Jon Theodore

[Dill X]

Even though most of you probably already know of Jon Theodore, I think you need to really sit down and listen to him play to understand how amazing his playing is. He is probably my favourite new drummer on the scene, just because of the power and depth that he has in his playing.
For those of you who listen to the band he plays in, The Mars Volta, you will know how experimental their music is and I find it amazing how he thinks up new grooves and ways to incorperate even the smallest sounds to make certain parts of songs that much cooler.

This guy just leaves me amazed every time I hear him playing on the albums or from live recordings. I hoping to go see The Mars Volta in September when they play in Toronto, and I'm sure I'll be just blown away by the unbelievable power, pressense, and skill that Jon Theodore has while on stage.

If you haven't check him out, do so now!

[ameripino]

i agree...he is amazing. i can figure out easily what he is playing usually and i can put all the stokes in the right places but it doesnt have the same feel that he employs...i dont know what it is but it baffles me. but...i wasnt to impressed with frances the mute. de-loused was much better in my opinion

[Colin]

Jon Theodore's a great drummer. I own The Mars Volta's most recent album, Frances the Mute, and his drumming is very creative. Works perfectly in TMV's progressive setting.

Also, his stainless-steel Ludwig is to die for...

[CyclopseSlayer]

I agree with Ameripino in the feelings that Theodore's playing is better on De-loused. I also think the drums sound way better on that record as well. I loved how in his MD interview the interviewer was getting frustrated when Jon was being somewhat mysterious about how he got so good. It was also rad that he mention Bruford's work on King Crimson's "Red" album as a big influence, such an underrated album

[Ash]

I think jon's playing is,how shall I put this,the spherical genitalia of a canine quadrapede.The dogs Bo!!ock$.

[Superlow]

I think the Cats Meow would work just fine in describing his playing thank you.

[CerpinTaxt]

Jon Theodore is an amzing drummer. I love his variations on paradiddles in Tarantism. The solo he does on drummerworld is sweet too

[Jonas Bridgous]

Jon theodore is one of my favorite drummers. There's just something he's got when you
hear him play. Such energy and precision, especially in his fast-paced, syncopated chops
in alot of the mars volta's tracks. He's really got a brilliant style and I love his minimalist
kit set-up too, it looks challenging to play.

[cicatrizoo]

Not since Danny Carey have I been so excited about a new drummer on the scene. Such passion, monstorous power, dynamic control and nuance. He can go from the most savagely frenetic pattern into something it's complete polar opposite on a dime and make it feel so seamless. Watching him live is electric! One of the most creative drummers I've ever heard. He really needs to get songwriting credits considering that he formulates all those wonderfully abstract drum parts and figures out the song structures (but that's really a debate for another day).

[Dill X]

Last night I saw The Mars Volta and System of a Down in concert in Toronto, and I was must say it was an amazing show. Both bands tore up the stage with so much energy, power, and sheer excitement.

Jon Theodore of The Mars Volta completely blew me away. I was in some sort of awe for their entire set. It was so cool because it was as if I was watching him just play in a room because I was only about 10 meters from the stage.
I knew Jon Theodore was a great drummer (he's one of my favourites right now), but after seeing him live it completely made me see his playing in a whole new prespective. He just had some much power and he was so smooth and creative.

I could rave all night about how great he was but I just need to stop and share a bit of my experience. You really need to see him play live in order to truly be amazed by his drumming.

If The Mars Volta and System of a Down are playing near you go see them! The drumming is spectacular, and the bands are amazing as well.


Another thing....young drummers today should be looking at an amazing rock drummer like Jon Theodore and many other greats instead of Travis Barker. Don't let these great drummers be left in the dark!

[3 t U r N a 1]

I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with these sentiments about Jon Theodore. His style of playing is one of the most innovative of recent rock drumming IMO. It must have been a beautiful experience to see the master play live. A fellow drummer spoke to me of his experience seeing Theodore play as "Hands down the best show I've ever seen!". This was a show they played in Philly in May on their "Frances the Mute" tour. Unfortunately, I don't believe the SOAD/ Mars Volta tour is coming near where I live. I can only hope to catch them the next time around. But anyways, I believe drummers should not ignore such talent and that young drummers today would greatly benefit from this inspirational artist.

[readingfc_sam]

has anyone heard of a drummer called jon theodor from the mars volta.
a quality drummer, very dynamic.
is anyone a fan at all?
not many people i know have even heard of the mars volta, let alone jon theodor

[Riley05]

He and the band are amazing. I love The Mars Volta.

