At The Drive-In (Cedric Bixler-Zavala) - What's in My Bag?

Cedric Bixler-Zavala of At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta goes shopping at Amoeba Music in Los Angeles. At The Drive-In's latest album 'in•ter a•li•a' is available on Rise Records.
Check out his picks:
Sleaford Mods - English Tapas (LP) bit.ly/2yAImLE
Cluster - Cluster 71 (LP) bit.ly/2yCJIpJ
Syd Barrett - Opel (LP) bit.ly/2xRS5Pj
Big Star - Nothing Can Hurt Me (LP) bit.ly/2hRcPvA
Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes (LP) bit.ly/2inIKHQ
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action (LP) bit.ly/2gw1Gnk
John Carpenter - Assault On Precinct 13 / The Fog (12") bit.ly/2yA2mfX
Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (LP) bit.ly/2l2uB3O
Get At The Drive-In's music: bit.ly/2yWyVri
Follow us on Twitter: / amoebamusic
Like us on Facebook: / amoeba

[@DIGITAL7Media]

I remember my wife telling me we were going out to dinner with her friends. And I realized Cedric was sitting across the dinner table. I froze. I said.."honey that's Cedric." she's like.."yeah...he's like in a band or something." I've never been star struck before. But making him laugh most of the night was my highlight that year. He's a really great nice and humble guy.

[@MrMotherfuck123]

So thats how you know your wife's friends...

[@jeanettethomas5806]

I met him once back in like 2003, when the first Mars Volta album came out, Deloused. I met him and Omar after their set when they were both heading to the bus, and I was wearing a shirt of the band Fifteen. and we connected cuz they knew Fifteen. personally, had hung out and crashed with them! Totally great people!

[@rorydirks8549]

​@@jeanettethomas5806I don't think Jeff ott gets enough credit for his contribution to music.

[@atree88]

This guy has a good heart

[@cpr8862]

And an excellent head of hair

[@cpr8862]

And an excellent head of hair

[@PercussaResurgo-]

@@cpr8862 I got to smell his afro at the Fillmore, Denver CO, Bedlam in Goliath tour. He hugged the girl standing next to me, we were at the front. When he hugged her, the top of his afro pressed into my face, he is short. It smelled like cigarettes, and amazing cologne or something. 😆

[@ferrous__bueller]

That That 70s Show clip hits different when you know about him and his wife's struggle against Danny Masterson and Scientology

[@markbrower7897]

Right, very ironic moment right there

[@ohitbe3616]

I thought this too

[@chennforajido]

Everyone who appreciates The Mars Volta and At The Drive In, has learned about a lot of cool bands because of Cedric and Omar musical tastes

[@denimobi9825]

He has terrible taste

[@balkid2201]

fuck this guy i love them and love to hear about what these bands pls man feel free to dm me

[@balkid2201]

+1

[@yeahknow8940]

Yep, but the sleaford mods are terrible

[@sageisnotaplant99]

Oh totally. Got me into Sleaford Mods

[@HSTRTGMS]

I've been a fan for around 20 years, and have only just now heard his speaking voice and social personality. I am fucking shocked. I don't even know where to START. He's more normal than me? He's a total music nerd. Hell, he's a total nerd in general, but speaks in a colloquial cadence. Normal, but an extraordinary talent. I always imagined him to be cynical and nihilistic, but instead, he's joyful, spirited, and humbled. Refreshing. I'm also pausing to take notes.

[@Newwordsforsimone7]

I’m pretty sure he was a bit cynical and nihilistic 20+ years ago. If you watch the end of the Big Day Out performance they did, you’ll see a bit of that. But I’m glad he’s still around and seems to be in a good place, while still being a creative force.

[@DrLongSchIong]

His name sounds like a Wes Anderson villain

[@mitchellhughes5180]

Brilliant!🤣

[@jeanettethomas5806]

That's funny, he always reminded me of the singer from the Mars Volta.

[@bassistwithadeathwish7277]

Because he probably is

[@ripperplaysclon152]

Cedric-Bixler Zavala, in partic.

