What do Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, Line 6's Spider amps, and some of the wildest custom guitars on earth have in common? Rich Renken. In this episode, Rich walks Blake through decades in the gear trenches—starting as a bassist in church bands, engineering records with 90s rock royalty, helping invent products that changed the amp game, and now running the show at James Tyler Guitars. He tells the origin story of the legendary “lead/rhythm” switch, what it was like helping develop Line 6's Sp...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 471
Matt Hoopes is back on the show! Blake and Matt catch up on all things Relient K—from packed DIY shows at Brown’s Diner to opening for Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan. They dive into what it means to be a touring musician as a grown-up, the joys of building a “new boat” for the band, and why some of the most meaningful shows don’t happen on giant festival stages. They also nerd out on pedal design, with Matt revealing the evolution behind 1981 Inventions' DRV and LVL circuits (spoiler: the new stu...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 470
What happens when a guitar wizard stumbles face-first into Hollywood? JD Simo is back, and this time he’s not just laying down licks. He’s coaching movie stars, babysitting vintage synths, and fixing million-dollar screwups the prop department didn’t even notice. He walks us through how a phone call from producer Dave Cobb turned into a full-blown creative rescue mission on two major films: the Elvis biopic and the upcoming Bruce Springsteen flick. Along the way, JD accidentally invents a job, t...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 469
Way back in the sepia-toned past of podcasting (circa 2016), I sat down with Joel Korte of Chase Bliss Audio — before the blinking lights took over the world and before I fully understood how microphones work. Can you believe that this episode is almost a decade old? What a wild ride it's been! This episode has it all: – Engineering nerdery – Emotional whiplash – Mild Midwestern awkwardness – And at least one questionable Paul Reed Smith tangent – Strollerblading! Joel shares how a stint at a ma...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 468
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-...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 467
From anonymous attic guitars to Travis Tritt’s guest room, Dillon Weldon’s story is a country song in the making. Blake sits down with the host of The Drifting Cowboy Podcast to talk about how a kid with no industry connections, a busted Taylor, and a Johnny Paycheck cassette somehow wound up at the heart of Nashville's old-school revival. They cover everything: going viral on TikTok (by accident), how a single prayer led to a million views, and what it’s like when country legends like Gary Gent...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 466
In this episode, Blake sits down with legendary singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier for a deep, honest, and surprisingly gear-heavy chat. Mary didn’t pick up songwriting seriously until her mid-thirties—after years as a Boston-based chef, restaurant owner, and, as she puts it, a total mess. But once she got sober and started hitting open mics, everything changed. They talk about her early love for Taylor guitars, her eventual obsession with the low-end growl of vintage Gibsons, and how she’s more ab...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 465
This week on The Tone Mob, Blake hangs with bassist Zephyr Avalon—a man whose musical journey started with jazz camp and ended up on stadium stages... with a few detours through punk bands, upright bass trauma, and a destroyed childhood guitar along the way. They cover Zephyr’s early years surrounded by classical music, gigging through college, touring with Haley Reinhart, and stumbling into the rocket ship that is Zach Bryan’s rise. There's gear talk (OC-2 forever), rig rundowns, custom basses,...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 464
Blake is joined once again by Nick Diener—founder of Oneder Effects and guitarist/vocalist for The Swellers—for a wide-ranging chat that hits everything from vintage SGs and Freebird lore to dad life, Discord burnout, and the existential dread of messy workspaces. Nick shares stories of playing Gary Rossington’s actual guitars, visiting Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, building pedals in cluttered chaos, and trying to stay creative in a post-pandemic industry hit hard by tariffs and uncertainty. ...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 463
In this episode of The Tone Mob Podcast, Blake Wyland is joined by Amico Demuzio—pedal steel guitarist and multi-instrumentalist for Charles Wesley Godwin’s band. They dive into Amico’s unexpected journey from welding school dropout to full-time touring musician, fueled by a love for lap steel, vintage Peavey amps, and weird-sounding pedals. If you’re a gearhead, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into: Boss Slicers, Jerry Garcia tones, Kernum pedals, amp plugins that sound freakishly real, and w...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 461
