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-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 how they reconnected recently in Los Angeles, their history together, & all about Julian's music ongoing projects - from live performance to his new upcoming record. Don't miss this conversation, only on the Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

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 history together, Julian's music ongoing projects - from live performance to his new upcoming record. Don't miss this conversation, only on the Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

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, as well as an original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He's of Lakota Sioux and Cherokee ancestry, and was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame in 2008. He's heavily involved in supporting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Movement, and national efforts to end all violence against American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women, which you can learn more about via the links below:

www.niwrc.org
www.rickeymedlocke.com/never-run-out-of-road

Tune in to hear all about Jay Jay & Rickey's deep history that goes back over 50 years, as Rickey discusses how he's been one of the faces of Southern Rock for decades, and set the standard for the genre.

Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

A special thank you to our new sponsors, Dimarzio Pickups and Tonequest Report.

Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week's guest, Scott Benarde, is author of the book "Stars of David: Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Jewish Stories." In his book Scott focuses on how Judaism influenced the life & the art of many individuals in Rock n Roll. Scott combines his passion for Judaism, journalism and rock ‘n’ roll - the result: a revealing look at what has been, until now, the “stealth” contribution and influence of Judaism on rock music and the people who make it. Don't miss this unique conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music.

Motivational speakers, who are close friends & mentors of Jay Jay's - Steve Farber & Tommy Spaulding - are this week's guests. Tune into this week's episode to really go beyond the music, & to hear these three discuss the world of motivational speaking & the importance of challenging oneself in their life's endeavors. Steve & Tommy are both great speakers themselves, & encouraged Jay Jay to get into keynote & motivational speaking. Steve Farber has written numerous bestsellers in the past, & is the co-author of Jay Jay's upcoming book, "Twisted Business: Lessons from My Life in Rock 'n Roll." Don't miss this episode & be sure to keep an eye out for Jay Jay's book, which is to be released on September 21st.

Tune in this week for a unique guest, Jay Jay's producer Matthew Mallinger. In addition to being Jay Jay's producer, Matthew is a creative technologist & drummer currently based in Los Angeles. Hear Jay Jay & Matt reflect on all of the guests that have been on the show thus far, and the progression of the show as a whole. Jay Jay counters the joke that " if you remember the 60's you weren't there," by tapping into his remarkably specific memory, & spending the hour sharing stories about his journey in music, all the way back to his youth & bar gig days in New York. Don't miss these two cover everything from life as a musician & the foundations of Twisted Sister, to high school aged shenanigans & Jay Jay's ridiculous tongue twisting exercise that he uses to warm up before speaking. Only here on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

No one knows analog recording & guitars quite like Perry Margouleff. Perry is a guitar player, songwriter, engineer, record producer, & guitar collector with a passion for analog recording. He has spent his life collecting guitars & recording guitar-based music of all genres. He built a world class analog recording studio on Long Island's North Shore, the renowned Pie Studios, which has been home to many of the record industry's top musicians, engineers & producers. Perry is also cofounder of the amplifier company "SUNDRAGON," alongside Jimmy Page - their Sundragon amplifier is a faithful recreation of the amp Jimmy Page used exclusively to create the sounds on Led Zeppelin 1. Hear Perry & Jay Jay Jay discuss their history working together, the resurgence of vinyl records, the differences between analog & digital recording, and why there is hope for a renaissance of art & music after this past year. Hear this unique conversation only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week's guest is legendary producer & Rock historian Denny Somach. Denny has been just about everywhere in the music business, & has produced records for the likes of Johnny Winter, Alan Parsons, Eric Johnson & Todd Rundgren. He has authored two books about The Beatles, "Ticket to Ride" and "Meet the Beatles...Again," as well as the ultimate Led Zeppelin book "Get the Led Out: How Led Zeppelin Became the Biggest Band in the World." Tune in to hear Jay Jay & Denny discuss their early years in the music industry, their favorite artists, most impactful musical experiences & much more. Be sure to check out Denny's podcast "The Rock Podcast," co-hosted by Anita Gevinson, which features segments from Denny's amazing archival interviews from some of the biggest names in Rock n Roll. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week's guest is Director, Producer & Rock Doc veteran DJ Viola. Hear all about DJ's recent directorial project "Biography: KISStory," which chronicles the band KISS's five decades in the business, as founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons reflect on their historic career. Jay Jay talks about catching KISS shows in their early years, and tells the story of how he auditioned for the band in 1972, only here on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music. Don't miss catching the amazing rock doc "Biography: KISStory". The first half of the four-hour, two-night event premiered last night on Sunday, June 27 and the second half premieres today Monday, June 28 from 9-11pm ET/PT on A&E. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

