Yes, Jesper Mortenson (“Junior”) and Jeppe Laursen (“Senior”) are changing the way the world sees pop music and dance music and rock music; soul, new wave and punk. Their genre-bending debut album, D-D-Don’t Don’t Stop The Beat is a mixture of the B-52s with Michael Jackson with The Beach Boys with The Ramones. Not to mention it could serve as background music for a cheap 1970s porno.

But Senior, who serves as “frontman” for the band, believes their sound is a refreshing change from the manufactured rock and faux punk that permeates the airwaves.

“We both had the same motivation to make something new,” Senior said. “We felt something was missing from the music being produced today.”

While Junior (who wrote the songs and plays guitar) and Senior seem the most unlikely pair — Junior is skinny, Senior is fat; Junior is straight, Senior is gay — their shared interest in different kinds of music instantly gave them something in common, and created a bond they couldn’t find anywhere else.

“We both had a really big passion for music and no one else (in Denmark) was listening to what we were listening to,” Senior said.

This appreciation for a number of different sounds is easily reflected in their music. According to Senior, their album is a mix of everything they really like.

“It represents us and reflects our personalities. It shows the stuff we really appreciate,” Senior said. “We have about four different genres that have really influenced us: A lot of soul music from the Motown era, 50s rock ‘n’ roll, 60s pop and we like a lot of old school hip-hop.”

While Junior Senior might initially seem a little over the top — half the time they are pictured with Junior riding piggy-back on Senior — they really are taking their music and newfound fame quite seriously.

“We both have the same kind of ideals of why you should do music,” Senior said. “We don’t do it to be on stage and look like a rock star. Or to get girls or boys, to get a groupie following. So many people today are in it for the wrong reasons, to boost their ego or whatever.”

Junior Senior first became a force in 1998, but struggled to get recognition and as a result almost disbanded. But in 2001, after being signed to a small Danish indie label, Crunchy Frogs, they recorded D-D-Don’t Don’t Stop The Beat (although it wasn’t released in the United States until just this past August).

Senior recalls being both excited and worried at the time of its release; they had to sell 800 copies or split the cost of production with the record label.

“It was so exciting to put out our album, but we were a little concerned that we would have this huge bill suddenly appearing,” Senior said. “We were pretty pessimistic. So it kind of put things in perspective.”

Little did Junior Senior know, there was no need to worry — their single “Move Your Feet” stayed on the United Kingdom’s top ten for nine consecutive weeks.

But top ten aside, it’s apparent that what Junior Senior enjoy the most about their sudden rise to stardom is meeting their fans.

Playing live “is really fun. We’re in that kind of phase where you’re really honored to have fame,” Senior said. “You meet people before and after the show and you see people who really appreciate your music. It really matters for us, the fact that people choose (to listen to) us.”

Junior Senior will be playing at 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. Call 482-0160 for ticket information.