Cedric Bixler-Zavala


Main image

Cedric Bixler-Zavala (b. 4 November 1974, Redwood City, San Mateo, California) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and drummer. He is best known as The Mars Volta's lead singer and lyricist (2001–2012; reunited in 2019) and the sole remaining original member of At The Drive-In (1994–2001, 2015–18), where he sang and occasionally played guitar. Bixler has been extensively collaborating with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez since the early 1990s, performing and recording together in several other projects besides ATDI and TMV, such as De Facto (1998–2003), El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez's [m=172029] CD/LP in 2009, and a short-lived supergroup Antemasque (2014–15) with Flea and Travis Barker. In December 2005, he released a solo 12 as Alavaz Relxib Cirdec (his name reversed) on Gold Standard Laboratories. Cedric Bixlez-Zavala co-founded the Anywhere band with Christian Eric Beaulieu of Triclops! and renowned bassist Mike Watt in 2011, also singing and playing guitar with his band Zavalaz (since 2013). He is a technically proficient and versatile tenor vocalist, an expert at controlled falsetto and head voice singing, with the working range G♯2–D6 that extends as low as E2 and as high as C7.

He was born in a family of Mexican origins, the son of Dennis Jose Bixler (b. 1945) and Rosie Maria Zavala; even though Cedric's parents were bilingual, he never learned proper Spanish. The Bixler family soon relocated to El Paso, Texas, where Cedric first met Omar Rodriguez-Lopez in the early 1990s while practicing with Paul Hinojos; they became lifelong friends and permanent collaborators since then. Circa 1993, Cedric established his first band, Foss, with future US politician Beto O'Rourke; they split after two years, releasing several demo tapes and touring the US and Canada twice. In October 1994, Cedric Bixler-Zavala co-founded At The Drive-In with Jim Ward. The early canonical lineup solidified by July 1996, after the recording sessions for the band's debut album, [m=45442], with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez switching from bass to guitar and drummer Tony Hajjar with bassist Paul Hinojos joining as the permanent members. Other notable bands that Bixler-Zavala founded in the early 1990s include Dregtones with Ralph Jasso on guitar and Jimmy Hernandez on bass, which released the 5 Song Alibi demo tape on Western Breed Records in 1994, and The Fall On Deaf Ears, which only recorded several songs before bassist Laura Beard and guitarist Sarah Reiser, both 17, died in a car accident in 1997.

In 1998, Cedric launched his first joint project with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, an experimental dub reggae outfit De Facto, which began as a trio with Jim Ward's cousin and intermittent ATDI member, Jeremy Michael Ward, performing improvised jams after the band's local shows. De Facto soon gained traction, releasing several EPs and two full-length albums. When At The Drive-In disbanded in 2001, it was De Facto that first signed with Gold Standard Laboratories, releasing [m=113794] (GSL45) before The Mars Volta presented the group's debut [m=9308] (GSL54).