"Come gather 'round the fire, there are stories to be told and you're among friends," is the introduction to the weekly program "The Conspiracy Show" the weekly program hosted by this week's unique guest, Richard Syrett. Richard is the host, creator, and writer of the weekly syndicated radio program The Conspiracy Show, which airs out of Toronto on Zoomer Radio (AM 740 and 96.7 FM) Sunday nights at 11pm. He is also a regular guest-host on Coast to Coast AM, the most popular late-night radio program in the world. Tune in to hear all about Richard's journey into radio, and how his show peaked Jay Jay's interest - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

This week on the Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music, Jay Jay interviews podcaster & radio personality Jordan Harbinger. Jordan is a lawyer turned social dynamics expert, who has been on the forefront of podcasting for years. Listen to these two compare their unique journeys, & discuss how they both ended up in podcasting. Don't miss these two entrepreneurial minds share their best advice & life stories, only on The Jay Jay French Connection!

This week is Part II of Analog Wars, with Ken Kessler & Michael Fremer! Don't miss the second half of these audio gurus conversation with Jay Jay. Ken is a Hi-Fi expert journalist, who joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review in 1983, to which he still contributes. He also writes a column for the website Soundstage UK, is the author of "Quad: The Closest Approach", "McIntosh … For The Love Of Music", and co-author of "Sound Bites" and "KEF: Innovators In Sound." Michael Fremer is the editor of analogPlanet.com, and senior contributing editor at Stereophile magazine. He’s also contributed to The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Consumer Digest, and The Bergen Record (New Jersey) among other publications and periodicals. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

