Bucking convention is never easy, but defying the wisdom of three decades of punk-rock forefathers is like signing your own death warrant within that scene.

That’s why it’s so strange to hear New Jersey's Thursday, a melancholy pop band with punk roots and a DIY ethic, espousing the merits of such mainstream artists as U2 and Marvin Gaye. Not only does Thursday not care if it is shunned by the community that spawned them, singer Geoff Rickly and the rest of the bands has their bags packed and smiled on their faces.

“Our music has a lot of influences that the bands we grew up with would be appalled by,” says Rickly, who also names pop-punkers Lifetime and noise gods Deadguy as early New Brunswick influences. “It seems forced a little bit. Why do you have to be against everyone who didn't do it your way?”

Rickly’s theory of making music is simple: punk rock started as rebellious anti-venom to the increasingly dull and mechanical musical mores of the late ‘60s. With “alternative” music in an equally musty state in modern times, the stage is set for forward-thinking bands like Thursday to jump ship. And just as early punkers retained the good things about rock music, Thursday has harvested the punk scene for it’s valuable gems.

“If you were to raise a kid, he would be a lot like you, but also against you,” says Rickly.

If the dyed-in-the-wool Jersey punk aristocracy thought Thursday had any interest in maintaining their street cred, the bands latest move – filming videos -- should make their intentions clear. Rickly says the video for “Cross Out the Eyes,” off of their record “Full Collapse” (Victory Records) has a message that even its biggest critics – their influences -- should appreciate.

“Its kind of about the way society would have you clean yourself up and about losing yourself in other people,” says Rickly. “You shouldn't be trying to chase other people's idea of what you should be.”