Editing Atari Teenage Riot

{{short description|German digital hardcore band}}
{{Lead too short|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Atari Teenage Riot
| image           = Atari Teenage Riot 2010 02.jpg
| caption         = [[Nic Endo]] and [[Alec Empire]] performing at Fusion Festival in 2010
| image_size      = 250px
| origin          = [[Berlin]], Germany
| genre           = [[Digital hardcore]], [[Industrial music|industrial]]
| years_active    = 1992–2000, 2010–present<ref name="gigwise.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/54134/Atari-Teenage-Riot-Reform-For-London-Show |title=Atari Teenage Riot 'Reform For London Show' |publisher=Gigwise |date=13 January 2010 |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref>
| label           = [[Digital Hardcore Recordings|Digital Hardcore]], [[Phonogram Records|Phonogram]], [[Grand Royal]], [[Dim Mak Records|Dim Mak]]
| associated_acts =
| website         =
| current_members = [[Alec Empire]]<br/>[[Nic Endo]]<br/>[[Rowdy Superstar]]
| past_members    = [[Hanin Elias]]<br/>[[Carl Crack]]<br/>CX KiDTRONiK
}}

'''Atari Teenage Riot''' ('''ATR''') is a German band formed in [[Berlin]] in 1992. Highly political, they fuse [[Anarchism|anarchist]] and [[Anti-fascism|anti-fascist]] views with [[punk rock|punk]] vocals and a techno sound called [[digital hardcore]], which is a term band member [[Alec Empire]] used as the name of his record label [[Digital Hardcore Recordings]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book
| first= Martin C.
| last= Strong
| year= 2000
| title= The Great Rock Discography
| edition= 5th
| publisher= Mojo Books
| location= Edinburgh
| page= 35
| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref> After a long hiatus in 2000, they re-formed in 2010.

==History==
Atari Teenage Riot was founded as an attack on the [[Neo-Nazi]] subculture by fusing hardcore punk views with German techno; it consisted of three [[Berlin]]ers—[[Alec Empire]], [[Hanin Elias]] and [[Rapping|MC]] [[Carl Crack]]. ATR's early releases (which included the track "Hetzjagd Auf Nazis!"/"Hunt Down the Nazis!") were surrounded by controversy in Germany.

After signing to major European label [[Phonogram Records]] in 1993, the band received a large financial advance<ref>{{cite web|last=Cooper |first=Sean |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/atari-teenage-riot-mn0000608746 |title=Atari Teenage Riot - Music Biography, Credits and Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=6 September 2001 |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref> which they duplicitously used to set up their own [[record label]]: [[Digital Hardcore Recordings]] (DHR). ATR never delivered a commercially viable demo to Phonogram.<ref name="atronion">{{cite web|last=Hansen |first=Todd |url=http://www.avclub.com/content/node/23323 |title=Atari Teenage Riot &#124; Interview |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=23 July 1997 |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref>

The major label [[Intercord]] signed the group in 1995 for Germany. ATR's record label [[Digital Hardcore Recordings]] released the debut album ''Delete Yourself!'' internationally. In 1996 the [[Beastie Boys]] licensed the album and released it in the US with extra songs under the title ''Burn Berlin Burn'' on their label [[Grand Royal]].

The band toured in 1997 with [[Wu-Tang Clan]], [[Rage Against the Machine]], [[Nine Inch Nails]], [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]], [[Moby]] and [[Beck]] because of the success of their album ''Burn Berlin Burn''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://castleparty.com/digital_hardcore_legend_atari_teenage_riot,id,10,aktualnosci.html | title=Castle Party - Digital hardcore legend: Atari Teenage Riot }}</ref> 

In 1996, ATR was joined by [[Nic Endo]], a noise/soundscape artist, who played her first live show with ATR in the spring of 1997 during the [[South by Southwest]] festival in Austin, Texas.<ref name=Tumblr>{{cite web|url=http://riotnews.tumblr.com/post/6400405825/atari-teenage-riot-english-wikipedia-page-has-a|title=riot-news |publisher=Riotnews.tumblr.com |access-date=25 June 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318104510/http://riotnews.tumblr.com/post/6400405825/atari-teenage-riot-english-wikipedia-page-has-a|archivedate=2014-03-18}}</ref>

