At the Drive-In are Jim, Cedric, Omar, Paul and Tony. A chaotic five-piece hailing from
El Paso, Texas, they have started from zero, paid their dues and are now getting paid by
Grand Royal records, started by Mike Diamond of the
Beastie Boys. The label also boasts artists such as
Ben Lee and
Luscious Jackson, among others.
ATDI put their first 7" Hell Paso out on Western Breed records, which was an independently owned label run by some inspired kids in the El Paso scene. Their next 7 inch, "Alfaro Vive, Carajo!" was also released on Western Breed. Later these were rereleased on Offtime Records, a now defunct record label put out their first EP, "El Gran Orgo" as well in 1997.
A full-length, Acrobatic Tenement was also recorded and released on Flipside Records out in California, which also no longer exists.
Between the summers of 1997 and 1998 they slowly gained a cult following, mostly being lauded on internet message boards, independent zines and the like. They played for audiences of 5 to 250, depending on the city and the other bands playing. When they opened, the headliners were often outdone. In the summer of 1998 they released "in/casino/out", their second full-length, on Fearless Records. They spent quite some time on the road for the rest of the year, playing with bands like Archers of Loaf and even Fugazi as well as headlining many shows. Their chaos and energy on their recordings was nothing compared to their live show, and word of the band spread like wildfire.
1999 saw the release of Vaya on Fearless Records, an EP which showcased the band's versatility but was basically just pretty noisy. They toured to support it, were met with great success and were signed to DEN Records, which later merged with Grand Royal. This five-piece bundle of kinetic energy had finally made the majors.
In the fall of 2000, they released their major label debut, Relationship of Command, which holds true to their roots as well as developing their skill, retaining their artistic integrity and taking advantage of the benefits that substantial financial backing provide.
Afterthought: As of 2001, At The Drive-In has officially gone "on
hiatus", meaning they broke up. (I blame the majors.)
Discography
discography pulled from the ATDI website found at http://www.atthedrive-in.net. history combined from online resources, the el paso kids and personal experience.