The History Of: At The Drive-In

In a time when addias rock and rap-metal seemed to rule the world. One band released a CD that was relatively unknown but more then likely the best CD to come out in the year of 2000. This album was Relationship Of Command and that band was At The Drive-In. although you might know part of them as The Mars Volta and the rest as Sparta. ATDI consisted of Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez/L guitars, Cedric Bixler/Voice, Jim Ward/R. Guitars/Keyboards, Paul Hanjos/bass, Tony Hajjar/Drums.At The Drive-In takes the best of those two bands and fuses them together to get something totally raw heartfelt and something sonically unique and different from the more korny sounding bands at the time.

ATDI formed in 1994 from various bands in El Paso Texas and quickly released there 1st EP "Hell Paso". They toured briefly for this EP mostly around texas and then released there 2nd EP "Alfaro Vive, Carajo!" once again a small toured followed,mostly empty houses and small clubs except this time the toured was not just limited to texas. They toured most of the Western united states behind this release. But great things where to come from this tour. At a small gig in L.A. filled with no more then 9 people they caught the attention of Flipside records.

The Band signed with Flipside records and in 1996 released their 1st full-length album "Acrobatic Tenement". With non stop touring and a incredible live show and through word of mouth ATDI started developing a audience and started turning into a underground sensation. In 1997 they released their follow up EP "El Gran Orgo" This record was a indication of where ATDI was heading sonically. That EP was more melodic then any other album they had previously released. But it still had the raw sound and depth that ATDI had become known for.

In 1998 there next LP followed "In/Casino/Out" once again a tour followed that would this time take the band across the U.S. and beyond. This album was another step up from "El Gran Orgo" and it would become a fan favorite. In 1999 they released another EP "Vaya" would be over shadowed by there next release and arguebly there best release. In the winter of 1999 ATDI went into the studio with Ross Robinson and Andy Wallace to record "Relationship Of Command" a record that would change and influence so many bands to this day.

In 2000 ATDI released "Relationship Of Command" and quickly become a underground favorite. But like all great alot of great underground bands. ATDI would have a breif period of popularity thanks in part by the single "One Armed Scissor". The single became a growing hit and the band would soon find a video for it on MTV, Much music (now Fuse) a other various video and radio outlets. But like all good things they must come to an end.

In 2001 ATDI took a break and went on "indefinite hiatus". "After a six-year, non-stop cycle of record/tour/record/tour," said guitarist Omar Rodriguez, "we are going on an indefinite hiatus. We need time to rest-up and re-evaluate, just to be human beings again and to decide when we feel like playing music again." In one rolling stone interview. But greatness was still to come. out of the ashes of ATDI you got two talented bands. Omar and Cedrix formed what would now be The Mars Volta and Tony, Jim & Paul would form what would become Sparta.

Although they continue to make music in different bands the influcence of the ATDI can be heard today in bands like The Used, Thursday, Finch, Coheed And Cambria, and many more. In 2005 fearless records released an "This Station is Non-Operational" a anthology of ATDI fan favorites, hits, rarites & b-sides. Although this does look like the end of a band that was even quouted by Bono (U2) as one of his favorite bands. there is still hope that ATDI will get back together and make music once more. But until that day comes you'll have to settle for the mars volta or sparta. Well thanks for reading this brief history of a really talented band. If you're interested in them now just pick up the Anthology Or Relationship of command.

Comments

[Cosmonaut]

they will never get back together. cedric hates jim ward.

[BigFatSandwich]

thank god.

good article, the mars volta owns them though.

[primoriot]

Cedric doesn't hate Jim Ward. The two had different ideas for where they wanted the band to go. The commercial success ROC was nearing was where Jim wanted the band to go and Cedric wanted to keep the band underground. The two mentalities can easily be seen in Sparta's constant television exposure on Late Show's and Mars Volta's lack of commercial success. Sparta tours with bands like the Chili Peppers and plays big venues while Mars Volta headlines small shows at clubs and smallers venues.

[MCRrocks]

yaayy i didn't know many people who even knew of at the drive in! : )

[)Eric(Draven]

Awesome.

[Travis^Co]

At the drive in are awesome. Give Brazil a listen if you're into ATDI. They're on the same label and heavily influenced by them.

[sum loser]

didn't Ward OD?

[Ethorf]

uhh volta small time? lack of commercial success? are you livin under a rock? they tour with SYSTEM OF A DOWN! i.e big arena shows every other night, volta is way way WAY bigger than sparta

[im not mental]

Mars Volta headlines small shows at clubs and smallers venues.

THEY ARE OPENING FOR SYSTEM OF A DOWN IN STADIUM SHOWS! HOW CAN YOU MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT?


anyways, i like Mars Volta, and I've been kinda interested in hearing some of ATDI's stuff. I'll definetely check em out.

[they're red hot]

Mars Volta toured with the ****ing Chili Peppers primoriot!

