Atari Teenage Riot (ATR) finished their American tour by playing two explosive sets at the Coachella Festival and are heading to Europe and South America. This week, they release their second installment of the two-part Collapse of History EP via Dim Mak Records.
Atari Teenage Riot recently premiered their new video for the first single “Collapse of History”. The dramatic and energetic video was shot in a mental institution in the Parisian suburbs.
Back in April, Atari Teenage Riot set out on an international tour with new band member, Rowdy Superstar. After playing Mexico, both weekends at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, ATR heads to South America and Europe (see tour dates below).
Alec Empire says, “Our new single is called “Collapse of History”! It is an anthem for our generation, about information overload in the Digital Age. The track has a big war chant, which went down extremely well with festival crowds since we started playing it live.
“It’s another single that is sung by Nic Endo who takes ATR into a new direction where B52’s, L7, riot grrrl, Blondie and Deee-Lite are an inspiration. I had to do 40 overdubs, because we thought it would be funny to have a little army of Alec Empire clones singing along. The biggest inspiration for this song was probably the Atari video game classic Pong.”
Collapse of History EP track listing:
Collapse of History (Radio Edit)
Collapse of History (Mustard Pimp Remix)
Collapse of History (T*ts & Cl*ts Remix)
Collapse of History (Music Video)
Atari Teenage Riot Tour Dates
5/11: Jena, Germany @ Kassablanca (with THE EX)
5/12: Hannover, Germany @ Faust
5/24: Luxembourg @ den Atelier
5/25: Augsburg, Germany @ 10jährigen der Kantine Augsburg
6/01: Ellerdorf, Germany @ Wilwarin Festival
6/07: Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Niceto
6/08: Santiago, Chile @ Club Amanda
6/10: Bogota, Colombia @ Boogaloop
6/15: Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Cine Jóia
7/15: Dour, Belgium @ Dour Festival
8/01: Krasnodarskiy kray, Russia @ Kubana Festival
8/03: Katowice, Poland @ OFF Festival
8/18: Brest, France @ Festival Astropolis
10/18: Berlin, Germany @ Bi Nuu (20 Years of ATR)
10/19: Berlin, Germany @ Bi Nuu (20 Years of ATR)
10/20: Osnabrück, Germany @ Kleinen Freiheit
Alec Empire DJ Sets
6/09: Bogota, Colombia @ Asilo Bar
6/14: Campinas, Brazil @ Pianno Club
Atari Teenage Riot and activist group Anonymous collaborate for the 2nd video edit of “Black Flags.” Fans and friends of Atari Teenage Riot and Anonymous, including support from Steve Aoki, Boots Riley, and Occupy Wall Street, supplied the footage for the ongoing video project.
The latest single from album Is This Hyperreal?, explodes as a political anthem declaring Atari Teenage Riot’s support for Anonymous’s human rights campaign. The viral videos for “Black Flags” exhibit several ardent visuals, such as monolithic black flags, anonymity and “corpsing.” Together, these solidify the ideals of the movement and absorb the basic principles of equality and freedom.”
“Are you ready to testify?” Anonymous Teenage Riot invites you to submit a video statement and support. To learn how, check out this statement from ATR’s Alec Empire.
Statement from Atari Teenage Riot’s Alec Empire
“In the past decade we have witnessed how dangerous corruption can be for ordinary citizens, from Fukushima to the financial crisis, we could even include the current phone hacking scandals in the UK in this. The list goes on. Almost weekly, more shocking news is being published. Corporate greed has too often put the lives of people in danger.
“Historically, the Black Flag stood for not belonging to a certain Nation State (due to the fact that no national colors were used on it). For the us, it means also that no individual can look at him/herself as superior to others just because of his/her national identity.
“The mainstream media often looks at ‘consumers’ and labels them as ‘apathetic.’ But as the protests around the world have indicated, there is more political activism than ever before. And not only that, we see the same activism and energy at our concerts.
“Cynics always find many reasons for not doing anything and being miserable. Often they say that the world is too ‘complex’ to get involved. We believe that, even though the world is complex, there are some fundamentally powerful ideas. Respect for another human being, for example, is a fundamental idea that grants great power.
“If you agree to the basic principles of equality and freedom, join us and make a statement!
“If you want to be in the video and show that you support the ideals mentioned above, please send us the following footage:
Take your mobile phone, webcam or any other camera and film yourself lip-synching the song Atari Teenage Riot – Black Flags (feat. Boots Riley) by Alec Empire/ ATR.
Have a black flag in the background, or hold it while you’re lip-syncing. (The black flag motif will link all images together. If you don’t have one to hand, use a black T-shirt, pull it inside out, stick the arms into it—there you go.)
You can choose any location for it. If you want to do it at home, great. If you know a crazy location, do it there. (In front of your school or university? At a shopping mall? With your friends at a party?)
We will use fragments of all videos, which are sent in and ultimately add all of you to the official video.
If you want to support the idea but want to do so anonymously, you can cover your face. No problem.
Atari Teenage Riot has released videos for “Activate”, “The Only Slight Glimmer Of Hope”, “Blood In My Eyes” and “Collapse Of History” directly on vimeo.
The concert footage was captured by 5 cameras on May 1st 2011, when Atari Teenage Riot played a secret show at Berlin’s legendary techno club Tresor to premiere their new album Is This Hyperreal? live. A new stage was built on the 2nd floor of the building where the public is not usually allowed. A small amount of fans were able to win free tickets to attend the show. Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot says: “It was amazing to perform the new songs at this historic location. This is pretty much where techno started in the ’90s. It reminded people of old sci-fi movies from the ’20s like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Felt very intimate and nobody knew the new tracks…very exciting!”