ALBUMS


Alavaz Relxib Cirdec*
The Special 12 Singles Series
2005, ,
Experimental
The Mars Volta
Live
2003, CD Cardboard Sleeve, ,
Alternative Rock/Prog Rock/Experimental
The Mars Volta
De-Loused In The Comatorium (Tour 2004)
2003,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock/Experimental
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
2022, Vinyl Gold Foil Cover,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
Landscape Tantrums (Unfinished Original Recordings Of De​-​Loused In The Comatorium)
2022, ,
Experimental/Prog Rock/Post-Hardcore
The Mars Volta
La Realidad De Los Sueños
2021, Box, Comp, Dlx, Ltd, RM + 12", EP + 2xLP, Album + , Clouds Hill, Rodriguez Lopez Productions, ,
Avantgarde/Alternative Rock/Prog Rock
Anywhere
II
2018, ,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock
At The Drive In*
Diamanté
2017, Vinyl Black/Doublemint,
At The Drive In*
in•ter a•li•a
2017, CD Digipak, ,
Emo/Hardcore/Post-Punk
Antemasque
Antemasque
2014, ,
Alternative Rock
Antemasque
In The Lurch
2014, ,
Prog Rock/Hard Rock/Alternative Rock
Anywhere
Anywhere
2012, ,
Folk/Psychedelic Rock
Anywhere
Infrared Moses b/w Anywhere
2012, ,
Indie Rock
The Mars Volta
Noctourniquet
2012, CD, ,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
The Malkin Jewel
2012, ,
Alternative Rock/Prog Rock
Anywhere
Pyramid Mirrors b/w Dead Golden West
2011, ,
Indie Rock
The Mars Volta
Cotopaxi
2009, CD, Promo, Mercury,
The Mars Volta
Octahedron
2009, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez
Cryptomnesia
2009, ,
Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
Wax Simulacra
2007, Vinyl, ,
Art Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Avantgarde/Experimental/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
The Bedlam In Goliath
2007, ,
Avantgarde/Experimental/Prog Rock
At The Drive-In
In/Casino/Out : Acrobatic Tenement
2006, Box, Comp + CD, Album, RE + CD, Album, RE, V2, ,
Alternative Rock
The Mars Volta
Amputechture
2006, ,
Art Rock/Prog Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Avantgarde/Abstract
The Mars Volta
Scabdates
2005, CD, ,
Post Rock/Experimental/Prog Rock/Psychedelic Rock
The Mars Volta
L'Via L'Viaquez
2005, ,
Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
Frances The Mute
2005, ,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Avantgarde/Experimental/Art Rock/Prog Rock/Progressive Metal
The Mars Volta
Live At The Electric Ballroom
2005, ,
Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
The Bible And The Breathalyzer / L'Via L'Viaquez
2005, Vinyl, ,
Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
The Widow
2005, CD Digipak, ,
Art Rock/Experimental/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
Frances The Mute
2005, Vinyl Green Marbled Vinyl, ,
Art Rock/Psychedelic Rock
The Mars Volta
Inertiatic ESP
2003, CD, ,
Post-Hardcore/Prog Rock/Experimental/Math Rock/Art Rock/Psychedelic Rock
The Mars Volta
De-Loused In The Comatorium
2003, CD, ,
Experimental/Prog Rock/Post-Hardcore
The Mars Volta
Televators
2003, CD, ,
Abstract/Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
The Fall On Deaf Ears
The Fall On Deaf Ears
2002, CD, EP, Post-Parlo Records, ,
Emo/Punk/Hardcore
The Mars Volta
Tremulant EP
2002, ,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Experimental
De Facto
Legende Du Scorpion A Quatre Queues
2001, ,
Dub
De Facto
Megaton Shotblast
2001, ,
Dub/Experimental
De Facto
How Do You Dub? You Fight For Dub. You Plug Dub In.
2001, ,
Dub/Experimental
DeFacto*
456132015
2001, ,
Experimental
At The Drive-In
Relationship Of Command
2000, CD, ,
Post-Hardcore/Indie Rock
At.The.Drive.In*
Vaya
1999, ,
Post-Hardcore/Alternative Rock/Emo
At The Drive-In
In/Casino/Out
1998, CD, ,
Post-Hardcore/Punk/Emo
At The Drive-In
Acrobatic Tenement
1997, CD, ,
Emo/Punk/Post-Hardcore
At The Drive-In
El Gran Orgo
1997, CD, ,
Indie Rock
At The Drive-In
¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!
1995, Vinyl, ,
Punk
Dregtones
5 Song Alibi
1994, Cass, Western Breed Records,
At The Drive-In
Hell Paso
1994, Vinyl Clear, ,
Alternative Rock/Punk
Foss
The El Paso Pussycats
1993, 7", Western Breed Records, ,
Punk/Post Rock
The Mars Volta
Live
2019, Vinyl White , ,
Alternative Rock/Prog Rock/Experimental
The Mars Volta
Frances The Mute
2015, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
Antemasque
Antemasque
2014, ,
Alternative Rock
The Mars Volta
Octahedron
2009, CD, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
The Bedlam In Goliath
2008, CD, ,
Avantgarde/Experimental/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
Amputechture
2006, CD, ,
Psychedelic Rock/Avantgarde/Prog Rock
The Mars Volta
De-Loused In The Comatorium
2003, 2x Vinyl, ,
Abstract/Psychedelic Rock/Dub/Experimental
At The Drive-In
Relationship Of Command
2000, Cassette, ,
Post-Hardcore/Indie Rock
The Mars Volta
Noctourniquet
,
Alternative Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Prog Rock

