Dave Melillo

He looks like a typical teenager, but there is nothing typical about Dave Melillo. At 20, he is a gifted singer/songwriter, a road-tested club veteran and the latest addition to the Drive-Thru Records roster. Could he someday stand alongside the next generation of rock ‘n' roll prophets? Nobody knows yet, but with the release of his new Drive-Thru EP Talk Is Cheap, all bets are off and all eyes are on the kid from Celebration, FL.

Celebration is a town located perilously close to Disneyworld. But living near such toxic superficiality has had an upside: Dave Melillo is as genuine as they come, writing deeply felt and unflinchingly honest songs.
Produced by James Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory), Talk Is Cheap reflects a turbulent period in Dave's life. The tracks vary, from the touching sentiment of "Sam's Song" to the surprising sophistication of "For the Sake of Remembering" and “Vatican Roulette.” “Morris County Blues” evokes memories of Dave's early years growing up in New Jersey, while the expansive “Knights of the Island Counter” fully captures the redemptive spirit of youth. “I've always been about getting the feeling down,” he says. “People realize when you're bullshitting and when you're telling the truth.” He grew up in New Jersey in a house filled with song. “All my life, I had music around me,” he recalls. “My mom played piano and was a big fan of Billy Joel. My parents used to have Meat Loaf playing in the car. So I always had eclectic tastes.”