In 1999, ATR released the album ''60 Second Wipe Out'', which featured a number of guest artists, including rappers [[Arsonists (rap group)|The Arsonists]]. According to ''[[Magnet (magazine)|Magnet]]'', "Empire's guitar-playing values speed-thrash malevolence, and when paired with Endo's painful skronkage, the album is decidedly denser than its predecessor".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atari Teenage Riot {{!}} TheAudioDB.com |url=https://www.theaudiodb.com/artist/112614 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=www.theaudiodb.com}}</ref>

That year the band were arrested in Berlin for "inciting violence" during a performance at a protest against the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]]. Conflicts began between the 30,000-strong crowd of protestors and police while the band played their song "Revolution Action."<ref name="cmj-05-99">{{cite journal |last1=Sansone |first1=Glen |title=Atari Teenage Riot Arrested |journal=CMJ New Music Report |date=24 May 1999 |volume=58 |issue=619 |page=3 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1999/CMJ-1999-05-24.pdf |access-date=22 December 2021 |publisher=College Media, Inc. |location=Great Neck, NY |issn=0890-0795|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611181004/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1999/CMJ-1999-05-24.pdf |archive-date=2024-06-11}}</ref>

Elias left ATR at the Brixton Academy show in the winter of 1999. The plan had been to tour with [[Nine Inch Nails]] in the US during the spring of 2000, but ATR decided to cancel the show to recharge. Crack also needed time to recuperate from his psychosis attacks.<ref name=Tumblr/>

In the autumn of 2000, ATR started working on their fourth album. The song "Rage", featuring Tom Morello from [[Rage Against the Machine]], was chosen as an in-between single until the release of the fourth album. "Rage" was part of the recording sessions for ''60 Second Wipe Out'', but Empire did not feel it would fit the album.<ref name=Tumblr/>

On 6 September 2001, Crack, who had long struggled with psychiatric issues, died from an overdose of unspecified pills.<ref name="crackmtv">Corey Moss, [https://web.archive.org/web/20021106043908/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449099/20010924/atari_teenage_riot.jhtml Atari Teenage Riot Cofounder Dead At 30], [[MTV]], 24 September 2001, retrieved 13 March 2007.</ref> The media hype surrounding Crack's death is disputed by ATR. According to a friend, a few weeks before his death he had spoken about a doctor's report which said his psychosis attacks would worsen with age. According to that friend, Crack said he would rather kill himself than become a "zombie" and not be in control of his life. Witnesses have said Crack tried to reach out to his friends because he felt the psychosis starting again. When his body was found by police with large quantities of medication in his stomach, this suggested suicide. It is still unclear if this happened while he was in a state of psychosis or not (while in a psychotic state, it could be interpreted as an accident rather than suicide).<ref name=Tumblr/>

The other half of the band continue to work together. Endo assisted in the production of Empire's solo recordings, as well as being a key member of his live band. DHR released ''[[Atari Teenage Riot: 1992–2000]]'', a collection of the band's best known recordings, on 3 July 2006.

===Reformation===
[[File:W0768-Hellfest2013 AtariTeenageRiot 72287.JPG|thumb|A.T.R., {{in lang|fr}} [[:fr:Hellfest#Édition 2013|Hellfest 2013]].]]
In October 2009, Elias contacted Empire to play some concerts together, but had to refrain because of her voice.<ref>[http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/pop/fuer-immer-stoerenfried/1920476.html Interview with Alec Empire in the German newspaper "Der Tagesspiegel" on 7 September 2010]</ref> When it became clear that Elias would not show up to the first show, the band published a statement 30 minutes before show time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://riotnews.tumblr.com/post/4978040387/riot-news-com-may-2010 |title=riot-news |publisher=Riotnews.tumblr.com |access-date=25 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318061603/http://riotnews.tumblr.com/post/4978040387/riot-news-com-may-2010 |archive-date=18 March 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2010, it was announced ATR would reunite for a few live shows in Europe.<ref name="gigwise.com"/> Later in the year, they announced additional shows in Europe, North America and Asia. In early March 2010, Empire released the new ATR track "Activate" via [[SoundCloud]], which is the first song featuring their new MC, CX KiDTRONiK. "Activate" was recorded on 3 March 2010 in Berlin at the Hellish Vortex Studios. Female vocals were provided by Endo.

