In early 2010, it was announced that the band will continue with frontman Shaant Hacikyan as the only original member to continue, joining with former members of Mandy K.
Michael Brady, Patrick MacLean, Kevin Scoma , and Mike Novak have joined Hacikyan to release Cute's single, "Harbour" which is available free for download on Shaant Hacikyan's Twitter account and here.
Pre-2010...
Having paired off in other local combos – singer Shaant Hacikyan and guitarist Jeff Czum in one, old bassist Fred Cimato and drummer Tom Falcone in another – Cute Is What We Aim For came together in January 2005 in Buffalo, New York, driven by the four members' desire to cast their own upbeat spin onto modern pop.
The Cute Is What We Aim For moniker was adopted as a 'homage to a friend'. It is also said that the term "cute" was used by Shaant in high school as another word for "gay", and in a phone conversation between himself and guitarist Jeff, Shaant stated "Cute is what we aim for." in reference to picking a name, and the band decided to use that phrase. The band was productive from the get-go, cranking out a series of bedroom demo recordings just moments after uniting. They posted the tracks on MySpace and PureVolume and quickly captured the attention of the blogosphere. From the start, there was a genuine connection between Cute and the kids.
Cute's online presence allowed for widespread national exposure that once upon a time could only be garnered through full-steam-ahead touring. With songs like "Lyrical Lies" and "Finger Twist and Split" lighting up broadband connections coast-to-coast, the band were eager to establish themselves as an equally poptastic live act. In the spring of 2005, mere months after getting started, Cute won PureVolume's online Battle of the Bands competition, securing a high-profile spot at that year's Bamboozle. They spent the following months recording and playing more shows, building upon their new fanbase while simultaneously fending off the many record companies that were vying for their services. But when the call came from Fueled By Ramen, they knew that they'd found the right home.
The band signed onto the Fueled By Ramen roster in November and quickly began getting ready to record their debut album. In February 2006, they packed their gear into the van and headed down to Beltsville, Maryland to work with producer Matt Squire. Squire, known for his work with such bands as Panic! At the Disco and Thrice, helped the band focus their energies, direct their efforts, and encourage them to fully find their own voice in the studio.
The resulting The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch more than fulfills Cute's mission to mesh jubilant tunefulness with savvy verbal gymnastics. Among the album's many highlights is the first single, "There's a Class for This," which features guest vocals from William Beckett from The Academy Is.. and on stage Martin Johnson from Boys Like Girls.
Since finishing the record, Cute has begun playing more and more live shows, including headline dates and tours alongside such artists as Punchline and Jack's Mannequin.
Bassist Fred Cimato left the band in October 2006. He was replaced by former October Fall member Jack Marin. However, in April 2007, it was revealed that Marin had left the band and Cimato had returned in order to replace him.
In early 2008, Cimato once again left the band, and solo artist and old Dave Melillo officially joined as his replacement. Melillo had been playing with the band for a while as an extra rhythm guitarist, but is now an official member.
On September 2nd 2008, drummer, Tom Falcone, anounced that he would be leaving the band. Many speculated because the band was on tour and Falcone had been missing for a few shows. Falcone released an offical statement via ap.net stating that "I simply left the band because the personality conflicts and daily drama made it impossible for me to live a peaceful, happy life." Also adding that "I assure you that no one came looking for me." Shaant nor any of the other members have commented on the situation. Former Roses Are Red drummer Michael Lasaponara is currently filling in on drums.
The band split ways August 18th, 2009. Dave Melillo told Alternative Press Magazine in an online interview "The story pretty much is we got off [the] Take Action! [tour], and the idea was to write a record. We didn't have any type of management, we didn't have anyone that we were really working with, so we didn't have a direction, we didn't have any type of game plan. But we were really trying."
In recent news (2010) Jeff Czum was seen filling in for a guitarist during a show in Australia.
Do What You Do
Cute Is What We Aim For Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So watch me take the lead
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling
So watch me take the lead, yeah
There is an engine in my body
With every beat it lets me breathe
There is a machine within my body
I could do anything, be anything, see anything
I can feel the beat within my body
If I keep up with it could I catch myself?
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
Have you ever been fake for the sake of saving face?
You can work, you can play
From the cradle to the grave
Doesn't matter what they say
Quick, quick, quick, come fix me up
I need to make my move (make my move)
This damn machine doesn't work the way that it used to
But that's what I get for taking it for granted
(I never even meant it, never even meant it)
That's what I get for taking it for granted
(No, I never even meant it, never even meant it)
If I keep up with it can I catch myself?
[Chorus]
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling
So watch me take the lead (watch me take the lead)
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling
So watch me take the lead (watch me take the lead)
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling (no one, no one)
So watch me, watch me take the lead
[Chorus]
Doesn't matter what they say
The first verse of "Do What You Do" by Cute Is What We Aim For is about taking control of one's own path in life. The singer declares that no one is dictating the pace or speed he should be moving at and that he's taking the lead. He mentions an engine inside of him, which he says enables him to breathe with every beat. There's a machine in his body, and if he could keep up with it, he could achieve anything, see anything, and be anything. He feels the beat inside himself and wonders if he can catch up with it.
In the chorus, the singer talks about how people sometimes pretend to be something they're not just to keep up appearances, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or says. The second verse has the singer asking someone to fix him up because his machine isn't working the way it used to. He realizes that he took it for granted and wonders if he can catch up with it again.
The overall meaning of the song is about living life on one's own terms and not letting anyone else dictate how fast or slow one should go. It's about keeping up with the rhythm of life and not giving up when things get tough. The singer seems to be saying that as long as someone follows their own pace, they'll achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling
I have the freedom to choose my own speed and path.
So watch me take the lead
I am confident in my abilities and will lead by example.
There is a machine within my body
My body is capable of amazing things, like a well-oiled machine.
If I could keep up with that machine that's in my body
If I can match the pace of my body's potential, there's no limit to what I can achieve.
I could do anything, be anything, see anything
The possibilities are endless when I tap into my full potential.
Have you ever been fake for the sake of saving face?
Have you ever pretended to be someone you're not just to avoid criticism or judgment?
You can work, you can play
Life is about balance and enjoying both work and play.
From the cradle to the grave
From birth until death.
Doesn't matter what they say
I refuse to let others dictate my path or identity.
This damn machine doesn't work the way that it used to
My body isn't invincible and I need to take care of it to maintain its abilities.
But that's what I get for taking it for granted
I am paying the consequences for not treating my body with the care and respect it deserves.
If I keep up with it can I catch myself?
If I take care of my body, can I regain my former abilities?
No one is telling me the speed I should be traveling (no one, no one)
I am in charge of my own path and destiny, and no one else can dictate it.
So watch me, watch me take the lead
Be prepared to witness me taking charge and achieving greatness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHAANT TIMOTHY HACIKYAN, JEFFREY MARTIN CZUM, TOM FALCONE, FERNANDO CIMATO, DAVE MELILLO, JOHN FELDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind