Atomic Boy
Atomic Boy burst onto the music scene in 1992 with their hard edged and exuberant debut EP
“Love and Revolution” on Hipnotic Records. Produced by Dramarama bassist Chris Carter and
recorded at Ameraycan Studios in North Hollywood, the limited release of 500 copies started
spreading across the country on college radio and indie record stores. Legendary tastemaker
DJ Rodney on the Roq began featuring Atomic Boy on his weekly KROQ show and soon” We
Want A Revolution” was the number one most requested song on the show. Other major
alternative stations such as KUKQ Phoenix, KRZQ Reno, Live 105 San Francisco and Matt
Pinfield at WHTG Jersey Shore featured Atomic Boy on their specialty shows. WCBR Chicago
threw Atomic Boy into regular rotation and soon “Everywhere and Nowhere” was the number
one song on their play list. Indie fanzines and trade magazines were hyping Atomic Boy and
famed rag LA Weekly stated “this is the kind of band that major labels salivate over.”
Atomic Boy was formed in 1991 by Denny Lake and Strangler. Originally Lake had formed a
band called “The Difference” (think 80’s alternative pop band with keyboards—Angelina
included as bonus track). Although the songs were good, the passion and energy that defined
Atomic Boy was not present in this first group. A concert by English punk band Birdland
(grossly underrated) at the Roxy changed everything and jump started Lake who came to the
next band practice with demos for We Want a Revolution and Don’t Give up on Me.(song
included as bonus track). The band found a new energy and direction and changed the name
to Exploding Boy and recorded a raw yet melodic first demo and immediately doors started
opening. At that time Strangler was working as a roadie for Dramarama and once he got
comfortable with the guys popped in the demo and the whole band jumped out of their seats.
Chris Carter said “Exploding Boy!! This band should be on KROQ!! Exploding Boy went into
the studio, only to find out that there was a band in Buffalo NY called Exploding Boy. After
much discussion the band came up with Atomic Boy and Strangler began developing the Atomic
Boy character featured in the artwork. (After his music career Strangler worked as animator for
Disney and other major studios)
The band began frequent regional tours and multiple recording sessions over the next couple of
years. Bonus tracks featured on this release include Silent Majority, Writing on the Wall, Crazy,
cover tune Stiff Competition and Action from the Time Bomb Tapes sessions recorded with
Chris Carter. The song Time Bomb along with B side Stacie were released as a 7” single on
indie label Guilt Ridden Pop which led to Time Bomb being included on a respected compilation
“Shreds American Underground Volume 2 https://www.discogs.com/release/2509782-Various-
Shreds-Volume-2-American-Underground-94. Continued regional touring led to a strong
following in the Bay Area with frequent shows at Paradise Lounge and Berkeley Square as well
as multiple runs down to AZ with support and airplay from KUKQ. The band kept writing and
recording new and better songs (I Wanna Go bonus track ) and solidified the lineup and all of
these factors led to the bank hooking up with management and legal representation that led to a
recording contract with Victory/A&M (who had just signed Face to Face) in 1995.
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