[parser]

I'm also a huge fan. I especially like "L'Via L'Viaquez". Awesome grooves, tasteful genre jumps and dynamics from all ends of the spectrum. Ripping!

[PaperTiger]

I am consistantly blown away by his drumming.
I often find it hard to contemplate the beats he plays, especially on the new album.
Absolute insanity live also.

[darkcherryfade]

One of the best young drummers of today. Mars Volta is also one of the best bands. I saw them in August and they gave hands down the best musical performance I've ever seen in my life.

[Dill X]

Jon Theodore is my favourite drummer on the scene right now. I am totally sucked in by everything he does, plays, or says. So basically I can have endless comments to say about him right now.

I also saw him and The Mars Volta in September in Toronto, and they put on the best musical performance I have ever seen live. Literally my jaw hit the floor, and I still can not believe I saw them. Just the endless energy, power, and life that the entire 8 piece band put in was unbelievable. It was too bad though because they were opening for System of a Down, so they had a shortened set. I still remember that I was in so much shock, awe, and amazement that I stood up through the entire set change from The Mars Volta to System of Down.

I was at the side stage seating, so I was about 10 meters from the stage and of course perfectly positioned to watch Jon.

In my mind the man is a genius in every aspect of drums. Young drummers today should be looking at Jon Theodore for inspiration instead of Travis Barker or Tre Cool (no offence to them).

Oh and didn't I make a thread on him a long time ago!

[nate]

yup. the man is very, very good IMO...

and he's Lars Urlichs' fav. drummer (i know, i know this isn"t a good thing)...

[theduke86]

I saw Mars Volta with System of a Down last week. To be honest, I wasn't impressed. I like Mars Volta and I think that Mr. Theodore is an extremely competent drummer, but the show was lacking. No energy... it also seemed like really really pretentious art rock. Kind of like when I saw Tool, but they had so much energy, they sold it a lot more. I didn't enjoy the show. Go buy the cds, they're much better.

[BackInBlack]

If you can appriciate Theadore's playing, you should be able to enjoy many historical jazz artists, funk, swing, salsa, and many free-thinking artits akin to that. It would be a very hardpressed opinion (and quite a sin) to state you *loooove* the Mars Volta, but cannot go outside the proverbial box and look for other musicians previous to them, with a much more Pure sound, showing clearly where the Mars might have constructed their sound from. This kind of music has been around for ages. Some call it "avant-garde" but really it's just a free expression of our inner most creativity without any thought toward what might be commercially exeptable. It's pretty cool. Theadore's playing is very loose, energetic, and he does often play "behind-the-notes", similar to what jazz musicians are good at doing.

This style gives the Mars Volta unique credibility in the indie-rock movement but doesn't nessesarily qualify the listener or audiences for having jaw-dropping music-credibility. To understand this music, or persue further the amazing loins of this enriching sound, travel back in time and 'get the feel' (wink wink) of music (latino, free-jazz, salsa, ska, funk, etc) for the madness. It isn't the context, but the 'sub-context' (if you will) that makes this music work. Whenever you've heard, say, "De-loused in the Comatoriun" a thousand times over and want something new, there is more, historically, to which offers that feel without over-wearing your sences on one record if you get my drift.

Case in point, consider Jon's playing (and the Mars for that matter) an open door to many new musical branches of creativity that just readily linger out there. Rock music isn't the only good music cranking out soul-palpitations of 'angst', love and heartbreak to which many can relate to.

i know this board is full of open-minded people, i was just saying it to hear myself talk AND for those that might Not be openminded.

[Van Vanishing]

It would be a very hardpressed opinion (and quite a sin) to state you *loooove* the Mars Volta, but cannot go outside the proverbial box and look for other musicians previous to them, with a much more Pure sound, showing clearly where the Mars might have constructed their sound from.
Exactly. The first time I heard De-Loused, I wondered whether Jon was a long-lost blood relative of Billy Cobham. TMV picks up where Mahavishnu left off, and one can tell they've really studied the roots of that style of music. That's certainly not to say TMV is better than Mahavishnu, just that they've done a nice job of evolving that style.

[CanadianBonzo]

I'm surprised no one's mention this unbelievable talent yet. (well maybe they have, im just too lazy to view all the threads, in any case i feel like talking about him).

