When you wish upon a star…

Atari Teenage Riot – the band that used a TR-909, digital distortion and a whole lot of anti-government sentiments to carve the bloody “A” in late ‘90s musical Anarchy – are currently reunited.

Yeah, you knew that. But how in the world did the group wind up with new member NYC’s CX KidtroniK, the crowdsurfing MPC mashing auteur of the chaotic 32 track hip-hop masterpiece Krak Attack, who takes the place of (free your mind of this irony, please) ATR’s Carl Crack who died in 2001?

I did it. Well maybe not me; but the repeated comparisons by journalists and fans (cough, cough) of Krak Attack and ATR’s aesthetic inspired CX to investigate the matter. And then fate stepped in: “Out of nowhere Alec Empire and ATR hit me with friend requests on Myspace – and I was like ‘oh shit’, they was hip to me too!”, writes CX. While playing a show in Amsterdam, he met up with frontman Alec Empire and musical partner / ATR member Nic Endo (also playing a show that week). The conference went well, resulting in Alec and CX’s collaboration on “Let’s Go Crazy”, a track on latter’s upcoming Stones Throw release. As rumors of an ATR reunion swept The Web, CX jokingly brought up the idea of joining the band to Empire who, surprisingly, had also been asked – by fans – about this possible juncture (“Could you do it? I think you could.”)

As Empire mentioned in a recent forum, “He is not replacing Carl, he is bringing fresh air into ATR and we think he (does) an amazing job.”

Empire and Endo appear on CX’s upcoming single (also on Stones Throw), and ATR+CX crew recently recorded “Activate!” for a (gasp) new album, a burner in the style of Digital Hardcore, CX meeting the group’s “COPS CORRUPT / GOVERNMENT’S BANKRUPT” with “EARTHQUAKES! (MOM’S BURNIN UP) / THE BANKS ROB YOU (COLLECTING UP) / KRAK KRAK ATTACKS, PLANE HIJACKS?” 

Download here:

Activate!

What was supposed to be a one-off show looks to be a May mini tour, limited to select European cities (starting in Amsterdam, ending in Bolkow, Polland).  Hurry and get on that Euro exchange!

(Note: this picture is worth 10,000 words.)

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