Bosnian Rainbows

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All the members of Bosnian Rainbows sat down in London and talked to writer, Stevie Chick about the birth of this band and the past and future of others..  all photos by Steve Gullick - Read the full article on Loose Lips Sink Ships Seven HERE .

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Bosnian Rainbows at Eagle Rock Music Festival

Pictures by Ceethreedom

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Bosnian Rainbows are on the cover and featured in Issue 8 of Music & Riots Magazine - see full online issue here.

  Como é que começaram os Bosnian Rainbows? Omar: Começou com o desejo de criar um empenho colaborativo de artistas, onde todos compomos juntos de igual para igual e onde também produzimos tudo juntos.

E como é que se juntaram para formar a banda? O: Eu conhecia o pessoal de tocarmos música durante anos, como acontece quando andas em tour, trabalhas muito e conheces muitas pessoas diferentes. Eu conheci a Teri Gender Bender por causa da banda dela, que se chama Le Butcherettes. Quando eu vivi no México, acabei mesmo por produzir o novo disco dela. E claro o Deantoni Parks tocava no meu grupo, os Mars Volta, no caso do Nicci Kasper eu conheci-o em Nova Iorque, ou seja, acabas por tocar com pessoas diferentes durante anos e algumas pessoas acabam por ficar na tua memória, logo acaba por ser óbvio até acabares por vir a trabalhar com essas pessoas.

Porquê a escolha de Bosnian Rainbows para o nome da vossa banda? O: Porque é uma bonita metáfora que nos inspira a criar, para aproveitar a vida e para inventar a nossa realidade.

O vosso disco de estreia foi lançado recentemente. Vocês gravaram-no no ano passado e toda a gravação foi feita com equipamento analógico, sem usarem qualquer computador. O: Sim, foi simplesmente brutal. Foi o retorno a uma era ou época diferente onde antes costumávamos gravar toda a música desta forma, acabou por ser uma decisão baseada no tipo de filosofia do grupo, que é união, colaboração completa e confiança total. Quando gravas em analógico obviamente que é completamente diferente do digital e por isso tens que confiar nas pessoas com quem estás e tens de partilhar tudo com elas, até porque há um número limite de faixas. Há apenas 24 faixas e foi do género: “Quantas faixas vai ter a bateria? E quantas vai ter a guitarra? E a voz? E o baixo?” e por aí. Para além disso, com cassete e analógico, se não estiveres a comunicar correctamente, basta apenas um momento dessa comunicação não funcionar que pode eliminar algo para sempre, logo acabas por ter de tomar decisões fulcrais ao longo do percurso. É essa a desvantagem do digital. Nós não somos contra o digital, mas a desvantagem do digital é que tu não tens que decidir, podes simplesmente mudar algo mais tarde; há um número infinito de faixas, se apagares algo podes recuperar, porque tudo tem um backup. Por isso, a decisão de gravarmos em analógico foi por causa do efeito que faz ao ambiente de grupo e à partilha de todos em total união no mesmo espaço de gravação.

Quais foram as vossas principais inspirações na criação do vosso som para este trabalho? O: Simplesmente viver profundamente um com os outros com aquilo que nós somos. A música é apenas uma extensão do que tu és. É na realidade apenas os neurónios e as ondas cerebrais que estão a ocorrer na tua mente e que estão a fluir pelos teus vasos sanguíneos a cada instante. Portanto a nossa música vai soar aquilo que tu fazes. As inspirações são qualquer coisa que te rodeia, como o ambiente, a vida em geral e aquilo que tu pensas, da mesma forma que as abelhas têm um som, os pássaros têm um som, etc. A mais recente pesquisa em neurologia demonstra que de facto que as ondas cerebrais e os pensamentos são quantificados em frequências e certas especificidades, que podem ter os seus próprios algoritmos, harmonias, melodias, por isso basta apenas pensar para se poder criar música.

“…o som dos Bosnian Rainbows acaba por ser a extensão daquilo que nós somos, simples pessoas que se preocupam com elas próprias e com o mundo em que vivem.”

