Pop Punk/Alternative Rock
About :
The Ataris have produced several full-length recordings of relatively cookie-cutter pop-punk. Taking more influence from mainstream alternative acts than the punk artists they tour with, the Ataris were discovered by Vandals founder Joe Escalante in early 1997, after songwriter Kris Roe met him at a Vandals concert. Impressed by his demo tape, Escalante asked Roe to put together a full band and record for his label, Kung-Fu Records. Vocalist/guitarist Roe picked up and moved to California in search of bandmates, and eventually added guitarist Marco Peña, bassist Mike Davenport, and former Lagwagon drummer Derrick Plourde. Plourde was later replaced by new drummer Chris Knapp.
The newly formed Ataris made their first record, Anywhere But Here, for Kung-Fu and soon came to the notice of Fat Wreck Chords owner Fat Mike. Realizing the opportunity to move to a stronger, better-grounded label, the Ataris willingly signed to Fat Wreck. They quickly issued an EP, Look Forward to Failure, produced by several members of the Descendents. Early in 1999, the band released their second full-length album, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits. After the album's release, they toured with MxPx, blink-182, and Homegrown before issuing Let It Burn in 2000. End Is Forever followed in 2001, after which the Ataris made the leap to the majors with 2003's So Long, Astoria on Columbia. The album featured new guitarist John Collura; it sold well and tracks like "In This Diary" and the Don Henley cover "The Boys of Summer" were successful on MTV and the modern rock charts. Live at the Metro followed in February 2004, though not much else band activity occurred that year.
After spending several months recording their fifth album and Astoria follow-up, the Ataris chose to leave Columbia in early summer 2006 amid much turnover in the label's staff and rumors of an impending merger with Epic. The album's July release was consequently delayed, though the band pressed on label-less with various South American tour dates. Sonic and lineup changes had also ensued, and by this time, the band (with its new post-rock vibe) was sporting a whopping seven members: Roe, Collura, guitarist/vocalist Paul Carabello, cellist Angus Cooke, keyboardist Bob Hoag, bassist Sean Hansen, and drummer Shane Chikeles. They eventually created their own label, Isola Recordings, and through a partnership with Sanctuary finally issued Welcome the Night, a darker, more rock-based effort, in February 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 Roe's 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, Roe 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 Roe 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 2.
In June of 1997, Roe moved from Anderson, Indiana to Santa Barbara, California. Shortly afterward, Marko Desantis joined the band on bass for a short time. 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. Roe, 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 Roe 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 Peña'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, DIYapproach to the band. They then found more success with their 1998 EP Look Forward to Failure, released on San Francisco punk label Fat Wreck Chords. 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 a 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 Roe 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 (2003–05)
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 Peña'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. 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, straightforward rock sound, not unlike Jimmy Eat World. This album also included their original hit cover song, originally recorded by Don Henley "The Boys of Summer," which much to the dismay of the band became their "accidental" second single after a radio station, KROQ in Los Angeles 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 Spider-Man 2 soundtrack and an appearance at Hellfest. So Long, Astoria sold well in excess of 500,000 copies and was certified gold.
After a number of 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, Roe headed back to Indiana while Collura moved back to New York; though the pair would later regroup to begin the recordings of the band's next album.
Welcome the Night (2005–07)
After some time off, Roe and Collura 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 recordingWelcome 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 fifth album Welcome the Night as February 20, 2007. Welcome the Nightdebuted at number 85 on the Billboard charts with over 10,000 copies sold. Following the album's release, the band embarked on a tour of the United States and Europe.
The Graveyard of the Atlantic (since 2007)
Songwriter Kris Roe stated in a blog post that the band's new material would see a return to the more upbeat sound from albums like End Is Forever. He said, "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.".
In Spring 2008, three members of the Indiana-based band The Widow Jenkins joined The Ataris, replacing the Welcome The Night-era lineup after an amicable split. The band began recording demos for their next album at The Gallows Studio in Muncie, Indiana. Roe described the songs as "just very melodic, raw, catchy, upbeat, sing along rock songs" and "definitely everything the opposite of slick, polished and over produced."
In December 2008, the band recorded much of their new album at Flying Blanket Studios in Arizona.
Kris Roe played a number of acoustic shows throughout Europe from January through March 2009. The full band then toured South America and played on the Warped Tour in summer 2009.
Roe finished the new album's vocal and guitar parts in April 2009. The album was mixed at The Blasting Room, in Fort Collins, CO and is expected to be released in the spring of 2010. Roe has confirmed the song "Fast Times at Dropout High", from the End is Forever album, will be re-recorded for the new album. On April 9, the band posted a rough demo of "All Souls Day", as well as an untitled acoustic demo. The Ataris recently uploaded a mastered version of their track "All Souls Day" which will be included both on their upcoming CD and the 2009 Warped tour compilation CD.
In August, Kris Roe posted a blog on the band's Myspace page informing that the new album will be named The Graveyard of the Atlantic. The album will be released in Japan by Bullion Records. The band is currently in talks with several labels in regards to the release of the album in the rest of the world.
Members :
Kristopher Roe : Vocals,Guitar,Percussions (1995-Present),Bass, Drum Machine(1995-1996)
Aaron Glass : Guitar (2009-Present)
Bryan Nelson : Bass (2008-Present)
Jake Dwiggins : Drums (2008-Present)
Former Members :
Chris Swinney – guitar (2008–2009)
John Collura – guitar, piano, backing vocals (2001–2008)
Paul Carabello – guitar, percussion, backing vocals (2005–2008)
Shane Chikeles – drums (2005–2008)
Eric Doucette – bass (2007–2008)
Angus Cooke – cello, percussion (2004–2007)
Sean Hansen – bass, percussion, backing vocals (2006–2007)
Bob Hoag – piano, keyboards, mellotron, percussion, backing vocals (2006–2007)
Chris Knapp – drums (1998–2005)
Mike Davenport – bass (1998–2005)
Marco Peña – guitar (1999–2001)
Patrick Riley – guitar (1998)
Derrick Plourde – drums (1996–1997)
Marko DeSantis – bass (1996–1997)
Jasin Thomason – guitar (1995–1997)
