Carl Crack
Encyclopedia
Carl Crack was a Berlin
-based techno artist best known for his membership in the digital hardcore
band Atari Teenage Riot
from 1992 to 2000.
Around 1992 Crack displayed little interest in the music scene as it was at the time. He felt that The Beatnigs
(the original vehicle for social and political critic Michael Franti
, later of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
and Spearhead) were one of the few significant bands around. Along with the other members of Atari Teenage Riot
he was looking for a new direction.
Crack initially had a significant influence on ATR’s style, particularly on the first two albums where he developed an MC
style which owed less to the U.S. than his own imagination. He also had his own musical ideas that could not be expressed within the confines of a group, leading to his only solo release, 1998's Black Ark
. It is, as the name suggests, heavily influenced by dub
and in particular Lee Perry.
After heavy touring to promote ATR’s third album, 60 Second Wipe Out, the members of the group commenced work on follow ups to their various solo projects. Crack appeared on Cobra Killer
's 2002 album, The Third Armpit. He also was part of Firewire and Whatever, both with Din-St.
Crack was working on a new record before he was found dead in his apartment due to a drug overdose
on September 6, 2001. He was 30 years old.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-based techno artist best known for his membership in the digital hardcore
Digital hardcore
Digital hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk incorporating influences from electronic music. Digital hardcore fuses elements of hardcore punk with various forms of electronic music...
band Atari Teenage Riot
Atari Teenage Riot
'Atari Teenage Riot' is a German digital hardcore group formed in Berlin in 1992. The name was taken from a Portuguese Joe song 'Teenage Riot' from the 'Teen-age Riot' album, with the word 'Atari' added as an Atari ST computer was used to create compositions...
from 1992 to 2000.
Around 1992 Crack displayed little interest in the music scene as it was at the time. He felt that The Beatnigs
The Beatnigs
The Beatnigs were a San Francisco band, which combined hard-core punk, industrial and hip hop influences, described as "a kind of avant-guard industrial jazz poets collective". The band was the initial collaboration of Michael Franti and Rono Tse, who would later form Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy...
(the original vehicle for social and political critic Michael Franti
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
, later of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy was an American industrial hip-hop band, active during the early 1990s.The band was formed in 1990 by Michael Franti and Rono Tse, who had been in the Beatnigs, and introduced the work of guitarist Charlie Hunter...
and Spearhead) were one of the few significant bands around. Along with the other members of Atari Teenage Riot
Atari Teenage Riot
'Atari Teenage Riot' is a German digital hardcore group formed in Berlin in 1992. The name was taken from a Portuguese Joe song 'Teenage Riot' from the 'Teen-age Riot' album, with the word 'Atari' added as an Atari ST computer was used to create compositions...
he was looking for a new direction.
Crack initially had a significant influence on ATR’s style, particularly on the first two albums where he developed an MC
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
style which owed less to the U.S. than his own imagination. He also had his own musical ideas that could not be expressed within the confines of a group, leading to his only solo release, 1998's Black Ark
Black Ark (Carl Crack album)
Black Ark is an album by Atari Teenage Riot member Carl Crack. Initially released on DHR's limited series, the album's sound is a mix between Noise, Dub and Jungle. The sound quality of the recording is poor...
. It is, as the name suggests, heavily influenced by dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
and in particular Lee Perry.
After heavy touring to promote ATR’s third album, 60 Second Wipe Out, the members of the group commenced work on follow ups to their various solo projects. Crack appeared on Cobra Killer
Cobra Killer
The Cobra Killer duo of Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Trost began as part of Alec Empire's Digital hardcore movement. Both were part of other bands signed to Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings label—Gina was in EC8OR, and Annika was in Shizuo...
's 2002 album, The Third Armpit. He also was part of Firewire and Whatever, both with Din-St.
Crack was working on a new record before he was found dead in his apartment due to a drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
on September 6, 2001. He was 30 years old.
Album
- Black ArkBlack Ark (Carl Crack album)Black Ark is an album by Atari Teenage Riot member Carl Crack. Initially released on DHR's limited series, the album's sound is a mix between Noise, Dub and Jungle. The sound quality of the recording is poor...
(DHR LimitedDigital Hardcore RecordingsDigital Hardcore Recordings is a record label set up in 1994 by Alec Empire, Joel Amaretto and Pete Lawton. Most of the music is recorded in Berlin, though the label is based in London where the records are mastered and manufactured...
1998)
External links
- Biography at Digital Hardcore RecordingsDigital Hardcore RecordingsDigital Hardcore Recordings is a record label set up in 1994 by Alec Empire, Joel Amaretto and Pete Lawton. Most of the music is recorded in Berlin, though the label is based in London where the records are mastered and manufactured...
- Carl Crack at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...