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Dave Melillo
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Key Information
David Andrew Melillo (born June 12, 1988) is the former lead guitarist for Anarbor, and the former bassist[1] for pop rock band Cute Is What We Aim For. His earlier material as a solo artist consisted of acoustic guitar-driven acoustic rock and piano-accented power pop, somewhat in the vein of early Dashboard Confessional and The Rocket Summer.
Biography
[edit]David Melillo was born on June 12, 1988, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey[citation needed] to David A. Melillo Sr. and Gina A. Melillo. After moving to Celebration, Florida, in December 2000, he learned how to play the guitar, the bass guitar and the piano and eventually began writing songs. While attending Celebration High School, he played in several ensembles, including the short-lived garage band Trexx.
In mid-2004, Melillo formed the Taking Back Sunday-inspired indie rock band Arcana. While their submitted two-song demo fell on deaf ears with Drive-Thru Records, Melillo's solo material did not. Drive-Thru Records invited Melillo to play a showcase for the label and signed him immediately in December 2004, at the age of sixteen. Melillo made his debut on the Drive-Thru Records and PureVolume compilation album Bands You Love, Have Heard of, and Should Know (2005) with his song "Wait for It". Melillo spent the following summer recording with producer James Wisner in St. Cloud, FL. Melillo's debut EP, titled Talk Is Cheap, was first released on April 17, 2006, as a free digital download from mtvU. The physical CD release was issued on June 13 through Drive-Thru Records, containing one extra track.
After a falling out with Drive Thru Records, Melillo joined Cute Is What We Aim For playing rhythm guitar on the 2007 Warped Tour. He toured with the band for the following 2 years on bass guitar and helped write/record the band's sophomore album "Rotation" alongside John Feldmann. In 2009, Melillo left the band for personal reasons, and formed a new band, Nocturnal Me, with former members of Cute Is What We Aim For. Nocturnal Me released three EPs: "Self Titled" in 2009, "Too" in 2010 and "Two Faced" in 2011.
In 2010 Melillo shared production credits on several independent releases, most notably Leslie Mosier's debut EP/album and Set It Off's EP which preluded the band's signing with Equal Vision Records. Melillo also began working as a pop/r&b songwriter in 2010 for several major labels and artists, with a focus on melody/lyrics.
2011 began with Melillo refocusing his efforts on his own music. He released a 4-song EP "Future Focused" in October to be followed by a 13-track mix-tape titled "Thinking Of You" in November.
Discography
[edit]EPs
[edit]- Talk Is Cheap (2006)
- Future Focused (2011)
Albums
[edit]- You've Got Potential (2022)
Non-album tracks
[edit]- "Wait for It" – released on Bands You Love, Have Heard of, and Should Know (2005)
- "It Ain't Me Babe" – released on Listen to Bob Dylan: A Tribute (2005)
- "All I Want for Christmas" – released on A Santa Cause 2: It's a Punk Rock Christmas (2006)
- "The Ties that Bind" released on Demo (2008)
- "Read Between The lines" released on Demo (2008)
Dave Melillo's touring band
[edit]- Dave Melillo – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Clark Spurlock – lead guitar
- Matt Mendes - bass
- Nate Mullins - drums
References
[edit]- ^ Ratiner, Tracie (2008-08-08). Contemporary Musicians: Profiles of the People in Music. Gale. p. 48. ISBN 9780787680763. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
External links
[edit]
Dave Melillo
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Early life
Childhood in New Jersey
David Andrew Melillo was born on June 12, 1988, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.[8] He grew up in a family environment that fostered an early appreciation for music during his formative years.[5] Melillo's initial encounters with music came through listening to influential artists like Billy Joel, Meat Loaf, and Bruce Springsteen, which captivated him in his New Jersey home and sparked his lifelong passion before any structured education.[1] These experiences laid the groundwork for his developing interests, immersing him in a blend of pop, rock, and storytelling-driven songwriting that resonated deeply in his early childhood.[8]Move to Florida and musical education
