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.