• The Mars Volta
    63 replies, posted
My favorite band by far. [IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/2z5n4v5.jpg[/IMG] [b]Cedric and Omar[/b] [Quote]The Mars Volta is a Grammy Award-winning American rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001 and currently based out of Mexico. Founded by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, experimental rock, jazz fusion, heavy metal, hard rock, post-hardcore and Latin American music into their sound. They are known for their energetic and improvisational live shows, as well as their concept-based studio albums. In 2009, the band won a Grammy in the "Best Hard Rock Performance" category for the song "Wax Simulacra."They were named rock music's "Best Prog-Rock Band" of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.[/Quote] [IMG]http://i46.tinypic.com/2d27n2c.jpg[/IMG] [b]Omar doing his thing[/b] [QUOTE]The roots of The Mars Volta are found in the band At the Drive-In. ATDI members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez formed an experimental, dub reggae-influenced side project called De Facto, which featured Bixler-Zavala on drums, Rodriguez-Lopez on bass, Isaiah "Ikey" Owens on keyboards, and Jeremy Michael Ward on vocals, loops and sound effects. Due to creative differences and discomfort with mainstream success, Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala quit At the Drive-In in 2001. The remaining members of ATDI formed Sparta. By the time bassist Eva Gardner joined De Facto, they had changed their name to The Mars Volta. During 2001, the band recorded two songs with drummer Blake Fleming and producer Alex Newport, which became their first demo. The lineup for their first public show at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California was Rodriguez-Lopez, Bixler-Zavala, Owens, Gardner, Ward, and drummer Jon Theodore. This lineup recorded three more tracks with Alex Newport, which became the EP Tremulant, released as a limited edition in early 2002. Since the demise of At the Drive-In, Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala found themselves once again starting from the ground up, touring and performing in smaller venues. In their early years The Mars Volta were characterized by chaotic live shows and very heavy drug use. [/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i48.tinypic.com/xgh47p.jpg[/IMG] [b]Jeremy Ward (deceased)[/b] [b] MOST AMAZING BAND EVER. I love these guys so much. They really changed me musically and they influence the music I make. [/b] They have some really crazy material. Very experimental. Omar is the genius of the operation. He writes all of the music. [b]The current line-up:[/b] Guitar/Direction - Omar Rodríguez-López Vocals/Lyrics - Cedric Bixler-Zavala Keyboards - Isaiah "Ikey" Owens Drums - Dave Elitch Bass - Juan Alderete de la Peña Percussion - Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez I haven't seen them live yet but that will change soon. Give this amazing band some love. [highlight][b]Their best album is deloused in the comatorium[/highlight][/b] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJj4uORutwc[/media] [b] This is Roulette Dares (one of my favorites) played live. [/b] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JovRNx40c6E[/media] [b]Inertiatic played live[/b] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2ayKK8E7gc[/media] [b]L'via L'Viaquez[/b] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxHGWgPhXaY&feature=related[/media] [b]Cicatriz ESP played live[/b] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpqM0PzwAGs[/media] [b]Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt[/b] [IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/2r38g42.jpg[/IMG] [b]Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez[/b] >>>>>>[url]http://www.themarsvolta.com/[/url]<<<<<<<
Takes a fuck load of will power to keep up with their speed.
[QUOTE=thisispain;19001669]Takes a fuck load of will power to keep up with their speed.[/QUOTE] I can play Roulette Dares perfectly. But its not really one of their hardest. Try their amputechture album.
i dont like that, John probally wont use all the effects that omar would, and that would be lame. because that is one of the things i love about omar, and the mars volta. if flea played bass i would have no problems with that, becuase i dont care who is playing bass for them as long as he is good. but damn are you sure about that omar not playing thing.
I'm going to see them when they come to Australia on the 25th of January. FUCK YEEEAAAHH
[QUOTE=Thommicyclomb;19007237]i dont like that, John probally wont use all the effects that omar would, and that would be lame. because that is one of the things i love about omar, and the mars volta. if flea played bass i would have no problems with that, becuase i dont care who is playing bass for them as long as he is good. but damn are you sure about that omar not playing thing.[/QUOTE] I don't recall saying anything about that in my post but yes john frusciante plays Omar's guitar scores in studio. Omar adds the effects he wants and gets to view his own work objectively. Omar plays live.
Im surprised this band isn't very popular here
Well, there is already a 13 page TMV thread.
