“I don’t think we’d ever played for more than 15 minutes at a show,” says Teenage Kicks guitarist Kirk Campbell. “Twenty tops, yeah,” agrees bassist Stewart Anderson. “I don’t know if we did this on purpose or it just seems to work well,” says Campbell. We’re guessing it’s both, judging by the group’s unpolished, punky pop, which harnesses the appeal of groups like The Jam, Clash and The Dead Boys. “[We want] to play songs that are like the bands that you’ve always listened to,” says Campbell. “Being referential but not like copying.”

Speaking of copying, the group had one hell of a time making its demo tape. That’s right, a tape. Anderson and drummer John Baldwin aren’t fond of CDs. “Neither John or I own a CD player,” says Anderson, and then explains how they had to rig a DVD player to a tape deck so they could individually record every cassette. Anderson says, “that’s kind of why it has kind of a…” “Bad sound,” interrupts Baldwin. But the unrefined fuzziness adds appeal to their DIY, piecing-it-together-as-they-go-along approach to music. “I mean, we’re still a wreck, but I like to think we kind of have it together,” Baldwin says. Teenage Kicks play with No Talk and The Coke Dares at 9 p.m. The Mink, 3718 Alabama. For information, call 713-522-9985 or visit www.themink.org. $6 to $7.

Tue., July 29, 9 p.m., 2008

This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2008.