Miami University senior Mike Becker sits at his desk with Third Eye Blind's "Narcolepsy" softly drifting out of his laptop speakers. Sibling Rivalry's front man is soft-spoken and unassuming, yet not without a quiet confidence about the band's recent first place victory at Brick Street's Battle of the Bands March 4.

"We have never really tried to write anything ourselves as a band," Mike Becker said with a shrug when asked about the group's recent success as a cover band. "We're kind of just a party band."

Mike Becker and his younger brother Chris Becker, a sophomore, both received their instruments as Christmas gifts seven years ago and began playing together immediately. Mike Becker recalled the first song the brothers ever played together.

"Chris and I both learned "Brain Stew" by Green Day," Mike Becker said with a grin. "I played the whole thing on one string."

Chris Becker said he, too, remembered the song.

"I learned the drums by listening to music in my headphones while I played," Chris Becker said. "Mike listened to songs and looked them up. That's how we learned to play together, and Mike only just recently realized he could sing."

Mike Becker said he met senior bassist Rob Hart in his first-year English class, and the two even wrote a song together for a class project. After that, Hart said he talked Mike Becker into playing a show with him uptown last year, and the two eventually began playing with Chris Becker to form the present trio.

"Mike and I started playing together freshman year," Hart said. "We kind of pulled it all together last year when Chris came up to school."

Chris Becker said the three played well together.

"After that, we just started jamming together when we found common ground in music," Chris Becker said.

When asked why they played mostly '90s music, Mike Becker took a moment before responding.

"Music today sucks," Mike Becker said. "Not all of it, but most of it. The '90s music is what we grew up on, and everyone seems to like it."

His brother agreed.

"That seems to be the only kind of music we can play," Chris Becker said. "We like the harder rock too, but it's just not bar or party music, you know?"

Despite some newfound success, the future of the band remains unsure, as Hart will be graduating in May.

"We haven't really talked about it," Mike Becker said. "Good bassists are hard to find."

Hart said he remains optimistic about playing with the Beckers. He said he hopes to continue playing with them whenever possible after leaving Miami.

"For me, playing with them after college is a real possibility," Hart said. "Of course I'd like to keep doing it all the time, but obviously my time here is running short."

Hart said his experience playing with the Beckers has been nothing but positive.

"They are both incredible musicians, and it's been great playing with them," Hart said. "I'm just happy to have been along for the ride."