Como é que a magia acontece, ou seja, como é que é o vosso processo de composição? O: É completamente colaborativo. Toda a gente dá o seu contributo e toda a gente está à procura de uma visão diferente, porque todos nós na banda somos produtores como também líderes de bandas. Todos nós aqui temos a nossa própria banda. Normalmente quando estás num grupo, cada pessoa pensa apenas na sua parte, até porque é isso que habitualmente acontece num grupo democrático. Por exemplo um baixista pensa sobre a sua parte de baixo e como poderá ficar mais fixe, logo aqui toda a gente pensa sobre a música e como a música poderá ficar mais fixe, e não sobre ser individual e como a actuação desse individual poderá ser mais fixe (risos). Nós todos pensamos em termos de produção, o que significa estar conscientes das partes da melodia e como elas se encaixam juntas, mas também as frequências de instrumentos, porque um dos aspectos mais importantes na gravação de música é como as coisas se encaixam na mistura e é isso que faz uma faixa resultar ou não. Isso acontece muito depressa para nós por causa de sermos todos compositores e produtores, e também por causa da comunicação que temos uns com os outros que é tão aberta e directa, tudo é mesmo muito directo.

Como descreverias o som dos Bosnian Rainbows? O: Não descreveria. Eu nunca vou conseguir descrever o som de algo que faça parte. Isso cabe a outras pessoas de decidir, porque isso é tão subjectivo. De uma forma abstracta, eu poderia dizer que é o som de pessoas que querem uma vida melhor para elas próprias e pessoas que comem comida nutritiva, que é algo muito importante. De onde tu és em Portugal e na Europa no geral há muitas regulamentações sobre alimentos e há muitos alimentos modificados, mas neste país e na América em geral o abastecimento de alimentos está contaminado, tem sido envenenado. A maioria do que anda por aí são alimentos geneticamente modificados e cerca de 8 a 9 ingredientes diferentes foram banidos em todo o mundo, mas por alguma razão é legal neste país. E por isso eu diria que o som dos Bosnian Rainbows acaba por ser a extensão daquilo que nós somos, simples pessoas que se preocupam com elas próprias e com o mundo em que vivem.

Mudando um pouco de assunto Omar, para uma pergunta que toda a gente te faz e por isso eu também te vou fazer (risos). No ano passado houve a reunião dos At The Drive-In. Qual foi a sensação de voltar a partilhar palco com o resto do pessoal? O: Foi brutal. Foi mesmo bom estar com o pessoal. Estas são as pessoas com quem eu cresci. Estes são os gajos que me conhecem melhor que qualquer outra pessoa desde que fomos adolescentes. Eu sempre disse em entrevistas que foi isso o que essa altura representou para mim, foi sobre nós estarmos juntos. Em palco foi algo diferente, porque eu estava com alguns problemas pessoais. Foi um momento difícil e triste para a minha família e aconteceram algumas experiências traumáticas, por isso não foi fácil estar em palco diante das pessoas. Era o último sítio que eu queria estar, mas felizmente estava rodeado por estes quatro gajos que me amam e que sabiam o que eu estava a passar. Eles deram-me muito apoio.

E os Mars Volta, vocês acabaram definitivamente? O: Eu acho que é o que parece, por agora. Eu não sei qual é o melhor conselho sobre isso, além de comprar e pagar impostos (risos). Eu não sei o que é mais definitivo, mas eu sei onde a banda se encontra neste momento e não me preocupo demasiado com o que pode ou não acontecer. Eu tenho de viver cada momento e o presente é este momento agora.

“Eu não sei o que é mais definitivo, mas eu sei onde a banda se encontra neste momento e não me preocupo demasiado com o que pode ou não acontecer…”  Omar Rodriguez sobre o futuro dos The Mars Volta

Como referiste há pouco, tu produziste e também tocaste baixo no próximo disco dos Le Butcherettes. O que podes contar sobre esse disco? O: É um disco fantástico. A Teri é uma compositora incrível, é o som das Le Butcherettes. Eu acho que ela está mesmo a evoluir como compositora e também no seu próprio interesse pela música. Uma coisa muito importante, é que ela encontrou finalmente uma boa baterista, uma baterista com quem ela tem uma grande química. Lia Braswell é outra jovem talentosa e por isso as duas juntas formam uma óptima equipa. É simplesmente um disco surpreendente.