The Mars Volta is absolutely mind-blowing...anyone who's listened to De-loused in The Comatorium would agree, and Frances the Mute is equally as inspirational.

This guy knows how to pound the hell out of the drumset, but he comes from so many places, if you listen to songs like L'via L'viaquez, those latin beats make me wanna get in a congo line

This guy is really somthing, and he's even better live, you just can't beat the kind of energy that he spews during a show.

Not to mention, he uses a really nice kit too, Ludwig Vistalites, and their sound really matches his style of drumming.

[TopRamen]

The Mars Volta is one of my favorite bands, the drumming in the first album "De-loused in the comatorium" was impressive to say the least. The song "Drunkship of lanterns" has some amazing drums and percussion. I recommend giving it a listen.

[burnthehero]

You're absolutely right. The Mars Volta is a great band and Jon Theodore is an amazing drummer. I look forward to seeing more of him in the future.

[Reflux own your mum]

that guy gives an amazing amount of energy to their live set too, very crazy and good

[pearldjian0711]

this guy is freakin awesome! if you listen to a lot of his drumming, you can tell he listened to a lot of bonham.

[pb125]

Well... have at it. Please excuse me if he has been covered before, I searched, and no result came. I am a HUGE The Mars Volta Fan, and Jon inspires me more than any other drummer out there.

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Jon_Theodore.html

The one song and one solo on that page doesn't really do him justice, as he hardly ever plays solo's live. Speaking of him live, I saw him live on October 14 at the Santa Barbara Bowl.... He blew me away. His presense is amazing.

Anyways if you are interested, and want to hear more, check out the songs "Roulette Dares" and "Eria Tarka".

So, discuss.

[zj2302]

man, am i with you on jon theodore. you're right, that video doesn't do him justice by a long shot.

what i love the most about him is that his beats are so weird structurally and would look pretty darn strange transcribed, but make the music of TMV flow so naturally. in my opinion, he is the mvp of the band, for the fact that without him they would sound sooo different and be infinitely less interesting and provocative with their music.

i also think he blows those guys like virgil donati or dennis chambers out of the water, just for the fact that he can make insane grooves that actually fit a band. it seems to me that a lot of the extremely chops oriented drummers play like they are doing an exercise, while jon plays with such fire and musicality yet still manages to be so fast, intricate, and complex, while supporting a 8 piece band. from what i've heard of the above "chops" drummers, they are kinda of lacking when it comes to supporting or complementing other musicians with a great groove. not to make a blanket statement at all though, just to make a point for discussion that i think these guys are better playing by themselves than with others, which goes against what for me is the litmus test of great musicians.

yes, but if you wanna get a taste of jon theodore, check out anything from the de-loused in the comatorium for some more punkish drumming and especially take a gander at "cassandra gemini" from frances the mute, a 32 minute cut that TMV reportedly did in 1 take.

[burnthehero]

Jon Theodore is an amazing drummer, but saying that he blows Dennis Chambers out of the water is pretty ignorant.

[Inthe_pocket2000]

Dude! zj2302 are you serious with that comment?

I dig Jon Theodore too but he's no where near or even in the same realm as Dennis Chambers, Virgil Donati.

Don't get me wrong Jon has chops and is a great player, I give him much praise. But Chambers and Donati are just phenominal power houses that just can't be reckond with. I hear what your saying about his groove and feel and he's has it down. But Chambers and Donati can do that and more. They're not just solo chop players.

I've seen all three of them live Chambers, Donati in clinics and The Mars Volta twice. There's just no comparison.

[OceanDirt]

ah man he's nuts. everyone in that band are just out of their minds. i've been listening to both cds nonstop since i got them a couple of weeks ago. i've honestly never heard anything like it.

jon's a powerhouse, to say the least. it's not that he has chops, he just puts everything into what he's doing. i get the feeling that in a quieter setting you'd still get that same effect, so it's not the volume that he's playing (though he does play pretty loud). to me he seems like a guy who has studied his stuff (jazz, funk, r&b, afro-cuban, brazilian, odd times, false groupings, etc.) and has come back home to rock.

his work with the mars volta is just phenomenal. i can't wait to see them live at some point.

[pb125]

he is the mvp of the band, .

Oh, there is absolutely no question he is the MVP of the band.

[finnhiggins]

i also think he blows those guys like virgil donati or dennis chambers out of the water, just for the fact that he can make insane grooves that actually fit a band.

