The band, Boys Like Girls was formed in the final months of 2005, when singer/guitarist Martin Johnson–formerly of the Virginian act IDK–wrote a handful of songs he wanted to record. He recruited bassist Bryan Donahue and drummer John Keefe, both of whom had been in bands of different setups with the frontman, most notably in the pop punk band Lancaster and less notably the short–lived local act The Bends. Keefe brought along lead guitarist Paul DiGiovanni, whom he had recorded a brief demo with, to complete the line–up. Oddly enough, the two learned that they were distant cousins several months later.