Teri, agora é a tua vez! Que mais nos podes adiantar sobre este teu novo trabalho nos Le Butcherettes? Teri: Nós gravamos esse disco há mais de dois anos, penso eu, e estou super contente com o som, porque foi feito na realidade numa questão de uma semana com a nossa nova baterista Lia Braswell. Ela é fenomenal, é um prodígio de criança. Ela tem apenas 20 anos e fez um só take, acho que isso foi a magia do disco. Nós fizemos este disco tão facilmente e sem stress. Divertimo-nos tanto. Esperemos que saia em breve, já que nós todos sacrificamos tempo com as nossas outras bandas, espero mesmo que saia em breve.

Omar, eu li que andas a aprofundar conhecimentos na produção cinematográfica. O: Posso dizer-te que me traz muita felicidade e é um dos meios mais versáteis e gratificantes em que eu já entrei, porque inclui todos os meios. Inclui pessoas, spoken word, poesia, visuais, fotografia de cinema, luzes, música… Tem tudo, é um dos meios mais rejubilantes que um artista pode ter e também ensinou-me e ajudou-me a chegar aqui para formar a banda. Ensinou- me a importância e os aspectos fundamentais da colaboração, porque tu não podes fazer um filme por ti próprio, simplesmente não consegues. Mesmo que escrevas e produzas tudo, vais continuar a precisar de colaborar com pessoas, porque é um meio tão gigante.

Quais são os vossos planos para levar os Bosnian Rainbows a todo o mundo? O: Nós estamos agora em tour e o nosso disco acabou de sair, por isso vamos continuar em tour e a tocar música para as pessoas.

Teri, que é que tens andado a ouvir ultimamente? T: Eu tenho vivido a minha vida toda numa cave (risos), por isso porque o meu pai ouvia sempre os The Beatles, os The Beatles têm sido uma grande experiência, uma das maiores da minha vida, mas agora com o Deantoni, o Nicci e o Omar até me fazem ouvir Bette Davis, que já anda cá há muito tempo. Comecei a ouvir recentemente Kate Bush e ela é simplesmente fenomenal e também comecei a ouvir os The Eurythmics. O Dave Stewart é um excelente compositor. E há uma banda chamada The Meters, eles são também uma banda old school dos anos 70. Basicamente é isso que tem andado na minha playlist.

Qual é o teu disco favorito de 2013 até agora? T: Pena Tame Impala não ser deste ano, senão diria que seria esse. Oh, isto é uma pergunta difícil (risos). Eu não quero soar masoquista e às vezes sinto-me envergonhada, mas nós temos andado constantemente a fazer tanta música e a ouvir só a nossa própria música. Lila Downs, eu adoro-a. Ela gravou um álbum este ano, porque ouvi algo novo dela e estava lindo. Ela é também uma grande inspiração para mim. Bem, não consigo lembrar-me de mais nomes (risos).

(Andreia Alves)

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Deantoni Parks to perform tonight in NYC the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto V - Then back to LA for Eagle Rock Music Festival on Oct 5

Deantoni Parks (Bosnian Rainbows) played drums and percussion on the Grand Theft Auto V game soundtrack and will be performing in NYC Tonight, September 30th, in this one time only live show of the games Soundtrack alongside the composers Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist & Oh No with DJ Sets from Flying Lotus and Gilles Peterson. The show is now SOLD OUT.

Deantoni will then fly back to Los Angeles to perform with his band Bosnian Rainbows as the headliners at this years Eagle Rock Music Festival on October 5th.

