Omar Rodríguez-López
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Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is an American guitarist and songwriter. He has formed or played in several bands, including the Mars Volta,
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
, Antemasque, and Bosnian Rainbows. He was the bassist for the dub band
De Facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
. He has embarked on a solo career, both in studio and in concert, frequently described as experimental, avant-garde, or progressive. He has also collaborated with numerous artists, such as
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
and El-P.


Biography

Rodríguez-López was born in
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
and grew up in
El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...
, and spent some of his childhood in
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. He began playing the bass at age 12, but then switched to guitar at 15 because he "needed more strings". It was during this time that Rodríguez-López met Cedric Bixler-Zavala while practicing with friend Paul Hinojos. Since then Rodríguez-López has spent most of his career living and working with his close friend Bixler-Zavala. During this time he frequently collaborated with his friends and future bandmates from El Paso, which included people such as Paul Hinojos, Cedric Bixler-Zavala,
Julio Venegas ''De-Loused in the Comatorium'' (commonly referred to as ''De-Loused'') is the debut studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on June 24, 2003, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Based on a short st ...
and the late Jeremy Ward. He attended Coronado High School in El Paso. He says he enjoys the company of his close friends and family when not fulfilling obligations to his many bands and projects. Rodríguez-López has been a
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...
for most of his life.


Startled Calf (1991–1992)

Rodriguez-López dropped out of high school at age 17 to go on tour with Startled Calf, an
El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...
, hardcore punk band, as their vocalist, and was left stranded in Berkeley after the rest of the band were arrested. The band formed in 1991 and featured Ralph Jasso on guitar, Jimmy Hernandez on bass, and George Fraska on drums.Ozzi, D. (2021). ''Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore'' (1994-2007). United States: HarperCollins Publishers. The band broke up in 1992. Hernandez died of cancer some time after.


At the Drive-In (1996–2001, 2012–2018)

At 17, Rodríguez-López left El Paso to hitchhike around the country for a year in the early 1990s, during which he acquired an addiction to
opiate An opiate, in classical pharmacology, is a substance derived from opium. In more modern usage, the term '' opioid'' is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain (including antagoni ...
s. Eventually he got in touch with friend Cedric Bixler-Zavala who suggested he come back to El Paso. With the help of Bixler-Zavala, he was able to return to El Paso where he could begin to reclaim his life from addiction and join
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
as backup vocalist and bass guitarist. After receiving a record deal with Flipside Records and recording '' Acrobatic Tenement'' with the band, he became their full-time bassist before switching to guitar. After several years and two more critically acclaimed albums, for a variety of reasons, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala left At the Drive-In and the band went on "indefinite hiatus". The remaining members, Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, and Jim Ward went on to form
Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referr ...
while the duo focused on other projects. On January 9, 2012, At the Drive-In announced that they were reforming for a tour. The band released their fourth album '' In•ter a•li•a'' in 2017 before going on an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.


The Mars Volta (2001–2012, 2022-present)

They refocused their efforts on the dub outfit called
De Facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
, which also included Jeremy Ward and Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, and which they had started years before while still in At the Drive-In. Eventually the same collective of musicians in De Facto would be expanded into Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala's new band, The Mars Volta. Once again starting from scratch he wrote and toured with the band which consumed almost all his time and money. On May 25, 2003, less than a month before the release of their first full-length album, '' De-Loused in the Comatorium'', bandmate and close friend Jeremy Ward was found dead of a heroin overdose. This event, coupled with the memories of the suicide of his friend
Julio Venegas ''De-Loused in the Comatorium'' (commonly referred to as ''De-Loused'') is the debut studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on June 24, 2003, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Based on a short st ...
years earlier, finally convinced both him and Bixler-Zavala to quit using opiates. Since then he has been clean and credited his newfound musical work ethic on his new lifestyle. The Mars Volta's second album, '' Frances the Mute'', would later be dedicated to Ward. During the early years of the band he also worked on a low budget movie called ''A Manual Dexterity'' which starred Jeremy Ward. The soundtrack '' A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume 1'' was released in 2004. The release of the second volume, which was originally planned for Spring of 2005, and the film were both delayed indefinitely due to legal problems. Conflicts over ownership of certain footage and Rodríguez-López's reluctance to revisit the project which featured his late friend Jeremy Ward were both cited as reasons for the delay. However, Rodríguez-López stated that he does intend to release both Volume 2 and the film at some point in the future. On February 8, 2009, he and his fellow Mars Volta bandmates won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. On January 23, 2013, the Mars Volta officially announced that they had broken up, following a series of tweets posted by Cedric Bixler-Zavala stating that he had departed the band. Their future was uncertain at this point, although Rodriguez-Lopez has not ruled out the possibility of reuniting in the future. On June 18, 2022, The Mars Volta revealed the coordinates to a location in Los Angeles, California, where fans were allowed to preview new music from the band. This was followed up by the release of the single "Blacklight Shine" and a tour announcement, marking both their first new music and first live shows in ten years. The band subsequently announced their first album in 10 years, The Mars Volta, will be released on September 16.


Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group (2005–2012, 2018)

In 2005 Rodríguez-López relocated to Amsterdam, where he eventually wrote and recorded four separate albums. His first solo project was the "Omar Rodríguez-López Quintet". Rodríguez-López played several live shows in Europe with his quintet, which in 2005 also included three members of the Mars Volta Group ( Juan Alderete, Marcel Rodríguez-López and Adrián Terrazas-González) and
Money Mark Mark Ramos Nishita (born February 10, 1960), known professionally as Money Mark, is an American producer and musician, best known for his collaborations with the Beastie Boys from 1992 until 2011. Early life Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawai ...
. The songs featured on this tour later appeared on the album '' Omar Rodriguez''. It was characterized by long, improvisational songs with Dutch titles and no lyrics. The Quintet also performed live with
Damo Suzuki , better known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a Japanese musician who has been living in Germany since the early 1970s and is best known as the former lead singer of the krautrock group Can. Biography As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 196 ...
, parts of which were recorded and incorporated into a 25-minute EP titled '' Please Heat This Eventually'', which was released in 2007. During this time Rodríguez-López was also working on the Mars Volta's 2006 record ''
Amputechture ''Amputechture'' is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the albu ...
'' and composing the score to the film ''El Búfalo de la Noche'' simultaneously to his work with the quintet. On May 29, 2007, '' Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo'' was released. It was the third full-length solo album by Rodríguez-López. It featured performances by Mars Volta members Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Marcel Rodríguez-López, Juan Alderete, Adrián Terrazas-González as well as cameos by Money Mark, John Frusciante, and John Theodore. It was written and recorded between 2005–2006 in California and Amsterdam. The Quintet later resurfaced in 2007, now known as "The Rodríguez-López Group" to perform on the "white" stage at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan on July 28. Performing with the group for the first time were singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and drummer Thomas Pridgen.


Solo releases (2004–present)

