Being a member of Dr. Dog affords you a lot of things — acclaimed records, adoring fans, sold-out concerts — but membership comes with something that not a lot of other bands offer: a nickname.

The five-piece thrives off happiness and childhood fun, and from its inception, Dr. Dog has modeled itself after the He-Man Woman Haters Club from “The Little Rascals,” hoping to find a chemistry that goes beyond a working relationship.

“We started that right after we formed the band,” said Scott McMicken, lead guitarist and vocalist who’s been dubbed Taxi. “It’s just simple camaraderie [and] friendship. It’s a good way to make the band feel like this little, special club you are a part of.”

McMicken and his bandmates (nicknames Tables, Text, Teach and Thanks) have made it a mission to have that lighthearted demeanor mark everything they do, and the band’s sunny ’60s pop-inspired sound rarely dips below a beaming smile.

It’s not only made the day-to-day routine of being in a band more enjoyable, but also proven to make writing songs a breeze.

“It seems as though the things that really get us going are essentially things from our personal lives, and whatever in them that makes us happy,” McMicken said. “When you find those moments when the stars are all aligned and everyone in the band happens to be in a very happy place, inspiration starts to just flow out of anything, literally anything.

“It sounds a little corny, but love is the main source of inspiration in this band — love of music and love of people in our lives.”

That love and happiness has rarely receded during the band’s 11-year career, and that inspiration has found its way on to progressively better-received albums during the past three.

“We All Belong” first caught audiences’ attention in 2007, and the band’s latest, “Shame, Shame,” is its biggest album yet.

That record marked the first time that making an album wasn’t all laughs and giggles, McMicken said.

“It was a challenging process,” he said. “We did a lot of things differently, and almost immediately we realized it was going to take a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

“But there was never a point where anyone let anger rule those situations. Everyone stayed together, and we emerged not only unscathed but also stronger as a band.”

Validation came immediately; the album garnered rave reviews — even a few earnest comparisons to The Beatles — and debuted to good sales.

The band has been touring since its release — and will continue on to do so through early 2011. But while often considered tedious, the life on the road just affords Dr. Dog more time to have fun.

“Your life becomes centered on the band for 24 hours a day,” McMicken said. “Everything becomes about the band. It’s beyond a full-time job; it’s life.”

If you go
» WHEN: 8 tonight
» WHERE: ACM@UCO Performance Lab, 323 E. Sheridan Ave., in Oklahoma City
» COST: $15