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Deantoni Parks feature in Rhythm Magazine UK

Deantoni Parks is featured in this month's Rhythm Magazine. Don't miss any chance you might have to see this man play live - See all Bosnian Rainbows Tour dates HERE

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Photos and Review by Mat Hayward see full show and all photos HERE

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Before the rain came down on the last night of Rifflandia, eclectic four-piece Bosnian Rainbows performed what had to be the oddest, most exciting set of the festival. The El Paso band, featuring former the Mars Volta and At the Drive-In guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, played the overcast main stage in what amounted to 45 minutes of weirdo interpretive dance and strange behaviour from lead vocalist Teri Gender Bender (Le Butcherettes). But the highlight came near the end of the band's proggy rock set, when Teri jumped down off the stage, speed-crawled through the festival grounds on all fours, stopped to dance like a maniac with a very excited crowd member, then made her way back to the stage in a serious of bizarre and questionable moves (including leaping onto an unfortunate security guard). Driven by the same sort of ferocious inner demons and angels that affect the likes of Iggy Pop, Karen O. and PJ Harvey when they perform live, Teri ran through the full gamut of emotions in a creepy, The Ring-like way, grabbing at her stomach as if she was experiencing stabbing pains. The rest of the band, although overshadowed by Teri, were like a singular unit up there, Rodriquez-Lopez, drummer/keyboardist Deantoni Parks (also ex-the Mars Volta) and keyboardist Nicci Kasper were literally connected together in a semi-circle of keyboards and drums, which made their performance even more interesting. The goal of most bands is to be in sync with each other and, granted, being in sync with Teri and her oddball take on performance art tied to melody and chaos is a difficult task. They rose to the challenge and delivered one Rifflandia's premier sets.  By Jason Schreurs DON'T MISS BOSNIAN RAINBOWS ON TOUR NOW SEE ALL SHOWS

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Bosnian Rainbows live photos from Berlin Festival on September 6, 2013 See full set of photos by Killian Broderick

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When At The Drive-In reformed for a handful of gigs last year, the motive was fairly obvious. The nostalgic pleading from fans and promoters became too great to ignore for the El-Paso pioneers and perhaps more importantly, so did the digits on the paycheque.

“Ironically, one of the reasons At The Drive-In broke up initially was because I was tired of that democracy,” explains Rodriquez-Lopez. “So I left and started my own group [The Mars Volta], which would be a vehicle for my ideas. But after 10 years, that got boring as well!

“Cedric [Bixler-Zavala, vocalist for At The Drive-In and the Mars Volta] and I hired people to play the music we wrote and the moment they became troublesome or irritating, we replaced them. That’s no way to live. Having seen both sides of it, the collective experience is definitely the way to go.”

That change of attitude is reflected in his new band’s music. In contrast to the expansive and sometimes befuddling sprawl of The Mars Volta’s prog adventures, Bosnian Rainbows first self-titled album is a far more structured affair with instantly recognizable post-punk overtones.

Meanwhile, Gender Bender (who also fronts the Mexican garage rockers Le Butcherettes) has a voice that is not unfairly compared to Siouxsie Sioux. But Rodriguez-Lopez insists this new-found accessibility isn’t an ill-advised attempt to make his art more palatable for a wider audience.

“The majority of people will openly say that they got into music because there was money or girls involved,” he continues. “And then there’s people who had no other language that they felt represented them. I am drawn to those people. Teri was very much like that from the start, which is how I got involved with first producing Le Butcherettes' music and then forming Bosnian Rainbows.

“I remember the first time I saw her was when I went to see a friend’s band play in Mexico and Le Butcherettes were scheduled to play. The electricity went out in the building and all the bands didn’t want to play. She got up there and played anyways, because she had to. That really struck me and that’s how I became interested in working with her.”

It hasn’t been the easiest of births though. Clearly upset at Rodriguez-Lopez’s new distractions with Bosnian Rainbows, Bixler-Zavala issued a statement earlier this year announcing that The Mars Volta were no more.

“I heard about it from other people and it took me by surprise,” adds Rodriguez Lopez with more than a hint of sadness. “But what you have to understand is that we’ve known each other since 1989. When you love someone, you get annoyed with each other and fight sometimes but there’s a lot of understanding involved too. I love him and there’s nothing he could say or do that would ever make me not love him.”

For now though, there’s no doubt that Bosnian Rainbows are where Rodriguez-Lopez’s creative energy is now aimed. The solo albums are on hold, the reunions are done, and The Mars Volta have called it quits, and the guitarist is more than happy with that state of affairs.

“It’s definitely a long-term project,” he concludes. “All my ideas – or all my best ideas anyway – are going into this group. This is where it’s at right now.”

