Welcome!

Atlas exploded onto the New Zealand music scene with a number one chart performance not experienced since 1987's 'Slice of Heaven'. From April 2007 'Crawl' charted for seventeen weeks and owned the top position for seven weeks.

No surprise. The band's music pedigree gives it a killer punch.

While the genesis is perhaps in Zed which had a nine year run as a leading New Zealand act up until 2004 and featured Ben Campbell and Andy Lynch , Atlas was conceived at the legendary Knitting Factory in Los Angeles. Ben and his sister, Beth were there with old friend, LA based producer, Hank Linderman (The Eagles, America, Chicago) discussing solo album concepts. Hank introduced them to American performer, Sean Cunningham, who hails from Hank's home state of Kentucky, thinking that they may combine their talents to write songs for separate solo careers.

'It was immediate.' says Ben. 'There's great music in us all and when we hung out, jammed and played we discovered songs, riffs, connections, melodies and ideas that were a lot stronger through the connection.'

Also in Los Angeles at the time, playing with the legendary Sting was Ben's former Zed bandmate and future ATLAS lead guitarist, Andy Lynch.

Cunningham needed little persuasion to head half way around the planet to Christchurch where Atlas started to take shape through a number of development line ups while the inventory evolved. 'Is This Real', a mix of searing vocals over guitars charted, followed by the ground-breaking 'Crawl'.

'We've written most of our songs based on three acoustic guitars with three vocal parts,' says Beth. 'They're built around harmonies, melodies and hooks'.

When ATLAS re-located to Auckland, Andy Lynch settled into his edgy lead guitar slot and the line up was completed with the discovery of drummer, Joe McCallum who was extracted from Christchurch.

ATLAS rocks. There's something special happening here. It's derived from disparate origins and musical influences, an amalgam of unique talents that move from big to gigantic when they entwine. Cutting vocal solos merge into anthemic three-parts. Lyrics probe mystery and every song is a new expression of the basics of great music: melody, rhythm and harmony.

The latest ATLAS single, 'Magic 8' is out soon and the debut album, 'Reasons For Voyaging' will be issued in November for international release.

Whatever, the reason for voyaging, ATLAS is a helluva trip.