The Ataris

At the age of 19 Kris went to a Vandals show in Indianapolis show and gave Warren Fritzgerald, lead singer of the Vandals, a demo tape that Kris and a friend recorded on a four track. The Vandals label Kung Fu Records were looking for new bands to sign. Kris was just what the Vandals were looking for. Kris moved from Anderson, IN to Santa Barbara, CA (where he now lives) where he found two more members to complete the Ataris.They were Derrick Lorde,a former Lagwagon drummer and Jasin Thomason, a bass player. They got their name from Kris's huge Atari game collection.They released their first full length cd "...Anywhere But Here" in 1997. Derrick and Jasin both left the band for different reasons. Kris then found new members Patrick Riley, Michael Davenport, and Chris "Kid" Knapp for a release on Fat Wreck Chords entitled "Look Forward To Failure" (Produced by members of the Descendents). The EP was Fat Wreck's biggest seller for months, it also madeThe Ataris better know to the punk scene.The Ataris went on to release "Blue Skies,Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits"(produced by Lagwagon singer/producer, Joey Cape) on Kung Fu Records. Blue Skies has sold an average of over 600 copies per week worldwide since its April 1999 release, and still growing. Patrick left the band to go back to school. (He is now in a band called Five And Dime) and The Ataris gained Marco Pena.The Ataris released a split cd with Israel punkers Useless I.D. called "Let It Burn." The Ataris released their newest cd "End Is Forever" in late 2000 which was their last Kung Fu CD to be released. On July 30th, after his last show in LA, Marco left the band because of "minor creative and personal differences" and John, the Ataris guitar tech and former member of the band Beefcake became the new guitar player for The Ataris. In August of 2001 Ataris got signed to Columbia Records after their contract with Kung Fu had expired and which record label The Ataris would go to was undecided for a while. Columbia still want The Ataris to release 7" or EPs on Kung Fu.