I'm actually going to risk the ire of the rest of the thread and agree with this. It's one thing to be able to play insane grooves like Chambers or Donati can produce on request, it's quite another to make them fit musically into a rock band without going into "Look at me! I'm the star of the show!" territory, which invariably comes off a bit 80s. I'm not a big fan of the Mars Volta - if I wanted to listen to Yes and Led Zeppelin I already can - but Jon Theodore does do a great job of fitting some very complex drumming into a band in a musical fashion.

I always find it odd how people do the whole "Oh, (chops guy X) isn't just about chops - he can do all that musical/grooving stuff too!" yet never the converse. Why is there nobody arguing that Jim Keltner can secretly out-chop Mike Mangini, he just never does it? Chops and groove/musicality are not rungs on a ladder, with chops higher and groove lower. They're both skills that need to be developed, and if you see a drummer displaying a lot of one and not much of the other it tends to suggest that appearance represents the amount of time they put into practicing the two approaches.

[zj2302]

im not trying to say jon theodore can hang with guys like chambers and donati when it comes to pure, unadultered technique. he can't. no one, except a select few in the world, can.

what i'm saying is that jon thedore can apply the huge amount of chops he does have in a much more creative and artistic way than the above players. and, to me, thats the sign of a true musician.

chambers and donati have shown that, with the right gene pool and years upon years of practice, things people never though possible or even dreamed possible in terms of power, speed, and complexity could be acieved on the drum set. but their technique doesn't make them musicians, anymore than a guitar player being able to shred like malmsteen makes him a musician.

i feel like these guys somewhat miss the big point...namely that they are or should be developing these chops for a musical purpose. not that playing drum clinics or festivals frequently is inherently un-musical, or that even possessing so much ability is wrong. but their use of it to me strikes of an obsession with getting technically better while not necessarily being able to apply technique in a musical fashion. much of their work seems bent on limits of how complex can the groove be or how many notes can fit in a measure.

that is not to suggest that guys who playing minimalistically are somehow wiser or better musicians either. there is a time and place for playing at both ends of the spectrum. i like drummers who can do both, and play even the most complex things in ways that serve the music by creating parts that are both conducive to everything else going on around them and interesting/cool by themselves.

haha sorry for typing so much its late and im rambling.

[aahznightsky]

I'm not a big fan of the Mars Volta - if I wanted to listen to Yes and Led Zeppelin I already can



i like the mars volta quite a bit ... but i agree with you that they still aren't quite Yes or Zep ... but i'm glad that alot of younger people today are getting back to that stuff through Volta

[Flam_Paradiddle]

Does anyone know anything about his background? Like his musical education and stuff. He sounds like someone who knows all his rudiments and his jazz and latin chops and then utilises them to sound like a four-armed behemoth behind the kit.

[pb125]

Taken from his wikipedia page.

"History

Theodore first started playing drums at the age of 15. He was soon involved with his high school concert band and took lessons on a full kit shortly after. It was at this point that he studied percussion and learned how to map arrangements; dedicated practice had already become a daily habit. He also listened to a great variety of music, growing to love the likes of Billy Cobham, Elvin Jones and John Bonham.

Around the end of his time in high school, he joined the band Golden and recorded and toured with them for ten years. It was during this time that he met Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, who were performing their first gig with their experimental dub band Defacto in El Paso, TX. They became friends and the former At The Drive-In duo would later invite Theodore to join their latin-tinged prog-rock band, The Mars Volta, with whom he currently tours and records. He also played with Royal Trux for a year-and-a-half prior to joining The Mars Volta.

In his spare time Theodore surfs, which helps build and maintain the main muscle groups used in drumming.
[edit]

Influences

Theodore draws inspiration from many different forms of music but those most prevalent in his playing are jazz, fusion and rock. He has also touched upon another factor which adds to his individual style - "Then there's a whole bunch of stuff from Haïti because my dad's Haïtian. My favorite Haïtian drummer is this guy called Azor... ...The Haïtian music that moves me has the drumming from the voodoo rituals. It moves me because the patterns are connected to different spirits; it's a spiritual thing that is interconnected with dancing, sacrifice and devotion. It's fully passionate. There is nothing contrived about it."

