Kristopher Roe Honors His Past While Reigniting The Ataris’ Future with Car Song

For the first time in over 15 years, beloved alternative rock band The Ataris are back with new music—and it’s every bit as heartfelt, raw, and nostalgic as fans could hope for. Frontman Kristopher Roe, the emotional engine behind the band’s most iconic work, leads the charge with the release of “Car Song,” the first single from the band’s upcoming album, their first full-length LP since 2007.

Equal parts tribute and transformation, “Car Song” is Roe’s love letter to memory, mobility, and the people who helped shape his path—including his late father. “It’s about the first car I ever bought with my own money,” Roe shared. “It became this vehicle, literally and metaphorically, for all my adventures—and a lot of growing up.”

The track’s narrative is classic Roe—vivid, emotional, and layered with both personal history and broader cultural resonance. “I wanted to write it in a way that sounded like I was describing a person,” he said, “but it’s really about that car and everything it represented. And of course, my dad worked for GM for 37 years. So, this song is also a tribute to him, the factory towns like Anderson, Indiana, and the era they came from.”

This isn’t just a song. It’s part of a powerful, personal tribute. In an unprecedented move, Roe is mixing his father’s ashes into a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl pressing of “Car Song,” making him a literal part of the music he always supported. “My dad wasn’t just a fan—he was a fixture in our community,” Roe said. “He’d film shows, post on the message board, connect with fans. Pressing his ashes into vinyl felt like the most meaningful tribute I could give him.”

Proceeds from the limited vinyl release will benefit Shatterproof, a nonprofit organization focused on addiction recovery—an issue that hit close to home, as Roe’s father passed away in 2014 due to complications related to alcoholism.

Musically, “Car Song” was recorded using vintage equipment and analog tape, giving it a warm, lived-in texture that complements its themes of memory and resilience. It’s joined by two new versions of The Ataris’ classic “In This Diary”—a re-recorded 2025 studio take and a stripped-down acoustic version. Together, they bridge the past and future for a band known for connecting deeply with its audience.

The inspiration for returning to the studio came from a rather unlikely place: Walter White’s Volvo from the final season of Breaking Bad. Roe, a longtime fan of the show, bought the car from a friend who worked on set and found a receipt signed by Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the glove box. He later traded the car to his producer, Bob Hoag, in exchange for studio time. “It’s wild,” Roe laughed. “I like to say Walter White’s Volvo was the catalyst for Car Song and the new album.”

Formed in 1996, The Ataris rose to fame with the release of So Long, Astoria in 2003, featuring the hits “In This Diary,” “The Saddest Song,” and a gold-certified cover of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer.” But behind the scenes, Roe has always been the sole creative driver of the project—writing, recording, and performing most of the instrumentation on Ataris records. That spirit continues in the new material, blending punk roots with singer-songwriter honesty and vivid, poetic imagery.

“I write in stream-of-consciousness,” Roe explained. “A lot of it comes from driving, observing, seeing something and letting it bloom into a song. Every song has to have a name, a place, something to drink, something to feel. That’s where the real storytelling comes in.”

This summer, fans can catch The Ataris live at Riot Fest in Chicago and Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, with more tour announcements on the horizon—including a European run.

For Roe, the return of The Ataris is more than a revival—it’s a tribute, a reckoning, and a creative rebirth. “Everything about this new album feels right,” he said. “It’s a new chapter, but it’s still me—still the band that people grew up with, but hopefully even more human and honest than before.”

To stream “Car Song,” watch the lyric video, or order the limited edition vinyl, visit theataris.com.

Listen to the full interview with Kristopher Roe on The Savoir Faire Audio Experience.