[QUOTE=Reaver1991;19016506]Well, there is already a 13 page TMV thread.[/QUOTE] I searched and couldn't find it. So must be old old.
you're not very good at searching then
Cool. Anyway
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19003214]I can play Roulette Dares perfectly. But its not really one of their hardest. Try their amputechture album.[/QUOTE] I can play every song by them apart from Cassandra Gemini because it's too long for me to be bothered learning. I seen them live last week and it was awesome though I'm starting to prefer Omars solo stuff now.
[QUOTE=Godspeed You!;19021424]I can play every song by them apart from Cassandra Gemini because it's too long for me to be bothered learning. I seen them live last week and it was awesome though I'm starting to prefer Omars solo stuff now.[/QUOTE] Nice man. Give an up and coming guitarist some tips? I like some of Omars solo stuff but a lot of it is kind of ridiculous. Omars my favorite guitarist but some of his solo work is just out there. I downloaded "Dispair" the other day and it was nothing but moaning noises.
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19008146] yes john frusciante plays Omar's guitar scores in studio. Omar adds the effects he wants and gets to view his own work objectively. Omar plays live.[/QUOTE] That's incorrect. Although Flea was the bassist for Deloused, John only plays on one album which happens to be my favorite. That album is Frances the Mute. John does some backing guitar, and the solo for the Widow. Omar has always recorded his own guitar tracks in the studio. Saw em' live in Chicago. They were insane.
[QUOTE=Loompa Lord;19035501]That's incorrect. Although Flea was the bassist for Deloused, John only plays on one album which happens to be my favorite. That album is Frances the Mute. John does some backing guitar, and the solo for the Widow. Omar has always recorded his own guitar tracks in the studio. Saw em' live in Chicago. They were insane.[/QUOTE] You're mistaken. Yes mostly Omar records the tracks. But first he has John play them for him so he can view them objectively. Omar considers himself more of a miestro than anything else.
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19036203]You're mistaken. Yes mostly Omar records the tracks. But first he has John play them for him so he can view them objectively. Omar considers himself more of a miestro than anything else.[/QUOTE] No I'm not mistaken. [b]You said that John records all of the guitar parts that are directly on the albums, and that Omar only plays live, and "adds effects"...[/b] when that's clearly not the case. John's only role in Deloused was a backup guitar and synth in "Cicatriz ESP". He also did the first two guitar solos on "L'Via L'Viaquez" off of Frances the Mute. He also has roles in albums like Amputechture [b](which is the only album in which he played Omar's guitar parts in front of him for critique like you claim.)[/b] Here's proof: [quote]John Frusciante was featured on every track on Amputechture, except for "Asilos Magdalena." Rodríguez-Lopez contributed the solos and riffs where the guitar work needed to be doubled. Bixler-Zavala said in an interview, "...he taught Frusciante all the new songs and Frusciante tracked guitars for us so Omar could sit back and listen to the songs objectively. It's great that he wants to help us and do that."[/quote] He only did that for Amputechture, not Deloused or Frances. [b] (Which are my two favorite albums.)[/b] And yes Omar is considered a "maestro" by Cedric because Omar records all the parts piece by piece as inspiration comes. Omar talks about some big misconceptions in this interview. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMNciPiY5Y&feature=related[/media]
[QUOTE=Loompa Lord;19037800]No I'm not mistaken. [b]You said that John records all of the guitar parts that are directly on the albums, and that Omar only plays live, and "adds effects"...[/b] when that's clearly not the case. John's only role in Deloused was a backup guitar and synth in "Cicatriz ESP". He also did the first two guitar solos on "L'Via L'Viaquez" off of Frances the Mute. He also has roles in albums like Amputechture [b](which is the only album in which he played Omar's guitar parts in front of him for critique like you claim.)[/b] Here's proof: He only did that for Amputechture, not Deloused or Frances. And yes Omar is considered a "maestro" by Cedric because Omar records all the parts piece by piece as inspiration comes. Omar talks about some big misconceptions in this interview. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMNciPiY5Y&feature=related[/media][/QUOTE] Mistaken yet again. Firstly If you check their album credits, It always clearly defines The Mars Volta "group." Omar and Cedric call themselves the Mars Volta while the rest are considered the performers of their work (mostly Omars work). John is always mentioned on the making of the albums. You'll also notice I didn't say he was the own being recorded. I said he plays the music in studio so Omar can view it objectively and yes add effects and things that he feels the song needs that he wouldn't have seen unless he viewed his tracks [b]objectively[/b]. If anything that interview hurts your theory if you'll notice Omar talks of the way he treats his group in studio just as a maestro and less of a performer himself.
