Who We Are

Mark Rubel has produced and engineered hundreds of records since 1980. Clients as diverse as Hum, Alison Krauss, American Minor, Adrian Belew, Luther Allison, Toby Twining, The Red Hot Valentines, Mojo Nixon, Thomas Mapfumo, Melanie, and thousands of others have made their way from all over the planet to record at his Pogo Studio in downtown Champaign, IL.

He has taught audio at his studio through Parkland College since 1985 and has had over fifteen hundred students, many of whom are themselves successfully working at studios, schools and stages around the world, including the current president of AMS/Neve North America. Mark is also Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Business at Millikin University in Decatur, IL, and greatly enjoys mentoring aspiring professionals and bringing in fascinating guests.

He continues to work as an audio and music business consultant and has performed as bassist for the ever-popular thrash oldies band Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets since 1980. His credits as a live sound engineer include extensive tours with BMG/Catalyst recording artist Toby Twining Music at venues such as Lincoln Center and Ravinia, as well as broadcasts for Prairie Home Companion.

Mark is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and has served on its Producers Committee since 2001. He is also a member of the Audio Engineering Society, the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association, the Engineering and Recording Society, and as a writer is affiliated with ASCAP.

Mark was a panelist at SXSW 2005, the Midwest Music Festival and the Midwest Music Summit. As in 2004, he will be a workshop presenter and panelist at the Tape Op Recording Conference; this year he will be on a panel with Steve Albini, Tony Visconti (producer of David Bowie and T. Rex), and Don Zientara of Fugazi. Mark and Pogo Studio are featured in articles in Tape Op Magazine, Discmakers Fast Forward Magazine, and Innocent Words Magazine. His recent interview with legendary audio and music pioneer Les Paul will soon be published.

This year he received a lifetime achievement award at the Chammy Awards, which finally proves his belief that he is world famous in both Champaign and Urbana (and parts of Savoy).