Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Omar Alfredo Rodr?guez-L?pez (born September 1, 1975 in Bayam?n, Puerto Rico) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, lead guitarist and producer for the progressive rock group The Mars Volta and the former guitarist for the post-hardcore outfit At the Drive-In. Rodriguez-Lopez grew up in El Paso, Texas, but spent some of his childhood in South Carolina. He started his music career at 15 years of age when he became the singer for the El Paso hardcore band Startled Calf from 1990 to 1992.

Rodriguez-Lopez grew up in El Paso, Texas, but spent some of his childhood in South Carolina. He started his music career at 15 years of age when he became the singer for the El Paso hardcore band Startled Calf from 1990 to 1992. It was during this time that Rodriguez-Lopez met Cedric Bixler Zavala while practicing with friend Paul Hinojos. Since then Rodriguez-Lopez has spent most of his career living and working with his close friend Bixler-Zavala. During this time he frequently collaborated with his friends and future bandmates from El Paso, which included people like Paul Hinojos, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Julio Venegas, and Jeremy Michael Ward.