On October 8, 2007, the EP ''Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Lydia Lunch'', a collaboration with spoken word poet
Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...
, was released. ''The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange'' is a double LP featuring the original quintet and was released on vinyl November 20, 2007. It was also released for digital download. ''
Calibration In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of kno ...
'', a record that Rodríguez-López recorded during his stay in Amsterdam, was released February 5, 2008. It was described as being influenced by
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electro ...
and acid-jazz. On June 10, 2008, a recording titled ''Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward'' was released. It was a collaboration between the two and was recorded in 2001 before the formation of The Mars Volta. The LP consists of various ambient tracks based on field recordings in the musique concrète tradition. Rodríguez-López has continued to release a series of albums recorded in 2001 which include ''Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus'' and ''Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead'', both released in late 2008. Another album, ''
Old Money Old money is "the inherited wealth of established upper-class families (i.e. gentry, patriciate)" or "a person, family, or lineage possessing inherited wealth". The term typically describes a social class of the rich who have been able t ...
'' was released in October 2008, with a vinyl version becoming available in early 2009 on the Stones Throw record label. Sonny Kay, co-owner of the former Gold Standard Labs label with Omar, created the album covers (and has done so for the majority of future Omar releases). Two Omar Rodríguez-López solo albums were released in Europe on January 26, 2009, from the Netherlands-based record label Willie Anderson Recordings: ''Megaritual'' and ''Despair''. ''Despair'' is best described as a
field recording Field recording is the term used for an audio recording produced outside a recording studio, and the term applies to recordings of both natural and human-produced sounds. It also applies to sound recordings like electromagnetic fields or vibra ...
, while ''Megaritual'' is a collaboration jam between Omar and his brother, Marcel Rodríguez-López. In mid-2009, a new entity has been created called El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez (''the New Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group'') to release the first in a series of three recordings completed in 2006. Thus far these recordings have only been known as the ''Omar and Zach Hill collaborations''. The first recording titled ''
Cryptomnesia Cryptomnesia occurs when a forgotten memory returns without its being recognized as such by the subject, who believes it is something new and original. It is a memory bias whereby a person may falsely recall generating a thought, an idea, a tune ...
'' was released on May 5, 2009. Vocals written and performed by Bixler-Zavala were recorded in 2008. The lineup for this entity is: Omar Rodríguez-López on guitar, Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals, Zach Hill on drums, Jonathan Hischke on synth bass, and Juan Alderete on bass. The Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group toured Europe in March 2009, supported by Zechs Marquise. At the end of 2009, Rodríguez-López released three albums, ''Los Sueños de un Hígado'', ''
Xenophanes Xenophanes of Colophon (; grc, Ξενοφάνης ὁ Κολοφώνιος ; c. 570 – c. 478 BC) was a Greek philosopher, theologian, poet, and critic of Homer from Ionia who travelled throughout the Greek-speaking world in early Classica ...
'' and '' Solar Gambling'' digitally through Rodríguez-López Productions. While ''Xenophanes'' was also released on CD and vinyl, ''Los Suenos De Un Higado'' and ''Solar Gambling'' only had a limited vinyl release. Rodríguez-López also created a video for "Asco Que Conmueve los Puntos Erógenos", from ''Xenophanes'', and posted it on YouTube on November 30, 2009. In January 2010, ''Ciencia de los Inútiles'' was released under a new group, El Trio de Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. The trio features Rodríguez-López on acoustic guitar, Ximena Sariñana on vocals and Aaron Cruz on upright bass. A video for "Miércoles" was also released. In May 2010, he released a collaboration titled '' Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante'' with
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
, free of charge through his website, with the option to donate. All money raised will go to the Keep Music in Schools programs. On May 30, 2010, the album ''
Sepulcros de Miel ''Sepulcros de Miel'' (English: ''Tombs of Honey'') is the twenty-first release by Omar Rodríguez-López, guitarist, band leader, and producer of The Mars Volta Group. Released under the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet name, this record features ...
'' by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quartet was digitally released, which also featured Frusciante. The album ''
Tychozorente ''Tychozorente'' is the sixteenth studio album by Omar Rodríguez-López. The digital version was released on September 14, 2010, and the CD was released by Rodriguez Lopez Productions in Europe on November 18, 2010. This record is Omar's first c ...
'' was scheduled for release on November 1, 2010; however, it received an early release on September 14, 2010, as a digital download. Another album, titled ''Cizaña de los Amores'', was digitally released on October 11, 2010. CD and vinyl versions of both albums are only available in Europe. ''Mantra Hiroshima'', another Omar and Zach Hill collaboration, was digitally released on November 29, followed next day by ''Dōitashimashite'', album of live material recorded in September during the
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group The Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group (often referred to by its acronym ORLG) is an American experimental rock band, and the main side project of Omar Rodríguez-López. Featuring an ever-changing lineup of musicians alongside Rodriguez-Lopez, the gro ...
's first US tour. A video for "Agua Dulce de Pulpo" from the album ''Un Escorpión Perfumado'' was also released during that period, and the album itself was released on December 20 in digital form, with CD and vinyl versions to follow. On April 16, 2011, Omar released ''Telesterion'', a compilation album featuring 38 songs from Omar's solo albums. Although this has been the only release of 2011, other projects have been hinted at, such as ''Двойственность вздохов'' (Russian for ''Duality of Sighs''), a documentary about the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group's Russian mini-tour, directed by Omar and shot by Paco Ibarra. The Vinyl edition of ''Telesterion'' also contained artwork for 6 solo albums that have yet to be released, and featured a new track, "Cásate Colmillo", off of an album supposedly titled ''The Somnambulis.'' On July 7, 2016, Ipecac Records announced that they would release 12 albums by Omar, fortnightly, until December 2016. They were recorded in the period 2008–2013 and one featured The Mars Volta line-up and a guest appearance by John Frusciante. The first album ''Sworn Virgins'' was released digitally on July 15, 2016, and featured the single "To Kill a Chi Chi". Recorded in El Paso and
Zapopan Zapopan () is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the population of Zapopan city proper makes it the second largest city in the state, very close behind the population of ...
, the other titles include ''Corazones'', ''Blind Worms Pious Swine'', ''Arañas En La Sombra'', ''Umbrella Mistress'', ''El Bien Y Mal Nos Une'', ''Cell Phone Bikini'', '' Infinity Drips'', '' Weekly Mansions'', ''
Zapopan Zapopan () is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the population of Zapopan city proper makes it the second largest city in the state, very close behind the population of ...
'', '' Nom De Guerre Cabal'', and '' Some Need It Lonely''.


Bosnian Rainbows and Antemasque (2012–2018)

In 2012, with Mars Volta going on hiatus, Rodríguez-López formed a solo band that eventually took the name Bosnian Rainbows. It consists of Deantoni Parks (drums, keyboards), Teri Gender Bender (vocals) and Nicci Kasper (keyboards). They released one self-titled album in June 2013. On April 8, 2014, Omar announced a new musical project called Antemasque with former At the Drive-In and Mars Volta bandmates Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals) and David Elitch (drums) as well as
Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, ...
, the bassist for the
Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...
. The group released their first song, "4AM". Flea said that Antemasque is a project between Omar and Cedric, and that he is only a contributing artist. , both Bosnian Rainbows and Antemasque have essentially been put on hold due to touring commitments of At the Drive-In and the Mars Volta.


