-laden songwriting and undeniable guitar mastery. "Claude Hay is just the type of artist we're looking for," says Ingot Rock owner Chad Corley. "He's an amazing talent with international touring experience, and we believe he has high potential to appeal to a mainstream audience."

The genesis for Deep Fried Satisfied came from Claude's guilt-ridden love affair of fried food, which was magnified when he toured the U.S. in 2008. The album's 11 tracks are chock full of Muddy Waters-inspired, slide driven blues riffs as well as P-Funk style choruses and breakdowns. Claude's particular affection for New York-style pizza is the inspiration for the lead-off song, "Get Me Some;" while "How Can You Live with Yourself" is a commentary on hi-tech dysfunction set to a killer riff and done in a head-bobbing blues style that Australians pushed to #1 on their nationwide radio station.