If there are two individuals who know the world of Hi-Fi audio, it's Ken Kessler & Michael Fremer. Ken is a Hi-Fi expert journalist, who joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review in 1983, to which he still contributes. He also writes a column for the website Soundstage UK, is the author of "Quad: The Closest Approach", "McIntosh … For The Love Of Music", and co-author of "Sound Bites" and "KEF: Innovators In Sound." Michael Fremer is the editor of analogPlanet.com, and senior contributing editor at Stereophile magazine. He’s also contributed to The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Consumer Digest, and The Bergen Record (New Jersey) among other publications and periodicals. These two audio experts are long-time friends of Jay Jay's, & their conversation was so extensive that we had to split it into two parts. This is "Analog Wars: Part I" with Ken Kessler & Michael Fremer. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week, Jay Jay has a timely guest on the podcast ahead of the upcoming election, Edwin G. Oswald. Tune in to hear Edwin & Jay Jay discuss Ronald Reagan's life trajectory into the US presidency, the paradox of Reagan, & how people view him. Edwin recently wrote & published the book 'From Ronald to Donald: How the Myth of Reagan Became the Cult of Trump.' His book lays out a compelling argument that Reagan's presidency, & the mythology surrounding, laid the foundation for Trump's presidency. Reagan's myth persists, and by understanding his time in office in the context of American history and of the American presidency, we can understand how a transformative president created more than policy by also shaping culture with the instrumental force of mythology. His book attempts to neither praise nor bury Reagan but to explain him in non-partisan terms of contemporary popular mythology. Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Co-authors of the New York Times Bestseller: "Nothin' But a Good Time: the Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion" Tom Beaujour & Richard Bienstock are this week's guests on the Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Tom Beaujour is a journalist, producer & and co-founder/former editor-in-chief of Revolver magazine. Richard Bientock is a journalist & author whose writing has appeared in the likes of New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, & Spin. They share a lifelong passion for '80s rock, and decided that they're the perfect duo to write a book about it. Their recent book is a definitive oral history of 1980s hard rock & hair metal, told by the musicians & insiders who lived it. Tom & Richard discuss their journeys in the worlds of music & writing, and go in depth about the story and remarkable efforts behind their hit book release. Tune in to this one of a kind conversation with these amazing rock authors, only on The Jay Jay French Connection! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Renowned recording producer & engineer Eddie Kramer joins Jay Jay on this week's episode! Eddie has had an incomparable impact on the world of Rock n Roll, working with everyone from Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin & The Cure, to Anthrax, David Bowie & Buddy Guy. Hear Eddie share stories of his remarkable journey, & discuss a the unbelievable lineup of artists whose careers he has helped immensely - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Legendary writer & film producer Jonathan Taplin is this week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection! Hear Jonathan tell inside stories from Woodstock & The Newport Folk festival, and talk about what it was like working with artists such as The Band, Dylan, Peter Paul & Mary & Janis Joplin. Taplin's extensive career in production also includes working on films such as Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets & The Last Waltz, which he discusses with Jay Jay. Be sure to check out Jonathan's new rock memoir book, "The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-Roll Life" all about his extraordinary journey in the worlds of rock n roll & pop culture. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music, is the one & only Doc McGhee! Doc is one of the most well known American music managers in the history of rock - working with the likes of Kiss, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue & Scorpions, just to name a few. Tune in to hear Doc & Jay Jay discuss the ins & outs of music management, share their best advice, and swap some of their most memorable stories. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music is "Supermensch" Shep Gordon! Shep is one of the most legendary talent managers in the music indisustry - and he has the stories to back it. Shep has run the gamut of artists he's worked with - from Alice Cooper to Teddy Pendergrass, and Blondie to Frankie Valli. Hear these two talk all things music management, and share stories from their long runs in the music industry. Be sure to check out the documentary "Supermensch", produced & directed by Mike Myers, to learn even more about Shep's story. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week on The Jay Jay French Connection is Blues guitar legend Joe Bonamassa! Joe began his career at the age of 12, opening up for the one and only B.B. King. He has had a remarkable solo career since - releasing upwards of 13 studio albums, 17 live albums & 3 collaborative albums. Don't miss Jay Jay and Joe discuss their extensive guitar collections, the influence of blues guitar legends - then & now, recording techniques, and being lifelong students of the blues. Don't miss this one!

Michael Imperioli has been a part of more modern classic films than most. Hear all about his remarkable career as an actor, writer, director and musician on this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection - Beyond the Music! Jay Jay & Michael discuss all things New York, method acting, guitars, musicianship, life as a multi-faceted artist and much more. Don't miss this episode, and be sure to check out the record "La Dolce Vita" by Zopa, Michael's current musical project! https://zopa.bandcamp.com/album/la-dolce-vita

This week's guest is Jay Jay's Twisted Sister brother - guitarist Eddie Ojeda! Eddie and Jay Jay became friends in 1969 while still in high school, and began playing in Twisted Sister in 1975. Hear the story of their first meeting, their first band together called "Powder," and what first made Eddie pick up the guitar. Don't miss this intimate conversation between these two lifelong friends!

If there's any one radio personality that knows all things Heavy Metal & Hard Rock - it's Eddie Trunk. Tune in to hear all about Eddie's journey into how he became the music historian, talk show host, author & heavy metal radio legend that he is today. Hear stories from how Eddie would collect records & discover new music as a kid, to how he convinced Twisted Sister to get back together & play for the first time after 14 years of being broken up, for the benefit concert New York Steel in 2001. Learn all about why Jay Jay can't separate the history of Twisted Sister with Eddie Trunk, as we approach the 20th anniversary of New York Steel.

Guitar virtuoso, composer, songwriter & producer Steve Vai joins Jay Jay for a one of a kind conversation on this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection. Listen to Steve tell the story of how he began his career - as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa - at the insanely young age of 18! Steve shares this and many other stories about his remarkable journey in music, and how he became the musical polymath that he is today. Jay Jay & Steve talk discuss their guitar collections, Steve going to see Twisted Sister play in Long Island NY as a kid, notable influences, and much more. Don't miss this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week's guests are guitar heavyweights Joe Satriani & Steve Vai! Tune into this special 2-in-1 episode - Joe & Steve find time during their ongoing tour to connect with Jay Jay on the podcast. They discuss their new work & share stories of their dense musical backgrounds, all the way back to day 1 getting their first guitars as kids. In addition to their tour, Steve & Joe just released their first collaborative single The Sea of Emotion, which is available to stream now! Jay Jay, Steve & Joe have very interesting intertwining histories as they all grew up on Long Island. Steve Vai talks about going out to see Jay Jay perform during Twisted's early club days, & Joe talks about giving guitar lessons to Steve when he was 17, & Steve was 12. This episode is a must listen for all guitar players - don't miss this insightful conversation between 3 guitar legends - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger

