‘Contemporary Me’ by Michael Ian Cummings | New EP, ‘Oldest Troubles’
Exclusive track premiere of ‘Contemporary Me’ by Michael Ian Cummings, taken from the upcoming EP, ‘Oldest Troubles,’ out May 26TH via SOTA.
10 short years have passed since SKATERS’ formation in Lower East Side Manhattan. Within months of forming, and a self-released EP, the band was signed to Warner Brothers Records, toured around the world, and had global critical acclaim. Two years later, they released their debut album, ‘Manhattan’ with Warner Bros., were dropped, self-released their sophomore album ‘Rock n Roll Bye Bye’ independently, and then disappeared. It was a whirlwind ride for the band that came at one of the most difficult transitions in the music industry – the exact time digital downloads plummeted, and streaming had not yet reached the masses. SKATERS were caught in the shuffle, and broke up.
Lead singer and songwriter Michael Ian Cummings was disillusioned. Left in the common place many musicians find themselves when the band life stops. When what was your whole identity is no longer. He needed to unplug, reset, and find his inspiration once again.
Now, after years of reevaluation, working an array of day jobs and night jobs for that matter, he’s rediscovered his muse and has something special to show for the struggle, returning just a bit wiser with his debut solo EP titled ‘Oldest Troubles’. “There are things in everyone’s life that will haunt them forever,” he writes of the EP’s title track. “Whether it stems from internal or external influences from our past that have marred, mamed, and influenced the way we handle life. No matter how far we try to run from them they always find us. This song is about welcoming those relentless “troubles” in, confronting them, and beginning to make yourself stronger. Or, at the very least, learning to live with them.”
Alongside the official announcement today, he also kicks off the release with a brand new single entitled ‘Contemporary Me’.
“I love having autonomy over how and when I release music. Making decisions and moving on,” Cummings continued. “Reminds me of when I was a teenager. Just make things because they are worth making. Move forward and try not to look back too much.”
Headline photo: Guy Eppel
Michael Ian Cummings Instagram
SKATERS Official Website / Facebook
