Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director. He is best known for his roles in The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, but has also been a member of a multitude of other bands as noted here on this website. He also has contributed performances to various other artists such as El-P, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Calle 13, and Erykah Badu. He frequently appears on best guitarist lists often being lauded for effect heavy and somewhat chaotic performances.
Omar was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and as a child his family moved multiple times leading him to live in South Carolina, Mexico, and eventually El Paso. Omar grew up in a family that celebrated music, with his father being a semi-celebrated salsa musician. He would begin forming and performing in punk bands as a teenager including the acts, Flood Plaza!, Jerk, and Startled Calf. During his adolescence he came into contact with Paul Hinojos and Cedric Bixler-Zavala who would later become bandmates. As a teenager Omar left home to hitchhike across the country. Eventually he ran out of money and reportedly developed an opioid addiction. He earned money by selling acid and his guitar. He eventually earned enough money to return to El Paso with the help of Cedric and he was enlisted as At the Drive-In’s bassist.
Omar has been open about his struggles with substance use in his youth, acknowledging periods of abusing opioids and stimulants, mainly crack cocaine. In If This Ever Gets Weird he acknowledges that he struggled with being able to stop his crack cocaine binges. As The Mars Volta began to make momentum he decided to cease hard drug use to help focus on the band. In addition, as he has gotten older he has been more willing to share about his sexuality, noting he was previously in a romantic relationship with Jeremy Michael Ward, and that he was made fun of for being identified as queer as a teenager. During a conversation with Johann Scheer regarding trauma he stated he was sexually abused by a family member as a child.
Appears on (181)
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Unfinished Business Lucro Sucio Guitar, production, synths, back-up vocals -
Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos Del Vacio Guitar, production, synths, back-up vocals -
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Live at Clouds Hill Guitar -
Is It The Clouds? Vocals, guitar -
Things You Can Do With A 20 Dollar Bill… Guitar, vocals, engineer, mix -
Palm Full Of Crux (acoustic) [Single] Guitar, production, flute, engineering -
Blank Condolences (acoustic) [Single] Guitar, production, flute, engineering -
Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon Guitar, production, flute, engineering -
Vigil [Single] Guitar -
Graveyard Love [Single] Guitar -
Blacklight Shine [Single] Guitar -
The Mars Volta Guitar, production -
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A Plague Upon Your Hissing Guitar -
Eunuch Provocateur Guitar -
The Clouds Hill Tapes Parts I, II & III Guitar, lyrics -
The Clouds Hill Tapes Pt. III Guitar, lyrics, direction -
The Clouds Hill Tapes Pt. II Guitar, lyrics, direction -
The Clouds Hill Tapes Pt. I Guitar, lyrics, direction -
Amalia Director -
Call Broken Arrow [Promo] Guitar, production -
Crystal Fairy Bass, guitar -
Crystal Fairy Bass, guitar -
Incurably Innocent [Promo] Lead Guitar -
Hostage Stamps [Promo] Lead guitar, production -
In•ter a•li•a Guitar, production -
Diamanté Guitar, production -
Solid State Mercenaries Vocals, synth, bass, keys, guitar -
Roman Lips Vocals, bass, synths, guitars, keys, samples, recording, production -
Killing Tingled Lifting Retreats Vocals, keys, synths, guitars, percussion -
Ensayo De Un Desaparecido Guitar, bass, vocals, keys, percussion -
Doom Patrol Guitar, vocals, synths, percussion, programming -
Chocolate Tumor Hormone Parade Vocals, guitar, keys -
Birth Of A Ghost Writer, percussion, piano -
Azul, Mis Dientes Guitar, bass, synths, percussion -
Gorilla Preacher Cartel Guitar, bass, synths, recording, mix -
Necklace of Divorce Bass, guitars -
Governed By Contagions [Single] Guitar, production -
Some Need It Lonely Guitars, synthesizers, bass (1, 2, 4-6, 10), vocals (1) -
Sworn Virgins Vocals, guitars, synthesizers, loops, bass, sequences, percussion -
Weekly Mansions Vocals, synths, sequences, xylophone, production, recording -
Corazones Vocals, guitars, keys, production -
Zapopan Vocals, guitars, bass, synthesizers, sequencing, piano, samples, engineering -
