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The Ataris

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The Ataris

The Ataris are a pop-punk band originally hailing from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent, Welcome the Night, was released on February 20, 2007.

History

Kung Fu Records (1995-2002)

Formed in 1995, the band originally consisted of singer/songwriter/guitarist Kristopher Roe and guitarist Jasin Thomason. Using a 4-track, they wrote and recorded demos in Kris' bedroom, using a drum machine while they searched for a full-time drummer. The band's first big break came in 1996 when Kris attended a show at the club Bogart's in Cincinnati, where he passed one of the band's demo tapes to a roadie from the band. The roadie gave the tape to Joe Escalante, bassist from the band The Vandals who owned their own label, Kung Fu Records. A few weeks later, Kris received a call from Kung Fu Records, who told him they were interested in putting out their record, even though he was really only searching for a drummer. The Ataris signed to Kung Fu and the label passed the tape along to various drummers. Eventually Kris decided upon ex-Lagwagon drummer Derrick Plourde. The band then proceeded to record their debut album Anywhere but Here, tracking the whole thing in less than a week. The album was released on April 29, 1997 and the band held a release show party at Missing Link Records in Indianapolis on May 2nd.

In June of 1997, Kristopher moved from Anderson, Indiana to Santa Barbara, California. Shortly afterward, Marko Desantis joined the band on bass for a short time. Jasin Thomason decided to leave the band to stay in Indiana, and the group toured as a three-piece for a short while. After a brief tour in October 1997, this lineup disbanded. Kris, out of money and living in a van, contemplated moving back to Indiana. But the band still had an upcoming tour booked with Dance Hall Crashers and Unwritten Law, so Kris decided to give the band one more shot. He got his friend from Santa Barbara, Mike Davenport, to play bass. Davenport shared a small rehearsal space on East Haley Street with his friend Marco Peña, who was in a different band. One day at the rehearsal space, Roe and Davenport heard the drummer of Pena's band, Chris Knapp, playing and immediately asked him to join The Ataris. While Roe and Davenport joked that Peña would be upset over them "stealing" his band's drummer, Peña surprised them by showing up at their practice the next day, strapping on his guitar, and playing along. It turned out Peña had learned all the songs from Anywhere But Here. He joined the band as a second guitarist and the foursome went on their scheduled tour. However, Peña soon left the band due to personal reasons and was replaced by Patrick Riley.

From there, the band gradually increased in popularity in the underground rock scene, a lot due to their consistent touring and personal, DIY approach to the band. They then found more success with their EP Look Forward to Failure. However, it wasn't until the release of Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits in the year 1999 that they started to gain widespread acclaim. The album's name comes from the name of a mobile home park along Highway 101 in Santa Barbara. Also, "...next 12 exits" refers to a nearby sign on Highway 101 North that reads "Santa Barbara, Next 12 Exits". The album contained personal, storytelling lyrics and heartfelt tales of relationships, discovery and things once left behind. After this album, Riley left the band to go back to school, and Marco Peña re-joined the band.

The band's third full length studio album, End is Forever, was released in 2001. This album painted more intensely personal side of the band's storytelling and personal relationships. Due to their persistent touring schedule, a lot of the arrangements and lyrics were worked out at the last minute while in the studio and then the vocals recorded while Kristopher had a bad cold. Roe maintains that he was not completely happy with half of the songs, although he went on to state that in spite of this, several of the songs such as "Fast Times at Dropout High" and "Road Signs and Rock Songs" were still to date some of the band's strongest of their earlier career.

So Long, Astoria (2003-2005)

In 2002, the lineup changed again, with John Collura replacing Peña on guitar. Prior to this, Collura had played in his own band, Beefcake, who'd toured with The Ataris. He'd also done time on tour as a guitar tech for The Ataris just prior to Pena's departure.

During this same period, the Ataris' contract with Kung Fu Records expired, and the band chose to sign with Columbia Records. Later that year, they began recording their fourth full-length album and major label debut, So Long, Astoria, released on March 4, 2003.

Produced by Lou Giordano, the album's production served as a stark contrast to any of the band's past releases. Where as previous efforts would be recorded in short time spans between tours, So Long, Astoria was known for its polished tracks and recording process. Kris Roe by himself was known to spend as long as 5-8 hours tracking individual guitar parts. Many of the rhythm tracks also underwent significant digital editing; a common-place practice for recordings of modern popular music.

So Long, Astoria was widely credited (and by some, chastised) for introducing The Ataris to a larger mainstream audience and generating several successful singles, including "In This Diary" and "The Saddest Song." Musically, the album showcased very personal, encrypted and slightly more optimistic songwriting with a more refined, straight-forward rock sound, not unlike Jimmy Eat World. This album also included their cover of the Don Henley song "The Boys of Summer," which much to the dismay of the band became their "accidental" second single after a radio station in Southern California started playing it, even though the band had already chosen the song "My Reply" as their second single. The single is their highest charting single to date, reaching #20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The band toured behind this record for most of 2003 and into early 2004. That year also saw the release of their acclaimed live album, Live At The Metro, along with a spot on the Spiderman 2 soundtrack and an appearance at Hellfest. Though So Long, Astoria sold well in excess of 500,000 copies, the album itself was never certified Platinum.

After a number personal, financial and artistic differences, this line-up decided to respectfully and creatively go its separate ways over the summer and fall of 2004. Davenport, interested in playing heavier music, became a founding member of the band Versus the World, while Knapp stopped playing music altogether and stayed in Santa Barbara. Details regarding the departures of Knapp and Davenport have been kept quiet for sometime, and neither camp has appeared interested in fueling any public debate or ill-will.

