Members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López began to further explore their experimental, dub-influenced side project called De Facto, which featured Bixler-Zavala on drums, Rodríguez-López on bass, Isaiah 'Ikey' Owens on keyboards, and Jeremy Ward on vocals, loops and sound effects.ĭuring 2001 Eva Gardner joined the members of De Facto on bass, and they recorded two songs with drummer Blake Fleming and producer Alex Newport, which became the first demo by The Mars Volta. ATDI imploded on the verge of a commercial breakthrough, partly due to boredom, partly to musical differences. The roots of The Mars Volta are found in the band At the Drive-In. Main articles: At the Drive-In and De Facto (band) History Formation and beginning (2001–2002) As the way we write songs and words, if it looks great on paper then to us it's like painting, so if it looks good meaning the second then people usually have a better interpretation than we ever would. And Mars, we're just fascinated by science fiction so and it's something that ultimately looked as in anything I write, its meaning is always up to the listener. Y'know, changing of time and the changeover. The Volta is taken from a Federico Fellini book about his films, what he characterizes as a changing of scene, or a turnaround a new scene to him is called Volta. 2.9 Reunion and The Mars Volta (2022–present)Ĭedric Bixler-Zavala stated in an interview:.For the band's live return, jazz pianist Leo Genovese and drummer Linda-Philomène Tsoungui were added to the line-up. The band announced their reunion – after ten years of public inactivity – with an art installation called L'ytome Hodorxí Telesterion, in June 2022. Reuniting in secret in 2019, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala recorded a new studio album, The Mars Volta, with Gardner, Marcel Rodríguez-López and drummer Willy Rodriguez Quiñones. The duo repaired their friendship and reunited in 2014 for a new project, Antemasque, and further At the Drive-In tours and recording sessions. Rodríguez-López subsequently formed a new project, Bosnian Rainbows, and the band formally broke up after disagreements between Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala. The band released its fifth album, Octahedron, in June 2009.įollowing the release of their sixth album, Noctourniquet (2012), and a run of reunion shows with At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta entered a hiatus in September 2012. The album's first single, ' Wax Simulacra' was awarded a Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Hard Rock Performance. In 2008, the band released The Bedlam in Goliath, a concept album inspired by the band's turbulent experiences with a ouija-type talking board. The band's third studio album, Amputechture, was released in 2006 and was the last album to feature Theodore. The album debuted at #4 on the US Billboard 200 and became the band's biggest commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies in the US and achieving Gold certification from the RIAA.

The band's second studio album, Frances the Mute (2005), was self-produced by Rodríguez-López and was the first to feature longterm members Juan Alderete (bass) and Marcel Rodríguez-López. The Rick Rubin-produced album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release in 2003. She was replaced by Red Hot Chili Peppers bass guitarist Flea for the sessions. The band released their debut EP, Tremulant, in 2002, with Gardner leaving the band prior to recording their debut album, De-Loused in the Comatorium. Seeking to experiment and expand their sound, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala recruited Gardner, Isaiah 'Ikey' Owens (keyboards), Jon Theodore (drums) and Jeremy Ward (sound manipulation) to form The Mars Volta. Known for their energetic live shows and concept albums, The Mars Volta formed following the break-up of Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala's previous band, At the Drive-In. The band's current line-up also includes founding member Eva Gardner (bass), Omar's brother Marcel Rodríguez-López (keyboards, synths, percussion), Linda-Philomène Tsoungui (drums) and Leo Genovese (keyboards, saxophone). The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership forms the core of the band.

The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001.

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