The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music

This week, we’re revisiting a favorite conversation from this past year - Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member and lead guitarist Rickey Medlocke joins Jay Jay this week on the podcast! Jay Jay & Rickey's history goes as far back as Twisted Sister does - to 1973 - and they've remained friends ever since. Rickey is best known as being the frontman & guitarist for the band Blackfoot...

Chad Kassem, founder of Acoustic Sounds, is this week's special guest on podcast! Acoustic Sounds is a company that has been at the forefront of the vinyl renaissance since the beginning. He gets into the technical side how records are made - he importance of a good pressing plant, and why mastering can make or break an album. It’s fascinating to hear him discuss the intricacies of sound quality a...

This week, tune in for a very special retrospective that not only celebrates the legendary status of Electric Lady Studios, but also serves as a window into the broader cultural shifts of the 1960s and 70s. Jay Jay is joined by legendary guests Eddie Kramer and John Storyk, who engage in a lively dialogue that traverses personal history, technical advancements, and the evolution of music productio...

Tune in this week's special episode to hear Sharon, Jay Jay's wife, join the podcast! Sharon returns in conversation to update on their lives, share stories about recent travels - & to discuss everything from the importance of healthy relationships to spirituality, and the intricate balance between personal life & professional development. Jay Jay & Sharon recount pivotal experiences t...

This week we're revisiting one of our favorite interviews from early on into the podcast - Don McClean. Tune into hear legendary American singer/songwriter Don McLean & Jay Jay discuss the cultural impact of Don's hit "American Pie," how much Don's music has impacted Jay Jay, resilience in show business, and the ups & downs of their remarkable journeys in the music industry. Produced...

This week, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes from 2024 - a tribute to the Late Great guitar legend John Mayall, who passed away this past year. Joining Jay Jay to honor Mayall's legacy are two of the world's greatest living Blues guitarists, Joe Bonamassa & Rocky Athas. Tune in to hear these 3 discuss how John Mayall's groundbreaking guitar playing impacted both themselves & th...

This week, Jay Jay again goes Beyond the Music to welcome renowned author Craig Taylor onto the podcast. Craig is a Canadian journalist and playwright who was born in Edmonton and grew up in Lantzville. He moved to London in 2000, to immerse himself in the city for his book Londoners, and then to New York in 2014.  Given their deep rooted connection to New York through music & literature,...

This week, Jay Jay chimes in from his vacation in Mexico to give his latest updates on the show - & to introduce this week's revisited episode, with record label legend David Rath. David Rath comes from Roadrunner Records where he spent twenty-one years in the A&R and Creative Departments, having been A&R on albums by Slipknot, Korn, Gojira, Coheed and Cambira, Slash, The Amity Afflict...

This week's very special guest is Davell Crawford, who is also known as the “Piano Prince of New Orleans," is an acclaimed pianist, vocalist, composer, and arranger. Growing up in New Orleans, Crawford’s influences run the gamut from Fats Domino to Sarah Vaughan, to Dr. John & Patsy Cline. Davell is truly a prodigy and natural entertainer, with an amazing story & remarkable natural talent. This pa...

This week's guest is renowned musician Steve Conte! Known for his work with the New York Dolls and Michael Monroe, he has just recently announced the worldwide release of his new album, 'The Concrete Jangle,' on vinyl. Previously only available on vinyl via Record Store Day, 'The Concrete Jangle' is the critically-acclaimed successor to his 2021 opus 'Bronx Cheer.' Recognized for his notable guita...

Jay Jay welcomes writer, film producer & scholar Jonathan Taplin back on the podcast! We are especially fortunate to have Jonathan be able to join us this week, as he very recently lost his Los Angeles home in the Palisades fire this January. Jonathan shares his experience with the fires & needing to run away from his own home, & gives an update on the recovery efforts surrounding his neighborhood...

This week has been a heavy one to say the least - which Jay Jay & his dear friend, Cliff Chenfeld, get together to discuss. Cliff & Jay Jay connect to talk about the new Bob Dylan biopic - & inevitably discuss the events unfolding this week in Los Angeles with the spreading of the wildfires & tragedies surrounding. Jay Jay's producer Matthew Mallinger joins part of the conversation as he's based i...

