r'~ j l r~ I1i vr Ix_ Dial 'M' for Muses Throwing Muses, that is. This pioneerirg group has been around fr over a decade and has released some of the most chaflengng and movng music ever called 'alternative-' Their laest album "Undersitv" one of the most pop records that Muses singer/songwr er Krktin Hersh has written, and live the group is absolutely mesmerizing. See ther tonight at the Blind Pig; call 996-8555 for mcre inforrration. Page 5 Tuesday, October 10, 1995 Dial M' for mostly mediocre Mark Robinson's got the whole world in his hands. Robinson's Air Miami takes off By Heather Phares Daily Arts Editor Change is good. Just ask Mark Robinson, the leader of the long-lived, critically ac- claimed indie band Unrest. Robinson's un- repentant about the group's demise. "Unrest wasaroundfor12years,"hesaidwithatired sigh. "And I just felt 'Is this the only thing I'm going to do with my life?"' Solatein 1994, Unrestdisbanded.-From the band's ashes arises Air Miami, which consists of Robinson, Unrest's bassist Bridget Cross and new drummer Gabriel Stout. (Unrest's drummer, Phil Krauth, recently released a solo album on Robinson's TeenBeat record label.) The group has two of Unrest's key members, and on their debut album "Me. Me. Me." the group includes some ofthe shimmery, high-speed riffola that helped make Un- rest unique. What makes Air Miami dif- ferent from Unrest? "Well, we play different songs, and there's different people in the band, and the band has a different name," Robinson said sarcastically. And while there are a few similarities between the experimen- tal, speedy pop of Unrest and the shiny, sleek tunes of Air Miami, the differences are important - at least to Robinson. One of the main differences between the two is the production on "Me. Me. Me." Knob-twiddler Guy Fixsen (also of Laika) went for a clean, smooth sound that the band found different from their normal recording behavior. "We're used to doing something one or two times, and if there's a mistake, then we don't worry about it. But Guy is a real perfectionist; he kept making us do things over and overto get them just right," Robinson said. "We were looking for a change from our usual way of doing things. I heard some of his work and liked it, so we decided to work with him." Though the recording of "Me. Me. Me." was a new experience, it was also a rewarding one. When asked if he was happy with the album, Robinson responded, "Yes, about 90 percent happy. We had a good time AIR MIAMI WhereBHind PigI When: Tonight Tickets: $10,50 in advance Doors open at 9:30 p.m. making it. I really like 'Bubble Shield,' and 'Definitely Beachy."' As for the unusual album name, Robinson said with a laugh, "ltjust comes from the attitude that you get on tour. You're tired, you want to go home, it's all 'me, me, me!' That's the feeling that the title came from." And what about that band name? His response is equally simple: "Miami's just a cool place. We recorded the album down there." One thing remains the same between Unrest and Air Miami - the way Robinson writes his songs. Of his tune- writing technique, Robinson said, "I just try to come up with interesting chords or melodies. Bridget writes her own bass parts, and her own vocal parts too. We don't really write together; we sort of do our own things together," and cited bands like New Order, Gang of Four and Minor Threat as some of his inspiration. His musical beginnings,however,were. more classical than new wave. "I played. violin in the third grade," Robinson said with a laugh. "I started playing guitar in junior high, and I met Phil Krauth in my ninth grade English class. We started, playing together with a guy who played bass and that's how Unrest started." TeenBeat's origins are just as straight-' forward: "Well, there were a lot of bands in my high school, and we wanted to put music out, so that's how TeenBeatz was born. In the beginning it was a cassette, only label - I remember working really- hard at a job in a pizza place to get the money to put out our first vinyl release. which was an Unrest seven-inch, Robinson said. . a Robinson has some advice for those who would like to start their own music labels: "Have some music that you want to put out. Lots of people want to stag record labels and don't have any music to release, so they have problems. Be com- mitted to it. And be prepared to lose a lot of money," he laughed. His plans for after the tour's end? "Go home, get some sleep, check out some ofthe restaurants around town," Robinson said" "There are some good Korean and Thai places, and a couple of chili places as well. He added, "The tour will be ending up, around Halloween, so I'll celebrate thy somehow. I don't have a costume yet forthis year. I was a hooker transvestite from helI last year, so I don't know how I'll top that.'1 Whatever costume he chooses, Robinson's band will remain a real treat. Ani DiFmnco's got the Power - -~'-- ~-C.~~ E a ., a ri 4 h,.rrx 4i. ., ;;. WV1 NN O1AT Ap\S '^e 4 01 1 t m ---~ w..,,,,,,., -' _.. -> HIGHER GRE SCORESI At EXCEL, we focus upon the key distinctions that result in great scores. You will score higher because you'll know what the GRE is looking for. More than shortcuts and test-taking techniques, ou'U master the essential p ples of the exam. rove Your Math Skills, Efficient Logic ' ues, and Expand Your Vocabulary. Admissions exams are highly leveraged tests. Answering even a few more questions correctly F. or fast relief from the nagging ache of taxes, we recommend TIAA-CREF SRAs. 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