Atari Teenage Riot is also asking their fans to participate in the video for the band’s upcoming single “Black Flags”, which will be released on September 6th. You can hear “Black Flags” and read the lyrics below. They are calling their fans and others who support song’s ideals to make a video statement in front of a black flag, or any black surface to be included in the band’s final video. “Black Flags.” Fans are also invited to incorporate “Corpsing” into their video. Drawn from an idea the band had while “planking” at a Southern European airport, “Corpsing” is the act of laying down in a public location, covered in a black flag to represent those that have died as result of corporate greed. The band invites anyone to film themselves lip-synching to the “Black Flags” lyrics in front of a black flag or corpsing and send in their video to be included in the “Black Flags” video. All entries should be submitted to blackflags@atari-teenage-riot.net. Read the band’s full concept for the video below:
“In the past decade we have witnessed how dangerous corruption can be for ordinary citizens, from Fukushima to the financial crisis, we could even include the current phone hacking scandals in the UK in this. The list goes on. Almost weekly more shocking news is being published. Corporate greed has too often put the lives of people in danger. Historically, the Black Flag stood for not belonging to a certain Nation State (due to the fact that no national colors were used on it). For the us, it means also that no individual can look at him/herself as superior to others just because of his/her national identity.
“The mainstream media often looks at ‘consumers’ and labels them as ‘apathetic.’ But as the protests around the world have indicated, there is more political activism than ever before. And not only that, we see the same activism and energy at our concerts. Cynics always find many reasons for not doing anything and being miserable. Often they say that the world is too ‘complex’ to get involved. We believe that even though the world is complex, there are some fundamentally powerful ideas. Respect for another human being, for example, is a fundamental idea that grants great power.
“If you agree to the basic principles of equality and freedom, join us and make a statement!
“The visuals of Atari Teenage Riot videos have always been very important. Directors like Philipp Virus, Andrea Giacobbe, John Hillcoat, and Zan Lyons have done an excellent job in working together with the band and getting the message across to a wide audience. We want ‘Black Flags’ to follow in those footsteps of our previous video, but with one key difference: Atari Teenage Riot wants you to be in it!
“If you want to be in the video and show that you support the ideals mentioned above, please send the following footage:
Take your mobile phone, webcam or any other camera and film yourself lip-synching the song.
Have a black flag in the background, or hold it while you’re lip-syncing. (The black flag motif will link all images together. If you don’t have one to hand, use a black T-shirt, pull it inside out, stick the arms into it…there you go.)
You can choose any location for it. If you want to do it at home, great. If you know a crazy location, do it there. (In front of your school or university? At a shopping mall? With your friends at a party?)
We will use fragments of all videos, which are sent in and ultimately add all of you to the official video.
If you want to support the idea but want to do so anonymously, you can cover your face. No problem.
If you want to go a step further, Atari Teenage Riot want to introduce you to “Corpsing” — the silent protest for all people who have died as a result of corporate greed.
Says the band:
“Planking has been probably the most fun trend since break dancing. When ATR waited at an airport in Southern Europe, we did quite a lot of planks in the silliest locations, until some airport authorities tried to stop us. From that, the idea of “corpsing” developed through public appearances of Anonymous and from the acts of political activists in China.
“In Berlin, Alec lay down on his back, like a corpse, and put a black flag over his head/face. Apart from it being a very strong image, many people stopped and did what they are supposed to: Ask a question! To our surprise people from all kinds of backgrounds immediately understood and supported what we were talking about.
“The release date of ‘Black Flags’ is only days away from 9/11. When we realized that it has been ten years, and when we looked at how many have used deaths of real people for their own political and economic greed since then, the original idea of the song made so much more sense again.
“If you agree, film yourself in public places, even on the dance floor, wherever you can raise awareness and send it to us! We will include you in the video.
“Please always send in a video link to this email : blackflags@atari-teenage-riot.net(don’t attach the files directly please.)”
Summer/Fall Atari Teenage Riot Tour Dates:
08/26 -France – Charleville-Mezieres @ Cabaret Vert
9/04 – Seattle, WA @Bumbershoot Festival
09/05 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre *
09/07 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ SLO Brew *
09/08 – San Diego, CA @ Porters Pub (w Retox) *
09/09 – West Hollywood, CA @ The Keyclub *
09/10 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Royal Resort *
09/13 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room *
09/14 – Orlando, FL @ Firestone *
09/15 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade *
09/16 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *
09/17 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
09/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Polaris *
09/20 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon *
09/21 – Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights *
09/23 – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre *
09/24 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater *
09/26 – Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s Downunder *
09/27 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theater *
09/28 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club *
10/05 – Austria – Vienna @ Szene
10/06 – Austria – Linz @ Posthof
10/07 – Slovenia – Ljubljana @ Kino Siska
10/10 – Hungary – Budapest ! A38
10/12 – Germany – Berlin @ Astra
10/13 – Germany – Leipzig @ Werk II
10/14 – Germany – Cottbus @ Gladhouse
10/15 – Poland – Warsaw @ Progresja
10/16 – Poland – Wroclaw @ Firlej
10/21 – Austria – Dornbirn @ Dornbirm
10/22 – Germany – Stuttgart @ Universum
11/23 – Russia – Moscow @ Tochka
11/24 – Russia – St Petersburg @ Glavclub
11/25 – Finland – Helsinki @ Nosturi
11/26 – Swedend – Stockholm @ Debaser