Teen-Beat. Mark Robinson.

Mark Robinson is an indie-rock musician from Washington, D.C. who founded Teen-Beat in 1984. Best known for founding Unrest (with Phil Krauth and Tim Moran), he has also been a member of Air Miami, Flin Flon, Grenadine, and currently plays with Evelyn Hurley (Blast Off Country Style) in Cotton Candy and also with D. Trevor Kampmann as Fang Wizard.

He has released a number of solo records. His recordings are typically sparse, often based around a carefully controlled guitar.

RELATED ARTISTS

AIR MIAMI

COTTON CANDY

BASTRO

LUNA

MARK E SUPERSTAR Sammy Supreme My Man album

MARK ROBINSON Canada's Green Highways album

MARK ROBINSON Sto short film and soundtrack

Mark Robinson
having a shave
Photo by Evelyn Hurley
[download high resolution file]

Mark Robinson
in the kitchen at Aunt Ann's
Photo by Evelyn Hurley

Mark Robinson
in the basement bathroom
at 3511 "S" Street N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Photo by Mark Robinson

Mark Robinson
at Teen-Beat 97 prepping for a "dining experience" at Marrakesh in Washington, D.C.
Photo by Evelyn Hurley

Mark Robinson
outside Zoodio Studio recording Teen-Beats 6 and 7
Photo by Phil Krauth or Tim Moran

Mark Robinson, a still from Teen-Beat 510 film

Mark Robinson
a still from the photoshoot for the 12th film of Teen-Beat 510.
Photo by Mark Robinson

SOLO RECORDINGS COLLABORATORS

James Baluyut,

Richard Baluyut,

D. Trevor Kampmann,

Juliet Swango,

Fontaine Toups,

Enrico Wuttke

SOLO PERFORMANCE COLLABORATORS

James Baluyut,

Richard Baluyut,

Andy Comer,

Evelyn Hurley,

John Lindaman,

Michelle Marchese,

Chris Storrow,

Tom (Europe)

FILM

STO 2: HIGH ENERGY VINTAGE

Directed, shot, and scored by Mark Robinson, 2014.

RÉSUMÉ [ca. 2001]

EDUCATION

WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

Infamous Arlington, Virginia school where Mark met Phil Krauth and Tim Moran and formed the seminal punk/indie band, Unrest. He also made friends with Andrew Beaujon (Eggs), and Ian Zack (The Thirsty Boys).

TEEN-BEAT

The record label that Mark started when he was a mere sixteen years old. His first release was a compilation tape featuring his friends' bands from his high school. Tapes were sold to classmates for a mere one dollar each. February 23, 1985 is Teenbeat's birthday. They will be celebrating their 17th anniversary next year with a big festival in Washington, DC February 21-23, 2002.

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

Mark has lived here since 1975. It is located right across the river from Washington, DC.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

UNREST (1983-1994)

Teenbeat's most successful band was started by Mark and released five albums and a multitude of singles. They played at Lollapalooza in 1993 and turned down a Nirvana opening slot later that year. Their Imperial f.f.r.r. album was voted one of the best of the year by Spin magazine in 1992. Hole has covered Unrest's "Yes She Is My Skinhead Girl" on occasion.

AIR MIAMI (1994-1996)

After Unrest, Bridget Cross (Unrest) and Mark formed this power-pop quartet with Mike Fellows (Rites of Spring) and Lauren Feldsher (Mascott). One album was release in 1995 by Teenbeat/4AD entitled Me. Me. Me.

GRENADINE (1991-1998)

Jenny Toomey and Mark formed this project soon after their Lots of Pop Losers festival in the Fall of 1991. Rob Christiansen from Eggs and Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers joined a year later on the drums. They recorded two albums, one (Goya) with Kramer from Bongwater and another (Nopalitos) with Warn Defever of His Name Is Alive.

FLIN FLON (1997-)

Mark's love of Joy Division and Factory Records was particularly evident when he formed Flin Flon with Nattles (Cold Cold Hearts) and Matt Datesman (True Love Always). They have released two albums of bass and drums oriented rock, so far.

WMUC RADIO (1985-1988)

While at the University of Maryland in the late '80s, Mark spinned vinyl at this vital college radio station. It was here that he met Bridget Cross who was one of his on-air callers. DJ Dave McDuff was the first to play Teenbeat vinyl on the radio in 1985.