Record industry veteran, author and activist Dorothy Carvello joins Jay Jay this week to discuss her tell all book about the record industry, "Anything for a Hit." This episode is a must listen for musicians and fans alike. Dorothy's book exposes the biggest names & executive level individuals in the industry, revealing some of the worst realities about the music industry in doing so. Hear Dorothy discuss her experience working as an executive, why she was driven to write this book, and the current ways in which she is working to improve the state of the music industry, including here soon to be announced foundation. Don't miss this episode and be sure to pick up Dorothy Carvello's "Anything for a Hit."

This week's guest is Music Industry veteran Gary Spivack, Gary talks to Jay Jay about his incredible new documentary "Long Live Rock" featuring Metallica! This is Gary's love letter to live Rock n Roll. Listen to Gary explain to Jay Jay his passion for live rock music, and how this movie - filmed in the USA - directly contradicts those who say that Rock is dead in America. This documentary, which you can check out at www.longliverockmovie.com featuring Metallica, is living proof! Be sure to catch the film's global premier and special Q&A this March 11th.

Friends Elliot Easton & Andy Babiuk join Jay Jay on this special episode of The Jay Jay French Connection. Tune in to hear stories of Elliot & Andy's extensive musical legacies, including their years playing in The Cars and The Chesterfield Kings. Be sure to listen to their supergroup "The Empty Hearts," and to check out Andy's "Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four Instruments from Stage to Studio." Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Legendary wrestler, singer & entrepreneur Chris Jericho joins Jay Jay on this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection. You won't want to miss this conversation about the relationship between the worlds of heavy metal and professional wrestling, and the religion of heavy metal around the world. Be sure to check out the recently released documentary "I'm Too Old For This Sh*t," the remarkable story of the band Siren, which Chris produced. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music, Jay Jay sits down with renowned showrunner Brian Koppelman. Brian & Jay Jay share stories and give their inside perspective on the record industry - then & now. Brian discusses his extensive experience working both as a screenwriter and in A&R. Tune in for a unique opportunity to get an inside perspective from these two long time friends. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

On this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music, Jay Jay chats with his friend chef Michael Lomonaco. Tune in to hear Jay Jay and Michael cover all things New York, the complex relationship between the entertainment and food industries, the current state of the restaurant business, the phenomenon of celebrity-chefs, and much more. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

This week on The Jay Jay French Connection is country music legend Johnny Lee. Tune in to hear Jay Jay & Johnny discuss their early influences, how they began pursuing music, favorite guitars and life as a touring artist. Johnny talks about how he played rock n roll up until he was 21, and what the catalyst was behind making the jump over to country music. Hear these two share similarities & differences from their unique journeys and successes in music. Check out Johnny Lee's title track "Everything's Gonna' Be Alright" from his upcoming full album release. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Tune in to this special episode of The Jay Jay French Connection to hear Jay Jay have a conversation with best-selling author Jane Green, and author & former model Jenny Boyd. Listen to these two discuss their most recent writing projects, including Jenny's book "Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond the Muse," which was released this past year. Jane & Jenny also discuss the differences between living in England and the United States, what their writing processes look like during a global pandemic, and remarkable stories from their careers, as well as being in and around the music world. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Legendary American singer/songwriter Don McLean joins Jay Jay on this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection. Tune in to hear these two 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 & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Tune it to the next episode of The Jay Jay French Connection to hear Jay Jay & hit songwriter/musician Nate Cyphert discuss Nate's remarkable journey into the music world. Nate and Jay Jay discuss how Nate made his way into songwriting, their experiences playing in bands on the east coast, moving to Los Angeles, and the art of surviving in the music industry.