Umbrella Mistress Vocals, guitars, bass, piano, keyboards, percussion -
Nom de Guerre Cabal Guitar, synth, bass, keys, vocals -
A Lovejoy Vocals, synths, keys, bass, guitar -
Infinity Drips Sampling, sequencing, 12 string fretless acoustic, acoustic guitar, table programming -
El Bien y mal Nos Une Vocals, guitars, bass, sequencers, synths, percussion -
Cell Phone Bikini Guitar, bass, synths, keys -
Blind Worms, Pious Swine Vocals, guitars, bass, synths, samples, recording -
Arañas en la Sombra Guitar, vocals, Bass, Synths, Percussion -
Shave The Pride [Single] Producer [Produced By] -
A Raw Youth Producer - Saddle On The Atom Bomb [Unreleased] Guitar [Presumed]
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Cry Is For The Flies Bass, Producer -
Hiding In The Light Guitar, synths, strings -
In The Lurch [Single] Guitars, keyboards, production -
Antemasque (Pre-Release) Guitar, keyboard, production -
Antemasque (Vision Magazine Exclusive) Guitar, keyboard, production -
Winter’s Gone [Single] Guitar, vocals -
Antemasque Guitar, keyboard, production -
Turtle Neck [Single] Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals -
Torn Maps [Single] Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals -
Live At Clouds Hill Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals -
Bosnian Rainbows Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals -
One Armed Scissor (The Field Remix) Lead guitar -
Woman Gives Birth To Tomato! Synthesizers, sequences, piano, guitar, production -
Unicorn Skeleton Mask Vocals, guitars, synthesizers, sequences, keyboards, production, mixing -
Live At Clouds Hill Guitar -
¿Sólo Extraño? Vocals, synthesizers, sequences, guitar, bass, piano, samples, engineering -
Equinox Vocals, guitar, keys, synths, programming, mix, photography -
Los Chidos Director - LP2 [Unreleased] Guitar, backing vocals, keys
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The Malkin Jewel [Single] Guitar, keyboards, synths, bass, direction, arrangements -
Un Corazón de Nadie Vocals, synthesizers, sequencing, programming, guitar, bass, live drums, piano, samples, production -
Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar Drum Programming, Sequenced By, Synth [Synths], Piano, Organ [Wurlitzer], Mellotron, Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Lyrics By, Alto Vocals -
Octopus Kool Aid Written-By, Arranged By, Directed By, Producer, Sequenced By, Loops, Synth [Synths], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Bass, Guitar -
Noctourniquet Guitar, keyboards, synths, bass, direction, arrangements, production -
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Sin Sin Sin Bass, mix, production -
Двойственность вздохов Guitar, keys, vocals, Director -
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- Vato Negro Trio [Unreleased] Guitar, Keys, Vocals
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Un Escorpión Perfumado Vocals, guitars, bass, sequencers, synths, percussion -
Tychozorente Sequences, Programming, Synths, Xylophone, Voice -
You’re Welcome (どういたしまして) Guitar, voice, keyboards -
Sepulcros De Miel Synthesizers, guitar, sound manipulation, production -
Omar Rodriguez Lopez & John Frusciante Guitars, bass, synthesizer, drum machine, production, engineer, photography -
Mantra Hiroshima Guitar, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Producer -
Ciencia de los Inutiles Guitar -
Cizaña De Los Amores Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, recording -
Is Anybody There? Guitar -
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Select Tracks From ‘Octahedron’ Guitar, synthesizers, drum machine, direction, arrangements -
Cotopaxi [Single] Guitar, synthesizers, drum machine, direction, arrangements -
Solar Gambling Guitars, bass, keys, piano -
Xenophanes Lead vocals, guitars, producer -
Los Sueños de un Hígado Guitar, production -
Despair Performer, Producer, Written-By, Recorded By -
Megaritual Guitar, bass, piano, synth -
Cryptomnesia Guitar, keys, production, direction -
Octahedron Guitar, synthesizers, drum machine, direction, arrangements -
Vicarious Atonement Guitar -
The Bedlam In Goliath (Exclusive Tracks) Guitars, synthesizers -
Candy And A Currant Bun [Single] Guitars, synthesizers, mix, production, recording -
Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Jeremy Michael Ward Noise, mix, recording, writing -
Old Money Guitars (except 2), synths (except 6, 8), bass (2, 4, 5), keys (2, 4, 7, 10), Wurlitzer (2), theremin (3), effects and TV (6), percussion (8) -
Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Mixed By, Piano, Producer, Programmed By, Recorded By, Sequenced By, Sequenced By [Drum Loops], Synthesizer, Vocals, Written-By, Arranged By -
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus Guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, drum machine, percussion, melodica -
The Bedlam in Goliath Guitars, synthesizers -
Коллекция Альбомов Guitar, production -
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Goliath [Single] Guitars, synthesizers -
Wax Simulacra [Single] Guitars, synthesizers -
Since We’ve Been Wrong [Promo Single] Guitar, synthesizers, drum machine, direction, arrangements -
Zen Thrills Programming, synths, keys (2, 4, 8), bass, synth bass, guitar -
Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Lydia Lunch Guitar, arrangement -
Please Heat This Eventually Guitar -
Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) Guitars, bass (6–8), synthesizer (1, 3, 6–8, 11), Mexican harp (1), vocals & lyrics (2,7,8), vocals (4), Wurlitzer (3), tea kettle (3), TVs (5), rhodes (7), drum machine (7), clavinet (8) -
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Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo Guitars, bass (1-4, 5, 8, 10), drums (1), vocals (1), wurlitzer (4, 8), synths (4, 8-10), rhodes (8), Piano (10) -
The Catalyst Santa Cruz Guitar -
Amputechture Guitars, bass (Meccamputechture verses), sitar (El Ciervo Vulnerado), direction -
Oh My God / L’Via L’Viaquez Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
The Widow [DVD] Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
El Bùfalo de la Noche Guitar, direction -
Brussels, Belgium Guitar -
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Omar Rodriguez Guitar, sitar, bass, gong, percussion -
Live At The Electric Ballroom Guitar, synthesizers, drum machine, direction, arrangements -
The Widow [Single] Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
L’Via L’Viaquez [Single] Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
Viscera Eyes [Single] Guitars, direction -
This Station Is Non-Operational Guitar, backing vocals -
The Special 12 Singles Series #11 Guitars, bass, synthesizer, drum machine, production, engineer, -
Frances The Mute [Single] Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
Scabdates Guitar, field recordings, mix, production, art direction -
Frances The Mute Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
Inertiatic ESP [Single] Guitar -
Televators [Single] Guitar -
The Bible And The Breathalyzer / L’Via L’Viaquez Guitars, synthesizers, field recordings, production -
A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One Guitars, bass, percussion, hand claps, roland promars, SH-1000, SH-101, SH-7, SH-2000, VP-330, Korg MS-2000, microKORG, organ, drum machines, pianette, piano, Yamaha QY-100, rhythm sequence, samples, TVs, telephone, typewriter, breathing -
You Must look No Further Guitar -
Live Guitar, production -
De-Loused in the Comatorium Guitar, bass on Ambuletz -
Untitled Guitars -
The Summer Demo Sessions Guitar, percussion -
Sampler Guitar -
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Promo EP Guitar -
Tremulant Guitar -
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Invalid Litter Dept. Lead guitar -
The Somnambulists Guitar, vocals -
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456132015 Bass, Backing Vocals (1,3), Percussion, Artwork -
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¡Megaton Shotblast! Bass -
At The Drive-In / Burning Airlines Lead guitar -
Sunshine / At the Drive-In Guitar -
Rascuache / Press Gang Lead guitar -
Rolodex Propaganda Lead guitar -
One Armed Scissor Guitar, backing vocals -
Relationship of Command Lead guitar, back-up vocals -
Rascuache / Chanbara Lead guitar -
At The Drive In / The Aasee Lake Lead guitar -
De Facto Bass -
Vaya Guitar -
In/Casino/Out Guitar -
El Gran Orgo Guitar -
Acrobatic Tenement Bass -
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Punk Soccer Drums -
I Love Being Trendy Vocals
No albums match.
Gear
Guitar
- Squier Supersonic
Used during his tenure with At the Drive-In. His particular model is from the late 90’s and likely made in Korea. The neck pickup and toggle switch were removed.
- Gibson SG II
Used to record De-Loused in the Comatorium
- Fender Telecaster
Although not used live Omar has acknowledged use of telecasters when recording music.
- Ibanez AX120
Used frequently in the early days of The Mars Volta. Also used in ANTEMASQUE
- Ibanez ORM-1
Ibanez signature model
- 2004 Ibanez Cadet
Used off and on during the Bedlam tour.
