“Nerds will rule the world,” Kevin Kinsella said with a smile. “That’s the point of Pointdexter…nerds will rule.”

For lead singer of rock group Pointdexter, being “nerdy” must mean balancing practice, a part-time job, and a full-time school load.

Every member of Pointdexter is a student and has another job besides the band, yet the band has finished it’s first album and will host its release party on Oct. 20 at Marilyn’s in downtown Sacramento.

Kinsella and his sister Arianna formed Pointdexter last January. Kinsella said the band works hard and focuses on practicing three times a week; however, all of his bandmates view their education as a very important “backup plan.”

Kinsella, a Sacramento State junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said at times his schedule gets to be very overwhelming.

“Music is a hard business to break into. You’ve got to work your ass off. You can’t be a lazy musician,” Kinsella said.

“It does get hard to practice, especially around finals, but we all have an understanding,” he said. “We want to do music, but school is important too.”

The group performs at bars in the Folsom and Sacramento area every weekend. They have already played at bars such as the Hard Rock Cafe in Sacramento and The Boardwalk in Folsom. Pointdexter recently released its first album, “Hello My Name is Pointdexter.”

The band is an assimilation of styles that Kinsella said are greatly influenced by his jazz and blues background. Kinsella said Pointdexter is “nothing like what you will hear on the radio” – something he said he hopes will change soon.

David Albertson, Pointdexter’s new lead guitarist, said it’s hard to pinpoint the band’s actual sound.

“We’re a combination of old, like Jimi Hendrix and the Doors, with modern bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the RX Bandits,” Albertson said.

Part of what Kinsella said he likes about Pointdexter is his ability to learn more about music. Kinsella said much of his inspiration for music and lyrics comes from listening to other artists and experiencing the world around him.

“You shouldn’t limit yourself from what kind of music you listen to,” Kinsella said. “If you only listen to new music then you won’t learn much.

“Music is constantly evolving, and you can learn something from every genre. Except country – I hate country,” he said.

Arianna plays the piano and sings backup vocals for Pointdexter. She has played the piano for 13 years and said music has always been a part of her and her older brother’s life.

“I love the feeling when I play or write a song and I get to have the person listening feel something, the same emotion I was feeling…it’s really cool,” Arianna said.

The band practices in a studio the Kinesellas’ parents built. Although the band was started by the two siblings, Kinsella said he and his sister act more like friends, and their relationship has been beneficial to the band.

Drummer Clint Brown said a huge part of what he likes about Pointdexter is his bandmates.

“Being able to play with other people around you is so much more fun,” Brown said. “We play together, and it just works. I think it’s really good music.”

Kinsella said balancing his crazy schedule often takes a toll on his social life, because his weekends are centered on playing shows. Although Kinsella claims he has never used his band as a pick-up line, he does admit there are perks.

“Every girl…even if she’s not that into music…will always find a musician a little bit sexy,” Kinsella said. “I don’t know why that is.”

The release party starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $7. “Hello My Name is Poindexter” is available for purchase at every show or online at myspace.com/PointDexterRocks.

Adina Zerwig can be reached at [email protected]