Alright so I know the Ataris aren’t exactly the greatest band ever, but I was really into them back when I was about 13 years old. They’ve definitely had a few bumps in the road.. wait.. a few? Ha ha, it’s sad to say that I can barely think of a band that has had a worse downhill slope than these guys.

Ataris, way back in the day...

I remember a time (2001 to be exact…) when the Ataris were headlining the Van’s Warped Tour. Needless to say, I doubt that will ever happen again.. haha.. sorry, Kris!

Album Timeline:

“Welcome the Night” 2007
“So Long, Astoria” 2003
“end is forever” 2000
“Blue Skies, Broken Hearts… Next 12 Exits” 1999
“Look Forward to Failure” E.P. 1998
“Anywhere But Here” 1997

But ya know, they’re one of those bands that I feel like I will always kind of keep track of, just because at one point in my life.. although it was many, many years ago.. I really liked them. They’re definitely a band that had their time, and it seems like it’s past, but they are (of course) still trying to cling on for dear life.

I saw them last night at a small venue here in Louisville, KY called Skull Alley (an all ages venue that barely holds 50 people). Sad to say.. it wasn’t even that crowded. www.skullalley.net

Ataris, 2009

They pretty much lost most of their fan base when they left Kung Fu Records to puruse a career with Columbia Records. Tisk tisk.. typical sell out move? Maybe. But many people never put themselves in the bands’ shoes, and think that they are going somewhere where more people can hear their music, more stores can distribute it and it will, obviously, lead to a bigger paycheck.

Back when I was really into them, they were never on the radio. Then, once they moved onto Columbia, they had two singles that made it to the airwaves: “In This Diary” and “Boys of Summer”

I was so dissapointed with “Welcome the Night” (their most recent release, 2007), and I’m sad to say that I am dreading the sound of their newest album. Hopefully they’ll realize (and by “they” I really mean the ONLY remaining original member, Kris Roe) that they had way more fans when they were playing music like the “Blue Skies…” album, and may resort to playing more like they used to. I mean, I’m not as into “pop-punk” as I used to be, but it’s way better than the crap on “Welcome the Night” …. trust me.

So.. to conclude: The Ataris are another downhill band that makes me kind of sad, but in the end many bands are simply reaping the consequences of their “time” being over, or possibly a bad decision (*cough cough* COLUMBIA RECORDS), but hey.. to each it’s own!

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