SEND Backstage

Debs Aspland
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SEND Backstage is where music chats meet real life. Hosted by Jay, a young man who is blind, autistic and epileptic, this podcast brings you honest conversations about music, memories and what inclusion really looks like when you live it. Each episode feels like you’re sat with Jay and a mate, talking road trip songs, memories, embarrassing moments, favourite playlists and the emotional tracks that stay with you. Mixed in is the real stuff. The highs and lows of SEND life, the assumptions people make and the moments that shape us. You will hear from artists, families, friends and people with lived experience who are carving out space in the world of music and accessible events. Expect stories that make you laugh, stories that make you think and the kind of conversations you wish happened more often. If you love music, care about inclusion or just enjoy a good natter, you are in the right place.

Episodes

  1. JAN 2

    05 - Charlotte Law - Twins Tides & Autism Vibes

    This week Jay chats with the brilliant Charlotte Law - mum, co-parent, advocate, creator of SENDFest, half of SAA Clothing, and the heart behind the Instagram community @twins_tides_and_autism_vibes. It’s warm, funny, honest, and full of Fleetwood Mac, big feelings, and donut-based life skills. What we talked about 💬 Charlotte’s world Mum to Jude, Tommy, and twin girls.Co-parenting with James from Stories About Autism.Building SAA Clothing as a community built on “we see you, we get you.” 🎵 Music as magic & regulation How music opens Jude’s world - from Alexa playlists to full-on raves.Why music is connection, regulation, and comfort rolled into one.Her three road-trip songs.The song that makes her cry every time: 😂 Playlists, raves & donut challenges Jay and Charlotte compare playlists, talk about music that transports them, and agree they absolutely need a donut-in-one-bite showdown. 🧡 Inclusion — what it actually means Charlotte puts it perfectly: Different is not less.Inclusion is seeing the whole person, not hunting for a “special talent.”Celebrate difference - don’t shrink it down. 🌈 Advice for young disabled people & parent carers Don’t reshape yourself to fit in.Being you is enough.Celebrate your uniqueness - it changes the room.Hard days are normal. Don’t hide them. 🌙 The after-9pm idea… Charlotte and Jay accidentally invent a new series: the weekly inappropriate round-up of phrases Jay brings home from college. Coming soon (probably from a locked bathroom so Charlotte’s 8-year-olds can’t hear). Where to find Charlotte Instagram: @twins_tides_and_autism_vibes This is where she shares family life, advocacy, SENDFest updates, and all the behind-the-scenes realness.

    19 min

  2. 12/01/2025

    04: Gemma Bryan, Isla's Voice

    In this episode Jay sits down with the brilliant Gemma Bryan, known to many of you through Isla’s Voice, her honest, funny and much-loved corner of the internet. Gemma talks about parenting, inclusion, lived experience and the power of music to help you laugh, cry and get through life. We chat about her road trip bangers, the songs that shaped her childhood, the tracks that bring happy tears, and why Roam by The B-52s absolutely deserves its place on any playlist. Gemma also shares how music has carried her through the hardest moments, what real inclusion actually looks like, and why nothing about us without us should always be the starting point. There are stories about Roland Rat on vinyl, Dad’s band days, bath-and-a-beal moments, 90s classics, and the chaos of Mariah Carey ruining perfectly good songs. It is warm, funny and full of proper SEND-world honesty. You can find Gemma at Isla’s Voice on Facebook at https://facebook.com/islasvoice where she is most active and regularly shares life, humour and lived experience. For more information about Festability and inclusive events, please go to festability.co.uk.

    27 min

  3. 11/24/2025

    03: Kerry Banks, Martha Trust

    In this episode Jay chats with Kerry Banks, the fundraising powerhouse behind Martha Trust and the organiser of Music on the Farm. Kerry has spent almost twenty years in events and fundraising, and her passion for community, inclusion and music shines through from the very first minute. Kerry talks about the song that always lifts her up, the Elvis track that still brings tears, and which song guarantees she is on the dance floor. She also shares the story of how she first got into charity events, what she has learned from working with people with profound disabilities, and how music has become the heartbeat of her work. Jay and Kerry dive into what inclusion really means, the tiny things that make a big difference, and how she uses her voice to challenge ignorance and champion disability awareness. There are also some excellent dad jokes about Sandwich and Ham, which she absolutely leans into. It is warm, funny and full of proper community spirit. If you would like to find out more about Martha Trust and their work, please visit marthatrust.org.uk. For more information about Festability and inclusive events, please go to festability.co.uk.

    16 min

  4. 11/17/2025

    02: Debs Aspland, Festability

    In this episode, Jay interviews someone he knows better than anyone else. His mum. Debs Aspland. Founder of Festability, parent carer, music lover and the reason SEND Backstage exists in the first place. Debs talks about growing up in a house filled with everything from Barbra Streisand to Fleetwood Mac to AC/DC. She shares the songs that shaped her teenage years in the North West, her time repping in nightclubs, and the 80s and 90s tracks that still get her dancing to this day. We also talk honestly about inclusion. Why Festability was born, what true inclusion looks like, and what it absolutely does not look like. Debs shares the challenges parent carers face, the realities behind organising an accessible music festival, and how one clip on BBC North West changed everything. There is emotion, proper belly laughs and some classic mum–son chaos. For more information about Festability and inclusive events, please go to festability.co.uk.

    18 min

  5. 11/17/2025

    01 - Meet Jay, the host of SEND Backstage

    In our very first episode of SEND Backstage, we flip the script. Instead of Jay interviewing a guest, his mum sits down with him so you can get to know the brilliant human behind the mic. Jay is blind, autistic and has epilepsy, and he talks openly about how he experiences films, college life, music, access and everyday assumptions people make. We chat about his wildly eclectic music taste, the taxi driver who accidentally shaped his playlists, meeting Cypress Hill, and the moments music has made him feel included and excluded. We also talk about Festability, what inclusion means to Jay, the things he wishes people understood about blindness and autism, and his advice for other young disabled people trying to find their voice. It is honest, funny and full of typical Jay energy. For more information about Festability and inclusive events, please go to festability.co.uk.

    16 min

  6. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    00 Trailer

    SEND Backstage is your new home for music chats, real feelings and honest conversations about what inclusion actually looks like in the wild. Hosted by Jay, who is blind, autistic and has epilepsy, this podcast shines a light on the people, stories and songs that shape our lives. Each week Jay chats with guests about the tracks that lift them up, the songs that break them, the memories music brings back and what true inclusion means on stage, off stage and everywhere in between. Expect warmth, humour and plenty of Festability vibes. For more information about Festability and inclusive events, please go to festability.co.uk.

    2 min

Trailer

About

SEND Backstage is where music chats meet real life. Hosted by Jay, a young man who is blind, autistic and epileptic, this podcast brings you honest conversations about music, memories and what inclusion really looks like when you live it. Each episode feels like you’re sat with Jay and a mate, talking road trip songs, memories, embarrassing moments, favourite playlists and the emotional tracks that stay with you. Mixed in is the real stuff. The highs and lows of SEND life, the assumptions people make and the moments that shape us. You will hear from artists, families, friends and people with lived experience who are carving out space in the world of music and accessible events. Expect stories that make you laugh, stories that make you think and the kind of conversations you wish happened more often. If you love music, care about inclusion or just enjoy a good natter, you are in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Debs Aspland
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Life AsPland
  • Show Website
    SEND Backstage