The Mars Volta: Octahedron

Worst band ever live there older stuff is jamming newer was horrible At the drive in was even better saw them at Voodoo and left the show personal opinion but sounded like everyone playing at one time and trying to sing horrible ruined it for me

No appreciation for humor...

^interesting, and like anything - this is clearly all opinion - but man, my opinion is that The Mars Volta are the single most viscous live band on the planet. Every time i see them my head is split open. I didn't know ATDI played Voodoo - must have been in the 90s... but man, Volta destroy it, and each album is amazing - i've listened to each album well over 50 times and i still find new stuff inside it every time.. anyway, to each their own - but give me more volta all the time.... the most psychedelic, exploratory, mean band I’ve ever seen.

I have to agree that the Volta is amazing and as long as the venue has good sound, their live show is incredible. However, I do think their studio albums get progressively less awesome

Mars Volta might be the most overrated band of all time. I dont get it, Every time i ve seen them my head is split open because its just noise. I am not hating on anyone who likes them, because there are millions but i cant get into them. my opinon is i hate them and wont waste another dollar on this crap. Cheers

^^ thats funny cuz My opinion differs slightly from yours.....

these dudes are off the hook. they're my favorite living musical entity next to Primus. I've been hooked for the last 5 years. i've seen em 12 times and they put on the best live show out there. they twist your head around and make it cave in on itself. i've experienced those "moments" that Phil Lesh calls "magic" when I'm at a Mars Volta show. this shit is pure insanity mixed with beautifully orchestrated musical-chaos. these are some of the hardest working motherfuckers in music. not to mention, now with Thomas Pridgen on drums, he's turned them into a fucking MONSTER. you either get it or you don't. I'll see you guys at Roo.

exactly gavinthehydro420 i am right there with you brother

I can't wrap my head around these guys... I love live music, usually the more experimental the better, but the only time I saw them was when they opened for the chili peppers at the Boston Gardern and they sucked. Even people who love them said they sucked that night. So I guess I can't judge by that performance. Everyone says they're amazing live but since the only live performance I saw wasn't good, and I can't really get into they're studio stuff I don't know what to think?!? Guess ill check em' out when I go to Bonnaroo and hope for the best.

I'm gonna have to agree with bnaylor to some extent, b/c I also can't get into it. When they're just jamming out, it sounds fantastic, but then the vocals kick in and everything suddenly sounds like a combination of pots and pans clattering on the ground and fingernails on a chalkboard. I'm not trying to be a hater cause I'm anything but and truth be told, I've only heard The Bedlam in Goliath so maybe what I've heard isn't really representative of their sound. If that's the case, someone point me in the right direction because I would really like to get into these guys before Bonnaroo rolls around. Buuuut if they're competing with moe. for late night Roo, then I guess it won't really matter. I will say one thing though...their guitarist can absolutely rip.

Phish is the best live show out there

^well you know that's just like, your opinion, man.

pimpmcgeorge download Frances The Mute or Deloused In The Comatorium. their first two albums are most hardcore fans favorites.

Bedlam in Goliath was their first album with their new drummer. I loved the album anyway, but you gotta give these dudes a chance... it takes patience.

^ Thanks, bud. I'll check those out.

"the most psychedelic, exploratory, mean band I’ve ever seen." I couldn't have said it better myself haley. They sucked opening for the peppers because Pridgen joined them halfway through their tour and didn't know how to play all their shit yet. Now, they will blow your mind. Pridgen is a machine and Omar is God. I would easily sacrifice both phish shows to see these guys at bonnaroo.

Good. I hope more people don't understand or like them. They are not a fad. This is music that will stand the test of time. I can't wait for this album. I also think the progression from album to album has been great. Each album has some really strong songs and can been seen in their full glory played live. In the live setting, they blow away most jam, jazz, rock, punk and metal bands. The improvisation, creativity and sheer energy they convey is awe-inspiring.

^like the man said - it takes patience - and it really does. This is not "easy" music, it's very challenging. but like all things that we work for - the payoff is HUGE. And like the other man said - i'd take one volta show over 5 phish (and yes, i've seen phish plenty of times - if we want to play that game - about 80 - and i'm over it), i need something new, something exciting, something that is pushing boundaries, not trying to regain the glory... i'm still down to see some phish, don't get me wrong, but way more excited for more volta in my dome.

all these positve comments about volta on Jambase make me proud.

Volta above all else at Roo... really the main reason I went in '05, and '09 is the same story. Bring on 'Octahedron,' I am itching for it!! Cant wait for June!!

Conjugal - how amazing was that late night '05 roo set? Amazing time. Many people went to check them out and just cleared out after the 1st song. I moved from way back all the way up front. I am perfectly content with others not digging them, I don't need to try and convince them. I understand it's not for everyone.. I definitely love 'em. I appreciate the evolution of their sound even if I prefer deloused and frances; but I don't take back that the last two don't do it as much for me as deloused and frances.

I thought i read in an interview w/omar- when Bedlam in Galiath was realesed- that the next album (that was pretty much already done at that time) was going to be more of an 'acoustic' or softer type album? Did anyone else read that? Either way, I'm a big fan of these rippers- but many of my friends don't get it.