Other media

Aside from music, Rodríguez-López is also involved in filmmaking and photography. Beginning in his
At the Drive-in At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
days he started to document many kinds of things: live shows, sound checks, dressing rooms, hotels, airport lounges, sightseeing, encounters with colleagues. Since 2001 he has produced many films, of which '' The Sentimental Engine Slayer'' was the first to be released. Rodríguez-López wrote, directed, produced and starred in the film, which was premiered at the
International Film Festival Rotterdam The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental f ...
in February 2010 and saw the DVD release in January 2013. Another film directed by Omar, ''Los Chidos'', was premiered in March 2012 at
SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, ...
. Furthermore, Rodríguez-López and
Hans Zimmer Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Oscars and four Grammys, and has been nominated for two Emmys and a Tony. Zimmer was also named on the list of Top 100 Living G ...
worked together to compose the score for the 2009
Guillermo Arriaga Guillermo Arriaga Jordán (; born 13 March 1958) is a Mexican author, screenwriter, director and producer. Self-defined as "a hunter who works as a writer," he is best known for his Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and BAFTA Award fo ...
film '' The Burning Plain''. The film was his second collaboration with the writer/director after scoring the 2007 film '' El Búfalo de la Noche'' with the Mars Volta; in addition to some original material, the score also includes material used in ''
Amputechture ''Amputechture'' is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the albu ...
''. Rodríguez-López's first photo book, ''Hunters in High Heels'' documenting the years from 2000 to 2006, was slated to release in 2013 but was since postponed indefinitely due to unknown reasons.


Musicianship


Style

Rodríguez-López's compositional and playing style is characterized by, among other factors, riffs, melodies based in minor modes, changing meters, unresolving dissonances (in particular a heavy use of the
tritone In music theory, the tritone is defined as a musical interval composed of three adjacent whole tones (six semitones). For instance, the interval from F up to the B above it (in short, F–B) is a tritone as it can be decomposed into the three adj ...
), chromatic passages, and lengthy
improvisation Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
. He is also known for his vast array of
effects pedals An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing. Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in ele ...
; in a feature appearing in
Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...
, Rodríguez-López stated that he "began to see effects as allies in my war against the guitar". In that interview he also stated that he hated the guitar for a very long time. He only utilized it because it was the instrument his bandmates could "relate to". He said he "wrestled" guitar by adding effects and playing oddly to attempt "making it sound like anything besides this thing I hate—the guitar!". However, he claimed to feel more comfortable with the instrument on ''
Amputechture ''Amputechture'' is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the albu ...
''. Rodríguez-López plays guitar left-handed. He has cited
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
pianist and bandleader Larry Harlow as his primary influence. Both Rodríguez-López and bandmate Cedric Bixler-Zavala have recorded with former Can lead singer
Damo Suzuki , better known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a Japanese musician who has been living in Germany since the early 1970s and is best known as the former lead singer of the krautrock group Can. Biography As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 196 ...
for the '' Please Heat This Eventually'' EP. In the
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
genre in which the Mars Volta are often categorized, he has professed that he "like a lot of those groups, particularly
King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
and early
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
." As such, he has cited his main and clearest influence
Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...
, Crimson's
Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a sessio ...
,
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...
guitarist John McLaughlin as well as
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
and
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
guitarists
Greg Ginn Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is an American guitarist, bassist, singer and songwriter, best known for being the leader, primary songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led ...
and
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
respectively. He has also named Siouxsie,
Missing Persons A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, ...
,
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles D ...
as being among "all the greats" along with
Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer known for his contribution to the development of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, ...
,
Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music band founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The group has seen many personnel changes over the years, with Froese having been the only constant member until his death in January 2015. The best-known lineup ...
,
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...
,
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the la ...
and
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
." He has also stated that film is a primary influence on him, likening his recording style to that of a film director, where the "scenes are shot out of sequence and the final creation is in the hands of the director.".


Equipment

Omar has endorsed Ibanez guitars since the Mars Volta's inception in 2001. Previously he used Squier Super-Sonic guitars while playing with At the Drive-In. He also recorded '' De-Loused in the Comatorium'' with a Gibson SG II from the early 1970s which he also used in live improv shows with
Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, ...
and
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
. In 2008, Ibanez released the ORM-1 Omar Rodriguez-Lopez signature guitar, which was produced through 2012. He uses Seymour Duncan JB Jr. pickups as well. Although he tunes to E standard tuning, Omar uses Ernie Ball .013-.056 gauge strings with a wound G string, saying that "they feel more real than the really thin ones". Omar also plays through an Orange Rockerverb combo amp as well. In recent years, Omar has taken a minimalist approach to his pedals, which at one point was a very complex setup. During the Mars Volta's 2011 tour with Soundgarden, he used a Boss DD5 Digital Delay, an MXR Phase 90, an Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy analog delay, a Boss PS-6 Harmonist, a Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler, an MXR M133 Micro Amp, an Ibanez WH10V2 wah-wah, an Ibanez TC7 tri-mode chorus, and a Line 6 DL4 delay modeler. During the Mars Volta's final shows and At the Drive-In's reunion tour, Rodriguez-Lopez switched back to a full-sized Ibanez Jetking guitar, although retaining his preferred single-pickup and volume knob configuration and 24" neck scale. In a recent interview with TC Electronic, he is seen using a blue Ibanez Jetking with two full-size humbuckers. Most recently, while performing with Bosnian Rainbows, Rodriguez-Lopez began to use a mid-1960s era left-handed Supro 3/4 scale guitar with a single pickup in the bridge position. Shortly afterwards, he was seen playing a custom Ibanez guitar that closely resembled his Supro. In addition, Rodriguez-Lopez now uses flatwound strings on his guitar. Rodriguez-Lopez's pedalboard for Bosnian Rainbows consisted of a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, an Empress Superdelay, a Blackout Effects Whetstone analog phaser, a Catalinbread Semaphore tremolo pedal, a Boss DD-5 Digital Delay, an EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine, an Empress Fuzz pedal, a Catalinbread Calisto chorus/vibrato pedal, and a Boss SL-20 slicer.


As producer

Rodríguez-López is also notable for his recording, producing and songwriting techniques. He has claimed that he is "ignorant of music theory" and that thus he lacks knowledge in writing music in standard notation, claiming that his songwriting "comes from emotion completely". Rodríguez-López claims to write all of the music for his projects, then dictates the performance to the musicians involved. In addition to his producing credits with the Mars Volta and his solo albums, he also produced the only LP from the defunct LA-based band Radio Vago and in 2009, handled the production of a recording titled "Terra Incognita" from actress/singer
Juliette Lewis Juliette Lake Lewis (born June 21, 1973) is an American actress and alternative rock singer. She is known for her portrayals of offbeat characters, often in films with dark themes. Lewis became an "it girl" of American cinema in the early 1990s, ...
' band The New Romantiques. Omar also produced (as well as contributed bass to) ''
Sin Sin Sin "Sin Sin Sin" is a song by British singer Robbie Williams from his sixth studio album, ''Intensive Care'' (2005). It was released as the fourth and last single the album on 22 May 2006 by Chrysalis Records. The song was remixed for single relea ...
'', the debut LP from the band
Le Butcherettes Le Butcherettes is a Mexican garage punk band formed in 2007 in Guadalajara by Teri Gender Bender. History Le Butcherettes was created by vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender, who later recruited drummer Auryn Jolene to form a duo. Their liv ...
, which was released in 2011 on Rodriguez-Lopez Productions.


Discography

As a solo artist *'' A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One'' (2004) *'' Omar Rodriguez'' (2005) *'' Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo'' (2007) *''The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange'' (2007; as Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quintet) *''
Calibration In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of kno ...
'' (2007) *''Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus'' (2008) *''Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead'' (2008) *''
Old Money Old money is "the inherited wealth of established upper-class families (i.e. gentry, patriciate)" or "a person, family, or lineage possessing inherited wealth". The term typically describes a social class of the rich who have been able t ...
'' (2008) *''Megaritual'' (2009) *''Despair'' (2009) *''
Cryptomnesia Cryptomnesia occurs when a forgotten memory returns without its being recognized as such by the subject, who believes it is something new and original. It is a memory bias whereby a person may falsely recall generating a thought, an idea, a tune ...
'' (2009; as El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez) *''Los Sueños de un Hígado'' (2009; Live; as Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group) *''
Xenophanes Xenophanes of Colophon (; grc, Ξενοφάνης ὁ Κολοφώνιος ; c. 570 – c. 478 BC) was a Greek philosopher, theologian, poet, and critic of Homer from Ionia who travelled throughout the Greek-speaking world in early Classica ...
'' (2009) *'' Solar Gambling'' (2009) *''Ciencia de los Inútiles'' (2010; as El Trio De Omar Rodriguez Lopez) *''
Sepulcros de Miel ''Sepulcros de Miel'' (English: ''Tombs of Honey'') is the twenty-first release by Omar Rodríguez-López, guitarist, band leader, and producer of The Mars Volta Group. Released under the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet name, this record features ...
'' (2010; as "Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet") *''
Tychozorente ''Tychozorente'' is the sixteenth studio album by Omar Rodríguez-López. The digital version was released on September 14, 2010, and the CD was released by Rodriguez Lopez Productions in Europe on November 18, 2010. This record is Omar's first c ...
'' (2010) *''Cizaña de los Amores'' (2010) *''Mantra Hiroshima'' (2010) *''どういたしまして'' (''Dōitashimashite''; 2010; live; as Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group) *''Un Escorpión Perfumado'' (2010) *''Telesterion'' (2011; compilation) *''Un Corazón de Nadie'' (2012) *''Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar'' (2012) *''Octopus Kool Aid'' (2012) *''Equinox'' (2013) *'' Woman Gives Birth to Tomato!'' (2013; as Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group) *''Unicorn Skeleton Mask'' (2013) *'' ¿Sólo Extraño?'' (2013) *'' Sworn Virgins'' (2016) *''Corazones'' (2016) *''Blind Worms Pious Swine'' (2016) *''Arañas en la Sombra'' (2016) *''Umbrella Mistress'' (2016) *''El Bien y Mal Nos Une'' (2016) *''Cell Phone Bikini'' (2016) *'' Infinity Drips'' (2016) *'' Weekly Mansions'' (2016) *''
Zapopan Zapopan () is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the population of Zapopan city proper makes it the second largest city in the state, very close behind the population of ...
'' (2016) *'' Nom de Guerre Cabal'' (2016) *'' Some Need It Lonely'' (2016) *''A Lovejoy'' (2016) *''Roman Lips'' (2017) *''Zen Thrills'' (2017) *''Chocolate Tumor Hormone Parade'' (2017; Live) *''Ensayo de un Desaparecido'' (2017) *''Azul, Mis Dientes'' (2017) *''Gorilla Preacher Cartel'' (2017) *''Killing Tingled Lifting Retreats'' (2017) *''Solid State Mercenaries'' (2017) *''Doom Patrol'' (2017) *''The Clouds Hill Tapes Parts I, II & III'' (2020) Collaborations *'' Please Heat This Eventually'' (EP) (2006; as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and
Damo Suzuki , better known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a Japanese musician who has been living in Germany since the early 1970s and is best known as the former lead singer of the krautrock group Can. Biography As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 196 ...
; featuring Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group) *''Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Lydia Lunch'' (EP) (2007; as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and
Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...
; featuring Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group) *''Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward'' (2008; as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Jeremy Ward) *'' The Burning Plain'' soundtrack (promo only) (2008; as
Hans Zimmer Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Oscars and four Grammys, and has been nominated for two Emmys and a Tony. Zimmer was also named on the list of Top 100 Living G ...
and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) *'' Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante'' (2010; as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
) *''Faust & Omar Rodriguez Lopez Live at Clouds Hill'' (2012; part of ''Live at Clouds Hill'' box set; as
Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroa ...
and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) *''Birth of a Ghost'' (2017; with With Lions) With Startled Calf *'' I Love Being Trendy'' (1993) With At the Drive-In * '' Acrobatic Tenement'' (1997) * '' El Gran Orgo'' (1997) * '' In/Casino/Out'' (1998, re-release 2004) * '' Vaya'' (1999, re-release 2004) * '' Sunshine / At the Drive-In'' (2000) * ''
Relationship of Command ''Relationship of Command'' is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, released on September 12, 2000. The album combines an aggressive edge with a melodic drive, harmonious, emotive vocals, and surreal lyrics. Whil ...
'' (2000, re-release 2004) * '' This Station Is Non-Operational'' (2005) * '' in•ter a•li•a'' (2017) * '' Diamanté'' (2017) With De Facto *'' 456132015'' (2001) *'' Megaton Shotblast'' (2001) *'' How Do You Dub? You Fight For Dub, You Plug Dub In'' (2001) *'' Légende du Scorpion a Quatre Queues'' (2001) With the Mars Volta * '' Tremulant'' (2002) * '' De-Loused in the Comatorium'' (2003) * ''
Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music * Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of album ...
'' (2003) * '' Frances the Mute'' (2005) * ''
Scabdates ''Scabdates'' is the second official live recording from the band The Mars Volta. It was released on November 8, 2005 and features music recorded between May 2004 and May 2005 during the tours in support of ''De-Loused in the Comatorium'' and ''Fra ...
'' (2005) * ''
Amputechture ''Amputechture'' is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the albu ...
'' (2006) * '' The Bedlam in Goliath'' (2008) * ''
Octahedron In geometry, an octahedron (plural: octahedra, octahedrons) is a polyhedron with eight faces. The term is most commonly used to refer to the regular octahedron, a Platonic solid composed of eight equilateral triangles, four of which meet at ea ...
'' (2009) * '' Noctourniquet'' (2012) * ''
The Mars Volta The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership for ...
(2022) With
Le Butcherettes Le Butcherettes is a Mexican garage punk band formed in 2007 in Guadalajara by Teri Gender Bender. History Le Butcherettes was created by vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender, who later recruited drummer Auryn Jolene to form a duo. Their liv ...
* ''
Sin Sin Sin "Sin Sin Sin" is a song by British singer Robbie Williams from his sixth studio album, ''Intensive Care'' (2005). It was released as the fourth and last single the album on 22 May 2006 by Chrysalis Records. The song was remixed for single relea ...
'' (2011) * ''
Cry Is for the Flies Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, or pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness. The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secr ...
'' (2014) With Bosnian Rainbows *''Bosnian Rainbows Live at Clouds Hill'' (10" EP) (2012; part of ''Live at Clouds Hill'' box set) *'' Bosnian Rainbows'' (2013) With Kimono Kult *''Hiding in the Light'' (2014) With Antemasque *'' Antemasque'' (2014) With
