START A RIOT

CARL CRACK from Atari Teenage Riot was unable to appear at the shows on the band's current tour because he is fighting attempts to incarcerate him in a mental hospital, according to ATR frontman Alec Empire.

Speaking on an nme.com webchat yesterday, Alec Empire said:

"He is suffering from a strong psychosis since the last two weeks - when we wanted to fly to Belfast, Ireland he tried to open the fire exit door during take off and attacked a stewardess - the plane landed again and he got arrested."

Carl (real name Carl Bvhm) was not charged over the incident - which took place last week - though he was unable to continue with the tour.

At the show later last night at London's Astoria 2, Empire said: "When Carl smokes marijuana, he does something to his brain. Don't laugh, it's not funny."

ATR continued with the show regardless.

A statement will be issued later this week by label Digital Hardcore Recordings.

Click here to read nme.com's review of last night's show.

Click here[/url] to read the full transcript of yesterday's webchat.

Click[/url] for the Digital Hardcore website