At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis (guitar, vocals).
At the Drive-In
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
- 1994–2001
- 2012
- 2016–2018
- Rise
- Transgressive
- Fearless
- Grand Royal
- Twenty-first Chapter
- Cedric Bixler-Zavala
- Jim Ward
- Omar Rodríguez-López
- Paul Hinojos
- Tony Hajjar
- Keeley Davis
- Jarrett Wrenn
- Kenny Hopper
- Bernie Rincon
- Davy Simmons
- Adam Amparan
- Ryan Sawyer
- Ben Rodriguez
After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar. At the Drive-In released three studio albums and five EPs before breaking up in 2001. Their third and final album before their split, 2000's Relationship of Command, received a number of accolades and is cited as a landmark of the post-hardcore genre. Following the breakup, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López formed the Mars Volta while Ward, Hinojos, and Hajjar formed Sparta; Hinojos would later join the Mars Volta.
At the Drive-In reunited in January 2012 and played the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as the 2012 Lollapalooza Festival. In 2016, the band reunited for a second time, with guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Jim Ward no longer participating. He was replaced by Sparta's Keeley Davis. The band released their fourth studio album, in•ter a•li•a, in 2017. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.[1]
Musical style and influences[edit]
At the Drive-In's style is usually described as post-hardcore.[33][34][35] Their sound has also been called punk rock,[36] emo,[37][38] and art punk.[39][40] Some of the group's influences are Indian Summer, Swing Kids, Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate (referred to by Ward as "Fugazi beyond Fugazi"), Bad Brains, and the Gravity Records-led post-hardcore sound of the 1990s that featured acts such as Antioch Arrow and Heroin.[41] In their last period before their initial breakup, the biggest influences of At the Drive-In included bands such as Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, and The Nation of Ulysses, with frontman Bixler-Zavala going on to say that "there would be no Relationship of Command without Drive Like Jehu."[42][43][44] The band also performed cover versions of songs such as "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" by The Smiths and "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" by Pink Floyd, both included in the 2004 compilation This Station Is Non-Operational.[45] Their name was taken from the fact that Bad Brains took their name from the Ramones' song "Bad Brain" (from Road to Ruin), and Bixler-Zavala liked the Bad Brains' song title "At the Movies" (featured in Rock for Light), while Ward liked "at the drive-in" from the chorus of the Poison song "Talk Dirty to Me" and his suggestion would eventually win out.[41]
Though In/Casino/Out was recorded live, "Relationship of Command may very well be the first record to harness the chaotic balance of adrenaline and intellect of ATDI's live performance."[46] "Ross was instrumental in bringing out a lot of feeling from us," Bixler-Zavala recalls. "We channeled a lot of emotion into this record. He pushed us farther than we thought we could go. I learned to cut loose the way we do live and not to be afraid to break something or whatever."[46] While capturing the essence of ATDI's live shows in a way never before seen, the record also featured some of the band's most experimental songs, including "Rolodex Propaganda," "Non-Zero Possibility," and "Invalid Litter Dept."
The band's guitar-playing, in the majority of their songs, is characterized by unusual chords, a fast tempo, and a quiet-loud-quiet song structure. While Jim Ward and Paul Hinojos provided the rhythmic structure of the song, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez often played more experimental riffs and melodies over the top. Effects were heavily used by Rodriguez-Lopez, especially on Relationship of Command, while Ward used the keyboard to create melody, often switching between the guitar and keyboard such as in "Invalid Litter Department".
Legacy[edit]
At the Drive-In is considered one of the most influential post-hardcore artists of the late 1990s and early 2000s.[33][34] Accolades for their album Relationship of Command include being ranked 47th in the 50 Greatest Albums of the 21st century in Kerrang!, 83rd on Spin Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums 1985–2005, and 90 on MTV2's greatest albums ever list.[47][48] BBC's Mike Diver stated that the success and eventual "landmark status" of the album helped post-hardcore position itself as a "vital commercial force," adding that Relationship of Command "is the high against which every post-hardcore record since 2000 has been measured."[34]
In October 2011, Rock Sound magazine inducted Relationship of Command into Rock Sound's Hall Of Fame. Their writer Ryan Bird spoke about the legacy of the album, stating that "though At the Drive-In may not have built the road, they were most certainly leading the convoy, allowing those who followed behind to reap the benifits [sic] of their navigation while they crashed and burned on the hard shoulder. What remains, however, is a legacy the likes of which may not been seen again."[49]
Among the artists who have cited At the Drive-In as an influence or expressed admiration for them are …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Thursday,[50] Billy Talent,[51][52] Biffy Clyro,[53] Underoath,[54] Will Swan of Dance Gavin Dance,[55][56] Nick Hipa of As I Lay Dying,[57] The Fall of Troy,[58] Jamie Lenman,[59] Rolo Tomassi,[60][61] La Dispute,[62][63] Mutiny on the Bounty,[64] sleepmakeswaves,[65] Jarvis Cocker, Night Verses,[66] and St Vincent.[67]