- by Andy Day
- Monday, May 30, 2005
- filed in: Rock
Share
Hopes of an At The Drive-In reunion have had the flames fanned by the recent revelation by The Mars Volta that Sparta guitarist and former AtD-I member Paul Hinojos has jumped ship.
Hinojos who joined the less interesting Sparta when the seminal band broke up in 2001 sending the founding members into two camps. While Sparta have struggled to stay in the lime-light, The Mars Volta fronted by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala have released several works that have garnered critical acclaim, most recently their LP ‘Francis The Mute’ has been heralded as the greatest concept album of the 21st century.
Following a statement from Sparta regarding Hinojos departure from the band, The Mars Volta have now announced after much speculation that he will become a full member of the band. “Sparta guitarist and former at the drive in member, Paul Hinojos, has quit Sparta and has joined the Mars Volta, effective immediately. Assuming the sound manipulation duties of the late Jeremy Ward,” Ward died in 2003, “Hinojos, who in 2003 joined the mars volta briefly after Wards untimely death, decided to accept the open invitation from Rodriguez Lopez to rejoin the band at his leisure.”
"My time with Sparta has run its course, and simply wasn't fun anymore," said Hinojos of his former band, with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez adding "We've been friends since we were kids, played in bands together for years, and Paul was close to Jeremy, its always been clear to me that Paul was the only person who would be appropriate to take Jeremy's place and fill what we feel is an integral role within the band"
The reunion now leaves on former AtD-I guitarist Jim Ward and drummer Tony Hajjar out of the equation, maybe there’s room in the Volta for a couple more?


The Mars Volta Bring Their Pop Prog Rock To Somerset House
Mars Attacks... Again - The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta - 'Octahedron' (Mercury) Released 22/06/09
Omar Rodriguez Lopez - 'Old Money' (Pinnacle) Released 26/01/09
Friday 14/03/08 The Mars Volta @ Brixton Academy, London
The American Music Awards 2009 In Pictures
Gary Numan's Pleasure Principle Tour Hits Manchester Academy - PHOTOS
Kasabian Storm The Manchester Evening News Arena - Photos
Register now and have your comments approved automatically!