On this episode of the Tone Mob Podcast, Blake is joined by Jesse and William of Top House for a conversation that starts with a ghost in the machine and ends somewhere between band mythologies and pizza philosophies. They unpack the chaotic beauty of songwriting, the grimy reality of touring (spoiler: pee when you can), and why having a fake country band called “Cornfield Boys” might just be the secret to creative freedom. The trio riffs on everything from the dark arts of social media algorith...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 460
This week on The Tone Mob Podcast, Blake Wyland sits down with Steve Cobucci — guitarist, gear junkie, and founding member of Wolves at the Gate — to talk about the beautiful mess that is making music for a living. Steve kicks things off with the story of his first guitar: a classical hand-me-down from his mom, followed by a hard-earned Gibson Les Paul — because if you're gonna make noise, you might as well do it right. From his beloved B-52 tube amp to his first Tube Screamer, Steve proves that...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 459
From Garage Bands to Gibson: Mike Lawson’s Wild Ride Through the Music Industry In this episode of The Tone Mob Podcast, Blake Wyland sits down with Mike Lawson—musician, publisher, gear designer, and all-around music industry lifer. From his early days jamming in Florida to shaping the future of music education and publishing, Mike's career has spanned decades of innovation, reinvention, and pure love for the craft. They dive deep into the golden era of guitar shops, the digital revolution that...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 458
I've been working on this for months now, and it is finally here! Introducing my new podcast that I created with my friend, business partner, and Tone Mob Podcast alumni, Scott Marquart. If you like the... odd side of music, you'll enjoy these tales. You can find Tape Spaghetti on the same platforms you get The Tone Mob Podcast as well as video episodes on YouTube. Here is the description for this episode that I copied from the main TS feed: This week on Tape Spaghetti, Blake & Scott unravel...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 457
On this episode of the podcast I have my good buddy Joel Korte of Chase Bliss back on the podcast to tell the tale of how he and the legendary AnalogMike came together to create the Brothers AM. We also get into some of the behind the scenes details of how Chase Bliss operates, and the harsh realities Joel & Co have had to navigate. It ain't all sunshine and rainbows, but it is fascinating! Enjoy! Check it out HERE https://www.chasebliss.com/brothers-am Support The Show And Connect! The Text...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 456
Andrew Spann is a guitarist/musician/frontman for the band low before the breeze. I met Andrew through the podcast itself, and I really, really enjoy the band's output. Plus being a gearhead, he was a natural fit for the show! We discuss Andrew's early experiences with music, the role of gear in his creative process, and the development of his vocal techniques. The conversation also gets into the personal themes present in their music, the collaborative dynamics within the band, and the challeng...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 455
On this episode of the podcast I experience another one of those "pinch me" moments! Red Fang has been a huge influence on me in both a musical sense and in some of my personal gear choices. Bryan and I discuss a whole bunch of stuff on this slightly condensed episode, including: Soundgarden, and their influence on the band The Sunn Beta Lead Amplifier (of course) Intra-band creative conflict and how to manage it Tuner pedals Weird books and their influence Recording to tape vs digitally A WHOLE...
Apr 01, 2025•52 min•Ep. 454
Emily Wolfe has returned for another episode! Since I have her by herself this time, I wanted to chat with her about her career since we recorded her last solo episode. There is a ton of "life" talk on this episode as we get caught up, and we cover a ton of ground including: Her new Tone Pack with STL Tones The importance of separation in personal and professional life Creativity can be sparked by discipline, not just inspiration. The challenge of writing "happy" songs Transitioning to being you...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 453
The Bouncing Souls are an iconic melodic punk band from New Jersey. They are a personal favorite of mine and have been for over 20 years. Pete is also the owner of what I consider to be one of the raddest guitars in music history. It is a 1979 White Les Paul Custom that has the most iconic legit playwear that I have ever seen! We talk about that and a lot of other stuff like: The early days of the Bouncing Souls Recording music is a collaborative process that requires understanding the dynamics ...
