The Five: Lizard Leg Effects’ Steve Miller
You might not be too familiar with Louisiana-bred Lizard Leg Effects, but if you’ve picked up a recent copy of Premier Guitar you know that word is spreading. Last month, the popular industry mag heaped praise on the effect maker’s Flying Dragon boost stomp, and this month one of the company’s logo picks adorns the front cover. WTDP? was able to sample a Flying Dragon a few months back, and whoa! It’s everything you’d want to add a little sparkle to your cleans or extra sizzle to you grit. We sought out Lizard Leg’s Steve Miller recently to give him a run at our five little questions… and Abracadabra! His answers will reach out and grab you after the jump!
WTDP?: When and why did you start making effects pedals?
Steve: After Hurricane Katrina I was looking to replace the gear I had lost in the storm and was shopping for a pedal, but I just couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. Electronics has been a hobby for longer than guitar so the two finally met and the first LLE pedal was designed and built. A few friends saw the pedal and asked me to build one for them, and then a few more. And then a few more. One day my phone starts ringing from people who were given my number asking if I could build one for them. I definitely didn’t start out thinking “I’m going to build pedals”… it just happened.
Things have progressed to the point now that I need some help with the builds so my wife, Brandi, and our son, John, both help out – Brandi does all of the graphics on the pedal as well as handling the paperwork side of the business and John helps with shipping and keeping the shop clean. I couldn’t do any of this without their help and support.
WTDP?: At what point did you realize ‘Hey, I might be able to make a little money doing this.’?
Steve: If that day ever comes, I’ll let you know.
WTDP?: Is there a stomp out there you wish you had made?
Steve: Pretty much any pedal Mike, at Analogman, has designed. The man has a gift.
WTDP?: What’s on your workbench right now?
Steve: A few empty cans of Red Bull, various tools, parts and pedals in various stages of design. And before anybody asks (again) at the current time, no, I don’t plan on introducing a true overdrive, although some people do use the Flying Dragon as an OD. Unless I can design something totally unique and different in an OD, well, the world has enough TS-based pedals already. I have a few other prototypes in the works as well, so we’ll see what happens.
WTDP?: You’ve got free reign to assemble your dream trio. If you’re on guitar, who’s playing bass and drums (alive or dead)?
Steve: Anybody crazy enough to actually get on stage with me.
Thanks Steve!