The band played most major festivals throughout Europe in 2010, including Reading and Leeds, and headlined the Fusion Festival in front of approximately 20,000 people. In the same year, ATR headlined a stage at Japan's Summersonic Festival, returning the following year to play at Fuji Rock Festival.<ref name="timeouttokyo">{{cite web|url=http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/5216/Atari-Teenage-Riot-the-interview |title=Atari Teenage Riot: The Interview |access-date=28 September 2012 |last=Hadfield |first=James |date=12 November 2011 |work=Time Out Tokyo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522115105/http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/5216/Atari-Teenage-Riot-the-interview |archive-date=22 May 2013}}</ref> The band had the headline slot on the electronic stage at the Berlin Festival, which is held at an old military airport in the centre of the city. Enthused, the band decided to add more dates. The live line-up of ATR, {{As of|2011|06|lc=yes}}, consisted of Empire, Endo and CX KiDTRONiK.<ref>{{Cite web |last=natalye |date=2011-10-30 |title=Interview: Atari Teenage Riot |url=https://berlinbeat.org/2011/10/30/interview-atari-teenage-riot/ |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=berlinbeat |language=en}}</ref>

On 12 October 2010, [[Steve Aoki]] and [[Dim Mak Records]] announced the release of Atari Teenage Riot's new single "Activate", with the full-length album ''[[Is This Hyperreal?]]'' released in 2011. While the record was described as "redundant" by [[Pitchfork Media]],<ref>{{cite web |url= http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15610-is-this-hyperreal/ |title= Is This Hyperreal? |access-date= 28 September 2012 |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date= 7 July 2011 |work=[[Pitchfork Media]] }}</ref> in what Empire called "probably one of the dumbest reviews I've ever read about any record.",<ref name="timeouttokyo" /> other magazines gave it great reviews. ''[[New Musical Express]]'' wrote: "Few bands have ever detonated as powerfully in the underground as Atari Teenage Riot. Put simply, they were the conscience of electronic music. They were a band that sounded the way you always wanted [[The Prodigy]] to sound. A band akin to Black Flag if that outfit had existed in an age where every home had a computer. And their influence burned big and bright". [[Artrocker]] Magazine put them on the cover in their May 2011 issue and wrote: "Make no mistake, 'Activate' is the most exhilarating, futuristic and punk rock single of the month. (...) ATR aren't like any other band. They're the only group that could have cut a record with Rage Against the Machine and have it be their meekest recording. They're the only group that iTunes have censored on the grounds that their music could create riots! Ten years and several line-up changes makes no difference to tonight's immediate onslaught of rave, punk, screaming and pounding gabba. The finale consists of the fiercest white noise squall of the evening, and the audience's reaction (moshing, screaming, crowdsurfing, shoes flying through the air) seems to indicate they don't care either".{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}} That month the band headlined the [[Bang Face]] Weekender festival in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hyponik.com/features/bang-face-weekender-2011-the-verdict/|title=Bang Face Weekender 2011: The Verdict|publisher=Hyponik.com|date=4 December 2013|access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref>

