At the Drive-In
Formed: 1994
Location: El Paso, Texas, USA
Genre: Post-Hardcore, Emo
Years Active: 1994 - 2001;
Meaning of the Name: Inspired by the song 'At the Movies' by Bad Brains.
Core Members: Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward
Way of Working: Collaborative
Associated: The Mars Volta, Sparta
Essential Releases
Vaya EP (1999)
Furious, artistic, explosive.
Relationship of
Command (2000)
An all-time post-hardcore great.
After six years and three albums, At the Drive-In broke into the mainstream. Their sound was a post-hardcore that was loud, frantic, and unapologetic, while the pop-punk that filled MTV was a suburban noise complaint ending with the band's begging police officers not to tell their parents amidst the promises to keep it down.
While the pop-punks complained about wanting to leave their hometowns, ATDI raged about the murder of female factory workers in Mexico. They made music with almost no regard for the casual listener, the second half of their track '300Mhz' is sung almost entirely in German, which indicated a prioritisation of artistic expression ahead of commercial appeal.
Eventually, through refining their craft and slowly building a fanbase, their work would sit side by side on the same music channels, and on the same magazine covers as Good Charlotte and their like. The band had every right to be proud. They made the music they wanted to make the way they wanted to make it without compromise.
The good times wouldn't last. In 2001, after years of relentless touring the band split. Their breakthrough album had only released in 2000. The guys had spent years on the road and it led to some personal animosities and addictions to heroin.
The fallout wasn't pretty. Vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala said that the group was holding him back. He wanted to go beyond punk in an altogether different direction. Together with Omar Rodriguez, known together by some fans as the afro two, they formed The Mars Volta and started making prog rock. The remaining three members formed Sparta, and continued making the post-hardcore At the Drive-In were known for.
The comments by Cedric upset the former ATDI guitarist, and singer of Sparta, Jim Ward. To make matters worse, Jim had a cousin, Jeremy Ward, who went on tour with The Mars Volta as their sound manipulator. Jeremy never came home. He died of a heroin overdose while touring and his death hit Jim hard, as he likely believed heroin played a key part in the end of his band, as well as the death of his family member.
At the Drive-In would eventually reunite and even released a new album in 2017, but it would be without Ward. When asked about the reunion Ward said: "I haven't got much to say about anything except with songs, which I will continue to make and release."
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
90
Mental Impact
80
Originality
75
Artistry
65
Authenticity
45
Live
90
Production
70
Musicianship
85
Screaming
85
Songwriting
85
Danceability
60
Fun
40
Consistency
65
Range
60
Cool
25
Charisma
60
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards
Certifications >>>
- Relationship of Command (2000): Gold in Australia & the UK
Charts
Critics
- Kerrang!: Relationship of Command - Best Albums of 2000: 2nd
CRITICISM
- Jim Ward said he was kicked out of the band three weeks before their 2016 reunion tour. Some fans didn't consider the band to be back together without him and were disappointed in the tour and their subsequent 2017 release 'in.ter a.li.a'.