This week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection, is Wayne Bjerke, joined by Twisted's social media manager, Tor Caracappa! Wayne has been a true old school TS fan all the way back to their club days. He is currently a graphic artist & tattoo artist, who has been friends with Tor for 20+ years. Learn why Jay Jay believes that bands are only as good as their fanbase, & hear Jay Jay & Wayne discuss the power & impact that Twisted had in their early club days. Wayne asks questions he’s always had about the band, and shares what the experience was like to watch and be a part of the incredible arch of Twisted’s career.

On this week's episode of The Jay Jay French Connection, Jay Jay interviews guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt, known for his otherworldly chops and being the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. Tune in to hear these two discuss Nuno's early years and his deep rooted connection to The Azores, the importance of influences & individuality, guitar development, Eddie Van Halen's legacy and much more. A must listen for all guitarists!! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Together - Michael Cartellone, Phil Collen, Joel Hoekstra & Jay Jay French have 186 cumulative years of rock n roll legacy under their belts. Tune in to hear this star studded lineup of guests discuss their musical upbringings, life as a touring musician and their experiences playing in White Snake, Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynrd & Twisted Sister. These four discuss family, their most memorable gigs, playing in various bands and their best advice in the music business. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Tune in to the next episode of The Jay Jay French Connection to hear Jay Jay chat with Frank Marshall, acclaimed film director and producer, who recently directed the Bee Gees documentary "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Listen to this unique interview to hear Jay Jay and Frank discuss documentary filmmaking, The Bee Gees early years , the love of music & Frank's expansive career in film. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Tune in to this week's episode to hear special guest Dee Snider! Listen to Jay Jay & Dee discuss 45 years of friendship, their history working together in Twisted Sister, Dee's new Christmas song "The Magic of Christmas Day," international fame, the current political climate and much more. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

In the second episode of the French Connection, Jay Jay brings on heavy metal legend Rob Halford, to discuss his new book "Confess." Tune in to hear Jay Jay & Rob discuss the birthplace of heavy metal, their early days in Judas Priest and Twisted Sister, memorable performances, communicating through music and wisdom with age. You won't want to miss this one! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

In the premier episode of The French Connection, Jay Jay brings on his close friend and renowned drummer Mike Portnoy. Tune in to listen to Jay Jay and Mike discuss their musical histories, playing together in Twisted Sister, the importance of drummers, Beatles fandom & much more. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

The French Connection: The Music Business and Beyond launches Tuesday 12/1!

Legendary Hollywood writer, producer & director, Paul Williams, is this week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! You won't want to miss Paul's stories from his remarkable journey into filmmaking, & talk about his recently published book titled 'Harvard, Hitmen and Holy Men. The book gets into how he is a real-life Forrest Gump - & how his experiences form a unique and often wild constellation of encounters with star power, political power, and spiritual power―a life cycle that led to fame and fortune and to integrity and anonymity. Paul shares stories of his intersecting careers with peers & friends in film, from Francis Ford Coppola to Terry Malick & Martin Scorsese. Hear stories from how Jay Jay came on the set to give Paul advice on portraying the culture surrounding drug dealing when he was working on the film 'Dealing' in the 70s, to Paul playing a pick up basketball game with Fidel Castro. Jay Jay & Paul bond over their overlapping in New York during their upbringings and the beginnings of their careers in film and music. Be sure to check out Paul's book, & don't miss this conversation - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! 

Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger 

This week's guest is 3-in-1 - Guitarist and producer Donny Goldberg, & his 2 sons, join Jay Jay in conversation! Together the 3 of them make up the instagram sensation Raized Wrong. Landon is 13 & his brother Lyric is 12 - together with their father they create online covers of hits from the 80's 90's & more. 

Hear the story about how Jay Jay found their music online, & why he immediately fell in love with what they were doing. The family discusses their creative process, generational influences, & what it's like playing and recording together as a family. Donny discusses why he finds it so important to encourage kids to get into art & music at a young age, & how he has encouraged both of his kids to do so since day one. 

Be sure to check out Raized Wrong's project online, & don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! 

Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger  

This week's special guest is true guitar virtuoso & grammy award winner, Tommy Emmanuel! The real-time exuberance Tommy Emmanuel brings to every note of every song he plays is palpable and infectious. His fans are in love with his unbound talent as a guitarist of multitudes, his ability to play three parts at once, always with pure heart and real soul.  