Omar and cedric are awesome. at the drive in was good, but mars volta is on another level. they were good when i saw them live. I have heard some bad recordings though.

Phish was the best live act out there....12 years ago!

just to be clearer.....92 to 97....of course i do have tix for this summer...but i assure you, they ain't what they used to be...

"Francis The Mute" and "Deloused" are modern masterpieces. Their live act is an acquired taste. Some people love it, some people can't stand it. Neither is right or wrong. I will say, that I've seen them a few times, one of those being an opening act for the Chilli Peppers. Their show was pretty weak in my view, and very few people were in to it (obviously a mainstream crowd there to see the Peppers). But then came the encore when Anthony left the stage and Volta came on and jammed with John, Flea and Chad for about 20 minutes. It was one of the sickest jams I have ever seen, and I will always remember it.

Dammit, Phish, leave the Volta thread alone! Curse you, Phish, why do you haunt me?!!??!

None of your flaccid hippie jambands touch the raw power that is The Mars Volta. There's nothing these guys don't use for source material, well one thing hippie rock.

OH MY GOD

Yes, once these guys start up again its an all out assault. Bonnaroo + Mars Volta = face blown off

their ep and first album were amazing. frances the mute had some good songs and cassandra gemini's 30 minutes is absolutely amazing. everything after that is absolutely horrible. i don't know what happened. i seen them a bunch in 02-04. i will not ever go again. at the drive in was awesome as well. seen them a bunch but my favorite was at the first unitarian church in philly with the get up kids. that must have been like 1998

The Volta, like most great experimental and jazz music, exist on the premise that they will not appeal to everyone. I don't disrespect people who dislike Volta, but I do think it's unnecessary to let us all know how you feel. These guys are one of the best bands around today. And, they came from one of the best bands of the '90s. On that note, no disrespect RichardHaley but I literally would give anything to have seen ATDI live. They are one of the most interesting alterntive bands of all time and the videos I've seen of their live shows look nothing less than sick.

I've seen these guys a few times live... I must say that they are better in the studio. I would not say that they are bad live but they are lacking a little bit (kind of like steely dan if you have ever seen them live). I must say that I really do miss Theodore... he is just an overall better drummer than Pridgen. Theodore has that in the pocket feel to his style, while Pridgen seems to be way too busy for the volta... and if you are too busy for the volta, you are too busy for any style of music!

There are a handful of people (like 5) that swear by their old drummer. Get with it people their old drummer was a jerk and had problems. Thomas was the youngest drummer EVER to be sponsored by Zildjian and toured with Dennis Chambers doing drum clinics; this guy shreds EVERYONE!

So please go find Theodore and tell him how great he WAS, follow his new band and drop Volta. For you that don't get it or hate on em, please keep doing so, last thing I want is for this band to blow up and play stadiums!

^^^^you obviously know absolutely nothing about drumming and/or their fanbase.

STOKED

damn.... no Adrian? i guess it is good news for all the de-loused/frances heads out there, but I love the elements he brings to the jams. That said, VOLTAROO

Phucker, Pridgen does not shred EVERYONE... he loves to just ram notes non stop. Rarely do you hear him settle back into the groove. He is a good drummer (he has some of the best chops around), but every good drummer knows his/her place. Look at Vinnie Colaiuta, arguably in the top 5, he knows how to lay back and let magic happen around him, and when it is his time he can bust out some notes. So if you want to hear constant note ramming go check out some drum corp. And I would do some research on drummers before you say that Pridgen shreds everyone, because that statement is just ignorant.

gavinsthehydro - I was at Voodoo too, I don't know what kind of drugs you were on cause they were FREAKING AMAZING! And this was after I saw them at a very horrible, extremely cut-short set in AZ where Tix were $50 and they only played 1hr when they were supposed to play 2hrs and 15min. I was about to give up on this band, but once I saw them at Voodoo, I couldn't believe how amazing they played and sounded. I think that they are a hit or a miss with people, but they are definitely outstanding musicians who know how to jam and keep that Psychedelia/Progressive sound on top. I can't wait to see them again at the Roo!

Volta rules. I saw them exactly a year ago today (4/20/08) in Chicago and the last Bonnaroo show. Both were fantastic. Pridgen is fantastic but so was John Theodore. His new band "One Day As A Lion" with Zach De La Rocha from Rage Against The Machine is super cool as well. I agree that TMV arent the same anymore. I love them live but they just cant match DeLoused on record. See everybody at ROO!!!!

Uncle Begunce,

You've obviously not listened to Christian Scott's "Rewind That," an album on which Pridgen plays drums. He sits in the pocket quite often on that particular recording. I wouldn't classify Pridgen as a drummer who "rams notes non-stop." Of course, that's just coming from a guy who has listened to Pridgen on more than just TMV albums. Is he a bit busier than most drummers? Sure, but you're acting like he just overplays like a jack­ass, which isn't the case at all.

TMV is awesome. Best front man of our time, best lead guitarist/composer of our time. Can't wait for the new album!