Bosnian Rainbows play the Rifflandia Festival in Victoria, BC, Canada, this weekend.

Listen to RBMA Radio’s Panamérika show here.

All photos of Bosnian Rainbows© Erik Voake / Red Bull Content Pool

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Bosnian Rainbows head out for more shows and festivals - starting September 14th

Bosnian Rainbows are back in the van heading to Vancouver. They will be playing a few more shows and festivals for this year.. with new music coming. SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE Watch Bosnian Rainbows TV Here BOSNIAN RAINBOWS LIVE 2013 Sept 14, 2013 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret Sept 15, 2013 - Victoria, BC @ Rifflandia Festival Sept 17, 2013 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Sept 18, 2013 - Portland, OR @ Dante’s Sept 21, 2013 - Denver, CO @ Riot Fest w/ Iggy & The Stooges, The Replacements and many more Sept 28, 2013 - San Jose, CA @ C2SV Festival @ St James Park w/ Iggy & The Stooges & Thee Oh Sees Oct  05, 2013 - Eagle Rock, CA @ Eagle Rock Music Fest Oct 26, 2013  - Asheville, NC @ Mountain Oasis Festival w/ NIN, Neutral Milk Hotel, Animal Collective

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Teri Gender Bender of Bosnian Rainbows at Berlin Festival - Sept 7, 2013 photos by Christian Faustus

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Bosnian Rainbows heads back out on International tour starting August 31st

Bosnian Rainbows will head back on tour starting in Europe with some club shows with Tomahawk and to play this years Berlin Festival. Then they will head to Canada and the USA for a few more festivals and club shows....  Tour Tour Tour. SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE BOSNIAN RAINBOWS  2013 Aug 31, 2013 - Copenhagen, DK @ Vega w/ Tomahawk Sept 01, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @Rockefeller Music Hall w/ Tomahawk Sept 02, 2013 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Media w/ Tomahawk Sept 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Festival  Sept 07, 2013 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Smichoff Summer Festival Sept 14, 2013 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret Sept 15, 2013 - Victoria, BC @ Rifflandia Festival Sept 17, 2013 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Sept 18, 2013 - Portland, OR @ Dante’s Sept 21, 2013 - Denver, CO @ Riot Fest w/ Iggy & The Stooges, The Replacements and many more Sept 28, 2013 - San Jose, CA @ C2SV Festival @ St James Park w/ Iggy & The Stooges & Thee Oh Sees Oct  05, 2013 - Eagle Rock, CA @ Eagle Rock Music Fest Oct 26, 2013  - Asheville, NC @ Mountain Oasis Festival

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Despite his legendary status as a leading figure of both At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta, Bosnian Rainbows guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López is deliberately understated in his role within this relatively new project; he's focused and intense, eyes sealed closed as he shreds and solos, throwing psychedelic lead melodies over Nicci Kasper's oddball synth lines and Deantoni Parks' frighteningly precise drumming.

The stage is Teri Gender Bender's playground – the Le Butcherettes founder roams around, never remaining stationary, pulling shapes and caressing the low ceiling, smiling ecstatically as she howls and wails her way through Eli, the stirring opener to the band's strong debut release. Her presence is commanding, mesmerizing and weirdly spiritual. She's constantly switching gears, going from tender and passionate (especially during the dreamy, sorrowful Worthless) to fierce and possessed as the group thrash through the hard rock stomp of I Cry for You.

Though they toy with punk, prog and 60s psychedelia, the borrowed aspects of their sound merge beautifully. It might be surprising to some, but it's pop that rears its head more than anything here tonight. They're far from a nostalgia act, too; there's something distinctly post-modern about the way it all comes together. Bursting with aural colours, their music makes even more sense live than it does on record. Those who found themselves on the fence with the album would do well to catch them in the flesh. [Ross Watson]

Taken from an article by Ross Watson on The Skinny

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Bosnian Rainbows is a supergroup/collective of mad geniuses composed of Mars Volta leader and guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and drummer Deantoni Parks, Le Butcherettes frontwoman Teresa Suárez AKA Teri Gender Bender, and keyboardist Nicci Kasper. Their self-titled debut is sprawling, gorgeous, and hard to categorize with influence drawn from prog-rock, New Wave pop, and the movies. It evidence of just how differently the quartet likes to do things.

