After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar.
[3] During these tours, At the Drive-In began developing a large underground following by mostly playing in basements and small venues across the western United States, with their popularity spread by word of mouth among fans.
[3] Accepting the offer, the band first headed out on another 21-day tour of the Southwest before ending in Los Angeles again where they recorded their debut full-length album titled Acrobatic Tenement for $600.
[5] The album was released August 18, 1996, and the band commenced another tour of the United States the following year spanning 100 days (February to June 1997) and 24,000 miles.
Following the recording of Acrobatic Tenement in July 1996, the final line-up of At the Drive-In fell into place with the addition of Tony Hajjar and Paul Hinojos and with Omar Rodríguez-López transitioning from bass to guitar.
At the Drive-In's third EP titled El Gran Orgo was released on September 18, 1997, and "showed a more melodic side of the band, but the musical depth and heartfelt emotion was never more apparent.
"[3] Two days after its release, the band was in Boulder, Colorado, playing a show with Welt to kick off its next 35-day, 11,000-mile tour that also included six dates with Karp and the Young Pioneers, and one-offs with Guttermouth, The Criminals, Piss Drunks, and the Humpers.
[5] This album marked a notable maturation in At the Drive-In's sound and is special in that it was recorded live with just a small number of overdubs.
The recording took place at Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu, California, with producer Ross Robinson (and mixer Andy Wallace), who the band had met on an earlier tour and who had "convinced the boys that he was the guy who could get every ounce of them onto tape.
"[5] Relationship of Command was recorded over a seven-week period and featured Iggy Pop with minor parts on a couple of the album's songs.
In addition to touring worldwide in Europe, Japan, and the United States following the release of Relationship of Command, At The Drive-In performed on several television shows.
Additionally, their minor hit radio single "One Armed Scissor" had circulation on MTV and significantly contributed to the band's popularity.
[6] On November 12, 2000, At the Drive-In was involved in a motor vehicle accident when their touring van skidded out of control on ice and flipped onto its roof.
[8] The following month, At the Drive-In cancelled the last five dates of its European tour, citing "complete mental and physical exhaustion" of the members.
[10] A combination of excessive hype, relentless touring, artistic differences, and Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala's drug habits contributed to the demise of the band.
Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López had stated that they wanted their next album to sound like Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, while the other members were intent on progressing in a more alternative rock direction.
Following the break-up of At the Drive-In, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López focused on their dub side-project De Facto, before starting The Mars Volta.
During an interview with Drowned in Sound in June 2009, Bixler-Zavala stated that he had been in discussions with the band's former members and suggested that they could get back together after they sorted their financial business out.
"[14] In response to Bixler-Zavala's comments, guitarist Jim Ward quickly quashed rumors of a reunion by stating "I don't think that I'll be answering any questions or doing any interviews anymore, thank you very much.
The two subsequently focused their efforts on their respective projects, Zavalaz and Bosnian Rainbows, and remained on non-speaking terms until early 2014, when they finally resolved their issues.
An initial attempt to restart At the Drive-In did not work out, however, so Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López went on to form Antemasque, touring and recording for the next two years.
In January 2016, trailed by a 15-second video of seemingly new music, the band detailed plans for a world tour and new album later in the year.
After initial rehearsals, Jim Ward left the reunited band, and was replaced by his former Sparta bandmate Keeley Davis.
"[43][44][45] The band also performed cover versions of songs such as "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" by The Smiths and "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" by Pink Floyd, both included in the 2004 compilation This Station Is Non-Operational.
"[47] While capturing the essence of ATDI's live shows in a way never before seen, the record also featured some of the band's most experimental songs, including "Rolodex Propaganda," "Non-Zero Possibility," and "Invalid Litter Dept."
While Jim Ward and Paul Hinojos provided the rhythmic structure of the song, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez often played more experimental riffs and melodies over the top.
Their writer Ryan Bird spoke about the legacy of the album, stating that "though At the Drive-In may not have built the road, they were most certainly leading the convoy, allowing those who followed behind to reap the benifits [sic] of their navigation while they crashed and burned on the hard shoulder.
"[50] Among the artists who have cited At the Drive-In as an influence or expressed admiration for them are …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Thursday,[51] Billy Talent,[52][53] Biffy Clyro,[54] Underoath,[55] Will Swan of Dance Gavin Dance,[56][57] Nick Hipa of As I Lay Dying,[58] The Fall of Troy,[59] Jamie Lenman,[60] Rolo Tomassi,[61][62] La Dispute,[63][64] Mutiny on the Bounty,[65] sleepmakeswaves,[66] Jarvis Cocker, Night Verses,[67] and St Vincent.