- Supro Super
Using during Bosnian Rainbows. His version had a short scale neck.
- Supro Custom
Based off the Supro Super. Was made for him during the Bosnian Rainbows tour.
- 1974 Fender Mustang
Used during ANTEMASQUE because “The album rejected everything else.”
- Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Signature
Used during the At the Drive-In tours from 2016-2018
- Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee HH
Guitar during At the Drive-In reunion tours from 2016-2018
- Ernie Ball Mariposa
Omar’s signature guitar since reforming The Mars Volta in 2022
Bass
- Unknown bass
There is one photo of the bass Omar used when he first joined At the Drive-In that you can see in this gig. The bass is yellow and the body has a black and white checkerboard pattern.
- Fender Jazz Bass
- Fender Mustang Bass
Used when playing bass with Le Butcherettes
Keys/Synths
- Virus T1
Used during the ORLG trio shows and Bosnian Rainbows
Effects
- Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
Used on multiple boards throughout his career
- Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler
- Line 6 FM4 Filter Modeler
- DigiTech WH-4 Whammy (4th Gen)
- Boss SL-20 Slicer
- EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine
- Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler
Started using during the 2011 The Mars Volta tour
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Used during early The Mars Volta shows.
- MXR M101 Phase 90
On his 2011 board
- Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
- Empress Fuzz
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- MXR M133 Micro Amp
Used on the 2011 pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano
- Moog Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator
Used on multiple boards throughout his career.
- Boss VB-2 Vibrato
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Strymon TimeLine
Used during the 2016-2018 At the Drive-In pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man (Big Box)
- Electro-Harmonix EH-7700 Polychorus
On his early The Mars Volta board
- Death By Audio Echo Dream 2
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE tour board
- George Dennis Phaser
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Dunlop JD-4S Rotovibe
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Ibanez Tone-Lok DE7 Stereo Delay/Echo
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer XO
- Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Boss HR-2 Harmonist
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Catalinbread Callisto
- A/DA Flanger
On his early The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Moog Minifooger MF Chorus
Used on his 2015 ANTEMASQUE board
- Electro-Harmonix EH-4800 Small Stone
On his 2009 board
- Empress Superdelay Digital Delay Pedal
- Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man
Used until 2011
- DigiTech Whammy WH-1
On earlier boards
- Dunlop Cry Baby 105Q Bass Wah
On his early The Mars Volta pedalboard
- DigiTech X-Series Synth Wah
On his early The Mars Volta pedaloard
- JHS Warble Tron
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Ibanez WH10 Wah
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Ibanez Tone-Lok TC7 Tri-Mode Chorus
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Catalinbread Semaphore Tremolo
On his 2014 ANTEMASQUE board
- Blackout Effectors Whetstone Analog Phaser
- Wampler Faux Spring Reverb
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Boss SYB-3 Bass Synthesizer
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Ibanez SB7 Bass Synthesizer
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Ibanez DML20 Modulation Delay III
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
- Catalinbread Semaphore
- Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Guyatone MD3 Micro Digital Delay
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- DOD Analog Delay 680
Seen in “If This Ever Gets Weird.”
- Bixonic EXP-2001 Expandora II
Used with At the Drive-In in 2001
- Pro Co RAT
- Univox U-915 Uni-Vibe
- Toasted Project FuzzFace
- Boss BF-2 Flanger
- Xotic Effects Robotalk
- MXR M102 Dyna Comp
- MXR M-132 Super Comp
- banez Tone-Lok PM7 Phase Modulator Pedal
Amplifiers
- Orange OR-120
Used during At the Drive-In shows before the 2001 break-up.
- Ampeg SVT-CL Classic
Used during the early days of The Mars Volta
- Orange AD140 HTC
Used live until about 2011.
- Orange Crush Pro 4x12" Closed Back Speaker Cabinet
Used live until about 2011
- Orange Amplifiers Rockerverb RK50C MKII 50W 2x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
- Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head
Used during the reunion At the Drive-In shows.
- Roland RE-201 Space Echo
Used during early The Mars Volta shows.
Accessories
- Dunlop Tortex Standard 0.60mm Guitar Picks
Mentioned during 2012
- Ernie Ball Medium Gauge Nickel Wound Guitar Strings
Per one of his rig rundown videos “I use Ernie Ball strings gauged .013 to .056 with a wound third.”