In interviews he regularly cites Billy Cobham of The Mahavishnu Orchestra as his main drumming influence: "My all-time favorite drummer is Billy Cobham. I love the way he plays... ...[his] playing is so natural, powerful and dynamic at the same time. I pattern a lot of stuff after him.". He has also been heavily inspired by John Bonham of Led Zeppelin: "He had one of the best feels in the history of rock... ...because [of him] I try and play with as much bombast as I possibly can."

[thrice981]

Jon Theodore is my Homie. He is effin AMAZING. He rocks. My favorite song is Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt. One weird thing is though is the Mars Volta always plays there songs faster live. Anyone else notice that?

[hik]

Saw 'Volta yesterday evening.
Front Row, thus got really close to Jon Theodore (and the band ofcourse!)
I only lasted 2 and a half songs before getting pulled out, it was way~~ too chaotic for my body.
But those 2.5 songs was a mind blowing experience...

[Trigger]

I saw volta live 5 days ago, and my god, Jon beats the bejesus out of his drums. they were stainless steel... very bonhamesque.

[Jookbox]

i also think he blows those guys like virgil donati or dennis chambers out of the water, just for the fact that he can make insane grooves that actually fit a band. it seems to me that a lot of the extremely chops oriented drummers play like they are doing an exercise, while jon plays with such fire and musicality yet still manages to be so fast, intricate, and complex, while supporting a 8 piece band. from what i've heard of the above "chops" drummers, they are kinda of lacking when it comes to supporting or complementing other musicians with a great groove. not to make a blanket statement at all though, just to make a point for discussion that i think these guys are better playing by themselves than with others, which goes against what for me is the litmus test of great musicians.


i'm a jon theodore fan myself, he's even in my avatar, but i don't think anyone on earth will agree with you there.

[TopCat]

I saw Mars Volta in 2001, i think, when they supported RHCP on their By The Way tour. I think he is a fantastic showman, and his interview in the recent rhythm mag make's him out to a great chap too. Sure his skill is outstanding, but there's no point in comparing him to players like Chambers, it's like the other end of the spectrum.

[AvengedDrummer]

I love that beat up stack of cymbals he has... fantastic drummer

[intooder]

Our band's been talking about covering "Cicatriz Esp" (our guitar player's fav. band is TMV, and it was his turn to pick one). I guess I'll just get to growing me a few limbs then.

[OceanDirt]

Our band's been talking about covering "Cicatriz Esp" (our guitar player's fav. band is TMV, and it was his turn to pick one). I guess I'll just get to growing me a few limbs then.

Covering Mars Volta songs is a serious challenge. I've been working on Son et Lumiere and Inertiatic ESP with a couple of friends - to be honest, drummers (and bassists too) have one of the easier parts to learn because it's more or less a "normal" part - unlike the guitar. I feel for any guitar player who attempts to take on Omar's cracked-out stuff - it's intensely bizarre. That and the fact that it's very difficult to capture the same vibe live that they had in the studio recording - both their albums are very much studio productions.

Good luck on Cicatriz - it's one of my favorite grooves on both cds.

[DruManiac19]

an amazing amazing drummer.
great grooves and chops from outer space(as modern drummer put it).
great band. insane guitar solos.
love the whole old school sound.
one of my fav Jon Theodore grooves would be the one on their track "eat the sun"
*np: mars volta- Drunkship Of Lanterns.
would love to see these guys live sometime,
do they have a dvd out?

[OceanDirt]

an amazing amazing drummer.
great grooves and chops from outer space(as modern drummer put it).
great band. insane guitar solos.
love the whole old school sound.
one of my fav Jon Theodore grooves would be the one on their track "eat the sun"
*np: mars volta- Drunkship Of Lanterns.
would love to see these guys live sometime,
do they have a dvd out?

they have a live album out (scabdates) but i was personally unimpressed by what i heard of it. probably better to see them in person.

[DruManiac19]

they have a live album out (scabdates) but i was personally unimpressed by what i heard of it. probably better to see them in person.



hope i can see them live someday!!!

[Stu_Strib]

Everytime I try to hear for myself how good Theodore is, I fall asleep during one of the many 15 minute sound-effects section of their tunes.

I don't get this band at all. If I wanted new age sound effects, I'd go to walmart and buy one of those cheezy "waterfall and wind" tapes!

Actually, when they do play, they are a great sounding band! I just wish they'd ditch the 15 minute long acid trips and write something a little more listener friendly.

That guy shreds on drums and his sound is really impressive too. But then we are back to 15 minutes of casio keyboard sound effects! Hey, listen to this, we're artisitic!

