The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta are an American musical group founded by Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez, generally considered progressive rock with jazz and punk influences and known for wild live shows, extensive jams, cryptic lyrics, various experimentation and use of ambient music to help establish mood.

Members of the band At the Drive-In, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, were in De Facto with audio technician Jeremy Michael Ward. De Facto included Cedric on drums, Omar on bass, and Jeremy with various loop, vocal, sound, and distortion effects - a composite of sounds, hinging squarely on tripped-out, instrumental dub. Though DeFacto started as a local band with a rock feel, they were rooted in the realm of dub reggae pioneers such as Lee "Scratch" Perry and Dr. Alimantado. The group also dabbled in electronica, Latin/salsa, and jazz, giving their distinct sound. The band played local shows around their home town, el paso, texas, and released their fi...