[@McCensored]

Or maybe Lars Von Trier.

[@no_desh]

Thanks Amoeba - such a good episode. Imagine if Cedric did an hour video of “what’s in my bag?” for Amoeba. His taste is so diverse + his music knowledge so deep, it would be amazing.

[@amoeba]

+Daniel Oliver it’d be great to produce a longer show someday.

[@Chris.Treborn]

Your welcome

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Love how he said "it's worth a listen to, even if you hate it" if only i could get my friends and family to do this. They tend to listen to stuff that sounds like the stuff they already like, and don't like to stray outside of that, i know it shouldn't but it drives me mad.

[@MaSoisSoful]

Tell me about it. I feel like I’m the only that understands the Universe I created with the soundtracks I make for myself.

[@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458]

Cuz ur a person who cant empathize. Not everyone is an audiophile, not all thinks listening to new music is anything meaningful. To some music is purely an entertainment platform. And thats their own tragedy.

[@nemodollaz4120]

Matt S id say that really hurts the talented artists that make their own sound but get less recognition because why do that when you can ride a wave, and when that trend dies out, theyll steal ideas from the underground and then they have to go make more unique music while they run the sounds they previously created to the ground by not innovating it and then repeating the process when what they stole and made a trend dies out because they werent creative enough to innovate and make the music better of different. Basically, at the end of the day, being creative gets your shit stolen and you discredited, just look at raider klan and Denzel Curry. EVERYONE uses their dark and atmospheric sounds in hip hop, yet they created it and still innovate it and make more new styles whilst the mainstream hip hop will steal their ideas, do even less with them, and run what they made a trend into the ground while the actual innovators can still use those sounds they created and futher innovate by blending genres and making something new only for it to be taken from them again because THEY are the real creators and are actually capable of breeding something new from being uncomfortable and charting new territories in music

[@truthdog1107]

They are organic portals (NPCs). The majority of people are like this. They exist simply to maintain and promote the status quo

[@TheSquareOnes]

Something that helped me get over that mentality is to just think about it in terms of a different medium. For example, I'm a suuuuper picky eater that won't eat basically anything even remotely outside of my narrow comfort zone (pretty much anything that isn't some combination of bread, "normal" meat and cheese) but I love sodas and am always eager to try weird things like PB&J or lavender soda, so while I'd never willingly eat anything outside of my narrow preference range I can still understand why people who do like a wide range of flavors and textures in their food would want to try as many new things as possible. For me eating is just a basic part of life that isn't worth getting excited about, to them it's something to be explored and experienced as much as possible. Music is the same, to a lot of us it's an engaging and active hobby with endless new experiences to discover but to many it's just a pleasant thing that they enjoy but have no interest going any further than their current preferences. Note that this doesn't mean they "don't really love music." I don't eat a lot of variety but I absolutely love the few foods that I do eat, pizza and chicken have provided countless delicious meals over the years. In just the same way that one guy we all know that still listens to nothing but early 2000s pop punk and nu metal probably loves their music just as much you love yours, they just have a narrower preference range and that's totally fine. This applies to pretty much every other field of interest in life. Games, movies, books, shows, youtube, social media, exercise, sports, conversation and just about anything else you can think of. People can have a limited interest in exploring the fringes of anything while still regularly enjoying the surface level of the medium.

[@viniciuseneas4036]

Forever grateful to Cedric for giving us so much incredible music and introduce me to Sleaford Mods.

[@therobotsmademedoit8550]

''There's this certain English way of saying Fuck that is just really satisfying to me''.. I love this dude!

[@Dinckelburg]

@@jjprulz In the southwest we say fuckin. In parts of the southeast they say fackin. In the Midlands and north they say fookin. The Scottish, mostly Glaswegians, say focken. And the Irish say fookin, or feckin, which actually means 'to throw, to feck'. A real spectrum...

[@malbennett9806]

​@@DinckelburgIn the Merseyside/Wirral area we say fuckin, no fookin here.

