Jay Leonard J turned 40 and decided to do everything all at once. Theater? Check. NAMM emcee? Check. Launching a new Yamaha Pacifica? Sure, why not. Recording a full-length album in the middle of a life tornado? Of course.

In this episode, Blake catches up with his longtime pal and one of the internet’s finest tone freaks to talk about the wildest year of Jay’s life. It involves getting choked onstage in Cambodian Rock Band, haunted guitars that randomly drop into drop D, wig malfunctions, high-pressure NAMM gigs, surprise birthday parties, and an album born in the middle of absolute chaos.

Also covered:

Fuzz pedals and spring reverb in musical theater

Why robots can’t replace sweaty humans with bad wireless units

Sneaky old-school NAMM tactics and “my buddy Scott” espionage

Vitamin D megadosing: the unsanctioned NAMM survival strategy

Jay’s new album Aw Man and why his kids named it (literally)

This one’s equal parts gear talk, therapy session, and backstage musical mayhem. Buckle up.

Check out the first single off of Jay's new record Aww Man HERE https://open.spotify.com/album/6piMmwA3qauXbHo70CwhOn?si=hIg10vwtQy60_4lkzy2WsA and make sure to grab the whole thing when it drops on June 20th!

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