Crystal Fairy ''Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus'' (''Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus and 2012'' as presented onscreen) is a 2013 Chilean adventure comedy film written and directed by Sebastián Silva. The film stars Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann. At t ...
*''
Crystal Fairy ''Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus'' (''Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus and 2012'' as presented onscreen) is a 2013 Chilean adventure comedy film written and directed by Sebastián Silva. The film stars Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann. At t ...
'' (2017) Guest appearances * '' Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three'' by Various Artists (Produced by
Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1980, Rol ...
) (2002) * '' Shadows Collide With People'' by
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
(2004) * ''
Inside of Emptiness ''Inside of Emptiness'' is the sixth studio album by American musician John Frusciante, released on October 26, 2004 on Record Collection, and is the fourth in a series of six releases, issued from June 2004 to February 2005. The album features c ...
'' by
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
(2004) * ''
Curtains A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditorium ...
'' by
John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...
(2005) * ''Radio Vago'' by Radio Vago (2005) * "Live Private Booths" by Alavaz Relxib Cirdec (uncredited) (2005) * ''The Phantom Syndrome'' by Coaxial (2005) * ''
Stadium Arcadium ''Stadium Arcadium'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was a double-album released on May 5, 2006, on Warner Bros. Records. It produced five singles: "Dani California", " Tell Me Baby", " Snow (Hey Oh)", " ...
'' by
Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...
(2006) * '' I'll Sleep When You're Dead'' by El-P (2007) * ''
New Amerykah Part One ''New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)'' is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Erykah Badu. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Universal Motown following Badu's hiatus from recording music due to writer's block. I ...
'' by
Erykah Badu Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...
(2008) * ''Leslie White'' by Taka Takaz (2009) * '' Sympathy for Delicious OST'' by Burnt the Diphthongs (2010) * ''Negativa'' by Hour of the Monarchy (2010) * '' Entren Los Que Quieran'' by Calle 13 (2010) * '' The Golden Age of Knowhere'' by
Funeral Party Funeral Party is an American alternative rock band, formed in 2005. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Chad Elliott, guitarist James Lawrence Torres, bassist Kimo Kauhola, and multi instrumentalist Tim Madrid. History The original members ...
(2011) * '' Ximena Sariñana'' by Ximena Sariñana (2011) * ''Tercer Solar'' by Apolo (2014) As producer *'' El Gran Orgo'' by
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
(1997) co-produced with Bryan Jones and other members of at the Drive-In *'' Sunshine / At the Drive-In'' by at the Drive-In (2000) co-produced with other members of at the Drive-In *'' De-Loused in the Comatorium'' by The Mars Volta (2003) co-produced with
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
*''
Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music * Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of album ...
'' by The Mars Volta (2003) co-produced with Cedric Bixler-Zavala *'' A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume 1'' (2004) *'' Frances the Mute'' by The Mars Volta (2005) *''
Scabdates ''Scabdates'' is the second official live recording from the band The Mars Volta. It was released on November 8, 2005 and features music recorded between May 2004 and May 2005 during the tours in support of ''De-Loused in the Comatorium'' and ''Fra ...
'' by The Mars Volta (2005) *'' Omar Rodriguez'' (2005) *''Radio Vago'' by Radio Vago (2005) *''
Amputechture ''Amputechture'' is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the albu ...
'' by The Mars Volta (2006) *'' Please Heat This Eventually'' (2007) *'' Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo'' (2007) *''Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Lydia Lunch'' (2007) *''The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange'' (2007) *''
Calibration In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of kno ...
'' (2007) *'' The Bedlam in Goliath'' by The Mars Volta (2008) *''Omar Rodriguez Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward'' (2008) *''Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus'' (2008) *''Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead'' (2008) *''
Old Money Old money is "the inherited wealth of established upper-class families (i.e. gentry, patriciate)" or "a person, family, or lineage possessing inherited wealth". The term typically describes a social class of the rich who have been able t ...
'' (2008) *''Megaritual'' (2009) *''Despair'' (2009) *''
Cryptomnesia Cryptomnesia occurs when a forgotten memory returns without its being recognized as such by the subject, who believes it is something new and original. It is a memory bias whereby a person may falsely recall generating a thought, an idea, a tune ...
'' (2009) *''
Octahedron In geometry, an octahedron (plural: octahedra, octahedrons) is a polyhedron with eight faces. The term is most commonly used to refer to the regular octahedron, a Platonic solid composed of eight equilateral triangles, four of which meet at ea ...
'' by The Mars Volta (2009) *''Terra Incognita'' by Juliette and The New Romantiques (2009) *''Los Sueños de un Higado'' (2009) *''
Xenophanes Xenophanes of Colophon (; grc, Ξενοφάνης ὁ Κολοφώνιος ; c. 570 – c. 478 BC) was a Greek philosopher, theologian, poet, and critic of Homer from Ionia who travelled throughout the Greek-speaking world in early Classica ...
'' (2009) *'' Solar Gambling'' (2009) *''Ciencia de los Inútiles'' (2010) *'' Omar Rodriguez Lopez & John Frusciante'' (2010) *''
Sepulcros de Miel ''Sepulcros de Miel'' (English: ''Tombs of Honey'') is the twenty-first release by Omar Rodríguez-López, guitarist, band leader, and producer of The Mars Volta Group. Released under the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet name, this record features ...
'' (2010) *''
Tychozorente ''Tychozorente'' is the sixteenth studio album by Omar Rodríguez-López. The digital version was released on September 14, 2010, and the CD was released by Rodriguez Lopez Productions in Europe on November 18, 2010. This record is Omar's first c ...
'' (2010) co-produced with Elvin Estela *''Cizaña de los Amores'' (2010) *''Mantra Hiroshima'' (2010) *''どういたしまして'' (''Dōitashimashite''; 2010) *''Un Escorpión Perfumado'' (2010) *''Telesterion'' (2011; compilation) *''
Sin Sin Sin "Sin Sin Sin" is a song by British singer Robbie Williams from his sixth studio album, ''Intensive Care'' (2005). It was released as the fourth and last single the album on 22 May 2006 by Chrysalis Records. The song was remixed for single relea ...
'' by
Le Butcherettes Le Butcherettes is a Mexican garage punk band formed in 2007 in Guadalajara by Teri Gender Bender. History Le Butcherettes was created by vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender, who later recruited drummer Auryn Jolene to form a duo. Their liv ...
(2011) *'' Noctourniquet'' by The Mars Volta (2012) *''Un Corazón de Nadie'' (2012) *''Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar'' (2012) *''Octopus Kool Aid'' (2012) *''Equinox'' (2013) *'' Woman Gives Birth to Tomato!'' (2013) *''Unicorn Skeleton Mask'' (2013) *'' ¿Sólo Extraño?'' (2013) *''Guardián'' by Apolo (2015) *'' A Raw Youth'' by Le Butcherettes (2015) *''
Norma Norma may refer to: * Norma (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Astronomy *Norma (constellation) *555 Norma, a minor asteroid * Cygnus Arm or Norma Arm, a spiral arm in the Milky Way galaxy Geography *Norma, Lazi ...
'' by Mon Laferte (2018)


