The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta Biography

The Mars Volta is an American rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. They are generally considered progressive rock, with jazz and Latin influences. They are known for their wild, energetic, and improvised live shows along with the use of ambient music. [[Tremulant EP (2002)]] The roots of The Mars Volta are found in the side project of At the Drive-In members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez known as De Facto; which also included Jeremy Michael Ward: audio technician, close friend, and cousin of At the Drive-In member Jim Ward. De Facto featured Bixler-Zavala on drums, Rodriguez-Lopez on bass, and Ward with various loop, vocal, sound, and distortion effects — a composite of sounds, hinging squarely on tripped-out, instrumental dub. Though De Facto started as a local band with a rock feel, they were rooted in the realm of dub reggae pioneers such as Lee Perry and Dr. Alimantado. The group also dabbled in electronica, Latin, salsa, and jazz which provided them with a distinct sound. The band played local shows around their home town, El Paso, Texas, and released their first album How Do You Dub? You Fight for Dub, You Plug Dub In.