When they stopped in New York on tour, MTV Iggy took them to Williamsburg and splashed some surreal color around on a gray day.

All photos by Emily Winiker - Click to see all photos SEE BOSNIAN RAINBOWS TOUR DATES HERE

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The Thin Air (Ireland) Interview with Bosnian Rainbows

Broccoli, rock and a sixty-watt smile: From the ashes of At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez returns as a happy man in a party of four. 

The secret ingredient is broccoli. Bosnian Rainbows recorded their debut album in Berlin, but struck upon the green stuff when keyboardist Nicci Kasper discovered that there’s more protein per calorie in broccoli than there is in steak.

“Which is actually shocking,” he says. “I just take broccoli instead of meat now. It is meat.”

It’s a question of consciousness, of healthy living and happiness, says singer Teri Suarez. And her guitarist agrees.

“It’s all about a good high standard of living,” says Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. “We’re all concerned with what food goes into our body, what ideas come into our head, y’know? And if you believe it makes you feel good – if you know it makes you feel good – then it makes you feel good.”

  You don’t need to see Bosnian Rainbows to hear that Suarez is the star, her elastic lines lifting and dipping like a slow rollercoaster, mixing with the synths, harmonizing with Lopez. Later there are nautical echoes and fuzzy chords, sonar sounds and choruses creating the sense of a quest and small cross-border missions in pursuit of an elusive lover. It’s emphatically not At the Drive-In or the Mars Volta. To mention Lopez’ past is to throw a damp blanket over fireworks.

But during the At the Drive-In reunion shows in Coachella and Brixton, Lopez gave everything to his guitar and little more than the cold shoulder to everyone else. Bosnian Rainbows is an unparalleled, happier situation. ‘I get to learn all the time,’ he says, casting an open hand towards his bandmates. “I’m outweighed by everybody in the group, so it’s the best place I could be in. I have to work harder all the time to be better. I only had one equal or person that was better than me, and that was Cedric.”

Are he and Bixler in touch in any meaningful way? ‘Not particularly,’ he says, ‘but that doesn’t mean we’re not friends, y’know?’ Although The Mars Volta seemed like a pretty broad canvas for a guitarist, something had gone awry. There’s no real drama to poke around for, save for asking why the engine ran dry.

“Because a playground isn’t fun of you’re there by yourself,” says Lopez. “It’s that simple.” Not everyone wants to be like The Rolling Stones, running victory laps for cash until their legs collapse. “It’s the same thing of you asking me if I’m still friends with Cedric,” he says. “I’m sorry – I don’t mean to offend you but I’m just saying what I’m thinking right now – it’s such a small question. I couldn’t possibly answer it. I’ve known him since 1988. We’ve suffered the deaths of four of our closest friends together, you know what I mean? So whether we’re talking or not right now is such a small thing. And plus, I don’t have an insight into what the future is. I have many talents but that is not one of them.”

Any indignance is delivered with an honest smile, and Lopez’ explanations – like all his talk – are rapid, happy, utterly of the moment. “It’s hard to talk about not because it upsets me but because it’s such a hard —it’s like trying to describe music. I won’t answer the question when somebody goes ‘what do you sound like’. I don’t know – use your ears! You’re the one perceiving us – how can I possibly know? You’re the ones who decide how I am as a person, not me. I’m living my life and trying to do the best I can with the tools I have. These unanswerable questions… they’re funny.”

And his happy laughs are matched by his bandmates. Suarez explains that Bosnian Rainbows have a core of criticism without cruelty that keeps them all on the crest of a wave. “It’s like “oh you like that movie? What’s wrong with you?” Or, “you’re going to eat that? It has like 38 grammes of sugar. You’re crazy!”.”

“It’s based in respect,” says Lopez. “You know right away when somebody doesn’t respect you when you’re talking to them: They don’t look you in the eye, certain body language… If something’s based in respect it’s a constructive criticism, but if it’s based outside of respect somebody’s just shitting on you.”