Ok, I'm sure you all like it alot, but I wish they'd just play more...

[finnhiggins]

Everytime I try to hear for myself how good Theodore is, I fall asleep during one of the many 15 minute sound-effects section of their tunes.


That's my complaint too. Well. That and the fact that when they do play they sound worryingly close to Yes and Led Zeppelin. If they'd play more and develop a bit more of a signature sound beyond being Yes Zeppelin Plus More Bombast then I'd probably like them quite a lot - they can all play seriously well.

[aahznightsky]

That's my complaint too. Well. That and the fact that when they do play they sound worryingly close to Yes and Led Zeppelin. If they'd play more and develop a bit more of a signature sound beyond being Yes Zeppelin Plus More Bombast then I'd probably like them quite a lot - they can all play seriously well.


I agree with letting go of most of those long sound effect sections. It would be one thing if they all would actually be playing cool free-time things themselves, but its pretty much all keyboard and maybe guitar effects. And they go on for too long, I wanna hear the music.

OK enough rambling. They can play pretty darn well too. I wouldn't go as far as saying theyve mastered their instruments as much as Steve Howe or Squire, but I still enjoy the playing alot!

[zj2302]

yeah, they've fallen in love with their avant garde astro-mingus acid jazz interlude sections recently. i've got to agree with one of the above posts, scabdates didn't do it for me, and i usually dig them in a serious way. the sound quality was just bad, which strange since both times i've seen them they've sounded great.

thankfully, when the play live they are all playing the free jazz stuff on their own instruments, which for me makes it so much better and gives their shows some real scope and an overarching connection between all their songs, just like the albums sans the samplers.

[Anchein Vouivra]

Wow I just got Scabdates!! I completely dig it, even more than their studio stuff. It's completely raw, intense and tripping. As for the unending interludes I already heard some other bands doin it much more longer and sound more pretentious.
Jon Theodor is a complete freaking animal on his set!!!

[finnhiggins]

As for the unending interludes I already heard some other bands doin it much more longer and sound more pretentious.


Yeah, me too. But that doesn't exactly excuse it. Two wrongs don't make a right, and all that.

[aahznightsky]

the lesser of two evils is still evil

not considering it evil, but, hey.

[OceanDirt]

the lesser of two evils is still evil

not considering it evil, but, hey.
i do. it definitely detracts from their songs.

nothing irks me as much as the three minutes of near-silence in the middle of cicatriz ESP - if it weren't for the search function, that song would be absolutely ruined.

[aahznightsky]

i do. it definitely detracts from their songs.

nothing irks me as much as the three minutes of near-silence in the middle of cicatriz ESP - if it weren't for the search function, that song would be absolutely ruined.


the exact song im thinking of. the first silent and then building part before the first chorus is kinda cool ... but even that i feel is a few seconds too long

[OceanDirt]

the exact song im thinking of. the first silent and then building part before the first chorus is kinda cool ... but even that i feel is a few seconds too long
yeah - i can deal with that though. at least there you get the sort of surprise attack of the first chorus, which i can at least see has a musical purpose.

but the three minutes of inexplicable warbling and ambient background noise is inexcusable to me. i have taken a couple of their songs into home studio and edited out the unnecessary parts... much better songs in my opinion.

but i love them like crazy anyway. still one of my favorite bands.

[BackInBlack]

i gotta say, i don't understand how/why people compare this band to Zepellin. Not familar with Yes so much but Zep? i infact think they've grown ABOVE and beyond the like of those bands. Zep kicks ass but they infact DO have their own sound, different from Zep. It's a shame and makes the one who offered that comment seem shallow and quick to place judgment on a band that does not immediately satisfy one's traditional grounds for musicianship or feeling. Could you please elaborate on those comparisons?

At the risk of coming off as overly defending, their long periods of no playing and guitar effects are part of what make the band. It's a ride, not so much a smiling entertainment clown.

[finnhiggins]

i gotta say, i don't understand how/why people compare this band to Zepellin. Not familar with Yes so much but Zep? i infact think they've grown ABOVE and beyond the like of those bands. Zep kicks ass but they infact DO have their own sound, different from Zep. It's a shame and makes the one who offered that comment seem shallow and quick to place judgment on a band that does not immediately satisfy one's traditional grounds for musicianship or feeling. Could you please elaborate on those comparisons?

At the risk of coming off as overly defending, their long periods of no playing and guitar effects are part of what make the band. It's a ride, not so much a smiling entertainment clown.