[gonzosrevenge55]

yep, and john fruscante and flea appear on both of their full length albums. on frances, flea plays trumpet.

i heard sparta. wasn't impressed.

[gonzosrevenge55]

oh, and i'm going to see the mars volta and system on friday. me am so happy.

[validlitterdept]

i dont like mars volta and saw sparta and also dont like them. but at the drive-in rock (hence my name). probably one of my all time fave bands.

[mypoorbrain]

I saw The Mars Volta back in 2004 (I think) at the Melbourne leg of the Big Day Out. Blew me away. THE most electric live act I've ever seen.

Sparta are no good. They toured with blink182, and, well, they were pretty boring. Wiretap Scars sucked, although Porcelain was a heap better.

[rasker]

sparta toured with queens of the stone age in 2003 (atleast in Europe).

and I can't belive some of you rate TMV over ATDI.. both great, but you can't really beat ATDI.

and for the writer, you should have brought up some info about how the lineup changed through the years for ATDI.

[CaptainKrontos]

Kinda brief, but it got down all the big events well.

[Ambulance X]

Mars Volta>>>> Sparta. Sparta practically fell off the face of the earth. And on top of that, Jim is now the only original ATDI member in Sparta now. Paul left to be sound manipulator for TMV.

And I never knew Bono liked ATDI. That's pretty surprising.

[UtBDan]

Too short and SUCH HORRIBLE GRAMMAR AND SPELLING. 2 stars.

[UtBDan]

forgot we're no longer doing stars, double the 2 and make it a 4.

[frying nemo08]

meh,this was too short for this band. there was so much that was left out. 3/10

[psychodelia]

I like ATDI better than either of the follow-ups, although I like mars volta better of the two.

To be honest, I don't see a huge ATDI influence in bands like the Used, but thats just me.

[Roostashag]

Thank Godf some people are starting to listen to ATDI and Mars Volta. They both kick ass.

[Roostashag]

Though i must admit it was quite short.

[jeeba jaba]

I think this article was a tad skimpy on the actual history of the band, it was really just an article on the order of at the drive-in's album releases, pretty weak article if you ask me. Anyone that thinks the Mars Volta is less commercial than Sparta, I'm sorry, that's just wrong, as they both tour with huge acts, and play in ginormous arenas, not to mention, are both on major labels.

[Unseen_hero]

mypoorbrain wrote:

I saw The Mars Volta back in 2004 (I think) at the Melbourne leg of the Big Day Out. Blew me away. THE most electric live act I've ever seen.

Sparta are no good. They toured with blink182, and, well, they were pretty boring. Wiretap Scars sucked, although Porcelain was a heap better.

i actually like wiretap better; they still had credentials. If jim's the only atd-i member left, what happened to tony the drummer?

Has anyone heard the statement made by cedric that if refused got back together, atd-i would too and they would tour.... that very well could be one of the greatest ****ing things ever.

[emoISaDEADgenre]

how could you include the Used in this article?!?! it makes atd-i look bad...


anyway, it was a nice article besides that. and i LOVE atd-i, so yay!

[Einzigerfan03]

Sorry to those who did not like it i do apologize for the grammatical errors. But about it being short you guys can just kiss my ass on that one i did say BRIEF history not a in-depth history all though i will write one soon. But anyways what the heck did Cedric say about refusing to get back together because i didnt hear that comment but i knew that they had musical differences.

[SidewalkCyborg]

I stumbled onto this article while scouring Google for a live version of "Cosmonaut." Its an intriguing history of the band, but (no offense to the author) riddled with grammatical errors that complicate its legibility. Nonetheless, I learned a few interesting things.

I think it is almost better in some ways that ATDI went out the way they did, leaving us wanting more than less. "Relationship of Command" is such a badass album that I don't think ATDI could have followed it up with anything nearly as good. Plus, we got two insane bands emerging from the ruins with MARS VOLTA and SPARTA. Anyone on this page claiming TMV is an underground band needs to have their head examined. Different and avant-guard, yes; but certainly not obscure. Christ, the media eats up those exploding afros and butt-tight jeans. But even Cedric needs to put food on the table, and touring through podunk towns in Texas with broken guitar strings and split snare-heads ain't going to pay the rent. SPARTA has made two solid records and is better than a heap of the post-punk / emo bands that are out there (though Jim threw me for a curve ball with all the broken heart ballads on "Porcelain"). I hope both bands continue on the paths they're currently following, though I'd be stoked to see Omar ditch the lame and irksome sounds and noises that bleed from one song into the next, as he did on "Frances the Mute." ("Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore" is a killer song, but you have to sit through 4 minutes of mouse-squeaking before you get to Flea's horn intro!!!!)

[take_the_viel30]

ATDI is ****ing dope, no question about it.

[take_the_viel30]

So is The Mars volta.

[Cygnus]

um volta toured with the chili peppers.