band crush: skaters

New York band Skaters want to be your new party soundtrack. Wait, scratch that—this trio doesn't want to deliver the late-night anthems only to you.

They want to serve 'em up to your friends, your little brother, and pretty much everybody you know. Considering what we've heard so far in singles like "Armed" and "I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)," these guys are well on their way to cementing their place on sweaty dark dance floors everywhere. After all, singer Michael Cummings and guitarist Joshua Hubbard met at—where else?—a random party.

Cummings says they stayed up all night "doing debauched things" (don't ask), and the rest is Skaters history. The guys were members of other bands at the time (Cummings performed with The Dead Trees while Hubbard played with The Paddingtons), but once those projects dissolved, they got to work perfecting the indie outfit's rambunctious, rough-around-the-edges sound.

This particular brand of ear candy might be tough to pinpoint, but expect some irresistible pop-punk melodies mashed up with scuzzy guitar riffs, drums, and a rebellious rocker vibe. Not surprisingly, the band cites groups like the Ramones as a major influence ("They're just the total package, period," Cummings says), but they say New York itself is full of inspiration, from South Brooklyn Pizza to specialty underground magazine stands. It's going to be a while before they're back in the Manhattan, groove, though.

After a hometown show this weekend, they're off to tour with the Palma Violets, and putting the final touches on their full-length debut. The one thing they won't be doing? Skateboarding. "We don't know how to skate, we don't skate, and yet, we've been asked this question approximately 300 times," Cummings says with a laugh."We just thought the name was cool." Agreed.