Basically the comparisons to Led Zep are based on various things, but mostly the vocals. The comparisons to Yes are based on pretty much everything else. Grab yourself a copy of "Close to the edge" and tell me the Mars Volta haven't listened to that one obsessively for a few years.

Before I heard TMV a friend of mine mentioned them. I asked what they sounded like. He said "Yes, but with Robert Plant singing". Pretty much sums it up, IMHO. Except the rest of the band occasionally drops into sounding quite zep-ish too. Cicatriz ESP sounds a lot like Achilles Last Stand to me from a rhythm section POV, particularly on Scabdates when they play it faster than usual.

They do occasionally break out something that sounds non-specifically 70s but not directly identifiable as Zep or Yes. But I've yet to hear anything which makes me go "Hey, that sounds like the Mars Volta" when I hear another band doing it.

Also, please don't call me "shallow" because I disagree with you on the originality of the band. It must be noted that of the two major influences I named you appear to only be familiar with one, so I think it's a bit early for you to start throwing mud, no?

[zj2302]

yeah, i think one of the unfortunate thing about rocking heavy is the inevitable zeppelin comparisons. personally, i think a lot of people use it as a way to marginalize bands, that, while there is certainly an influence of zeppelin, are not really out there flaunting their influence.

for example, i never hear people bashing the black crowes for their zeppelin influence, and geez, they toured with jimmy page and practical transformed into the band for 4 months, playing a bunch of deep zeppelin cuts. whereas the mars volta are surely influence by the heaviness of the sound, but last i recall, i don't remember plant singing in spanish, nor zeppelin albums employing use of free jazz, obvious latin rhythms, and, most of all, PUNK. that is the biggest thing that gets me. they play at tempos that zeppelin rarely approached. not saying that they are better for it, but it's just a difference. read any interview with jon theodore and he'll mention his rock influence but obsess over billy cobham and all the hardcore drummer friends who have influenced him

[Pedey]

I think TMV are quite similar to The Mahavishnu Orchestra, you cans ee some links their, plus they were one of Jon's magor influences.

I saw TMV when they cam to AUS early this year and my god, best concert iv'e ever been to, Jon's durmming is such an experience! The entire concert is an amazing experience!

[millerdakiller]

Theodore is easily my favorite drummer.

He is so expressive on just the snare drum. He has so much feel.

[cicatrizoo]

here's a treat...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wHIf_cM4U&search=the%20mars%20volta

love the breakdown at about the midway point on this vid

[cervitalle_decay]

I totally agree with you..Jon Theodore is just sooo amazing (favorite drummer!!!)
Mars Volta's rythm section is awesome!

I'm a big Mars Volta fan too but I heard that Jon wouldn't play for their up-coming tour (Amputechture). He has back problems or something like that...

[Will_Drum_For_Skittles]

I heard that Jon wouldn't play for their up-coming tour (Amputechture). He has back problems or something like that...


I hope that isn't so! I think he is one of the best "new" drummers out today, and is a key element to TMV's sound. I wonder who could possibly replace him?

[cervitalle_decay]

Blake Fleming from Laddio Bolocko or Dazzling Killmen will replace him...

[On The Real]

Does anyone even have a clue, or theory as to why Blake Fleming is replacing Jon?

[hawaiiandisco]

there are lots of rumours going around. most of them about how Jon just didn't like the direction the band was taking. I think we'll see some great stuff featuring Jon in the future. TMV lost the biggest part of what made the live shows so great.

[cervitalle_decay]

But is Jon really leaving the band or he's just not going to do the tour for Amputechture?

[Ashton Drum's]

Just found out Jon Theodore has left The Mars Volta The band cast that performed Amputechture will be modified for live dates that begin imminently, with drummer Jon Theodore replaced by Blake Fleming, formerly of Laddio Bolocko and Dazzling Killmen and actually the drummer who played on the very first Mars Volta demos.

[wcx08]

If anyone's familiar with the Mars Volta, and you're a drummer, you no doubt know about Jon Theodore. I was curious as to what heads he uses on his reso side...I know he uses Remo CS clear on the batter side of his toms and bass, with a clear emporer on his reso on his bass. But what's the reso on his toms?

