DC Rock History17 Nov 2025

Unrest - "Perfect Teeth" with Mark Robinson

In this episode, we explore Perfect Teeth, the 1993 swan song from Unrest, a band that redefined what DC and Northern Virginia indie rock could be. Released on the legendary UK label 4AD, the album blended minimalist pop, rhythmic precision, and clean-toned experimentation into a concise, stylish statement that still resonates three decades later.

Formed in 1983 by Mark Robinson, Philip Krauth, and Tim Moran, Unrest began as a suburban basement band in Arlington, Virginia. Over the next ten years, they evolved into one of the most distinctive voices in American indie music. Alongside their own recordings, Robinson founded Teen-Beat Records, a label that combined DIY punk values with graphic design, eccentric curation, and a numbered catalog system that became iconic in its own right.

In this conversation, we’re joined by Mark Robinson, Unrest’s guitarist, co-vocalist, and Teen-Beat founder. We talk about the band’s formation in the early ’80s, the lo-fi cassette years, the arrival of bassist Bridget Cross, the band’s art-pop sensibility, and the bold recording decisions that led to Perfect Teeth including a 7-inch box set and a faux Simon Le Bon production credit. We also discuss how Unrest carved a lane completely their own within the broader DC scene.

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Social Media: @dcrockpod
Email: dcrockpod@gmail.com

Hosts:

Philip Basnight – Broke Royals
Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves

Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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Smart Went Crazy - "Con Art" with Devin Ocampo

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Con Art, Smart Went Crazy's 1997 swan song and one of the most ambitious records to ever come out of the Dischord catalog. The band formed in DC in 1993 as a ...

11 Maj 1h 2min

Tuscadero - "The Pink Album" with Tuscadero

In this episode, we take a deep dive into The Pink Album, Tuscadero's 1994 debut and one of the defining records of the DC indie pop scene. Formed 1993 in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Tuscadero bu...

4 Maj 56min

The Dismemberment Plan - "Emergency & I" with Chris DeVille

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Emergency & I, the Dismemberment Plan's 1999 landmark and the album that cemented the band as one of the most distinctive acts to emerge from the DC indie sce...

27 Apr 1h 5min

The Pietasters - "Willis" with Stephen Jackson

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Willis, the Pietasters' 1997 record and the album that brought the DC-bred ska band to their widest audience. Formed at Virginia Tech by a group of suburban W...

20 Apr 58min

Foo Fighters - "The Colour and the Shape" with Mike Jones

In this episode, we take a deep dive into The Colour and the Shape, the Foo Fighters' 1997 sophomore record and the album widely credited with establishing Dave Grohl as a frontman in his own right. R...

13 Apr 53min

Shudder to Think sets the record straight!

In this episode of the DC Rock History Podcast, we sit down with Shudder to Think, one of the most singular and adventurous bands to emerge from the Washington, D.C. underground, for a wide-ranging co...

6 Apr 1h 1min

Fugazi - "In On The Kill Taker" with Chris Ryan

In this episode, we revisit Fugazi and take a deep dive into In On The Kill Taker, the band’s explosive 1993 follow-up to Steady Diet of Nothing and Repeater. Released on Dischord Records, In On The K...

15 Dec 20251h 1min

Shudder To Think - "Pony Express Record" with Nabil Ayers

In this episode, we explore the history and impact of Shudder to Think and their groundbreaking 1994 album Pony Express Record, a release that pushed the boundaries of what DC post-hardcore could beco...

8 Dec 202559min