Their album ''Is This Hyperreal?'' was celebrated as "the ultimate protest album of the google age," dealing with WikiLeaks, [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]], hackers, the freedom the internet brought to the suppressed, censorship, the surveillance state, cyber terrorism and digital decay, a term which describes the disaffected masses abandoning the internet when they realised that it was not free but infested with government controls.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.wired.com/2012/07/atari-teenage-riot-anonymous/ | title=Atari Teenage Riot Goes for the Lulz with Anonymous | magazine=Wired | last1=Norton | first1=Quinn }}</ref> The campaign for ''Is This Hyperreal?'' took a turn when the "Black Flags" viral video was taken up by Anonymous whose members and supporters sent in clips from the [[Occupy Wall Street]] protests last autumn. Remixes, mash ups and alternate versions created by fans to represent their own dissatisfaction proliferated and captured the mood so accurately it was played in a [[CNN]] broadcast to summarise the zeitgeist behind Anonymous' cyber attacks.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Norton |first=Quinn |title=Atari Teenage Riot Goes for the Lulz With Anonymous |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/07/atari-teenage-riot-anonymous/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> [[Dangerous Minds]] were calling it the first anthem of the Occupy movement: "While personally I would have thought it would be a new act to break through representing a new generation, no-one can doubt ATR’s credentials when it comes to this kind of thing. In fact, maybe in this age of ultra-commodified music it would HAVE to take a more veteran, established act to represent OWS and Anonymous so as to avoid claims of false appropriation? You have to hand it to ATR though; "Black Flags" is a pretty great tune. I'd say it's one of their most accessible yet while retaining all that dark techno-punk scuzzy energy we know and love."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-11-03 |title=Atari Teenage Riot 'Black Flags' - the first OWS anthem? |url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/atari_teenage_riot_black_flags_-_the_first_ows_anthem |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=DangerousMinds}}</ref>

In Spring 2012 the music video for "Black Flags" was nominated for the [[MTV]] O Music Awards in the US in the category "Best Protest Song of the Year".{{cn|date=October 2022}}

In advance of a December 2016 concert in [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]], ATR used [[Facebook]] to declare their opposition to the [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] movement, calling it "a support mechanism for Palestinian terrorist groups in their efforts to de-legitimize and ultimately destroy Israel", accusing [[Seeds of Peace]] of promoting "anti-Israel activities", and proposing that "working together is the best way to create a better future."<ref>{{cite web |title=Atari Teenage Riot comes to Israel! 29th of December 2016 Tel Aviv, are you ready to riot? |url=https://www.facebook.com/Atari.Teenage.Riot.ACTIVATE/photos/atari-teenage-riot-comes-to-israel-29th-of-december-2016-tel-aviv-are-you-ready-/1439110022767219/  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/127269097284658/1439110022767219 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|website=www.facebook.com |publisher=Atari Teenage Riot / Facebook |access-date=14 September 2021 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Band members==
;Current
*[[Alec Empire]] – unclean vocals, programming (1992–2000, 2010–present)
*[[Nic Endo]] – vocals, samples (1996–2000, 2010–present)
*[[Rowdy Superstar]] – MC (2012–present)

;Former
*[[Carl Crack]] – MC (1992–2000; died 2001)
*[[Hanin Elias]] – vocals (1992–2000)
*CX KiDTRONiK – MC (2010–2012)

'''Timeline'''
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:0 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1992 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1992
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1992

Colors =
 id:UV      value:claret      legend:Unclean_vocals,_programming
 id:CV      value:red         legend:Vocals
 id:BV      value:pink        legend:MC
 id:Keys    value:purple      legend:Samples
 id:album   value:black       legend:Studio_album
 id:other   value:gray(0.55)  legend:Other_release
 id:bars    value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData =
 layer:back
 color:other
  at:22/04/1997
  at:24/07/2000
  at:31/10/2000
  at:26/10/2002
  at:03/07/2006

 color:Album
  at:01/03/1995
  at:17/03/1997
  at:11/05/1999
  at:07/06/2011
  at:26/03/2014

BarData=
 bar:Alec  text:"Alec Empire"
 bar:Hanin text:"Hanin Elias"
 bar:Carl  text:"Carl Crack"
 bar:Cx    text:"CX KiDTRONiK"
 bar:Rowdy text:"Rowdy Superstar"
 bar:Nic   text:"Nic Endo"

PlotData=
 width:11
 bar:Alec  from:01/01/1992 till:30/10/2000 color:UV
 bar:Alec  from:01/01/2010 till:end        color:UV
 bar:Carl  from:01/01/1992 till:30/10/2000 color:BV
 bar:Hanin from:01/01/1992 till:30/10/2000 color:CV
 bar:Nic   from:01/06/1996 till:30/10/2000 color:Keys
 bar:Nic   from:01/06/1996 till:30/10/2000 color:CV width:3
 bar:Nic   from:01/01/2010 till:end        color:Keys
 bar:Nic   from:01/01/2010 till:end        color:CV width:3
 bar:Cx    from:01/01/2010 till:01/05/2012 color:BV
 bar:Rowdy from:30/05/2012 till:end        color:BV