In December 2000, at the age of 12, Melillo's family relocated from East Hanover, New Jersey, to Celebration, Florida, a planned community near Orlando.[9][10] This move followed his early exposure to music in New Jersey, where he had taken classical voice lessons and performed in local musicals at the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn, fostering an initial passion for performance and songwriting that began around age 11 or 12.[11] Upon settling in Florida, Melillo pursued his musical interests independently, teaching himself to play guitar, bass, and piano without formal instruction, drawing on available local resources and personal determination.[12] This self-directed learning allowed him to explore instrumentation in depth, transitioning from vocal-focused activities to composing on multiple instruments.[11] Melillo's early experimentation in Florida included songwriting and local performances, often in school or community settings, where he honed his skills through trial and error. By age 15 or 16, he was opening for established acts like Something Corporate and the Format at the University of Central Florida, marking his initial forays into live audiences beyond casual practice.[12]Musical career
Formation of Arcana and solo signing
In 2004, during his high school years in Celebration, Florida, Dave Melillo formed his first band, the indie rock group Arcana, drawing inspiration from acts like Taking Back Sunday.[10] The short-lived ensemble recorded a two-song demo, which the members submitted to Drive-Thru Records in hopes of securing a deal, but it was ultimately rejected.[10] Undeterred by the band's dissolution just four months after its formation later that year, Melillo shifted focus to his solo songwriting, recording acoustic demos at home.[10] These early solo efforts, influenced by his discovery of Drive-Thru artists such as the Starting Line, caught the attention of label co-owner Richard Reines when Melillo shared them online.[1] Reines, impressed by the material, arranged for the 16-year-old Melillo to perform an impromptu showcase in Los Angeles. This led to his immediate signing with Drive-Thru Records in December 2004, establishing him as a professional solo artist and launching his recording career.[1]Role in Cute Is What We Aim For
Dave Melillo joined Cute Is What We Aim For in the summer of 2007 as rhythm guitarist, supporting the band on the Vans Warped Tour after his fallout with Drive Thru Records. His prior solo career under the label had garnered enough industry exposure to facilitate this initial recruitment into the established pop-punk act.[13] In early 2008, following bassist Fred Cimato's second departure from the group, Melillo shifted to bass guitar and became a permanent member. He provided basslines for the band's sophomore album Rotation, released on May 6, 2008, via Fueled by Ramen, and contributed to songwriting that infused the record with a heavier, piano-driven edge drawing from influences like Billy Joel.[13] Throughout his tenure from 2007 to 2009, Melillo performed on major tours, including the 2007 Warped Tour in his initial guitar role, the summer 2008 headlining tour promoting Rotation alongside acts like Ace Enders and The Young Wild Things Tour opening for Fall Out Boy, and the early 2009 Take Action Tour. He also briefly served as lead vocalist for three shows in England during the 2008 tour when frontman Shaant Hacikyan encountered passport problems.[13][14][15] Melillo departed the band in early August 2009, informing Hacikyan of his decision after a July meeting with members and associates highlighted ongoing concerns over Hacikyan's attitude and commitment, which showed no improvement. Guitarist Jeff Czum exited concurrently, straining band cohesion to the breaking point and effectively ending Cute Is What We Aim For, as Hacikyan transitioned to solo work shortly thereafter.[6]Nocturnal Me project
Following his departure from Cute Is What We Aim For in 2009, Dave Melillo formed the band Nocturnal Me as a collaborative project with fellow ex-bandmates Jeff Czum on guitar and Mikey Lasaponara on drums, along with bassist John "Tank" Viavattine.[16][17][18] From 2009 to 2012, Nocturnal Me evolved from an initial pop-rock foundation rooted in the members' prior work into a more polished, electronic-infused pop sound, incorporating R&B and soul elements inspired by artists like Maroon 5, Chris Brown, and Frank Ocean.[19][20] The band emphasized self-production and songwriting led by Melillo, releasing early tracks like "Once Bitten" in 2009 to showcase this transitional style, while prioritizing digital distribution over extensive touring due to industry shifts.[21][19] Nocturnal Me's primary output was the EP Two Faced, self-produced by Melillo and recorded at GCR Audio in New York during April and May 2011, with a release on July 19, 2011, via Apparition Records.[18][17] The five-track EP highlighted the band's pop-rock core with electronic production, featuring saxophone contributions from Viavattine's father, and was accompanied by an acoustic version to broaden accessibility.[20][19] Live activities during this period were limited, focusing on acoustic sessions rather than full tours; for instance, Melillo performed tracks like "Love Is a Lie" acoustically for promotional videos in 2011, aligning with the band's emphasis on online engagement over traditional stage shows.[22][23][20]Tenure with Anarbor
