CHRISTIAN MIGLIORESE
Could you shed some light on your musical background, and what led you to become a songwriter?
It was pretty natural like most people, i think. I didn't grow up in a musical household or anything, but my mom obviously had music playing a lot, so that's probably where my love for it started. Growing up, i never had any ideas about making music because all i wanted to do was play baseball, but that basically all changed once i heard Green Day and they opened that world up to me. I was able to get a cheap Squire Strat and i tortured my family for years with horrible playing at annoying volumes and eventually i didn't suck quite as much as when i started.
How did you approach songwriting in the beginning? Did you have some formal training to give you a leg up, or did you just figure it all out yourself?
I had a few months of guitar lessons in the very beginning by a local blues guy who eventually just said "yeah, i think you get it" and then i just taught myself after that. He was encouraging and i do remember sheepishly playing my first song to him and how nervous i was doing that. It was terrible and i still remember most of it. In terms of songwriting i just tried to copy my heroes to be honest with you.
The NYC scene has always seemed brimming with talent, and your contributions with The Unlovables and The Tattle Tales add value to that legacy. What has it been like to be part of this community? Do bands and songwriters feed off of one another, collaborate, etc.? What are your favorite NYC pop punk bands?
Thanks, yeah that whole scene was a really fun thing to be a part of. Being such a geek about music, you grow up reading about the Gilman scene and what it would be like to be a part of that and kinda romanticize the whole thing, so it was neat to feel like we had a little tiny version of that. Obviously not as influential but no less important, at least to us.
I would say that bands probably do feed off of each other even if it's not a conscious thing. Sometimes a record or a new band would come out and everyone would just be like "fuck!" and try to reach for that new high or whatever. Maybe that wasn't everyone, but i know i could feel that way. It's natural, i think.
I'd usually lump New Jersey into the NY scene but in terms of bands who're from New York City proper, you can't beat the Kung Fu Monkeys.
You've been a staple member of the online pop punk community for a long time. What's your take on the current scene? Do you see platforms such as The Dummy Room and all the new labels and bands as carrying the torch from the Insub/Knock Knock Records era?
Yeah, i've been a loudmouth for a while now. The current scene seems better than ever to tell you the truth. Someone sent me a link to the Dummy Room one day and said hey man they mentioned you, so i checked it out and those guys were being real cool which led me to check out the other episodes and it reminded me how much i loved this kind of music. It's my favorite podcast now and one of the things i look forward to listening to the most. Especially now because as i write this, we're in the middle of a pandemic with covid-19 and i'm living in NY which is basically the epicenter of it now, at least in the United states, so it's nice to have something to listen to and relax your mind a little bit. I doubt Jody or Nate set out to revitalize the scene and were probably just trying to give a voice to these bands and have fun, but i think they totally did. So cool!
All the recordings I've heard from you boast high levels of quality control for songwriting, musicianship, and production. What's your process and mindset for making an album? Do you consider yourself to be somewhat of a perfectionist?
When it comes down to it, it's about the songs, but i do want records to sound good, too. I've always been a stickler as to how i wanted records i made to sound. I don't necessarily need slick, but i want them to not sound like they were recorded in a tin can. I don't have a particular process. I just write songs and when i feel like i have enough i teach them to whoever's playing drums with me at the time. I don't do demos, i just keep all the songs and parts in my head and go from there. My favorite method of making an album is recording in small bursts and then waiting a week to listen back and go over things until you feel like you've got it. There's something to be said about just banging it out in 5 days or something, too. I've done that and both ways can have their advantages. I don't know if i'm a perfectionist per se, but i am definitely too hard on my own stuff which has prevented me from releasing as much music as i would like.
We discussed briefly bands that were essentially pop punk but higher on the food chain, like Fountains of Wayne and Nada Surf. Do you aspire to appeal to a larger, more "rock" oriented audience through your music, and is that sound ultimately what you strive to create?
Because my favorite bands like Green Day, Superdrag, Fountains Of Wayne, etc etc were all played on the radio and MTV, it didn't seem uncool to me to want to aspire for that, too. I just wanted to write hooky stuff with loud guitars. The only thing i really aspire to create is a hook that you remember.
You're very well-versed in the lore of pop punk, and I'm interested to know your thoughts on the ongoing traditional form of pop punk songwriting, complete with all the usual cliché trappings? What do you think accounts for the enduring and global aesthetic of dumb, poppy, leather jacket Queers-worship?