Mar 17, 2025•59 min•Ep. 452
If you love guitar, gear, synths, or effects pedals... There is a good chance that you have heard of the company Meris. Meris makes some of the most awesome signal processing/producing devices that are currently available on the market. I absolutely love their stuff! And if you know about Meris, then you have been exposed to Jinna's incredible handiwork on the brand, the wonderfully inspired launch material, user interfaces, and so so much more. She doesn't do a ton of interviews, so it was an h...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 451
What an episode!!!! Today I'm talking to Tracii from LA Guns! I start off with telling Tracii a little tale from my childhood that centers around his band. It is quite a fond rock'n'roll memory for me. (I think you'll appreciate it.) We dive right into some gear talk, and the first subject might be a little bit surprising. Along the way we discuss the joy of pursuing a career that aligns with personal interests, the importance of recognizing one's mental wiring when choosing a career path, and t...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 450
WOW. That is first word that came to mind when I went to write this episode description because this episode is AWESOME. Reverend Peyton is well known as a master of slide guitar and country-blues style music. But the man is quite simply a guitar and music obsessive. You are going to love this episode. We talk about things like: A brawl that involved Fletcher from Pennywise, Alesana, and a half-blind Reverend Peyton. (You need to hear this story!) The "vocal" quality that is unique to guitar. Ni...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 449
What is going to happen to "guitar media" personalities in 30 years? Will I still be interviewing guitarists? Will Ryan still be engaging in shenanigans? Is it possible that all of this will still be around? Ryan Burke is a fellow guitar podcaster and popular YouTube personality. He and I have been buddies since about 2015. In that time the guitar media business has completely changed. (Maybe we spill some secrets?) In this episode we get into: How the guitar industry is smaller and more intimat...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 448
Brian Fallon is the frontman for the legendary New Jersey Band The Gaslight Anthem and Emily Wolfe is an amazing guitarist/songwriter/singer/force of nature. They have both been on the podcast independently multiple times and when I saw that they went on tour together and became pals... I had to get them on for an epic dual-guest episode! On this one, a lot of goofing off occurs. Because that is what happens when a bunch of nerdy friends get together! In addition we discuss: Brian's ever rotatin...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 445
On this episode I have a super rad chat with Mike Stern. A guitarist who's co-conspirators include other greats such as Blood, Sweat & Tears, Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Eric Johnson and more! We talk his current rig, his past vs current approach to the instrument, pedalboard order, our thoughts on "practice" and a whole lot more! Enjoy it folks! Check out more info on Mike on his website HERE https://www.mikestern.org/ Support The Show And Connect! The Text Chat is back! Hit me up at (503)...
Feb 07, 2025•46 min•Ep. 444
I've got a hot one for you this week! On this episode I'm talking to none other than the legend himself, Mr. Brian Ray. Brian is best known for playing guitar with the absolute powerhouse that is Sir Paul McCartney for the last 20 years. But his credits don't stop there! Brian also played with the fabulous Etta James for 14 years and shared the stage or collaborated with the likes of Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Rait, Smokey Robinson, Peter Frampton and many, many more. On this episode...
Feb 03, 2025•42 min•Ep. 442
NAMM is officially over and I am releasing this before midnight Pacific time so I am still offically on schedule! On this episode, I am talking to my other business partner, Sean Arbow of Gunstreet to get into what the heck he's been up to the last few years. And let me tell you, it is a LOT of stuff. We chat about: The growth over the last two years. Solderless technology in guitars Understanding passive vs active circuits The evolution of humbuckers Magnetic field shape can drastically change ...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 441
Drayton Farley is an incredible musician from Alabama. His music and songwriting is definitely in the Americana/Country/Singer-Songwriter vein, but what I didn't know is that this dude is a legit metalhead. The conversation spans a great many subjects from Drayton's top 7 listened to songs, his compact pedalboard, the Kendrick vs Drake beef, how he got hooked up with Martin Guitars, how horrible the world is (or isn't?) knock off guitars, dressing like slobs, and WAY MORE! Check out his music on...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 440
In this episode I am joined by Mark Turley and Steve Peterson from Summer School Electronics. They discuss the origins of their company, the challenges and excitement surrounding the NAMM show, and the complexities of explaining the music industry to outsiders. The conversation also touches on nostalgia for 90s music and the evolution of musical tastes over time. In this conversation, the speakers delve into their experiences with music, gear, and the creative process. We also explore experiment...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 439
I have a very special guest on this episode of the podcast, and that guest is none other than Jordan Buckley of Better Lovers & Every Time I Die. We discuss a TON of things on this episode, and there is some fun gear chat at the end for us tone nerds. But the bulk of the episode revolves around things like: Processing massive personal challenges in the public eye The emotional challenges of the music industry Every Time I Die's unique approach to hardcore Creativity as a necessity, not a cho...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 438