APPEARANCES +


Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Solid State Mercenaries
2024
The Mars Volta
Blacklight Shine
2022, File, FLAC, Single, Clouds Hill
The Mars Volta
Vigil
2022, File, FLAC, Single, Clouds Hill
Brainiac
Transmissions After Zero
2020, DVD-V, NTSC, Reg, MVD Visual
Jonny Polonsky
Kingdom Of Sleep
2020
Lisa Papineau
Oh Dead On Oh Love
2019, CD,
Fences
Failure Sculptures
2019
Saul Williams
Martyr Loser King
2016, CD, ,
Downtempo/Conscious
Nobody
Vivid Green
2013, ,
Hip Hop/Downtempo
Mastodon
Crack The Skye / Blood Mountain
2012, CD, Album, RE + CD, Album, RE + Box, Comp, WEA Music, Warner Music France, ,
Stoner Rock/Prog Rock/Heavy Metal/Sludge Metal
Big Sir
Before Gardens After Gardens
2012, ,
Avantgarde/Experimental
Renée Fleming
Dark Hope
2010, ,
Contemporary/Vocal
Various
Hechizo (Las Canciones De Bunbury Y Héroes Del Silencio Cantadas Por Los Artistas De Los Dos Lados Del Atlántico)
2010, ,
Pop Rock
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Old Money
2009, ,
Latin/Prog Rock/Experimental
EL-P
Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixx2 / Eat My Garbage
2008, 2xCD, Ltd, Not On Label,
Mastodon
Mastodon
2008, ,
Math Rock/Stoner Rock/Southern Rock/Prog Rock/Heavy Metal
El-P
I'll Sleep When You're Dead
2007, CD, ,
Conscious/Hardcore Hip-Hop
Omar Rodriguez Lopez*
Calibration (Is Pushing Luck And Key Too Far)
2007, ,
Abstract/Avantgarde/Experimental
Omar Rodriguez Lopez*
Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo
2007, ,
Prog Rock
Various
Coachella
2006, 2x DVD, ,
Alternative Rock/Indie Rock/Big Beat/IDM/Hip Hop/Synth-pop
Mastodon
Blood Mountain
2006
The Mars Volta
Live At The Electric Ballroom
2005, DVD-V, Promo, Universal Records, Gold Standard Laboratories, Strummer Recordings
Various
Digital Rock Vision 12
2005, DVD-V, Comp, PAL, Digital Press, ,
Indie Rock/Synth-pop/Pop Rock/Alternative Rock/Interview
At∙The∙Drive-In*
This Station Is Non-Operational
2005, CD, DVD, ,
Alternative Rock
Omar Rodriguez*
Omar Rodriguez
2005, ,
Jazz-Rock
Various
Island Sampler Winter '04
2004, CD, Comp, Promo, Island Records, ,
Alternative Rock/Breaks/Pop Rock/Indie Rock
Handsome Boy Modeling School
White People
2004, ,
Conscious/Jazzy Hip-Hop
Thavius Beck
Decomposition
2004
Handsome Boy Modeling School
The Fall Collection For The Discerning Listener
2004,
Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez*
A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One
2004, ,
Alternative Rock/Soundtrack/Latin/Experimental/Indie Rock
Various
Rise Above (24 Black Flag Songs To Benefit The West Memphis Three)
2002, ,
Alternative Rock/Hardcore
Sand Which Is
Burn Right Through
2000, CD, Album, Big Crunch
At.The.Drive-In* & Sunshine
At.The.Drive-In & Sunshine
2000, Vinyl Pink Transparent, ,
Emo/Electro/Psychedelic Rock
At The Drive-In / Burning Airlines
At The Drive-In / Burning Airlines
2000, Vinyl, ,
Punk/Indie Rock
At The Drive In* / The Aasee Lake
At The Drive In / The Aasee Lake
1999, 7", Nerd Rock Records, Ghetto Defendant (2), ,
Post Rock/Post-Hardcore
Various
Cactus Jack's Armadillo Hits Texas Etc.
1999, CD, Comp, Polydor
Various
Nowcore! (The Punk Rock Evolution)
1999
Various
The Eagle Has Landed
1998, 2xLP, Comp, Tranquility Base (2), ,
Indie Rock/Post-Hardcore/Post-Punk/Math Rock/Emo/Experimental
Fall On Deaf Ears* And Rope
In Memory 1979- 1997
1997, 7", Western Breed Records, ,
Punk
Various
The First Crush Compilation
1997
Various
Rise Above (24 Black Flag Songs To Benefit The West Memphis Three)
2002
Mastodon
Blood Mountain
2006, ,
Hardcore/Doom Metal/Prog Rock