Hosts
Rob Harvilla
Rob HarvillaAbout the episode
For a brief moment in 2000, At the Drive-In was the best live band in the world—then they broke up. This week, Rob tracks how the El Paso post-hardcore outfit burned so bright so quickly with their complex, politically charged tunes, which made for some of the wildest shows in rock. The band then suddenly flamed out after it became clear that its intensity wasn’t sustainable when it struggled to contain an unruly, “sheep”-like crowd at Big Day Out. Later, Rob is joined by journalist Suzy Exposito to discuss the herculean task of covering “One Armed Scissor” and the politics of the pit.
Host: Rob Harvilla
Guest: Suzy Exposito
Producers: Julianna Ress, Chris Sutton, Justin Sayles, and Olivia Crerie
Summary
- 0:01
Intro: “Ice cream–eating motherf--kers,” Big Day Out 2001, and how to wrangle a mosh pit
- 31:09
This week’s song: “One Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In
- 32:17
ATDI’s formation amid tragedy
- 38:11
The band’s ferocious, dense lyricism
- 57:45
“One Armed Scissor,” as performed on various late-night shows
- 1:06:42
Interview with Suzy Exposito
- 1:34:58
Outro
