Runners find time for music

Two members of the IU men's cross country team, senior Chris Powers and junior Jeff Zeha, have joined IU senior Nathan Randall to form one of the most diverse bands on campus -- the Beatniks.\nThe band plays music ranging anywhere from alternative to hard rock and have been compared to such bands as Sublime and AC/DC. Powers plays the drums, Zeha is on bass, and Randall is the singer/songwriter. \n"They play such a variety of different stuff, anywhere from reggae to hard rock," sophomore teammate Eric Redman said. "They play rock, then switch to Bob Marley, really they will play anything."\nRedman sometimes grabs his guitar and jams with his fellow runners, but most of the time he just watches. He said that almost all of the members of the team are big fans of the band, so they usually have a large crowd even just for practice. \n"I like it a lot because everybody will just come over to the apartment and the band will have a practice session," Redman said. "Sometimes people will even jump in and jam. It is kind of like a practice but with a lot of people."\nBut cross country team members aren't the only ones attracted to the funky sounds emitting from the band's apartment during jam time. At times random people will wander in to hear the sounds of the Beatniks. \n"When we practice we usually have people just walk in from the streets," Zeha said. "There will be people outside listening to us, and they will want to see who it is."\nThe band members are also proud of their willingness to play all styles of music.\n"We are a mixture of a bunch of different styles," Zeha said. "One minute we could be playing Sublime, and the next switch to AC/DC."\nAlthough they play different types of music they are able to have good unity within the band. \n"I think the thing that sets them apart is their cohesiveness," Redman said. "They sound really good together. There is a good connection between the three guys."\nPowers and Zeha have been teammates on the Hoosiers cross country team since they first came to IU. Powers and Randall have been playing music together for over six years. \n"Jeff and I have become great friends over the years through the team," Powers said. "As well, I think Randall and Jeff and I have really gelled as musicians, and I think we have the same ambitions for the type of music we want to create."\nAdditionally, each individual band member has been playing his respective instrument for over seven years now.\n"I think we are all very dedicated to music, and hopefully more of the Bloomington community will get a chance to hear our sound soon," Powers said.\nSo far the band has played several small gigs. Both Powers and Randall are from Muncie, Ind. so the Beatniks have played several shows at Ball State University and bigger venues in Muncie. \nIn Bloomington, the band has played several fraternity parties and house parties, as well as a few tailgates. \nWhile competing in an NCAA Division I sport, the band members have had to balance their schedules to have time to practice, play shows and run. Powers, a business major, said the key is using both music and running to be successful in both.\n"The dedication I have learned from running has helped me with the band," Powers said. "I think Jeff and I have transferred this work ethic to the band."\nAlthough the members classify themselves as a "party band" right now, they hope to spread their sound to the bars around Bloomington. \n"I think when we play at parties people really feel our sound, and can get into us," Powers said. "We want to transfer this positive energy to other larger venues."\nOriginally the band was formed a couple of years ago under the name Room 207, but the group fell through and broke up.\nRecently, the three bandmates have gotten back together and came up with their own individual sound.\n"Basically I think anybody could like us, we are such an interesting combination, and we have so many influences," Zeha said. "We are really just about playing good music, and getting girls."\n-- Contact staff writer Alex Witteveld at pawittev@indiana.edu.