Some bands are formed through Craigslist ads, random garage jams, or mutual friends at local shows. Miswired was born through something much deeper: recovery, connection, and pure chaotic chemistry.
The Southern California punk trio made up of Mackie (guitar/vocals), Charlotte (bass/vocals), and Gustov (drums), may only be a little over a year into their journey, but they already carry the energy of a band that has lived through something real.
Even their name came from a deeply personal place.
“I was in therapy,” Mackie explained. “And my therapist said, ‘You’re just miswired.’”
That phrase stuck and eventually became the identity of a band unafraid to talk openly about addiction, recovery, mental health, and the messy realities of being human.
Watch the full interview below:
Built Through Sobriety and Friendship
Miswired’s story feels less like a traditional band origin and more like the universe aggressively shoving people together until something clicked.
Mackie and Charlotte were essentially introduced by Charlotte’s parents, with Charlotte’s stepmom, who also happened to be Mackie’s sobriety sponsor, encouraging them to meet.
There was just one problem: Charlotte didn’t even play bass yet.
“She was like, ‘You’re not doing guitar. You’re doing bass and we’re starting a band,’” Charlotte laughed about Mackie’s delegation.
Then came Gustov, who entered the picture in the most mysteriously punk way possible: emerging in a long coat at a sobriety meeting asking, “You guys looking for a drummer?”
And somehow, it worked. Really well.
Loud, Emotional, and Slightly Unhinged
Musically, Miswired pulls from everywhere: Hole, Green Day, The Smiths, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion, Nirvana, The Ramones, Queens of the Stone Age, and classic punk influences from across the ‘70s, ‘90s, and early 2000s.
The result is a gritty, emotional blend of punk, grunge, and 90s emo energy that feels equally cathartic and chaotic.
And then there’s “Bob Dylan.”
Yes. That “Bob Dylan.”
The song, whose chorus includes the absolutely unhinged line, “Bob Dylan, get on your knees, bitch” was inspired by one of Mackie’s autistic friends repeatedly demanding Bob Dylan songs during a jam session.
The first time they played it live at a Huntington Beach dog surf event filled with older attendees and apparent Bob Dylan fans, was memorable and embarrassingly hilarious.
“The crowd was just staring at us like, what the fuck?” Gustov remembered.
Honestly? Punk rock perfection.
Music as Survival
Underneath the humor and chaos, though, Miswired’s songwriting comes from very real experiences.
Songs like “Suddenly?” and “Figment of My Mind” explore relapse, addiction, psychosis, emotional manipulation, and mental health struggles.
Mackie spoke openly during the interview about her addiction journey, revealing she began using substances at 13 years old and struggled for nearly nine years before finally getting sober.
“There were so many times I wanted to stop, but I just couldn’t,” she shared.
Now sober for over two years, she credits recovery meetings, treatment, and the people around her, including her bandmates, for helping save her life.
Gustov, who recently celebrated 10 years sober, reflected on how recovery reshaped his life both personally and creatively.
“Pain’s inevitable and suffering’s a choice,” he said, recalling one of the most impactful pieces of advice he’s ever received.
That honesty bleeds directly into the band’s music. Nothing about Miswired feels manufactured.
A Band Moving Fast
Despite only being together for a short time, Miswired is already stacking shows, building a following, and developing the kind of chemistry bands spend years chasing.
At the time of the interview, the band had 12 shows lined up between May and August alone.
Their goals? Simple.
“Be famous,” Charlotte joked immediately before the rest of the band burst into laughter.
But beneath the joke is real ambition. Warped Tour. Bigger stages. Better recordings. More songs. More connection.
And honestly? You can feel that momentum already building around them.
More Than Just a Punk Band
What makes Miswired stand out isn’t just the music.
It’s the fact that they’re willing to say the uncomfortable parts out loud.
The addiction.
The relapse.
The therapy.
The fear.
The healing.
The weirdness.
The dysfunction.
The friendships that somehow keep everything together.
Charlotte describes themselves as a “shit show that gets shit done.”
That might actually be the most accurate description possible.
Somehow, through all the chaos, Miswired is creating something real enough that people are starting to see themselves in it too. That’s the magic part and it’s only getting louder.
Follow Miswired:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miswiredband/
Spotify: https://tr.ee/zTi6B5yBUM
About C² (Christy + Chris)
Concert lovers turned creators. Highlighting creators, bands, stories, sounds, and places you need to know.
Disarray Magazine is an independent media platform established in 2009, spotlighting punk, hardcore, alternative culture, live music, food, nightlife, and the chaos in between. Created by journalist Christy Buena, C² exists to document the bands, people, and moments shaping the scene before the rest of the world catches up.
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