Tune in this week for part II of Jay Jay, Tor & Matthew's year end recap! Jay Jay addresses rumours surrounding Twisted's reuniting, & discusses the current state of the band. The three of them get into popular musical highlights throughout the year; from Talking Heads & LCD Soundsystem to Andre 3000 & Jessica Pratt. Hear Jay's insights surrounding the current state of record deals being cut relat...

Jay Jay, Tor & Matthew (Jay Jay's Social Media Manager & Producer) get together this week to discuss highlights of 2024; getting into favorite guests throughout the year, the current state of the podcast, Twisted's Stay Hungry 40 Year Anniversary, favorite records collected throughout the year & what's to come in 2025. Don't miss this two part year in review episode special - & a special thank you...

This week, we're revisiting an episode in which the focus is on Jay Jay's remarkable health journey & surviving prostate cancer, with special guest Dr. Samir Taneja. Dr. Samir Taneja is a urologist & surgeon who performed Jay Jay's prostate cancer operation in 2018. Jay Jay discusses why he finds it so important to educate yourself on any health concerns that are affecting your life, & shares his...

Founding member, lead singer, lead guitarist, and individual who wrote more than 90% of the Grand Funk Railroad music catalog - legendary Mark Farner - is this week's guest on the podcast! Farner has always been known as an energetic driving force on stage, the engine that pulled the original Grand Funk Railroad to the top of the charts. From his soulful voice and power rock riffs, to fueling the...

Tune in this week for part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Julien Velard! Julian digs into his greatest influences & how they've impacted his career as a song writer. They discuss the cultural impact that Billy Joel has had over the years, the current state of commercial songwriting, & the learning the craft of how to hold a crow'd attention. Julian is a classic entertainer, combining piano-driv...

The fantastic songwriter & pianist Julian Velard is this week's guest on the podcast! Julian is a classic entertainer, combining piano-driven songwriter sensibility and razor-sharp comedic timing. Jay Jay & Julian are old friends - Jay Jay used to manage Julian, & both of their histories & careers are deeply rooted in New York. Hear all about how they reconnected recently in Los Angeles, their his...

Tune in this week for part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Legendary Rock & Heavy Metal bassist Rudy Sarzo. Rudy has been the go-to bass player to call within these genres for decades, tune in this week to hear all about why - discussing everything from his upbringing to some of the keys to artistic longevity. Rudy is a professional recording and performing artist with a global career spanning o...

Legendary Rock & Heavy Metal bassist Rudy Sarzo is this week's guest on the podcast! Rudy has been the go-to bass player to call within these genres for decades, tune in this week to hear all about why - discussing everything from his upbringing to some of the keys to artistic longevity. Rudy is a professional recording and performing artist with a global career spanning over 40 years. As a member...

This week's episode is a tribute to the Late Great guitar legend John Mayall, who passed away this last week. Joining Jay Jay to honor Mayall's legacy are two of the world's greatest living Blues guitarists, Joe Bonamassa & Rocky Athas. Tune in to hear these 3 discuss how John Mayall's groundbreaking guitar playing impacted both themselves & the music industry as a whole. Mayall is often referred...

One of the most iconic Rock Drummers of all time, Carmine Appice, is this week's special guest on the podcast! Carmine's 60+ year career has landed him in both the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame & the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. He's been an integral member of a long list of amazing groups, including everyone from Vanilla Fudge & Cactus (who he is a founding member of) to Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, Oz...

Viral sensation & violin virtuoso Nina DiGregorio is this week's guest on the podcast! Nina is a classically trained violinist, bass player, writer/arranger, and vocalist, but is most well-known for being an innovative performer on the electric rock violin, as well as a music business mogul and entrepreneur. She has performed as a soloist and string arranger with some of the biggest names in the b...

Part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Dean Delray is this week! Don't miss the latter half of their conversation to hear them share killer stories & invaluable insight into the worlds of music & comedy. In this half of their conversation, Dean delves further into the world of comedy, from its current state to his experience hanging out at the Comedy Store back in the 80s. He shares the story of c...