The upshot is that if Bosnian Rainbows trust one another’s criticism they can also trust one another’s judgements. It’s not easy to open up to criticism, but what Lopez says of Bosnian Rainbows seems true of all relationships: “Once you accept criticism and see it as the golden gateway to becoming better, you can embrace it fully.”

  Remember the broccoli. Bosnian Rainbows are passionate about all things becoming better. Lopez speaks so generously and merrily that you can practically see sparks leaping from his ears. What does he want to transmit or communicate in music at large?

“Just all the knowledge of my human experience,” he says, straight-faced. “What can anyone translate besides that?” Laughing again. “Like everyone else we all exist within our own heads, how we view the world and how we’re seeing it. So that’s what our spirit is trying to express, all the time.” We’re limited by language, he says, mentioning the Russian writer Ouspensky, noting that the greatest philosophers routinely refer to the musical scale when trying to communicate their ideas. And he’s off: arguing that we’re at an all-time peak of being dumbed-down by consumerism and commercial forces – “to the point where some guy in America says that ketchup is a fruit or a vegetable, like it counts towards your daily intake” – while dismissing critics of vegetarianism before conceding to watching the occasional shitty TV show then swerving to question the very status of knowledge itself. “The whole world has been dumbed down by society and money. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact! The average IQ is at an all-time low. And so considering that we live in the most technologically-advanced era in recorded history that we know of, then, again, something is seriously wrong.”

“And,” says Kasper, “There’s such a limited amount of quality movies out these days…”

“Yeah. All the arts! It’s really crazy,” says Lopez. “We went to see a movie – that was Star Trek though. Yeah, we were bored, you know? No we weren’t even bored – we like going to the cinema and our options were Star Trekor Oblivion—

What was he biggest shortcoming of the Star Trek movie?

“It was great!” he says. “It just lacked originality, script, character development, a story of any kind, any true type of tension, cinematography, editing, pacing, acting, or invisible technique. Besides that it was really cool to look at! Besides all that, it was good!”

When the laughter subsides he does his best to sum things up. “These are the conversations we have because we want a higher quality of life,” he says. “People talk about the apocalyptic vision, but they don’t understand they’re living in it. They think they aren’t, because they have a thousand Starbucks and a million malls and the Internet. But this is the apocalyptic vision: When we live in an age where people could take care of themselves, but they can’t.”

It sounds like a bummer, but the sentence ends with a sixty-watt smile. 

Taken from article by Kiran Acharya on thethinair.net

Bosnian Rainbows are currently on tour in Europe, keep up to date with their live shows here.

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The Guardian Live Show Review Bosnian Rainbows - Glasgow

Following Mars Volta's hostile split last year, Omar Rodríguez-Lopez's latest project, Bosnian Rainbows, were practically named in the divorce papers by disaffected frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala, further suggesting this Puerto Rican-American alternative guitar god is better at starting bands than ending them.

The pull of the crowd and flash of cameras in Rodríguez-López's direction as he appears make plain what brought most people tonight, though the centre of magnetism ultimately proves to be singer Teresa "Teri Gender-Bender" Suárez. Discovered fronting Mexican punks Le Butcherettes, she's a transfixing presence – more feminine than her stage name suggests in a floral dress, with a searching voice that packs very human power despite heavy effects treatment, whether swathed in shimmering delay during opener Eli or flecked with electronic glitches in the excellent Worthless.

Turtle Neck melds dream-pop with Zeppelin riffing, Torn Maps channels Siouxsie and the Banshees by way of Can. Each song typically emerges from a dense mist of Rodríguez-López guitar sludge – a distinctive mix of spacey drones and shrill phrasing that's intoxicating despite bursts of atonality reminiscent of a Shreds sendup – yet his role is relatively understated, limited to just two finger-blurring solos.

Whether Bosnian Rainbows go on to do anything like the six albums Mars Volta did is for their fulcrum's muse to decide. But as the magnificent Mother, Father, Set Us Free closes – as Suárez's soaring chorus is sampled and carried off on a quickening beat towards a splintered climax while she runs on the spot, her fringe matted to her forehead by sweat – they look a keeper.

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