The Ataris

Formed in 1995 in Anderson, Indiana, The Ataris are part of the American pop-punk and melodic punk rock wave, centered on songwriter, singer and guitarist Kristopher Roe, the only permanent member over the years. After very DIY beginnings and a debut album, Anywhere but Here, released in 1997 on the independent label Kung Fu Records, The Ataris gained visibility with Blue Skies, Broken Hearts... Next 12 Exits in 1999 and End Is Forever in 2001, recorded after the group's relocation to Santa Barbara, California. Signing with Columbia Records led to So Long, Astoria in 2003, an album that marked an important step for The Ataris, notably thanks to their cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer", and refined a style where melodic choruses, fast guitars and nostalgic lyrics sometimes tilt into a register described as emo. In 2007, Welcome the Night explored darker, more atmospheric writing on the borders of indie rock. Amid lineup changes, regular touring and occasional releases of unreleased tracks or demo compilations, The Ataris remain associated with the 1990s and 2000s pop-punk scene, with a repertoire centered on youth, memory and disenchantment.