Unrest formed in 1983 at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia (just outside of Washington, DC). They began as an improv instrumental band, taping every practice and never playing the same thing twice. Material seemed to be influenced by everything from punk to funk to Ennio Morricone. Unrest issued several recordings (often in cassette form) via frontman Mark Robinson’s DIY label Teen Beat.
1981:
Phil Krauth (drums) and Mark Robinson (guitar) meet in freshman English class and begin playing with John Borchers and Eric Olafsson.
1982-3:
Phil and Mark begin playing with Tim Moran (guitar). They first name the project King of Prussia.
1984:
The band performs at the 2-night high school talent show and decides on the name UNREST. Tajinder Chadha is guest vocalist and Tom Krauth plays bass the second night because Tim had broken his hand.
1985:
Two cassette albums are released:
UNREST cassette (Teenbeat 2)
UNREST ’Lisa Carol Freemont’ cassette (Teenbeat 6)
Mark’s summer job is delivering pizza for Atilla’s on Columbia Pike. He uses the proceeds to release their debut vinyl 45:
"So You Want to Be a Rock’n’Roll Star" 45 (Teenbeat 7).
August:
The band records nine songs at Zoodio Studio with engineer Richard Ashman. The studio is located in a house on Cathedral Ave. in D.C. that backs up to the National Zoo.
November:
The 7" EP is released.
Dave McDuff is the first to play Unrest on the radio on WMUC-FM (at the University of Maryland).
Guy Picciotto (Rites of Spring) buys the single from Mark at a show at the Chevy Chase Community Center in D.C. and plays it for his pal Amy Pickering who books the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Amy books the band for a "3 bands 3 bucks" show.
1986:
January 3: The band’s first club gig at the 9:30 Club. Tajinder Chadha sings one song.
1987:
October 31: The eponymous debut album is finally released. Mark purchases 1,000 blank white covers and over 30 friends decorate each cover differently --
and each has it’s own title. 400 covers feature a wood cut print by Scott Larsen. Common alternate title for the album: "Tink of S.E." (graffiti in the hallway of Mark’s apartment building).
Ethan Buckler, Dave Paho, David Grubbs
1988:
October: Band records second album with Kramer at Noise New York on West Broadway in Manhattan.
dc space: Ed Shredd, Brendan Canty
Chicago: Sorab Habibion, Tim Moran
1990:
October: tour of US with
1991:
January:
Tour of the US with Eggs.
Knoxville, Pittsburgh,....
March: Three 7" 45s are released.
"Cherry Cherry" (Hemiola)
"Yes She Is My Skinhead Girl" (K)
"A Factory Record" (Sub Pop)
July: Band records "Imperial f.f.r.r." with Wharton Tiers at Fun City Studio, 340 East 22nd St. in New York. Mark writes "Isabel" in five minutes in the studio while Wharton is taking a break upstairs.
The band’s seventh album, Imperial f.f.r.r., came out on 4AD off-shoot Guernica in 1992. Their Perfect Teeth album was released by 4AD-Teenbeat in August of 1993, and was produced by Duran Duran star Simon Le Bon and engineered by Brian Paulson in Minnesota. The song "Make Out Club" was a minor MTV hit, but Unrest split in February, 1994. Their last show is in Hampton, Virginia with Slant 6.
Phil Krauth releases ’Cold Morning’, the first of four solo albums on the Teenbeat label.
Air Miami (1994-1996):
Mark Robinson and Bridget Cross formed Air Miami with Mike Fellows (Rites of Spring) and Lauren Feldsher (Viva Satellite!) in 1994. The last Air Miami shows in Januray and February of 1996 featured Phil Krauth on drums.
Mark Robinson founded the bands Flin Flon in 1997 and Cotton Candy in 2008.
Unrest re-formed and performed at the Teenbeat 20th Anniversary show at the Black Cat Nightclub in Washington, D.C. on February 24th, 2005 with Eggs, +/- {Plus/Minus}, True Love Always, The Fontaine Toups, and Jonny Cohen.
Bridget Cross releases her first ’solo’ album under the moniker MAYBE IT’S RENO. Unrest’s Mark Robinson
records it and plays guitar, Unrest’s Phil Krauth plays the drums and mellotron.
Hi There, Thanx for the add. Your coverversion of "Strutter" is listed at www. kiss-related-recordings. nl Have A Rockin' Weekend, Greetz from Holland.
Hey, I found a sweet compilation from K records with Mr Robinson on it recently. Definitely from the crypt, I really enjoy your music. Ya got soul!! Thank you ever so dearly for the ad.
