Meet Craig Miller | Guitarist/Vocalist/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Craig Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Craig, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I played in a pretty serious band back in the 1990’s called The Reach. We had interest from several major record labels, but nothing panned out, and bands break up as they do.
From there I always thought I’d make more music “someday”, but someday never quite happened. I just kinda got writer’s block, was probably enjoying more gin and tonic’s than is healthy, and I had a demanding career. I’d accumulated lots of little snippets of music, but never finished anything.

Then a couple of things came together to inspire me to create Blueburst and get back in the game musically. Firstly, COVID meant I was stuck at home with my guitars staring me in the face begging to be played again. But most importantly, I met Marty Willson-Piper, one of my favorite guitarists who I’d been a big fan of after hearing him playing guitar for The Church, one of my favorite bands, Marty kinda became my musical Yoda so to speak, and provided a sounding board for my ideas. I realize now how important it is to get feedback from a trusted source like that, and I certainly trusted Marty and his decades of making a ton of great records. Next thing I knew, we were co-writing songs together and putting the finishing touches on our album.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what excites me the most about our album is how it all sort of accidentally on purpose came together into a collection of songs centered on a common theme. I turned 50 while making it, and that gets you thinking a lot about what it all means, and whether your life has any significance, or whether that even matters considering the Sun will eventually explode and engulf the Earth (although not for a long time I’m told). The songs come from different characters all dealing with these issues, some begging to be heard, some abandoning the quest to matter altogether, some trying to be significant in death after not having the best lives, some trying to find their own identity and plant their flag in the ground. The most autobiographical song is Supernova, which is really about me making a decision to try and go down swinging. We’re all going to depart this Earth at some point, but I find that fact invigorating. it makes me want to grab as much experience as I can and pack in as many memories as possible.

The challenges have really been inside myself, coming to terms with who I am and what I’m capable of and just having the courage to let it rip. I love that book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” and I’m doing that more and more as I get older. Care about the effort and the heart and the love that you put into things, not what others think of it.

I’m also very glad that my story has apparently been inspiring to a lot of people at my age and stage of life. Most people don’t start things like this at age 50 after 20 plus years away. But they should. Damn the torpedoes.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man. That’s a tough one. Can I pass on this one?

No? OK. Hmmm. I will say that I love introducing people to Eddie’s Attic. It’s a very special place that really does things right, and cares about music as an art form like no other venue I’ve been to.

I also really love living in Grant Park, surrounded by other amazing neighborhoods like Cabbagetown, O4D, Reynoldstown, Kirkwood, and EAV. There’s just a great vibe in this area with lots of great people who do interesting things. For instance, a guy came over to pet my dog when my wife was walking him recently and he turned out to be the singer for Deerhunter.

I would definitely want my “best friend” in this scenario to be here during the late spring when the dogwoods are blooming.

And there’s a few places I’d probably want to take them for food and drink, Carroll St. Cafe springs to mind. Manuel’s Tavern. The Earl. I’m a Gen X-er so I crave authenticity at all costs!

Oh, and and definitely Fetch dog park in O4D. I’m one of those crazy dog people.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s my wife Holly, of course. She rules.

Then there’s Marty Willson-Piper. They say you should never meet your heroes, but he’s been the exception to that rule in every way. I’m lucky to have connected with him and I’m lucky to have him as a collaborator, mentor and friend.

And I have to give a shout out to my former bandmates with The Reach: Dave Scott and Tommy Watts, who contributed loads to my musical development. This album feels in many ways like the culimination of what I was trying to accomplish with that band, and it couldn’t have happened without their influence.

Website: https://www.blueburst.band

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueburstmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueburstmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blueburstmusic

Other: https://blueburst.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
Photos by Gus Schmiege, Holly Miller, Nocturna Photography.