Dave Melillo joined Anarbor as lead guitarist in January 2012, replacing Adam Juwig following the latter's departure after nine years with the band.[7][24] His previous work with the short-lived project Nocturnal Me had honed his guitar skills, aiding his integration into Anarbor's lineup.[7] During his tenure, Melillo contributed to Anarbor's alternative rock sound through live performances and studio work, spanning roughly from 2012 to 2013. He played a key role on the band's second studio album, Burnout, released on June 4, 2013, via Hopeless Records, providing lead guitar parts that supported the record's edgier, rock-oriented tracks such as "Whiskey in Hell" and "18."[25][26] Melillo participated in several high-profile tours that bolstered Anarbor's presence in the pop-punk and alternative scenes. In early 2012, shortly after joining, he performed on the End of the World Tour alongside Mayday Parade, We the Kings, and The Downtown Fiction, a month-long U.S. run that kicked off in February and highlighted Anarbor's energetic stage presence. Later that summer, following Burnout's release, the band joined the Vans Warped Tour for multiple dates across North America, where Melillo's guitar work featured prominently in sets including songs like "Damage I've Done" and "Every High Has a Come Down." These outings helped promote the album and solidified Anarbor's reputation for dynamic live shows blending pop-punk hooks with rock intensity.[27][28][29]Later solo work and songwriting
Following his tenure with various bands, Dave Melillo returned to solo endeavors with the release of the mixtape Eskimo Kisses in July 2012, which he offered as a free digital download to fans.[30] The project marked a personal creative outlet amid his evolving career, blending acoustic elements with introspective themes drawn from his experiences.[31] Around the same time, Melillo began transitioning toward pop songwriting in 2010, collaborating on projects for emerging artists and focusing on melody and lyrics to align with broader industry shifts.[32] This included producing an EP and full-length album for singer Leslie Mosier, as well as contributing to an EP with the band Set It Off before its eventual cancellation.[32] His band background informed a more mature approach to crafting hooks and narratives, emphasizing emotional depth in pop structures.[32] In 2022, Melillo independently released his studio album You've Got Potential through Enjoy The Ride Records on November 30, comprising previously unreleased LP sessions from earlier in his career. The collection features production contributions from collaborators including Kevin Griffin, John Feldmann, and others, showcasing Melillo's growth as a solo artist with polished, reflective tracks.[33]Musical style and influences
Genre evolution
Dave Melillo's early solo work, exemplified by his 2006 EP Talk Is Cheap, was rooted in acoustic rock and emo-pop, characterized by melodic acoustic pop structures with introspective lyrics and influences from artists like Dashboard Confessional.[34] The EP blended stripped-down guitar-driven tracks with subtle piano elements, creating a sound that emphasized emotional vulnerability and catchy hooks typical of mid-2000s emo-pop.[34] During his tenure contributing to band projects, Melillo's style shifted toward power pop and pop-punk, aligning with the energetic, riff-driven aesthetics of those genres. In his role with Cute Is What We Aim For, the music incorporated upbeat pop-punk rhythms and power pop melodies, as seen in their albums featuring sharp guitar work and anthemic choruses.[35] Similarly, his contributions to Anarbor emphasized pop rock with pop-punk undertones, evident in releases like Burnout, where the sound evolved to include more polished production and indie-inflected hooks while retaining punky drive.[36] In his 2010s and 2020s solo endeavors, Melillo's genre evolved toward a more mature pop rock orientation, moving away from the raw emo edges toward refined acoustic and pop structures with broader emotional depth. The 2022 release You've Got Potential, compiling unreleased sessions, showcases this progression through layered pop rock arrangements that prioritize storytelling and subtle instrumentation over high-energy punk elements.[37] As of 2025, no new solo releases have followed. This phase reflects a consolidation of his earlier influences into a cohesive, introspective pop rock style suitable for solo expression.[38]Key inspirations