[@Gibble3226]

based cedric moment

[@PraetorClaudius]

I’m not surprised at GBV and Big Star, Cedric has a great way of intertwining weird music and really catchy hooks in his music as well.

[@tonyduart6414]

I was working at Macy’s. He walks in short as hell but all Rock n Rolled out. I stared at him he looked up and said whats up and kept walking. Held my breath the whole time. It was Cedric

[@otterhaus]

I can't believe this man was the drummer for Beto O'Rourke's old punk band. I loved At the Drive In and The Mars Volta in high school and listening to them takes me back to a simpler time.

[@srsucioguapodelsur8845]

Ran into Beto backstage at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic in Austin a few weeks back, he’d been getting mobbed by people all night, came and stood next to me side stage. I leaned in and asked if I could ask him a weird question, he obliged, and I asked what he thought about the new TMV stuff. We talked music for about 30 minutes afterwards, cool dude and knows his shit

[@rachaelthomason9299]

And they are both so evolved and political. Texas is a crazy staye to be from.

[@holadonkey]

every single pick cedric made was great . eclectic pop for people who like rock off the beaten path without being snobbish or pretentious . you can tell he likes his choices by the consistency of the material . he's a top class singer with solid skills . don't like a lot of the comments this man deserves respect .

[@kymahoney5085]

holadonkey bravo, well said!

[@johnd3124]

everyone else is picking Noise Techno AvantGarde made in 1915, I hate it when people on this do that lol

[@shamus8687]

I can't even tell you how many hours I've spent listening to this mans music. I remember being like 18 and listening to De-Loused in the Comatorium on repeat wondering how a frontman could be that mind-blowing and thinking Omar was as good as Jimi Hendrix.

[@nipsnaps22]

Omar is way better than Jimi tho :D

[@TravisBeckMusic]

I can’t like this enough you took the words right out of my mouth! I have the 3 eyes symbol tattooed on me!

[@nipsnaps22]

Travis Beck past, present and future tense...

[@TravisBeckMusic]

Exactly!

[@adrianb2232]

we all become Deloused in the Comatarium when we listen to it

[@pedalfiles4441]

Its really cool seeing where these huge artist get their inspiration from. Thank you Amoeba! STAY ALIVE THROUGH THE DIGITAL AGE PLEASE

[@marcusmoore7131]

I think this guy has the best stage presence ever. I saw The Mars Volta in ‘04 (maybe). After buying a bootleg dvd off eBay and watching it in awe he did not disappoint.

[@xYouthAttackx]

Always liked ATDI and it took me awhile to get into TMV but when Cedric and Omar get to making music, they are magic together.

[@foxybyproxy]

literally inspired by lead singer of zen guerilla

[@mattell3302]

Cedric might be a crazy weirdo guy with rad hair, but he's a genuine crazy weirdo guy with rad hair. I respect that. Also, do more Volta guys! TMV was such a great unique thing.

[@beemerboomer6313]

You might get your wish

[@Lancelot30]

You got your wish :)

[@Friscom99]

New album out today!

[@jrepp11]

BigStar, Chris Bell, Syd Barrett, GBV, Flaming Groovies , Vandyke Parks?!?!? Sensitive, deep, unexpected choices . I am very happy to hear he has this nurturing , parental perspective these days as opposed to the early Mars Volta era. People grow.

[@prod6mill.512]

i love that right before he talks about german avant garde and kraut rock, there was "delay 1986" by can jus lurking in the background in the intro

[@theperfectimperfect]

amazing guy, still such a fan of music. his voice is out of this world.

[@chaselearkendall]

This is such an amazing KZbin series. I can’t thank you enough, it’s truly such a gift to be able to discover all of these bands directly from the bands you already know! Or don’t know, still though you get what I’m saying. Thanks again!

[@amoeba]

+chaselearkendall we get what you’re saying. Thanks so much for the feedback and thanks for watching!

