Newcastle's angular pop trio Maxïmo Park consists of singer Paul Smith, guitarist Duncan Lloyd, and drummer Tom English. Like their friends and neighbours the Futureheads and Field Music, Maxïmo Park crafts smart, sharply catchy songs inspired by post-punk and new wave legends like The Jam, XTC, Wire, and The Smiths. The band was formed as an avant rock, largely instrumental group, taking their name from a meeting place in Cuba for communists.