The Vans Wans Tour 2026 Interviews – Mike Davenport of The Ataris

The Vans Wans Tour 2026 Interviews – Mike Davenport of The Ataris

For more than three decades, The Ataris have remained one of the most enduring and beloved bands in pop punk. From fan-favorite albums such as End Is Forever and So Long, Astoria to their iconic rendition of “The Boys of Summer,” the band has continued to resonate with listeners around the world. As part of the Vans Warped Tour stop in Long Beach, Highwire Daze caught up with bassist Mike Davenport to discuss the band’s new single “Car Song,” the forthcoming album Revolution Summer, and the lasting impact of The Ataris‘ music.

Along the way, Davenport also opened up about a much more personal endeavor: his upcoming autobiography, The Hero Dies in This One. Inspired by the song of the same name, the book chronicles a remarkable journey marked by childhood adversity, life-changing triumphs, hard-earned lessons, and an enduring appreciation for the power of music. Even within the fast-paced environment of Warped Tour, Davenport offered an honest and thoughtful glimpse into both the future of The Ataris and the experiences that helped shape his own story.

What are you looking forward to the most about Warped Tour this year?
The barbecue is great. That’s where I get to see all my friends. I missed the barbecue. This is my tenth Warped Tour, nine with The Ataris, and I did one with my other band, Versus the World. So we’ve been part of ten out of thirty Warped Tours, and the barbecue is always where all the friends get together after a good day of playing rock and roll.

You guys have a new song out called “Car Song.” Tell me about it.
“Car Song” is about our singer, Kris Roe. He likes to drive. We’ll play a show in Philadelphia or Orlando, and instead of flying, he’ll drive from Los Angeles and meet us there. He spends a lot of time in the car writing songs, reflecting, and working on lyrics. So “Car Song” is really about those journeys and experiences he has while traveling.

You’ve rejoined The Ataris in recent years. What inspired you to come back?
I decided to come back during COVID. I was seeing the TikTok phenomenon bringing pop punk and punk rock to younger generations, and it felt exciting. At the same time, Kris was ready to get the band going again after not being able to play shows for a couple of years.

He was living in Arizona and I had a place in North Hollywood, so I told him, “Move to California and let’s do the band again.”

It’s been awesome. We’ve been back at it for about five years now. Wikipedia says 2023, but it was actually more like 2021 when all of this started.

This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of End Is Forever. Looking back, what does that album mean to you now?
I love that album. Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits was great, and it’s rightfully considered a classic. Rolling Stone even named it one of the greatest pop-punk records of all time.

But End Is Forever is where we really started becoming the songwriters we wanted to be. We began bringing different instrumentation into our music, and Kris really honed his lyric writing. I think it was a major turning point for the band.

That record is underrated when compared to Blue Skies and So Long, Astoria. I truly think it deserves more recognition.

Let’s talk about the new album, Revolution Summer. What can fans expect?
We’re the summer band. We’re the “Boys of Summer.” We wanted to keep those summer vibes alive, so we really leaned into that feeling with this record.

If So Long, Astoria had a big brother, this would be it. “Car Song” is a really good indication of what the album sounds like.

The album was produced by Bob Hoag. He played drums in bands like Go Reflex and Pollen before becoming a producer in Arizona. He’s just a fantastic guy to work with.

When is the album expected to be released?
Right now, we’re looking at March of next year.

The Ataris spent time on a major label during the So Long, Astoria era. Looking back, what was that experience like?
It was awesome. Columbia Records was always good to us.

The problem with major labels is that the people you’ve built relationships with move around so quickly. If your champions leave, you can suddenly find yourself on the back burner.

Independent labels don’t really operate that way. They care about you and fight for you consistently. So majors can be great, but they can also be terrible. It really depends on whether your people are still there.

“The Boys of Summer” remains one of the most beloved songs in your catalog. What does it feel like performing it all these years later?
It’s nuts to me. It’s so cool.