DISCOGRAPHY

SINGLES

Em: Taste
Em: Proposal
Em: Presentation
Em: Performance
Babe Rainbow
Catalog & Classify
Home Free

ALBUMS

Black Christmas
KingXmas
Sammy Supreme My Man [Mark E. Superstar]
Superstar [as Superstar]
Blue [as Olympic Death Squad]
Tiger Banana
Canada's Green Highways
Em: Template
Origami & Urbanism
An Architectural Classic
Easy Plastic Violence

COMPILATIONS

Extremism...
Teen-Beat Fifty
1999 Teenbeat Sampler
2000 Teenbeat Sampler
2001 Teenbeat Sampler
2002 Teenbeat Sampler
2003 Teenbeat Sampler
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2003
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2004
2004 Teenbeat Sampler
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2005
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2006
Teen-Beat No.1 Record Label
2010 Teen-Beat / Other Music Sampler

ALSO

Eggs, A Pit with Spikes (Ruined by Robinson)
Tuscadero, The Mark Robinson Re-Mixes
Teen-Beat Circus Tour No.2
Teen-Beat 15th Anniversary Celebrations
The Mark Robinson tee-shirt
Teen-Beat's Sweet 16th Anniversary
Mark Robinson poster
Teen-Beat's 17th Anniversary
Teen-Beat's 18th Anniversary
Teen-Beat's 19th Anniversary
Teen-Beat's 20th Anniversary Commemorative
Mmm Pop Muzik radio programme
Teen-Beat's 21st Anniversary
Mmarkk
Teen-Beat Graphica Exhibition

Air Miami
Clarence
Cotton Candy
Flin Flon
Fred & Ginger
Grenadine
Rhonda Harris
Unrest
William & Vivian

SONGS

Almond Dainties
Aluminum
Angels in Waiting
The Anti-Kidnapping Song
Arlington Station
Astro
Auld Lang Syne
Babe Rainbow
Between
Blinking Lights
Broken Christmas I
Broken Christmas II
Bye-Bye Bunny Smith Sqare
Caitlin
Can't You Wait?
Catalog & Classify
ChDemo
Chimney Head
Christmas on 'S' Street
The Christmas Song
Deck the Halls
Difficult Situations
Dilated Pupils
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The Dorothy "Dottie" Doyle Shortcut
Empire
Eyeball
Fantastic and Spectacular
French Good Looks
Full-length Taffeta Gown
F.U.S.A.
Goodbye Bunny Smith Sqare
Greg Hershey Where are You?
Hair Messer-Upper
Home Free
Hospital Bruiser
Hustler
I'm Still Breathing
I Am the King of Prussia
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Jingle Bells
Lake District
Leo, Lord
Lost Innocence
Maple Leaf
Meet
Merry Christmas
Merry Little Christmas
Misplaced on the Kitchen Floor
Mmm Pop Musik theme
Neues Forum
Newfoundland
New Teen-Beat Theme
New York License Plate
Nineties Go Time Salsation
Nkd Santa
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Little Town of Bethlehem
100% Guaranteed
Origami
Peanuts & Cracker Jack
Perks and Presents
Putting Up Good Numbers
Rain
Rewind, Welcome Back
Rip Off
Rindge & Latin Scuffle
Ruggles Muggle Toodle-Loo
Rudolph
'S' St. Intro
Sammy's Mean Mustard
Santi Bomb
Sashimi Sashay
Saturday Nite Xmas
She Makes Me Free to Be Me
She Was Precise
Shut My Mouth
Short Sleeve
Show Your Age
Shut My Mouth
{Silence!}
Silent Night
Ski Jump
Sskii Jjumpp
So Movie Star
Sometimes I Can Breathe
Spalding
Spoo-kay
Spray on the Fixative
Starfighter
Stuttgart Please Please
Syvain Cote
Taste
Tasty Black Licorice
Teen-Beat Theme
Telephone Diary Talker
This Is Riot Gear
The Time of Our Lives
To the Ocean
Two-Wheeled Love Machine
Up On a High-Winded Creature
Urbanism
Vive la France
Volunteers Conquering Fires
Wakefield Street
Water Crashing In
(We Don't Need No) Fascist Groove Thang
Welcome Back, Eject
When You Swim
The Whippany Elks
Whippany Parsippany
White Christmas
White X-Mas
Why Hello, Dali!
W.N.Y.U.
Wonderful
Xmastoyou
Yeah, Uh-Huh

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