Yeah, it's kind of funny. There's been a lot of super influential bands, but most of them can't say they created their own sub-genre like the Ramones. It's hard to say exactly why it's easy to find 25 bands all from different countries who dress pretty much the same and all have songs like "Sheila was a cartographer," or "my step mom sucks" or whateverthefuck, but you can, and i find that charming and hilarious. My best guess is the Ramones sort of feel like comic book characters and it's a mild form of escapism from daily life.
You have a very good sense of how to write a traditional rock song. What has informed your concept of what a rock song ought to sound like? Do you approach songwriting now in a methodical sort of way, or is the inclination towards traditional structures innate?
I love all styles and genres but i think you find songs tend to have roughly the same structure no matter what genre you're dealing with. It's all some variation of intro - verse - pre chorus - chorus - verse 2 - bridge - etc etc. I'm just another guy writing and re-writing "the song" as they say. I just try to listen to as much music as i can and absorb it all in one way or another. The only rules i have for myself is the verses need to be just as catchy as the chorus and the bridge needs to sound like you're headed to the same place, but you just took a back road to get there.
From what I gather you can play all instruments necessary to perform on any song you write - do you find it helpful and even important to be well-versed in playing the various rock instruments? What advantages does this allow?
I can play anything well enough to record besides drums. I've been blessed to play with so many awesome drummers in my life. I don't know the first thing about that. I can write the drums in my head and kinda spit them out but i can't play to save my life. It's something I've always wanted to learn. One of these days i might buy an electric kit so i can learn without driving neighbors crazy.
Helpful, yeah. Necessary, that all depends on what you're going for. For me, and what i wanna do it definitely helps.
Are you also fairly comfortable producing your own material, or rather striving for a specific sound in the studio? What does your ideal studio experience entail? Ever get into much home recording?
Actually, no, and it's a big regret of mine. Other than learning drums, figuring out how to produce my own stuff at home has always been something I've wanted to learn, but never have. In the beginning going into studios to record songs felt so magical, and i liked to keep that feeling special, but now i realize that was a huge mistake. I would much rather have learned the how-to back then so i could have a decent set up for recording at home. My ideal experience is having a good working relationship with the engineer and feeling comfortable. That usually works, but tension in the studio can make some good stuff, too.
Something I've asked many interviewees that seems especially timely now - Do you find there to be a link between creative people and depression? Does songwriting serve any sort of therapeutic purpose for you personally?
It probably does, but i never stopped to think about it, really. There are songs in my head and i like to get them out, even if that just means going to my voicenotes app and singing and playing into my phone. I like to preserve ideas and it probably is some form of therapy. From what i understand there are links between depression, moodiness, and sensitivity to being a creative person. It seems like humor comes from depression, too, which seems almost paradoxical in a way, but makes sense the more you think about it. So being depressed makes everything cool, so it's cool to be depressed. Put that on my gravestone.
Bands in 2020 versus bands in 2010 versus 2000... much has changed in the last 20 years. Do you see a sustainable pathway towards being a paid professional who plays our type of music? Is it something that is losing relevance with each passing generation?
It sucks, but i don't really see a sustainable way of being paid. I don't see any way to make money in the music business right now. It seems like most bands and artists are lucky if they make back what they pay for recording and promo and all that junk. It's unfortunate that we decided music wasn't as valuable as stuff we'll spend 5 dollars on a day. I'm just as guilty in that. I listen to music digitally only and apart from supporting some friends by buying their albums, i generally don't anymore, so i can't be surprised it's just where it's going with everyone. If you're lucky enough to be well known enough to play gigs that people pack, that's the only way i can see to make money unless you score some apple commercial or something in advertising of some kind.
What are your ultimate goals as a musician, and which accomplishments are you most proud of to date?
My goal is to keep writing songs and putting out records for the fun of it. One of my bands had a video that played on MTV, and as far as i know, that was the only time it was played, but i'd be lying if i didn't say that was a dream come true. Hearing people talk about albums you've made as being some of their favorite is a really cool feeling. It makes you feel like you're a part of the continuum or whatever you wanna say. Like, you've contributed something that people actually wanna hear, even if it's a small group, it's still nice. My favorite record i've been on is definitely the Crush Boyfriend Heartbreak album in the Unlovables. I feel like we really had something then, and it comes across in the tunes.
What's the best advice you'd give to aspiring songwriters?
My best and only advice is to finish bad songs.