Ever since the band got back together after COVID, there are times when we play that song and I get a little emotional. This isn’t a joke, either.

We were recently in Europe playing in Germany. There were people as far as you could see singing every word back to us. They’re German, and they’re singing this song at the top of their lungs. It’s incredible.

We’ve been a band for thirty years. Thirty years later, people still connect with that song. I have two teenage kids who are into punk rock and Warped Tour culture, and I tell them all the time that I never imagined this would be my life.

It’s truly a gift.

Have you ever heard from Don Henley about your cover of “The Boys of Summer”?
Yeah.

People always tell me he talks a lot of trash about us in interviews. But here’s the funny part: I’ve spoken to him on the phone twice.

Back in the day, I needed permission for us to perform the song at the MLB All-Star Game in 2003. He was incredibly nice, gracious, and supportive.

Then I’ll see comments attributed to him in print where it sounds like he’s dismissing us as a one-song band or something like that. It always surprises me because he was completely different whenever I personally interacted with him.

You have an autobiography coming out called The Hero Dies in This One. Tell me about the title and the book itself.
The Hero Dies in This One is a song I wrote from So Long, Astoria. The hero in my autobiography is my father, who died in a car accident when I was 19. I often reflect back on him and talk about how he saved me from a very abusive mother.

I was abandoned when I was seven years old, and my dad came and got me, took care of me, changed my life, inspired me to play music, and nurtured my love for music. Then the rest is life, right?

There have been ups and downs. I’ve had some incredible highs. I made millions of dollars, and then the feds came in and I went to a federal prison camp for two years. After that, I went to college and earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology.

I just try to share with people that no matter how low or bleak life gets, we can always define ourselves by who we are today. Be a good person today and try to inspire other people.

When we play music, the reason I get a little emotional when we play ‘The Boys of Summer‘ is because I know people are happy when they’re hearing us play music, and that makes me happy.

What inspired you to finally write the book?
Well, I went back to school at Cal State Northridge and got my bachelor’s degree in psychology. There was a lot of writing involved in earning that degree. After I graduated in 2024, I started putting together the structure of the book and figuring out how I wanted to tell the story.

I spent about a year working on ideas and outlining everything. Then, at the beginning of this year, my wife finally told me, ‘It’s time to write. You’ve got to do this. You’re still in the groove from college.’

So she basically made me stay home and start writing. Once I got going, it took me about six months to finish.

Is Versus the World still active?
Yeah, they’re still doing some things.

Donald is still my best friend. We’ve been friends for about twenty-five years and we still play together. We’re actually working on another project that’s a little hush-hush right now with a few other musicians.

Versus the World has a new bass player now because I decided to focus completely on The Ataris. Kris needed me back, and I wanted to dedicate my full attention to this band.

It wasn’t an easy decision, but they’re in great hands and they’re still working on material.

Any final words for everyone reading this?
Check out the new album. Check out “Car Song” and the video for it.

The video is a lot of fun. It’s basically a Breaking Bad homage. We actually bought the Volvo that appeared on the show and used it in the video.

In the video, we get arrested with blue meth in the trunk. It’s actually candy, of course, but it’s a really fun video and a great song.

And then next year, keep an eye out for our new album, Revolution Summer.

In Conclusion

Whether discussing the return of Warped Tour, the anticipation surrounding Revolution Summer, or the unlikely path that led to The Hero Dies in This One, Mike Davenport’s enthusiasm remains unmistakable. While The Ataris continue to celebrate a legacy that spans more than thirty years, Davenport’s reflections reveal a perspective shaped not only by success, but also by perseverance, growth, and gratitude.

From helping create the soundtrack to countless summers to sharing his own deeply personal story through his upcoming autobiography, Davenport remains committed to connecting with people through honesty and music. And judging by the excitement surrounding The Ataris’ next chapter, there’s still plenty of road left ahead for one of pop punk’s most enduring bands.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography)

The Ataris on Instagram