This conversation is not to miss for guitarists, musicians & music fans alike - as Jay Jay & Tommy get into everything from their roots, developing your own style, navigating the music business, favorite career experiences & the importance of pure live performance. 

Don't miss this insightful conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! 

Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger 

Crimson & Clover, Crystal Blue Persuasion, Mony Mony, I Think We're Alone Now, Hanky Panky & Sweet Cherry Wine - these are just a few of the hits written by legendary artist Tommy James, who is this week's guest on the podcast!! Tommy is a renowned musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely known as frontman of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells - who is now entering his 51st year in the music industry, actively touring, hosting his radio program GETTIN' TOGETHER WITH TOMMY JAMES, & licensing his music which is featured in over 65 films, 53 tv shows and numerous commercials. Jay Jay gets into why he loves Tommy's critically acclaimed autobiography 'ME, THE MOB AND THE MUSIC,' which is listed on Rolling Stone's Top 25 Memoirs, and is now in pre-production to be turned into a film. Tommy shares some amazing stories of his relationship with Roulette Records & Morris Levy (who he found to be the most interesting person he's ever met), & how he learned the business of radio and music in New York during the 60's. "It's a small world, so treat people well because you meet the same people on the way up as you will on the way down." This is the advice that Jay Jay will never forget Tommy giving him, as they were sharing a bill at a club in Baldwin, Long Island back in the 80s - tune in to hear the full story, and don't miss their conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger

This week's guest is the founder of one of the seminal punk bands, The Dictators! CBGB’s was built on the back of the first of the great legendary NY Punk band The Dictators. Join Jay Jay in welcoming punk legend Andy Shernoff on the podcast! Andy is a musician, songwriter & producer, who is a founding member of The Dictators. Jay Jay & Andy discuss the parallels between the New York bar scene that Twisted was a part of, & the New York punk scene that The Dictators were a part of. They get into the importance of the early years of punk in New York & how those years impacted the landscape of music to this day. They go on to talk about the evolution of radio, sobriety & creative longevity, and share countless memories from the foundations of punk & rock in New York. Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Shel Talmy is the legendary producer of The Who’s first earthshaking debut album “My Generation,” the first 5 (and most famous) Kinks albums, the Easybeats biggest hit 'Friday in my Mind,' as well as Manfred Mann's debut single 'Do Wha Diddy Diddy,'  mong many many more. It has been a great 2023 here on The Jay Jay French Connection - beginning the year with Twisted's induction into The Heavy Metal Hall of Fame, followed by a diverse & heavy hitting lineup of special guests on the podcast. Don't miss the year's final episode, as Jay Jay welcomes a very special guest onto the show, Shel Talmy! Shel is a legendary producer, songwriter & arranger who is best known for his work in the UK in the 60's. He has an amazing legacy in music, & there's a reason why Jay Jay finds his history in production to be one of the most important in music. Jay Jay talks about how much the records Shel produced have influenced him over the years, & how they served as the foundation for Rock n Roll to this day.  Shel shares some amazing stories - why he found Keith Moon to be the best drummer, recording all of the Wrecking Crew's sessions, his successes in working against the grain & current norms (including developing a 12 mic recording technique), working with Jimmy Page when he was only a 17 years old, & some of his favorite recording sessions. He gets into his early A&R days, & shares the stories of signing The Kinks & The Who (then known as 'The High Numbers').  Tune in, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!  Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger 

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 over 40 years. As a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band, from March 1981 to September 1982, Rudy toured the world in support of the “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary Of a Madman” records. As a member of Quiet Riot, from September 1982 to January 1985, Rudy recorded the multi-platinum albums “Metal Health”, the first Heavy Metal debut to reach #1 on the Billboard charts and “Condition Critical”. During this period he headlined massive worldwide tours, appeared on numerous MTV videos and was voted #1 Bassist in Circus Magazine for 1983. Rudy's list of accomplishments goes on, playing with Whitesnake, DIO & countless others. Rudy's legacy & impact on the music industry continues to grow - be sure to keep up to date on his performances, & don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger