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Mars Volta Frontman Hints At Possible At The Drive-In Reunion

6/11/09, 9:16 am EST

Photo: Mazur/WireImage

Fans of progressive punks At the Drive-In have been yearning for the band’s return since 2001, when they announced an indefinite hiatus spurred by what’s been described as a combination of surplus hype, obvious artistic differences, exhaustive touring and dangerous road habits. But the unanticipated success of ATDI offshoot the Mars Volta — dubbed by Rolling Stone in 2008 as Best Prog-Rock Band — has led many to presume a reunion just wouldn’t ever be in the cards.

Now, it appears frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala — who, in past interviews, has taken responsibility for the split, saying he felt At the Drive-In was holding him back, creatively — may be changing his tune. In an interview with Drowned in Sound, Bixler-Zavala was once again asked about the possibility of an ATDI resurrection, and his response, while fuzzy, is likely to give fans renewed hope.

“I don’t know what to say about that really,” the frontman responded. “We’ve been making amends with a lot of the members and having some really good talks with them. And we’ve been trying to get our financial business in order because a lot of people have been ripping off that band really badly … as far as the business side goes. I wouldn’t mind it. You know, it might happen. We just have to iron out a lot of personal things. A lot of it we’ve dealt with already and I’ve apologized for a lot of things I’ve said and the way it ended. We’ll see what happens.” After At the Drive-In Split, Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez decamped for the Mars Volta while Tony Hajjar, Paul Hinojos and Jim Ward formed Sparta; Hinojos later joined the Volta, as well.

In the same interview, Bixler-Zavala was less vague about the future of the Mars Volta, who will issue their fifth studio album, Octahedron, on June 23rd. Long story short, he doesn’t see the Mars Volta slowing down anytime soon.

“Being around the people in the band right now just excites me,” he said. “Plus, to have as much time off as we’ve had from it … it’s a good break to remind you what you love doing. I love it and I’ll always love it. It’s the one outlet I have that won’t get me arrested or get me in trouble. I can get away with it. I don’t know if I could collaborate with many other people.”

Related Stories:

What Drives At the Drive-In
Secrets of the Guitar Heroes: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Essential At the Drive-In, Mars Volta Guide


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Comments

sweet! | 6/11/2009, 10:17 am EST

i would love to see ATDI! The Mars Volta is one of the most amazing live bands I’ve ever seen, can’t wait to see what the energy would be like at an ATDI show today.

Sweet 2! | 6/11/2009, 12:25 pm EST

Please let it happen! :D

Craig Hlavaty | 6/11/2009, 3:33 pm EST

Too stoked for words

Eric | 6/11/2009, 9:11 pm EST

I listen to Relationship to Command about every day. It’s really remarkeable and hopefully this will come to fruition. I love these guys.

dude | 6/12/2009, 12:33 am EST

Awesome.

yes! | 6/12/2009, 11:12 am EST

make it happen

Living Fiction | 6/12/2009, 11:39 am EST

Love the Volta. Don’t enjoy ATDI.

Don’t get me wrong, ATDI’s music is great, but Cedric’s voice was too “toneless” (for lack of a better word) for me. I don’t know how Cedric did it, but his voice is so much more melodic and powerful with the Volta.

I’d rather have him and Omar move forward than look back.

itsnotgoditsme | 6/12/2009, 12:58 pm EST

I really hope it happens. Relationship of Command is about as good as an album can possibly be.

atd-i still better than tmv | 6/12/2009, 1:10 pm EST

it would rule

poontangling | 6/12/2009, 2:38 pm EST

Would be awesome but come on ppl ‘Relationship of Command” was fuckin awesome but definitely not their best album. Seriously check out Acrobat Tenement, their first release. They were truly a classic act that broke up way too soon.

leo | 6/12/2009, 10:00 pm EST

listening to the direction mars volta is taking (octaedron and bedlam), i really hope atdi get together soon.

sparta is already dead by the shitty last album they´ve released…

anyway… atdi(L) :)

Anonymous | 6/15/2009, 2:15 pm EST

The Mars Volta Has Never Been In Moving In Any One Direction. I’m Happy To Hear Any Music Involving Omar and Cedric. ATDI Was Awsome And I Love To See Em Back.

volta guy | 6/17/2009, 12:07 pm EST

ATDI is awesome, but I think the mars volta is a lot more creative in their sounds and their performances, and while I would like to see ATDI maybe do a few reunion shows…I think they should stick to the mars volta. It works better for them.

loubert | 6/22/2009, 11:22 pm EST

I think atdi is cool and all, but i would be devistated if there were no more mars volta. I feel they are the only band around who really give a shit about changing the future of music. If this reunion actually did happen, it would be like Omar and Cedric regressed. Rite now it seems like they are on a quest to make innovative psychedlic rock n roll
music that the world has never heard before. Almoast like they completley reinvent themselves every year. I think they would just get board with atdi and it wouldnt last

Will | 6/24/2009, 1:49 am EST

Yeah I understand what you mean by chaning music, every album has an almost completely differnt sound and it would suck if they wern’t around, but i still would love a couple atdi tours

SoundPortals | 6/30/2009, 9:14 pm EST

it would be the craziest sh*t ever…ADTI had such pure raw energy & depth…captivating…Relation ship,In/Cas/Out, Vaya & all of them rocked…Love Volta it’s genius… was just at the Ventura show great sh*t…but ATDI intertwined w/ the Volta would make killer new sound not to mention the tours w/ the ADTI songs we’re dying to relive…but i don’t think it’ll happen…

damien | 7/9/2009, 6:51 pm EST

At the Drive-in reunion would be amazing! I would listen to ATDI’s music any day over The Mars Volta. Don’t get me wrong, I love TMV but ATDI had more raw energy that they did’nt know what to do with and it was exciting.

SoundPortals | 7/28/2009, 12:39 pm EST

…also cedric said that if it happens it’s purely for the money which would be invensted in TMV…with that said it would be hard to imagine where the passion and explosive energy would come from although they are professionals on the other hand…yet still i would love the opportunity to see it live…

invisibleman | 10/7/2009, 1:51 am EST

I think that this would be great. I would travel ANYWHERE for an ATDI reunion. Favorite band ever.

Rankin | 11/9/2009, 3:55 pm EST

ATDI is just about my favorite band of all time.
The Mars Volta is great, Sparta is great, but I feel like when ATDI split, the sound cut itself in two, and what you have now are two halves that are both half as good as the original.
TMV often gets so far up their asses with experimentalism that the music suffers, and Sparta is so lazy sounding and uninventive that they are bound to run out of steam sooner or later.
Relationship of Command has the genuine emotion and raw power that Deloused in the Comatorium and Porcelain lack.
The best case scenario would be for a new ATDI album. Then I could live in peace.

Matt | 11/16/2009, 5:02 pm EST

Deloused has no lack of emotion my friend, I get chills everytime I listen to that album. Still, an ATDI reunion would be amazing.

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