}}

==Discography==<!-- This section is linked from [[Hanin Elias]] -->

===Studio albums===
* ''[[Delete Yourself!]]'' (originally titled ''1995'') (DHR 1995)
* ''[[The Future of War]]'' (DHR 1997)
* ''[[60 Second Wipe Out]]'' (DHR 1999)
* ''[[Is This Hyperreal?]]'' (DHR 2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eyho-blog.com/2011/03/21/atari-teenage-riot-make-strong-statement-about-human-trafficking-with-%e2%80%98blood-in-my-eyes%e2%80%99/ |title=Atari Teenage Riot Make Strong Statement About Human Trafficking With 'Blood in My Eyes' |publisher=Eyho-blog.com |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref>
* ''[[Reset (Atari Teenage Riot album)|Reset]]'' (DHR 2014)

===Compilation albums===
* ''[[Burn, Berlin, Burn!]]'' ([[Grand Royal]] 1997)
* ''[[Redefine the Enemy - Rarities and B-Side Compilation 1992-1999]]'' (DHR 2002)
* ''[[Atari Teenage Riot: 1992–2000]]'' (DHR 2006)
* ''Unreleased Tracks 1991-1994''

===Live albums===
* ''[[Live in Stuttgart (One-Off Shit Let's Go!)]]'' (DHR 1996)
* ''[[Live in Philadelphia Dec. 1997]]'' (DHR 1998)
* ''[[Live at Brixton Academy (Atari Teenage Riot album)|Live at Brixton Academy]]'' (DHR 1999)
* Riot in Japan 2011 (DHR 2011)

===Video===
* ''Sixteen Years of Video Material'' (with Alec Empire) (Monitorpop 2008)

===Singles/EPs===
* "[[ATR (Atari Teenage Riot song)|ATR]]" ("Atari Teenage Riot") ([[Phonogram Inc.|Phonogram]] 1993)
* "[[Kids Are United E.P.]]" (Phonogram 1993)
* "Raver Bashing" ([[Split EP|split]] with "Together for Never" by Alec Empire) (Riot Beats 1994)
* "[[Speed/Midijunkies]]" (DHR 1996)
* "Deutschland Has Gotta Die!" (Grand Royal 1996)
* "[[Not Your Business E.P.]]" (Grand Royal 1996)
* "[[Destroy 2000 Years of Culture]]" (Intercord 1997)
* "Paranoid" (split with "Free Satpal Ram" by [[Asian Dub Foundation]]) ([[Damaged Goods (record label)|Damaged Goods]] 1997)
* "[[Sick to Death]]" (DHR 1997)
* "[[Atari Teenage Riot II]]" (DHR 1999)
* "[[Revolution Action E.P.]]" (DHR 1999)
* "[[Too Dead for Me EP]]" (DHR 1999)
* "[[Rage E.P.]]" (DHR 2000)
* "Activate" (DHR 2010)<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>
* "Blood in My Eyes" (DHR 2011)
* "Black Flags" (DHR 2011)
* "Collapse of History Remixes" (DHR 2012)
* "Collapse of History" (DHR 2012)

===Other recordings===
* "Sex Law Penetration" on ''[[Orgazmo]] (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' (Nickelbag 1998)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.atari-teenage-riot.com Atari Teenage Riot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718152937/http://www.atari-teenage-riot.com/ |date=18 July 2009 }} official site

{{Atari Teenage Riot}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Digital hardcore music groups]]
[[Category:German electronic music groups]]
[[Category:German industrial music groups]]
[[Category:German punk rock groups]]
[[Category:German techno music groups]]
[[Category:Hardcore techno music groups]]
[[Category:Hip house music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2000]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1992]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Berlin]]
[[Category:German political music groups]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in Germany]]