Looking for some time off, Kris headed back to Indiana while John moved back to New York; though the pair would later regroup to begin the recordings of the band's next album.

Welcome the Night (2005-present)

After some time off, Kristopher and John later moved forward and began writing songs that would become part of the follow-up to So Long, Astoria titled Welcome The Night. They held some informal practices with some friends from New York, who played in the band Park Ranger. These sessions led to three members of Park Ranger joining The Ataris: Sean Hansen on bass, Shane Chickeles on drums, and Paul Carabello on third guitar. To round out the lineup, they added longtime friends Bob Hoag, formerly of Pollen and The Go Reflex (which was managed by Roe), on piano and keyboards, and Angus Cooke on cello. Cooke played cello on past Ataris records, and helped with production as well. Starting in 2005, the band began recording Welcome the Night at Seedy Underbelly in California, with producer Nick Launay. Writing and recording eventually took the better part of two years and was extended to multiple studios. The album was routinely delayed by Columbia, and some wondered if it would be shelved by the label altogether.

On June 10, 2006, the band announced that it had left Columbia Records due to the label's internal disintegration.

In November 2006, The Ataris started their own label, Isola Recordings, through Sanctuary Records and RED Distribution, and simultaneously announced the official release date of their new album "Welcome the Night" as February 20th, 2007. Following the release of Welcome the Night, the band embarked on a tour of the United States and Europe. The band is touring as a five-piece, with Bob Hoag and Angus Cooke only playing select shows.

Welcome the Night debuted at number 85 on Billboard with over 10,000 copies sold.

World of Warcraft Music Video Contest

On May 1st 2007, machinima.com announced that they would be holding a World of Warcraft music video contest using 3 of The Ataris songs from their new album, Welcome to the Night: "Not Capable of Love", "Connections are More Dangerous Than Lies" and "The Cheyenne Line." More information about that contest can be found Here

Next Album

In an interview during September 2007, songwriter Kris Roe has stated that their new material will see a return to the lighter sound displayed on such albums as End Is Forever. He reasoned on it by saying “I feel that today where I am at is sort of coming around full circle and just having fun again and being newly inspired by the art that made me discover music in the first place.”[1] A blog from the band stated that the band's new album should be out in early 2008 although Kris Roe has said more recently that it will be recorded in Spring/Summer 2008 and released later in the year.

Kris has been touring as a solo act with his acoustic guitar playing mainly songs from "Blue Skies Broken Hearts...". The tour has so far covered the majority of USA, South America, and Japan, with upcoming shows planned for Europe and Canada. The full band lineup last played a show on April 18, 2008, at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. The lineup consisted of Kris Roe, John Collura, Erik Doucette, Paul Carabello, and Shane Chickles.

Band members

Current

Previous

Discography

Albums

Album Record Label Release Date
Anywhere But Here Kung Fu Records (1997 / Reissued in 2002)
Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits Kung Fu Records (1999)
End Is Forever Kung Fu Records (2001)
So Long, Astoria Columbia Records (2003)
Welcome the Night Sanctuary Records (2007)

EPs

Album Record Label Release Date
Look Forward to Failure Fat Wreck Chords (1998)
All You Can Ever Learn Is What You Already Know Kung Fu Records

Split Albums

Album Record Label Release Date
Hawaii 1985 Split with Junglefish (7 inch demos) Square Root Records/Down on Haley Records (re-release) (1996)
Let It Burn (split with Useless ID) Kung Fu Records (2000)

Live

Album Record Label Release Date
Live at the Metro Columbia Records (2004)

DVDs

Songs on Compilations

  • The Night The Lights Went Out In NYC - (from the Spiderman 2 soundtrack)
  • Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis - (Tom Waits cover from KROQ's Weenie Roast 2003)
  • The Radio Still Sucks - (from Short Music for Short People - a different version was used in a commercial for iTunes)
  • Looking Back on Today (acoustic)- (Appeared on Warped Tour 2001 compilation)
  • Eight of Nine (acoustic)- (Appeared on "Punk Goes Acoustic")
  • Heaven is Falling - (Bad Religion anti-war protest track from Rock Against Bush: Vol 1)
  • Carnage - (All cover from the Warped Tour 2002 compilation)
  • Pretty Pathetic - (Smoking Popes cover from the Smoking Popes Tribute)
  • Let it Burn - (B-Sides compilation) (Kung Fu Records 2002)
  • I Remember You - Skid Row cover on the "Punk Goes Metal" compilation
  • On With the Show - (Mötley Crüe cover)
  • Rock and Roll High School - (Appeared on the bonus disk for "A Tribute to the Ramones")
  • Butterfly - (Appeared on "Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer")
  • Science Fiction/Double Feature (reprise) -(Appeared on "Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show")

B-Sides

  • Welcome the Night- (Welcome the Night b-side that was released on the Not Capable of Love single)
  • A Beautiful Mistake - (Released as a B-side. This song was originally intended to be on So Long, Astoria but was removed at the last minute.)
  • The Driftwood Sinn - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • The Ghost of Last December - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • The First Elegy - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • Sonnet For the Early Departed - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • A Second Dictum - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • Oh Kansas City - (Welcome the Night b-side)
  • Anderson - (Anywhere But Here b-side, appeared on the Anywhere But Here re-release)
  • Going Back to Madeira - (Unreleased Anywhere But Here b-side)
  • Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits - (Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits b-side, appeared on Let it Burn)
  • That Special Girl - (Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits b-side, appeared on Look Forward To Failure)
  • Teenager of the Year - (Lo-Tel cover, appeared on Australian-only tour EP)

Notes and references

  1. ^ "The Ataris Begin Again From The Beginning". strangeglue.com. 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2007-09-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Official sites


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