And just a side note...We'll miss you Jon :-(

[wcx08]

From what I've heard, Jon was having back problems. Drumming wasn't helping. From an interview with Jon about the new record, he had said that the drumming was so insane that even he was having trouble with it. That's a lot to say coming from him...So perhaps touring every single night playing those songs COULD screw up his back pretty bad...But I don't know. And someone on The Comatorium forum (official mars volta message board) said that Jon wasn't real crazy about the new record to begin with.

As for Blake Flemming, if anyone has heard the original Mars Volta demos when they first started, Blake was the original drummer. And if anyone's heard Omar's "A Manuel Dexterity", Blake did all the drumming on that record too. He's not bad; in fact he's pretty damn good. But NO ONE can replace Jon in that band...No one can replace his style and his way of playing. He has big shoes to fill...I hope he can pull it off.

[hawaiiandisco]

This look to to be permanent but I'm not really worried. Jon is such a capable musician I'm sure he'll do something good. I'd love to see him in a him-ish(not the finnish metal band) band again.

[wcx08]

Ahh man I'd love that too...I have a video of an entire live set from HiM and it was amazing. There is some other drummer who's playing too and him and Jon kick ass. They're a really good band.

[On The Real]

Remo coated Ambassador on snare batter, CS black dots on tom and bass drum batters, clear Ambassadors on bottoms of toms and on front of bass drum.

[ledzeppelins666]

What do you mean we'll miss you?

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

he's not with the mars volta anymore.

[ledzeppelins666]

he's no with the mars volta anymore.

Holy crap! He was so good with the MV. Where'd you find this out?

[aahznightsky]

Holy crap! He was so good with the MV. Where'd you find this out?


Try www.marsvolta.com

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

i read it in a mars volta press release. here's a thread discussing it in the off topic lounge:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16113

[cicatrizoo]

Ahh man I'd love that too...I have a video of an entire live set from HiM and it was amazing. There is some other drummer who's playing too and him and Jon kick ass. They're a really good band.

Yeah, that's Doug Scharin's band HiM (not the goth band that Bam Margera loves btw). Doug is a sick sick sick drummer. Youtube clip (he's the bald lefty): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfplNWf1p10

[cicatrizoo]

This look to to be permanent but I'm not really worried. Jon is such a capable musician I'm sure he'll do something good. I'd love to see him in a him-ish(not the finnish metal band) band again.

There are some pretty credible reports floating about that Jon has teamed together with Zack de la Rocha and are in the nascent stages of forming a Son Jarocho fusion band. This could be spectacular given the new musical direction Zack has reinvented himself with.

[Ozzy Biz]

There are some pretty credible reports floating about that Jon has teamed together with Zack de la Rocha and are in the nascent stages of forming a Son Jarocho fusion band. This could be spectacular given the new musical direction Zack has reinvented himself with.

I'd buy that record, just because it has Jon and Zack on it. Any thoughts on who other band members may be?

Biz

[charlie_drums[SPA]]

Jon Theodore... simply the best! =D Well... at least, one of the bests! He left TMV... the band will not be the same as before.

[weegs51690]

Hello? How is no one else raving about Jon's ridiculous beats in the new One Day As A Lion EP? It's Zack de la Rocha and Jon's long awaited musical project together.

His bass drum at the end of "If You Fear Dying" is insane.

[cantstandyourfunk]

I just love this guy man. you can keep all your pridgens, just gimme Cicatriz ESP. I love jon's feel and groove. it's an approach thing. doesn't come with only practice.

[Aggressivec]

I just love this guy man. you can keep all your pridgens, just gimme Cicatriz ESP. I love jon's feel and groove. it's an approach thing. doesn't come with only practice.

Cicatriz is the sickest song ever. That was the first Volta song I heard and I was blown away by the groove and the power. Then I found out Jon used a 15" Rack tom and I was even more impressed. THEN I found out he thinks 24" kicks are small and punchy and I just had to laugh. He really has amazing feel and power. Have you guys heard his new project with Zack De La Rocha (Rage Against the Machine)? It's called A Day as a Lion and it is pretty cool. It's really groove oriented unlike some of the Volta's stuff. Check it out.

[cantstandyourfunk]

erm...Zachs' project with Jon is called One Day As A Lion, not what you wrote :)

Love Jon's feel. Hope TMV bounce back though.

[drum.lad]

erm...Zachs' project with Jon is called One Day As A Lion, not what you wrote :)

Love Jon's feel. Hope TMV bounce back though.

what do you mean bounce back there going stronger than ever
also one day as a lion is awesome lol