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19038274]Mistaken yet again. Firstly If you check their album credits, It always clearly defines The Mars Volta "group." Omar and Cedric call themselves the Mars Volta while the rest are considered the performers of their work (mostly Omars work). John is always mentioned on the making of the albums. You'll also notice I didn't say he was the own being recorded. I said he plays the music in studio so Omar can view it objectively and yes add effects and things that he feels the song needs that he wouldn't have seen unless he viewed his tracks [b]objectively[/b]. If anything that interview hurts your theory if you'll notice Omar talks of the way he treats his group in studio just as a maestro and less of a performer himself.[/QUOTE] I'm just saying simply this: John only played Omar's parts to be viewed and critiqued objectively on Amputechture and on. Other than that, he only had one role in Deloused and two in Frances. (that's why he's in the credits.)
[QUOTE=Loompa Lord;19038695]I'm just saying simply this: John only played Omar's parts to be viewed and critiqued objectively on Amputechture and on. Other than that, he only had one role in Deloused and two in Frances. (that's why he's in the credits.)[/QUOTE] None of my posts stated otherwise so I don't see the issue. I never said John wrote the music. He writes a solo here and there and I'm sure different odds and ends because of his friendship with Omar. He is a genius and very adept guitarist who helps Omar by playing his tracks for him in studio for objective viewing and analysis. Nothing more
I kinda like The Mars Volta but I like At the Drive-In a lot more.
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19038980] He is a genius and very adept guitarist who helps Omar by playing his tracks for him in studio for objective viewing and analysis. Nothing more[/QUOTE] I know. I agree, I'm saying that John only played Omar's tracks for analysis from [b]AMPUTECHTURE[/b] and beyond. Not Deloused or Frances. haha
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19023829]Nice man. Give an up and coming guitarist some tips? I like some of Omars solo stuff but a lot of it is kind of ridiculous. Omars my favorite guitarist but some of his solo work is just out there. I downloaded "Dispair" the other day and it was nothing but moaning noises.[/QUOTE] I dont know what to say really, I'm like Omar, no musical training at all and I'm completely self taught. Most of his solo's are just improvising on the minor pentatonic scale with accidentals. He uses tritone a lot. Then you're going to need lots of pedals since he uses a lot of them. Most of his solo stuff is amazing, I think its just the Amsterdan Series apart from Se Dice Bisonte No Buffalo that were noise.
Great band. Love De-Loused, it's by far their best album, don't like their newer stuff though.
I don't get how people like them.
[QUOTE=Godspeed You!;19059942]I dont know what to say really, I'm like Omar, no musical training at all and I'm completely self taught. Most of his solo's are just improvising on the minor pentatonic scale with accidentals. He uses tritone a lot. Then you're going to need lots of pedals since he uses a lot of them. Most of his solo stuff is amazing, I think its just the Amsterdan Series apart from Se Dice Bisonte No Buffalo that were noise.[/QUOTE] I'm self taught as well. I use Major and minor scales a ton. Explain to me "tritone" I saw this mentioned on his wiki. I'm not sure what it is exactly and how to implement
Are there any more by these guys that sounds a bit like Inertiatic? I'm in love with it...
[QUOTE=Gman Killer;19073210]Are there any more by these guys that sounds a bit like Inertiatic? I'm in love with it...[/QUOTE] basically the whole album of roulette dares sounds similar. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpqM0PzwAGs[/media] thats take the veil. You should like that
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19003214]I can play Roulette Dares perfectly. But its not really one of their hardest. Try their amputechture album.[/QUOTE] All of their shit is easy to play.... All the instruments are simple yet effective, and fucked up with effects. It's the collaboration of instruments that gives it the complex sound.
[QUOTE=Racid;19084531]All of their shit is easy to play.... All the instruments are simple yet effective, and fucked up with effects. It's the collaboration of instruments that gives it the complex sound.[/QUOTE] You make me lol. Go check a tab
[QUOTE=Aaronn;19091287]You make me lol. Go check a tab[/QUOTE] I would agree. Playing some of those riffs with all of those dm5th's really work your hands. The composition is very well done i'd say. A lot of Aeolian, and Harmonic Minor with dis-chordal progressions.
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