Cedric Bixler-Zavala

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Cedric Bixler-Zavala
Cedric Bixler-Zavala in 2008
Cedric Bixler-Zavala in 2008
Background information
Born November 4, 1974 (1974-11-04) (age 33)
Redwood City, California, U.S.
Origin El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Genre(s) Progressive rock
Psychedelic rock
Post-hardcore
Experimental rock
Alternative rock
Dub
Electronica
Reggae
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter, Vocalist
Instrument(s) Vocals, Drums, Bass, Maracas, Guitar, Tambourine
Years active 1993–present
Associated acts The Mars Volta
De Facto
At the Drive-In

Cedric Bixler-Zavala (born November 4, 1974 in Redwood City, California) is the lead singer and lyricist of The Mars Volta, and was previously the lead singer, lyricist and occasional guitarist of At the Drive-In, and also, the drummer of De Facto.

Contents

[edit] Lyrical and vocal style

Bixler-Zavala's lyrics are often abstract to the point of seeming nonsensical. These lyrics often blend contrasting metaphors, usually dealing with grotesque, speculative fiction imagery. He has been praised for his extensive vocabulary yet once commented that despite such praise, he is a high school dropout [2]. He has cited a variety of influences, such as Werner Herzog, Luis Buñuel, Neu!, Doctor Who, Syd Barrett, Damo Suzuki, and Mexican folk tales. He has also experimented with bilingual lyrics, switching from English to Spanish several times within the course of a song. The Mars Volta's album De-Loused in the Comatorium was accompanied by a short novel of the same name, written in the same metaphorical style. His lyrics are arranged by Cedric and Jeremy Ward. Much of his vocal work operates in the higher register (displayed in songs such as Inertiatic ESP), but he also operates competently at a normal pitch and sometimes drops down in range.

[edit] On-stage behavior

Bixler-Zavala is renowned for his on-stage behavior. He frequently does somersaults on stage, swings his microphone (once unintentionally hitting band mate Ikey Owens in the head), salsa dances, sarcastically mocked an audience once due to not complying with safety rules, adjusts Omar Rodriguez's effects pedals and plays the maracas. Previously Bixler-Zavala was a heavy drug user and his antics were credited to this, however, he quit using opioids (along with bandmate Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) following the overdose and death of Jeremy Michael Ward and the antics have continued.

Bixler-Zavala demonstrated very strong views on moshing and crowd surfing. He infamously walked off stage 10 minutes into an At The Drive-In performance at the 2001 Big Day Out festival. He had previously asked the audience to calm down and observe the safety rules. After the refusal of the crowd, Zavala told the crowd, "I think it's a really sad day when the only way you can express yourself is by slam-dancing!", followed by cries of, “You're a robot, you're a sheep!” and proceeded to baa like a sheep at them several times before the band left the stage.[1] Later that day Jessica Michalik died of asphixiation after being crushed in a mosh pit; At The Drive-In broke up not long after this incident, but the incident itself was not one of the few reasons At The Drive-In disbanded.

Despite these views, Bixler-Zavala has been known to venture out into crowds, disturb security guards, and grab/toss various objects found in the venue.

He has also displayed a dislike of smoking at Mars Volta shows [3].

[edit] Instrumentalist and Alavaz Relxib Cirdec Recordings

Bixler-Zavala played the drums in the experimental reggae dub group De Facto, and occasionally played guitar and drums with At the Drive-In.

Under the pseudonym "Alavaz Relxib Cirdec" ("Cedric Bixler Zavala" with the order of the letters reversed), Bixler-Zavala contributed a 2-song single to the GSL Special 12 Singles Series, released in December 2005. The inversion of his name is very appropriate, seeing as the musical styles shown on his GSL single would be unexpected to an uninformed fan of his more mainstream contributions. Closer to the Dub of De Facto and the ambient experimentation shown in Omar Rodriguez-Lopez records than the prog-rock of The Mars Volta, the two songs Bixler-Zavala has produced under this alias are entirely instrumental, with the exception of samples of speech that can be heard on "Live Private Booths". "Live Private Booths" is a funky Fela Kuti-style jam featuring flute, drums, bass, guitars and samples, while "Sapta-Loka" is a more ambient exploration of eastern-style drones, with subtle, haunting instrumentation.

[edit] Discography

[edit] With Foss

  • El Paso Pussycats

[edit] With Los Dregtones

[edit] With Phantasmagoria

[edit] With The Fall on Deaf Ears

[edit] With At the Drive-In

[edit] With De Facto

[edit] With The Mars Volta

[edit] As Alavaz Relxib Cirdec

[edit] Guest appearances

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] At the Drive-In at Big Day Out 2001
v • d • e
The Mars Volta
Omar Rodríguez-López · Cedric Bixler-Zavala · Isaiah Ikey Owens · Juan Alderete · Thomas Pridgen · Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez · Adrián Terrazas-González · Paul Hinojos
Eva Gardner · Jeremy Michael Ward · Jon Theodore
Studio albums
EPs
Live albums
Singles
Related articles
v • d • e
At the Drive-In
Cedric Bixler-Zavala · Jim Ward · Omar Rodríguez-López · Paul Hinojos · Tony Hajjar
Studio albums
EPs
Splits
ATDI / Aasee Lake · ATDI / Sunshine · ATDI / Burning Airlines · ATDI / The Murder City Devils
Compilations
Singles
"Metronome Arthritis" · "One Armed Scissor" · "Rolodex Propaganda" · "Invalid Litter Dept."
Labels
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