Formed in 2006 out of a music therapy program called "The School Of Rock", Rudely Interrupted are making a career out of confounding people's expectations. On one level, they face enormous challenges. Lead singer Rory Burnside, 21, was born with no eyes and has Asperger's syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism, which means he has limited empathy for others and an obsessive need for routine - not the easiest personality traits in the music world. Marcus Stone, 27, who plays keyboards, has the same condition.

Bass guitarist Sam Beke, 23, who models himself on Sid Vicious, and Connie Fitzpatrick, 44, affectionately known as "the human metronome" for her acute sense of rhythm on both the guitar and tambourine, have Down syndrome, while drummer Josh Hogan, 21, is autistic.

But in other ways, they're typical indie-pop kids, with their scruffy hair and penchant for striped T-shirts and leather jackets. And their music is creating a buzz. Put bluntly, it's not the kind of sound you'd expect from a group with such severe disabilities. Time Out declared it "some of the most energetic and genuine to emerge from the Australian rock'n'roll underground", while their first single, "Don't Break My Heart", has received national airplay. So far, they've performed 15 gigs at venues all over the country.

On December 3, the band will become the world's first indie group to play at the United Nations in New York to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It was the first leg of a tour that will take in gigs in Toronto, London, Bristol and Manchester. And in true rock fashion, Rudely Interrupted have a film crew in tow, to capture every moment of what promises to be a momentous, touching and occasionally hilarious experience.