Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s former bands the Mars Volta and At the Drive-In are the sort of acts that fans get tattoos of. But unlike the permanent nature of inking yourself, he’s moved on to another project with his new four-piece Bosnian Rainbows. On the band’s debut (out next month), we find Rodriguez-Lopez exploring a punchy goth sound with Le Butcherettes frontwoman Teri Gender-Bender, drummer Deantoni Parks and keyboardist Nicci Kasper of Dark Angels. Hive recently caught up with Rodriguez-Lopez before the release of their debut album to talk about the “virgin” experience of playing with a new band, why the At the Drive-In reunion was emotionally tough and the Mars Volta breaking up over Twitter.
The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In are bands that people are really passionate about. Is it a different experience for you touring with a band that nobody’s ever heard?
Totally. You can’t pay for the specialness of what it is when you just go play music when nobody knows anything about it. It’s that initial experience. I hate to use the word “virgin” — it’s so dumb — but it is like doing it for the first time. Just like when At the Drive-In went out for the first time, or the Mars Volta. People have no clue what to expect, and there’s that excitement about it. You’re just playing music, and there is no expectation, really.
With At The Drive-In’s reunion tour now a passing memory and the recent acrimonious split of his mind-bending prog crew, The Mars Volta, prolific noodler Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is currently putting most of his energy into new post-punk-influenced outfit Bosnian Rainbows, who release their self-titled debut next month. Whereas he called all the shots for a decade in Mars Volta, he’s now happy to be sharing the creative load with his new band mates. Q sat down with him ahead of the band’s recent appearance at London’s 100 Club to discuss self-expression, his relationship with Cedric Bixler-Zavala and what really happened during the At The Drive-In reunion shows…
How does it feel to be part of a collaboration again?
“It’s amazing, it’s liberating and it’s invigorating. It all sounds so dumb. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting schooled by the band. That’s the main thing; that’s the only way you get better.”
The word “supergroup” can be a tricky term. It’s one of those words that has a habit of raising expectations, and that’s not always a good thing. Bosnian Rainbows are certainly an act who fit firmly into the supergroup category, made up of former The Mars Volta members Omar Rodríguez-López and Deantoni Parks, plus Le Butcherettes vocalist Teri Gender Bender, and Nicci Kasper on keys.
Considering this musical prog-punk pedigree, it’s no wonder how hard it is to get close to the stage of London’s 100 Club for the band’s headline set. This intimate venue has built its reputation on being the place where numerous punk legends, such as Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Adicts, have cut their teeth.
This proves to be a fitting lineage for tonight’s show. The low ceiling and tightly packed crowd give proceedings a sweaty house party feel. And as Bosnian Rainbows take the stage, cheers are hushed into near silence and the band launches straight into the sinister synths of ‘Eli’, the opening track from their forthcoming self-titled album.
The fact that the band have been constantly on tour since their inception in 2012 shines through as the four-piece instantly come together like a tightly honed machine. Rodríguez-López’s virtuoso guitar work fits seamlessly with the pounding beats and rhythmic synths of Parks and Kasper.
It’s clear, however, that the stage belongs to leading lady Teri Gender Bender. Having a name reminiscent of ’70s punk icons like Poly Styrene is no accident. Her stage presence is drenched in gloriously exhibitionist spirit as she dominates the stage like a cross between Alice Glass and Patti Smith.
Bosnian Rainbows have just announced more US shows and some more European & South American festival plays in support of their upcoming debut album release on June 25, 2013 on Sargent House and in Europe on Clouds-Hill on June 28th. The album is now available for Pre-Order on Vinyl, CD and digitally on Itunes in the US and in Europe HERE.
SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE
BOSNIAN RAINBOWS 2013
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees w/ Zorch
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ Zorch
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX @ HOB - Bronze Peacock w/ Zorch
June 21, 2013 - Schiphorst, DE @ Avantgarde Festival
June 24, 2013 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
June 25, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA @ First Unitarian Church
June 26, 2013 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 27, 2013 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
July 01, 2013 - Bogota, Columbia @ Rock Al Parque Festival
July 10, 2013 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
July 12, 2013 - Washington DC @ U Street Music Hall
July 13, 2013 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
July 14, 2013 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
July 16, 2013 - Hamden, CT @ The Spaceland Ballroom
July 18, 2013 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
July 19, 2013 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
July 20, 2013 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
July 21, 2013 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
July 23, 2013 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 24, 2013 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependent Festival
Aug 16, 2013 - Groningen, Holland @ Noorderzon Festival
Aug 17, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 31, 2013 - Copenhagen, DE @ Vega w/ Tomahawk
Sept 01, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @Rockefeller Music Hall w/ Tomahawk
Sept 02,2013 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Media w/ Tomahawk
Sept 04, 2013 - Helsinki, Finland @ Circus w/ Tomahawk
Sept 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Festival
Oct 26, 2013 - Asheville, NC @ Mountain Oasis Festival
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is a restless creative force, with endless musical projects as guitarist and producer, his own label and an accelerating sideline as an experimental filmmaker. In the past, he’s walked away from popular bands just to follow his muse into some unexpected directions, but says a brief reunion tour last year with At the Drive-In mattered more to him than many of us will ever know.
The raging, hard-rock quintet grew up together in El Paso, Texas, recorded for Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label, traveled the world and had a frenzied radio hit with “One Armed Scissor” before breaking up in 2001. Their reunion tour was short, but the band is active in other ways. This week came the wide release of reissues of ATDI’s 1996 album debut, Acrobatic Tenement, and the career-defining (and final release) Relationship of Command on their brand new label, Twenty-First Chapter.
At the Drive-In – which also includes singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala, guitarist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos and drummer Tony Hajjar – have scattered to other projects, leaving the future unknown. The Mars Volta, the post-ATDI post-punk/prog act led by Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala, is officially broken up, too, but the guitarist is already deep into Bosnian Rainbows, his band with singer Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes. Next week, Bosnian Rainbows begin a European tour with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (plus a few dates in Texas and California) and release a self-titled debut album on June 25th.
Rodriguez-Lopez spoke with Rolling Stone about his new band, making music and movies and his eternal attachment to At the Drive-In.
A year ago, you were in the middle of a short reunion tour with At the Drive-In, starting with Coachella. How was that for you?
It’s the best thing that could have happened at that moment. For me personally, it was the most trying time in my life, the hardest obstacle to overcome in my life. In terms of being around loving people I grew up with, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.
What were you going through?
A week before having to get onstage, my mother passed away. I barely even talk about it now, a year later. At the time, just to get onstage was a chore. So I was around these guys, practicing in my friend’s garage. It couldn’t have been a better group of people to be with.
Is there something special about playing with guys you grew up with?
The level of trust and the feeling that a group of people truly know you can never be replaced. We spent seven years in that band. We grew up together, so it’s that feeling that these people truly love you. Right at the end of the band, we played our last show in L.A. at the Palace, and Wayne Kramer [of the MC5] said, “Man, you love these guys. You’ll go on to do many things in your life, but cherish these moments because it’s never like this again.” That sums it all up for me.
Bosnian Rainbows continue their non stop touring and will head back out starting on May 6th in Berlin with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing some club dates of their own before returning to the United States for Neon Desert Festival in El Paso on May 25th to kick off their Texas shows with Zorch. Newly announced album release shows are in June on the West Coast. Then in August they head back to Europe for more Festivals and shows with Tomahawk. We will be announcing many more shows soon, so stay tuned. Bosnian Rainbows self titled debut album comes out on June 25, 2013 on Sargent House and in Europe on June 28, 2013 on Clouds Hill. 
SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE
BOSNIAN RAINBOWS 2013
May 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 07, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
May 08, 2013 - Paris, France @ Olympia w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 09, 2013 - Brussels, Belguim @ Magasin 4
May 10, 2013 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
May 12, 2013 - London, UK @ 100 Club
May 14, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees w/ Zorch
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ Zorch
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX @ HOB - Bronze Peacock w/ Zorch
June 24, 2013 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
June 25, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA @ First Unitarian Church
June 26, 2013 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 27, 2013 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependent Festival
Aug 16, 2013 - Groningen, Holland @ Noorderzon Festival
Aug 17, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 31, 2013 - Copenhagen, DE @ Vega w/ Tomahawk
Sept 01, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @Rockefeller Music Hall w/ Tomahawk
Sept 02,2013 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Media w/ Tomahawk
Sept 04, 2013 - Helsinki, Finland @ Circus w/ Tomahawk
Sept 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Festival
Rodriguez-Lopez, Teri Gender Bender (of Le Butcherettes), Deantoni Parks (the Mars Volta’s drummer) and Nicci Kasper created the alt-rock band Bosnian Rainbows. Their self-titled debut album is out on June 25 on Sargent House (pre-order the album here). Here, you can get an exclusive look at their video for their single “Turtle Neck.”
The band has been on the road consistently since 2012, touring Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and now the States; it makes sense that the video is a high-speed combination of shots of their life on tour. From show setup to hotel room naps and exploring cities, the video is a rapidly moving peek into how wonderful, exhausting, hectic and exciting life on the road can be. As the track progresses from meandering waves of instrumentation into post-hardcore rock, the video becomes a visual assault, each frame lasting for less than a second. It’s surreal, choppy and fascinating.
Bosnian Rainbows have announced even more shows overseas in May two of them with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the rest headlining. They will then fly back to El Paso to play at this years Neon Desert Festival on May 25th with three more Texas shows around it. Upcoming tour announcements will include their USA West Coast and East Coast tour in June/July in support of their album release on June 25th as well as shows in South America. In August they will return to Europe to play on the Sargent House stage at The Indiependence Festival in Ireland and the Pukkelpop Festival in Belguim - with still more August/September EU dates being added, so stay tuned.
SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS TICKET LINKS & UPDATES HERE
BOSNIAN RAINBOWS 2013
May 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 07, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
May 08, 2013 - Paris, France @ Olympia w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 09, 2013 - Brussels, Belguim @ Magasin 4
May 10, 2013 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
May 12, 2013 - London, UK @ 100 Club
May 14, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees w/ Zorch
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ Zorch
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX @ HOB - Bronze Peacock w/ Zorch
July 01, 2013 - Bogota, Columbia - TBA
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependence Festival
Aug 17, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Photo above by Robin Laananen
Bosnian Rainbows will be playing some shows overseas in May with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and a few headlining club shows of their own (details to be announced soon). They will then fly back to El Paso to play at this years Neon Desert Festival on May 25th with some club dates after that.
More shows will be announced soon in the US, South America and Europe.
SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS & UPDATES HERE
BOSNIAN RAINBOWS 2013
May 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 07, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
May 08, 2013 - Paris, France @ Olympia w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 09, 2013 - Brussels, Belguim @ Magasin 4
May 10, 2013 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
May 12, 2013 - London, UK @ 100 Club
May 14, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues- Bronze Peacock
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependence Festival
Photo above by Dustin Rabin
Teresa Suarez aka Teri Gender Bender the band leader and lyricist of Le Butcherettes and singer and lyricist of Bosnian Rainbows is also a published Poet. She will be going to Mexico in late April to celebrate the second pressing of her book of poems entitled “The Missing Carcass” with two Porrua Book signings - details below.
April 26th @ Porrua (Mariano Otero) Guadalajara at 6:00pm.
April 27th @ Porrua (Bosque de Chapultepec) Mexico City at 4:00pm.
photo above by Robin Laananen