Photo courtesy of Kindercore Records Amy Dykes and Dan Gellar of I am the World Trade Center like people thinking they have a "dubious" relationship, but the pair have been dating and making music together for years.

I am the World Trade Center would be lost without their laptops. While on their way to their next show in Seattle, Amy Dykes, the duo's singer, was writing her master's thesis on their computer. Earlier during the drive, she and Dan Gellar, who plays keyboards, drum machines and various other instruments during their shows, used their laptop to write a new song, which they'll be debuting in a couple of hours.

I am the World Trade Center actually have a lot in common with their computer equipment. They're smart (Gellar is an engineer, Dykes is working on her masters), they're stylish, and with only two members to create e their dance-y, electro-pop music, they're incredibly compact and able to multi-task.

The pair's name was inspired by their move to New York City several years ago. After Sept. 11, they shortened their name to I Am The·, before deciding to keep their name. Gellar and Dykes have since moved back to Athens, Georgia, where Gellar also helps run their record label, Kindercore Records.

Gellar talked to the Wildcat while on driving to the next stop on their tour. They perform along with fellow couple band Mates of State on Tuesday at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. The show is all ages and costs $10 if you're over 21, $12 if you're under. Call 622-8848 for more information.

Wildcat: This is your third time in Tucson. Do you guys really like it here?

Gellar: We love Tucson. We lived there for five days. When we were on tour with VHS or Beta, our van broke down, so we stayed for like four days.

Wildcat: What did you guys do in town?

Gellar: We went to see Guided by Voices. We hung out with them a lot. We got our car fixed and our oil changed. Oh, and we went to Nogales. Something you have to do at least once. We also did a lot of swimming. We had a really good time.

Wildcat: What have you been up to since then?

Gellar: Amy is finishing up her masters in costume history. She's actually writing her thesis in the car. And we're been writing our new album in the car.

Wildcat: Amy's working on her masters degree? So you guys aren't full-time musicians?

Gellar: Nom I'm an engineer for the University of Georgia. I do research, specifically on a fuel called bio diesel, which is from vegetable oil. Amy's also a teacher at the University. She teaches fashion merchandising.

Wildcat: Does your job know you're in a band.

Gellar: Yes. They're really flexible. I tell them I'm going to leave, then I leave.

Wildcat: I thought you were also running Kindercore Records?

Gellar: I still am.

Wildcat: How do you have time to work, and tour, and write music and run a record label?

Gellar: I'm up a lot. I only work about four or five hours a day. They (his employers) really want me to get my PH.D. I'm technically a doctoral candidate right now. I just don't go to any classes.

Wildcat: Have you been getting lots of couple jokes about touring with Mates of State?

Gellar: The joke we've been getting is about how Amy and Kori (of Mates of State) look amazingly alike. So we've been saying Amy and Kori are sisters when we get interviewed. People come to the shows, and when they see us they're like, "See, we told you they were sisters!"

Wildcat: Last time you came to town, you covered The Stone Roses and Blondie. Do you have any new covers this time?

Gellar: We actually have 15 new covers. We played this big party, were we had to learn all these 80s covers. So we'll be playing one or two different covers each show. You don't know what you'll get until you're there.

Wildcat: So what have you been listening to while you're on tour?

Gellar: BeyoncŽ, the new Outkast. We've been listening to the Rapture a lot. Gang of Four. The Jam. And Justin Timberlake. Amy and I have this game, where we put our iPod on 'random,' and we have to guess what the song is playing. It's been occupying our time a lot.

Wildcat: So if you had to chose between getting your PHD and doing music, what would you chose?

Gellar: So the choice is that I'd have to only be successful at one? I would choose music, because still I'm so young.