Ambitious at a young age, Southern California-based A Cursive Memory had already managed to land songs on MTV when most bands their age were still trying to come up with an original name. The pop/rock group -- which combines piano leads, rousing choruses, '80s-influenced keyboards, and sunny melodies -- took influence for their sound from a wide range of sources, including bands like the Killers, the All-American Rejects, and the Beach Boys. Colin Baylen (guitar, vocals) and Shaun Profeta (drums, vocals) first met at a birthday party in eight grade, becoming fast friends and casually writing songs together. Friend Brian Boylen (guitar, vocals) next came into the mix, and the trio began jamming together after school before getting frustrated with their lack of a bass player. Profeta soon asked another friend, Mark Smith-Borst, if he was interested in joining the burgeoning group, even though he had only picked up the bass a few times prior. Classically trained in piano, he quickly got acquainted with four strings and A Cursive Memory was officially born. The young group used Smith-Borst's piano skills to their advantage, however, slowly incorporating keyed parts into their sound, with him playing both instruments and singing. By the time its members were juniors in high school, A Cursive Memory had attracted the attention of M-Music, the music management division of Bunim/Murray Productions (responsible for shows like The Simple Life and MTV's The Real World). The quartet was the first act to sign with the company, and some of their songs soon appeared on various MTV shows like The Real World and The Gauntlet 2. By early 2006, they had begun work on their debut EP and played a showcase at the year's South by Southwest festival. A Cursive Memory also recorded the theme song for an MTV show centered around Jackass alum Steve-O. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide