Kris Roe also took on the role of managing other punk bands such as Useless ID from Haifa, Israel. They collaborated on a split EP entitled "Let It Burn". Kris also acted as co-producer with Mass Giorgini (whose other production credits include working alongside Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day) for a ]label]Cincinnati, OH-based band called the National Trust in 2004, an album which is as-of-yet unreleased..
After a long delay, the album End Is Forever was released in 2001. This album was a testament to Kris Roe's increasing maturity as a songwriter. Most of the songs, especially "Fast Times at Dropout High", touched on very personal and emotional topics such as losing a sibling because his parents gave his newborn brother away for adoption. Once again the lineup changed, with John Collura replacing Peña on guitar.
On the 24th of June 2002 The Ataris left Kung Fu Records and signed with Columbia Records. Later in that year they recorded their 6th album, "So Long, Astoria", released on March 4th, 2003. This album was responsible for giving them their break into the mainstream audience and generated many successful singles, including "In This Diary" and their cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer".
After touring behind the album for most of 2003, the band began writing the follow-up to "So Long, Astoria". Much of 2004 was spent in inactivity. In February of 2004, the band released "Live At The Metro", an album containing a full concert at The Metro in Chicago, as well as acoustic tracks. Mike Davenport and Chris Knapp left the band in early 2005.
Recording of "Welcome the Night" began in February 2005. Along with it came five new members - Sean Hansen filling the bass position, Shane Chickeles on drums, and guitarist Paul Carabello, Angus Cooke (Who played Cello on "End Is Forever"), and Bob Hoag on 3rd guitar, Cello, and Keyboards respectively. The group spent all of spring and summer recording at Seedy Underbelly in Los Angeles. "Welcome the Night" was orginally due out in April or May of 2006 but as of March 2006 the release date was pushed back to July of 2006. The release date of this album was once again been pushed back to possibly early 2007 after The Ataris asked to be released from their contract with Columbia Records, which the label agreed too. The "Welcome the Night" album was released in late February to an eager Ataris fan base. Unfortunately, it was not what they expected. The "Welcome the Night" album took a completely different approach to music. In a drastic deviation from his past traditions of whimsical, nostalgic pop songs, Roe used the new album to pursue a much more mature post-rock/progressive sound, an initiative which many speculate arose from the divorce of his wife and other personal conflicts. While "Welcome the Night" is certainly a great departure from The Ataris' roots, Roe has indicated that their upcoming release will attempt to return to the happy, youthful overtures that older fans have grown accustomed to.
Anderson
The Ataris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your life is useless, your life is really shot.
Gun totin' losers, beer swillin' hicks,
Backwoods hilljacks, stupid teenage chicks
Hate it here, I hate it here, this Anderson hell
Life sucks but you're too blind to tell
Don't you know I really hate it here
Don't you know I really hate it here?
Who have you done, who have you got?
Your wife's a douchebag, your kid's a little fucking snot
Nothing to do, no place to go
You're so blind, you don't even know
Hate it here, I hate it here this Anderson hell
Life sucks but you're too blind to tell
Don't you know I really hate it
Oh yes I really hate it
I'd rather be anywhere but here
Will you ever get out or will you just die?
(Probably die)
I don't care anymore, or even want to try
Trailer park bred, fast food fed,
Forever K-Mart shopping, fucked in the head
Hate it here, I hate it here this Franklin (insert your town here) hell
Life sucks but you're too blind to tell
Don't you know I really hate it here-
Still I'll do nothing about it...
Id rather be anywhere but fucking here"
The lyrics to The Ataris song "Anderson" are a scathing critique of a small town, where the singer feels trapped, disappointed and devoid of hope. The song's opening lines set the tone for the rest of the track, highlighting the bleakness of life in Anderson, a place where many of the inhabitants seem to value guns, alcohol, and ignorance over anything more meaningful. The lyrics emphasize how the locals' attitudes and behaviors contribute to making the town an unbearable place to live.
The frustration and sense of entrapment of the singer in the town are palpable in the lines "Life sucks but you're too blind to tell" and "I'd rather be anywhere but here". The repetition of "hate it here" emphasizes the strong feelings of despair and anger that the singer feels toward the place. The final verse, "Still, I'll do nothing about it... I'd rather be anywhere but fucking here" suggests a sense of apathy and resignation, as if the singer feels too powerless or too defeated to attempt anything to change their circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
What have I done, what have I got?
Reflecting on one's accomplishments and possessions, feeling unfulfilled
Your life is useless, your life is really shot.
Believing that one's existence has no purpose and is failing
Gun totin' losers, beer swillin' hicks,
Describing the people in the area as stereotypical and narrow-minded
Backwoods hilljacks, stupid teenage chicks
Further stereotyping the people in the area as ignorant and undesirable
Hate it here, I hate it here, this Anderson hell
Expressing immense dissatisfaction with one's current place of residence
Life sucks but you're too blind to tell
Feeling that life is miserable, but others do not realize it or choose to ignore it
Don't you know I really hate it here
Imploring others to recognize the severity of the situation
And I will always hate it
Resigning oneself to the idea that things will never improve
Who have you done, who have you got?
Questioning others about their accomplishments and possessions
Your wife's a douchebag, your kid's a little fucking snot
Displaying animosity towards family members
Nothing to do, no place to go
Feeling bored and stagnant, with no options for entertainment or adventure
You're so blind, you don't even know
Believing others are oblivious to the negative aspects of their lives
Oh yes I really hate it
Reiterating one's intense loathing for the current living situation
I'd rather be anywhere but here
Expressing the desire to leave the area and start anew elsewhere
Will you ever get out or will you just die?
Questioning whether one will ever escape the negative environment or will simply succumb to the misery
(Probably die)
Sarcastically predicting a negative outcome
I don't care anymore, or even want to try
Losing all motivation and interest in making a change
Trailer park bred, fast food fed,
Referring to the poor and unhealthy lifestyle prevalent in the area
Forever K-Mart shopping, fucked in the head
Insinuating that the people in the area lack sophistication and class
Still I'll do nothing about it...
Acknowledging one's lack of initiative towards making a positive change
Id rather be anywhere but fucking here
Reiterating the desire to leave the area and find a different living situation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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