Dave Melillo's early musical inspirations were shaped by the vibrant New Jersey scene, where he spent his formative years soaking up a diverse range of sounds before relocating to Florida at age 12.[9] Growing up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, he drew from classic folk-rock traditions, notably evident in his 2005 cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" for the Drive-Thru Records tribute album Listen to Bob Dylan: A Tribute, which highlighted Dylan's influence on Melillo's songwriting approach during his teenage years.[39] This nod to Dylan, a cornerstone of the New Jersey singer-songwriter legacy, underscored Melillo's appreciation for introspective, narrative-driven lyrics amid the region's rock heritage. During his tenure with bands like Cute Is What We Aim For and later Anarbor, Melillo was profoundly impacted by the pop-punk ecosystem of Drive-Thru Records and its associated artists, which fostered a collaborative environment of melodic, guitar-driven energy.[10] He cited high school favorites such as Straylight Run and Something Corporate as key influences, praising their emotional depth and pop sensibilities that mirrored his own acoustic-leaning style akin to early Dashboard Confessional.[32] Peers from the label's roster, including The Starting Line and The Format, further inspired his power-pop elements, with Melillo expressing admiration for their ability to blend catchy hooks with personal storytelling, as seen in his excitement over potential new releases from these acts in 2007.[12] Additional pop-punk contemporaries like Paramore and Circa Survive contributed to his evolving sound, emphasizing dynamic rhythms and heartfelt vocals during his band collaborations.[32] Post-2009, following the breakup of Cute Is What We Aim For, Melillo's inspirations increasingly drew from personal life events and introspective reflections on relationships, which infused his later solo work with themes of heartbreak and resilience.[40] His 2009 tour with Straylight Run, marked by challenges like vehicle breakdowns, reinforced bonds with influential peers and shifted his focus toward studio production, inspiring a pivot to more pop-oriented expressions.[32] Lyrical content in demo tracks like "Read Between the Lines" and "The Ties That Bind" explored relational dynamics, drawing from real-life experiences such as fleeting romances and emotional ties, where he navigates love's complexities with raw vulnerability.[41] These personal upheavals, combined with admiration for artists like Michelle Branch, Taylor Swift, and Ace Enders, deepened his songwriting's emotional core, evident in his acoustic pop-punk evolution.[32] These inspirations collectively drove Melillo's genre shifts toward broader pop accessibility in his later projects.[38]Discography
Studio albums
Dave Melillo's debut full-length studio album, You've Got Potential, was released digitally on November 30, 2022, by Enjoy The Ride Records, compiling tracks from unreleased recording sessions originally produced in 2005. The album draws from Melillo's early solo material, intended as a proper LP following his 2006 EP Talk Is Cheap, but shelved due to label changes and his involvement in other projects.[42] It captures a pop-punk and emo-infused sound reflective of mid-2000s aesthetics.[43] The album explores themes of personal growth and self-reflection, with lyrics addressing resilience, relationships, and introspection, as evident in titles like "Believer" and "For The Sake Of Remembering."[44] It consists of 12 tracks, running approximately 42 minutes:| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rules For Living | 3:29 |
| 2 | Make Up Song | 2:54 |
| 3 | Wait For It | 3:30 |
| 4 | Time | 3:05 |
| 5 | Same Sad Song | 3:36 |
| 6 | Days Like These | 3:22 |
| 7 | Do You Believe | 3:07 |
| 8 | Read Between the Lies | 3:50 |
| 9 | Believer | 3:30 |
| 10 | The Weight | 3:46 |
| 11 | For The Sake Of Remembering | 3:20 |
| 12 | Navigate Me | 3:13 |
Extended plays
Dave Melillo's debut extended play, Talk Is Cheap, marked his entry into solo recording following his signing with Drive-Thru Records. Released initially as a free digital download via mtvU on April 17, 2006, with a physical CD version following later that year, the EP emphasizes an acoustic-driven sound that highlights Melillo's confessional songwriting and melodic pop sensibilities.[10][3] The project captures youthful introspection on themes of relationships and small-town life, establishing Melillo as a promising voice in the emo-pop scene. The EP consists of six tracks, all self-penned and featuring stripped-back arrangements that prioritize guitar and vocals.| Track Number | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam's Song | 3:40 |
| 2 | Vatican Roulette | 3:57 |
| 3 | Knights of the Island Counter | 3:01 |
| 4 | This Is 2005 | 3:35 |
| 5 | Morris County Blues | 3:35 |
| 6 | For the Sake of Remembering | 4:26 |