There's a certain part of Phil 'Philthy' Maloney's body that begins to twitch when he hears sugary sweet carols, replete with ringing bells and laments for snow, jam the airwaves in December.
Politely put - it's his derrière.
"They make my [bottom] itch and not in a good way either," says Maloney.
There isn't a single tune that the drummer for the powerpop-hardcore-punk quintet Fighting For Ithaca fancies - even the one about the drummer boy.
"I generally dislike them all," says Maloney.
"We love Christmas, but we hate Christmas music."
The band's penchant for the season but aversion to its associated music prompted them to pen a carol-of-sorts of their own.
Written and recorded in a span of two weeks,Partying with Santa is an upbeat, riff-laden tale of getting old St. Nick so inebriated he misses the big day itself.
Since its release last Friday, the song, which features on a 604 Records complication, has garnered more than 3,000 hits on YouTube.
"It is quite a bit different from the traditional stuff," says Maloney, who lives in Maple Ridge.
"I don't know if it's something that can be played at churches for Christmas Eve services."
Drawing influence from bands such asParamore, All Time Low and Forever the Sickest Kids, Fighting For Ithaca is slowly moving away from its hardcore roots.
Besides Maloney, the four-year-old band, whose name is a nod to Homer'sOdyssey, features Coquitlam's Curtis Steeksma (vocals), Vancouver's Jon Steeksma (guitar), as well as Surrey's Tommy Phoenix (bass) and guitarist Patty.
The quintet inked a record and management deal with 604 Records in summer.
Maloney says the band specifically wanted to be signed to 604 Records, an indie label owned by Nickelback's Chad Krueger and Nickelback's attorney Jonathan Simkin.
"They are doing things a lot differently than other labels," Maloney explains."They are reacting to the new culture. People now are all about singles and promoting yourself online. A lot of the major labels haven't really adapted."
Fighting for Ithaca plays two sold-out shows in Vancouver this week. Their Christmas song Partying with Santa is available on iTunes.
