Teen Hygiene was a garage-punk duo from New Zealand, active primarily in 2009-2011. The band featured Ben Knight on drums and Zack Penney on guitar and vocals, delivering raw, minimalist punk inspired by lo-fi acts like the Urinals, The Mummies, and Jay Reatard.

The project evolved from the Auckland hardcore punk scene. Knight and Penney had previously played together in The Wrongmen, which ended around 2007. After that split, they formed Psychic Jams in Auckland. In 2009, Knight relocated to Wellington and helped launch the d-beat band Rogernomix (with Sam Thurston and Sarsha Leigh-Douglas from Shortlived, plus vocalist Tanya Jeffrey). Psychic Jams performed at Shortlived’s final Auckland show in May 2009, shortly after Knight had already debuted with Rogernomix.

By early 2010, the duo shifted focus: they played a notable gig at Stink Magnetic HQ in Whanganui on March 11, 2010, alongside Rogernomix and Double Ya D. Around May 2010, with the release of their debut (and only) EP, Show U My Delite, they rebranded as Teen Hygiene. The 7″ EP – self-released in an edition of 200 – featured four stripped-back tracks, including “Self Diagnosin‘” and “Girl Generator.” It was recorded by Tim Shann in December 2009 and captured their no-frills, scuzzy garage-punk sound.

To promote the EP, Teen Hygiene embarked on a North Island tour, hitting Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, and Whanganui, before capping it with a packed, sweaty show at their Garrett Street base in Wellington. The band often tied their gigs to social and political causes, including animal rights and fundraisers supporting Gaza and Palestine.

In April 2011, two of their songs appeared on the compilation Welcome To The Arse-End of the World. They performed at the 12″ vinyl launch for that release, which marked their final show.

Origin	Auckland/ Wellington
Genre	punk, garage rock
Years Active	2009 – 2011
AKA	Psychic Jams
Associated Acts	Rogernomix, The Wrongmen Shortlived Captain’s Log
Website	Teen Hygiene Blogspot
Past Members	Ben Knight (drums) Zack Penney (guitar, vocals)

Releases

Title	Date	Label	Type	Format
Show U My Delite	2010, May 20		EP	7″/ DL
Welcome To The Arse-End Of The World	2011, April 29	Always Never Fun	compilation	12″
Awesome Feeling 5	2011, May 30	The Corner	compilation	CD