Filmography


As performer

;Feature films * ''
All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
'' (2009) * '' The Sentimental Engine Slayer'' (2010)


As director

;Feature films * '' The Sentimental Engine Slayer'' (2010) * ''Los Chidos'' (2011) * ''Amalia'' (2018) ;Music videos * " Inertiatic ESP" (2003) for The Mars Volta * " L'Via L'Viaquez" (2005) for The Mars Volta * " The Widow" (2005) for The Mars Volta * "
Wax Simulacra "Wax Simulacra" is a single from the album ''The Bedlam in Goliath'' by The Mars Volta. The single debuted on November 18, 2007, on San Francisco's Live 105 FM. It was previously played live by the band under the name "Idle Tooth". The B-side "Pul ...
" (2008) for The Mars Volta * " Aberinkula" (2008) for The Mars Volta * " Ilyena" (2008) for The Mars Volta * "
Goliath Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant defeated by the young David in single combat. The story signified King Sau ...
" (2008) for The Mars Volta * " Askepios" (2008) for The Mars Volta * "
Calibration In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of kno ...
" (2008) * "
Cotopaxi Cotopaxi () is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located in Latacunga city of Cotopaxi Province, about south of Quito, and northeast of the city of Latacunga, Ecuador. It is the second highest summit in Ecuador, reaching a h ...
" (2009) for The Mars Volta * " Since We've Been Wrong" (2009) for The Mars Volta * " Asco Que Conmueve los Puntos Erógenos" (2009) * " Miercoles" (2010) * " Polaridad" (2010) * " Agua Dulce De Pulpo" (2010) * "
Shine Down "Shine Down" is a single by the band Godsmack. It was featured on the band's fourth studio album, '' IV''. The song landed a spot on the Mainstream Rock Tracks at number four. Writing According to Shannon Larkin, the song was written by Sully ...
" (2011) for Ximena Sariñana * "Pineapple Face" (2016) * "My Mallely" (2016) for
Le Butcherettes Le Butcherettes is a Mexican garage punk band formed in 2007 in Guadalajara by Teri Gender Bender. History Le Butcherettes was created by vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender, who later recruited drummer Auryn Jolene to form a duo. Their liv ...
;Collaborations *" Metronome Arthritis" (1999) video for
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
with Dan Tierney and other members of
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
*"
One Armed Scissor "One Armed Scissor" is the debut single by American post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, released in 2000 from their album ''Relationship of Command''. It was the first At the Drive-In song to be played regularly on a number of radio stations. The ...
" (2000) video for
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
with other members of
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...


Bibliography

*''Hunters in High Heels'' (not published)


References


External links


Official website
* * *
Omar Rodriguez interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez-Lopez, Omar 1975 births Living people American funk guitarists American male guitarists American multi-instrumentalists American punk rock guitarists American reggae guitarists American rock guitarists At the Drive-In members Dub musicians Grammy Award winners Jazz fusion guitarists Jazz-rock guitarists Lead guitarists People from Bayamón, Puerto Rico Musicians from El Paso, Texas Stones Throw Records artists Progressive rock guitarists Puerto Rican guitarists Puerto Rican multi-instrumentalists Ipecac Recordings artists The Mars Volta members American male jazz musicians De Facto (band) members Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group members Antemasque (band) members Bosnian Rainbows members Crystal Fairy (band) members Le Butcherettes members El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez members