The Lifer: An Interview With Damian Eckstein of GIFTSHOP
By Staff | March 13, 2026
On stage with GIFTSHOP. Photo credit: Nick Bakin
Damian Eckstein is a veteran (or perhaps a stalwart) of the New York City music scene whose career began with trial by fire performances at the legendary CBGB while he was still in high school. His creative philosophy was forged through a mix of raw DIY hardcore influences and formal studies in studio composition at SUNY Purchase. Damian’s professional path is remarkably diverse; he transitioned from the high-pressure boot camp of 1990s commercial jingle writing—where he mastered the art of the "earworm"—to producing genre-bending tracks for television and composing long-form pieces for modern dance choreography. Despite a disillusioning brush with major label politics that left one of his early singles shelved, he has redefined success as being a loyal lifer who prioritizes artistic connection and global reach over pure financial gain. Currently a multi-instrumentalist who anchors the band GIFTSHOP on bass, he relies on a songwriting process driven by vocal melodies (captured in beast mode) while traversing the city. Above all, his longevity in the industry is built on a foundation of deep-seated trust with long-term collaborators and the support of one special person.
Welcome Damian! You hit the legendary CBGBs stage while still in high school with Zen Factory. Looking back, how did that trial by fire shape your expectations for the New York music scene before you even started your formal studies up at SUNY Purchase?
Hi Raph, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. We’re jumping into it with the legendary CB’s eh? I spent my teen years with my best friend going to all-ages hardcore Sunday matinees there. I’d see the Cro-Mags, Corrosion of Conformity, or The Crumbsuckers. These bands compelled me to want to be up in the spotlight performing. CBGB’s feels like a fever dream of filthy walls and skunked beer. While the passage of time has added a nostalgic sparkle to the venue, the reality was you had to grab every piece of gear from the room backstage and quickly lug it up to the stage. And then hope the sound person gave a shit. If you win the crowd you win your freedom. Later on, that kind of DIY focus on doing “it” yourself was what shaped my studies at SUNY Purchase; my Studio Composition major was a freeform experiment in, do whatever you want. Follow your passion. Kinda like the scene at CBGB’s.
With Meghan Taylor on stage. Photo credit: Nick Bakin
Transitioning from studio composition to writing jingles for brands like Pepsi and Slice (and meeting our good friend, the multi-instrumentalist Brendan Stiles) is a specific kind of discipline. What is the biggest lesson you learned about hooks and brevity during your time in the commercial world, and does any of that influence your songwriting for GIFTSHOP today?
The Jingle House business of the 1990’s, except for a few people, was a world of crooks and dirtbags. Spoiler alert: the business had many talentless hacks who preyed on young up-and-coming artists. Therefore, if you came across a quality individual who was also talented, then game recognized game. I have a distinct memory of working on a Pringles demo with Brendan Stiles (PEST, White Trash, The Erratics, The Unattended, Butterbrain) and the morning session ran late into lunchtime and I thought: This dude can sing. I want to be his friend. And as corny as that sounds, we went and got pizza that day and it is a bond that has lasted ever since. Later I found out Brendan can write straight up hits, as well as expertly play guitar and trumpet. And in the high-pressure environment of commercial music, you have to create, produce, and pivot sometimes all in the same 24-hours. Can you cram this advertising copy into a coherent message that grabs someone’s attention and stays with them? Brendan was more on the talent side, and I was on the composition side, but the collaboration still is professionally effortless.
Did that experience in the advertising realm influence my writing for GIFTSHOP? Sure, I’m always looking for the hook and the message or vice versa. It’s in either the lyrics or the music, though probably both.
Moon Diablo, Photo credit: Nicole Vandestienne
Many artists have a story about the one that got away when it comes to record deals. How did the experience of being signed to the label that broke Salt-N-Pepa—only to have the single shelved—alter your definition of what success looks like in the industry?
There’s a modern expression called The Ick. That’s the only way I can describe my experience in the record biz. From the meetings at the label, to the sessions which didn’t produce anything usable. The whole reason I got to the batting plate was that my writing partners at the time were pitching a bunch of R&B and Hip-Hop songs to Next Plateau Records. Directly to the President. He didn’t like anything that they wrote. I was not at this meeting, but they had brought a demo I recorded of an artist I was producing. Trigga Foxx and I were working on a song that was a hybrid of Dancehall Reggae and 90’s R&B. The label loved it and signed us immediately. Flash forward to too many cooks in the kitchen…or studio. The record company forced us to add another “shelved” rapper on the song, who did not get along with Trigga. Then they hired a lyricist to write for the rapper because she couldn’t hold down any kind of verse. There’s a longer version of this story; suffice it say I just eventually walked away. And probably because of that this wonderful song ended up being a tax write off for the label.
Back then, I had a lot of success on radio and TV commercials. I could point to the television and tell my grandmother – hey, this 15 seconds coming up is something I wrote! But also, I wanted one hit song to prove to myself that I had what it takes to break through in the industry.
My definition of success is very different these days. I want to be very clear that financially I spend hundreds of dollars to make tens of dollars to put my stuff out into the world. It’s not a smart business model. However, when I get my royalties statement, I see that I have ten songs of totally different genres playing in over a dozen countries. And when I play live, I connect with music lovers and have our fans sing back to me the words that I wrote on my living room couch. I have written things that have been the low-key soundtrack to people’s lives. That, to me, is the ultimate artistic accomplishment.
Brendan Stiles and Damian on stage. Photo credit: C. Michael Clark
You’ve occupied almost every seat in a band—drummer for Cosma Suma, guitarist for The Hi-Scores, and now bassist for GIFTSHOP. Which instrument do you feel most comfortable with when you are in pure songwriting mode?
Ha! For pure songwriting beast mode? It’s singing. I’ll write a song that some might consider backwards composition, as an example - I’ll be walking around the city just being out and about in life, and I’ll sing a phrase sometimes a coherent phrase, other times just melodic gibberish on the subway or the sidewalk. If it has that special quality, I’ll record it into the voice notes of my phone. Then I put some chords to it later on acoustic guitar. That being said, sometimes I’ll also compose in the more traditional style of sitting with an instrument, really and this is not a brag, I can write with any instrument. Except brass or wind instruments. I have no ability in that arena.
For your DAMIAN project, you handled every single instrument. After that total creative control, what was the most challenging (or perhaps most rewarding) part of moving to a collaborative format with Matt, Meghan and Jordan?
That project was pure vanity and madness and while it had moments, I realize now I was out to prove something. However, the reality is it’s just you and the engineer and these songs – shout out to Ted Wohlsen for indulging my insanity. It made me realize I need collaborators. Because I am not Prince.
CBGB’s re-creation
Your music has its own diverse resume, from Fresh Off the Boat to Real Housewives. How do you mentally switch modes when writing a song specifically for GIFTSHOP??
The TV placements are mostly my DJ Damian tunes, which I sincerely believe were chosen due to the boot camp Jingle House training of writing ear worms on demand. I make the DJ Damian jams with a variety of artists (shout-outs to Ritchie Bee, Dian, Mandrike, Hakim Ali, and Nana de Maro) in many different styles because I am using the electronica canvas. In GIFTSHOP, I am writing specifically for Meghan. To that point I’ve written songs in the past targeted to Brendan’s talents. Or say even Trigga Foxx. The vocalist is the story teller so they become the conduit for the message. And then as a group of collaborators, together, we become something greater than ourselves.
Congratulations on your composition LOOKING FOR WATER being revived for the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival. How does your approach to writing for movement differ from writing a rock song? Is there a different part of your brain engaged when you know the music is supporting a physical choreography?
My approach to writing for movement is connected to the kind of underscore I like to hear when I go to see dance, which would be some combination of atmospherically dreamy or moody, and then suddenly something transitions to crazily energetic! LOOKING FOR WATER is a unique exploration of sample collage, sound design, and live instrumentation. Different than what I normally do because it’s in a longer format. Also, working with a choreographer like TAKE Dance’s Takehiro Ueyama forces one to level up because his knowledge of music is vast and definitely better and more diverse than mine. Also, he is such a great music picker in his choices of contemporary composers, and I am not talking about just me. Final note, when writing a dance piece, be prepared for a choreographer to say, that’s a great three minutes…now can you give me 13 to 18 more minutes?
GIFTSHOP. Photo credit: Nicole Vandestienne
Your partnership with guitarist Matt Santoro spans back to The Hi-Scores days. What’s the secret to your working relationship that has allowed you to keep creating together since 2007?
Oy! 2003 actually is the start of the Santoro/Eckstein partnership. That’s when The Hi-Scores formed and sometime in the future I’ll put out our one and only album on streaming.
GIFTSHOP gets the secret to the longevity question a lot because next year will be our 20th Anniversary. Our drummer Jordan, who is our “newest” member, has been with us for close to 10 years. I never feel like we have answered this question correctly. Or to my satisfaction. But I think, finally, I have what the secret sauce is…trust. Pure and simple. We all trust each other. It is the most essential element to all relationships.
To that point my metal band side project Moon Diablo (with Dave Abel and Alberto Botero) has been around for 10 years. I guess that makes me a loyal lifer or stalwart.
You’ve mentioned feeling disillusioned earlier in your career with chasing the dream due to the financial grind. Was there a specific spark or moment that pulled you back in and convinced you that music needed to remain a central pillar of your life?
Monetary compensation is nice and validating. The reality is, it's hard to make art and not have anything in your bank account. However, if it’s your passion, no matter what the “it” is, I promise you will be compelled to do it. If you think you have the creative spark within you, you will never stop chasing that elusive dream of what a certain song made you feel like.
Cosma Suma circa 2000
As a native New Yorker living with your spouse (Nicole Vandestienne, GIFTSHOP’s manager) and a couple of cats, how much of the city's current atmosphere makes its way into your lyrics or music? Is GIFTSHOP a New York band in spirit, or are you trying to tap into something more universal?
Nicole will tell you all the songs are about her, and she is not wrong. Though every once in a while, a song or two might be about our cats or Astoria. And unfortunately for Nicole she has had to suffer through countless bands, and one “project” of mine after another. And now she has to wrangle a bunch of rock musicians. Jesus! That’s a terrible job for no money. I feel bad for her. I hope she knows how important her work and support is to us and how much she means to GIFTSHOP – Nicole has been essential to my journey. I could not have done any of what we just discussed in this interview without her. In the GIFTSHOPverse she is our fifth Beatle.
To your point, New York City has such a propulsive rhythm and energy that of course it finds its way into GIFTSHOP tunes. Occasionally, there will be a political reference buried in a song, or social commentary. Mostly, we write about relationships and feelings.
As far as keeping up with what’s going on in the punk world, do you have a favorite website, perhaps one that features interviews with some pretty amazing musicians? If you don’t, that’s ok.
Oh, indeed I do, hear me people of Earth! For all your punk world wants and needs and website entertainment scrolling, visit the taste-making postings at knifetwister records.
Official Website: https://giftshoptheband.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/GiftshopRocks
Bandcamp: https://giftshop1.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GIFTSHOPROCKS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giftshop_the_band/
New album: https://giftshop1.bandcamp.com/album/a-bunch-of-singles