The Undertones, whose debut single Teenage Kicks was legendary DJ John Peel's all-time favourite song, are touring again, including a date at Northumbria University in Newcastle on Saturday night (October 27).

Anyone who wants to hear how to write perfect three-minute pop tunes shouldn't miss it.

The band, featuring Feargal Sharkey (vocals), Micky Bradley (bass), Billy Doherty (drums), and John and Damian O'Neill (guitars), burst out of Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1977.

They released other pop nuggets, including Get Over You, Here Comes The Summer, Jimmy Jimmy and My Perfect Cousin, before splitting in 1983, when Sharkey announced he was going solo.

That, you might think, was that, and it was until 1999, when, with reunions all the rage, The Undertones decided to reform.

Sharkey decided it wasn't for him, so the other four members recruited an old friend, Paul McLoone, on vocals.

Fans flocked to see them, and the shows were such a success that the 'Tones decided to record a new album.

Get What You Need came out in 2003 to critical acclaim, and to prove it wasn't a one-off they have recorded another one, Dig Yourself Deep, out now.

It's a typical slice of Undertones power-pop, with riffs and catchy choruses aplenty, and the band are looking forward to taking it on the road, as singer McLoone told me.

"I live in Dublin, Damian lives in London and the other three guys are in Derry, so it's a bit of a logistical nightmare to get us all in the same place for long enough to make a record.

"But we thought that having gone to the bother of making a record we should try to promote it.

"Everybody has families and other commitments, which is why it's a bit of an on-off tour, rather than lasting weeks at a time.

"But that's probably a good thing, as we're not getting any younger, and we'd be knackered if we had to do that!"

Don't get the impression their audience is just sad old punks reliving their youth though: "We do get young people coming along with their dads, which I would have thought was the most uncool thing ever.

"But it's the kids who are hanging out after the gigs wanting their photographs taken with us, which is kind of humbling."

Their live set concentrates largely of material from the first two albums, with some choice recent cuts – "they're guitar-driven garagey-punky songs" says McLoone – thrown in.

He particularly enjoys playing Get Over You – "a classic in its own right, unfairly overshadowed by Teenage Kicks" – and You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?), "a riff-tastic tune which really gets us going".

And he's long since got over his own hurdle – stepping into the shoes of such a distinctive frontman as Sharkey.

"I don't try to sound like him at all. I just think 'these are great songs and I want to stamp my mark on them'. Hopefully I do that."

There are no plans to make another record, "but we never have any plans," he says. "We'll just go with the flow, though I would love to do a live CD or DVD."

Tickets for the Uni gig, priced £14, are available from 227 4757.