[@Martel4]

Cedric I love you! The Mars Volta changed my life, seriously. I've found so much amazing music and art because of this band, including At The Drive In and seeing them at The Greek Theater in 2005 was a show I will never forget.

[@MammaApa]

Excellent choices.

[@avertthymortaleyes3460]

Sick tastes I love learning about new musical acts from bands I admire. This is one the coolest KZbin channels.

[@marting1984]

Yes! A shout out to the Flamin' Groovies. I love that band. Thank you Cedric

[@chimbertocaviglia6919]

We could use a Cedric part II, he really has a diverse and interest taste in music and art in general

[@XavierTheBat]

yeah! do it @Amoeba

[@mrzima138]

Best one so far! Thanks for the great new music to listen to. Love Mars Volta & ATDI

[@mollypicklesimer5906]

Cedric is so chubby and precious now. I still love him, gdi.

[@evansevans1770]

whoa bro chill out

[@caraj.6974]

This is the first time I've heard this man, who has been an idol of mine for many years, actually speak. I adore him even more now! Of all the people in music I admire, I think he's the one I'd like to chill with most.

[@siosio6935]

Saw ATDI live last year and instantly fell in love, was the first time I ever heard them and it was live

[@MrWhtgst]

I need to pay attention I have been listening since 2000 and still haven't seen them

[@MrBandini27]

What a cool dude. Love his choices. Enough for me to catch up.

[@tdusty44]

I love how genuinely excited he gets talking about these bands.

[@PercussaResurgo-]

Thee best lyricist, vocalist, altogether frontman/ performer, with an artistic heart. This man has inspired my music so much. My favorite punk 👊

[@RonasD94]

I Love this guy, he and Omar changed my perspective of Rock Music with The Mars Volta.

[@AduderReviews]

seems like a cool guy

[@mralt604]

This is easily one of the best in this series. I'm especially glad my sudden urge to listen to 'Enfilade' (a lovely word btw) the week before last has led to this education spot. Never was a Mars Volta fan despite the praise - I like my experimental more out there - and Sparta had a couple of glorious tracks, yet ATDI were really rather phenomenal. Many thanks for this video.

[@deadbeats4894]

I've seen too many shows to count, and seeing them in '05 was amazing. I'll never forget the insane atmosphere in the crowd or their energy on stage. To this day still in my top 5.

[@KT-cz7rm]

I've learned so much from these videos. Ameoba is really doing something special

[@zeldaelsie]

Thank you Cedric for once again introducing me to some cool music!

[@Matt_Turner]

I really love this guy and his musical influences. I really think me and him could go on and on for hours talking about music.

[@thomasrainbow]

He's such a cool guy! If you for some reason have never seen At The Drive-In at Big Day Out in 2001. Go watch it NOW.

[@sagan1976]

1:23 my thoughts exactly. Saying "fuck off" in a British accent is like music to my ears.

[@dansimpson9214]

Really enjoyed that. ESP loved the syd and tiny rick comparison. And the fact he likes Sleaford Mods. Def one of the best things to come out of England in a long time .

[@adamninezero]

Watching this I can see the influences that inspired Cedric to create Zavalaz - Big Star + Flamin Groovies in particular - I hope we'll get a record eventually!

[@Barncore]

Love Cedric's perspective on the origins of various musics

[@inframinced6698]

One of most interesting selections! Cedric seems like such a chill dude.

[@petduori]

Cedric is great, he’s selection was great aswell, one of the best whats in my bag episodes

[@g.taylorseawell9799]

I love this so much. Thank you.

[@Guitarisforgrins]

I WAS SOO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@blakesanchenuss2678]

I love Cedric. Nothing but Pure Love For This Guy.

[@kami3000]

Sleaford Mods, omfg yessss. Thanks for that tip!

[@michaelsurname8668]

"It makes me feel like... Me and my gang are gonna commit some crime in this barren alley and it's like, yeah!" I love this guy

[@Giselle62]

Clockwork Orange he's thinking

[@j-mac7401]

Shout out to one of the most underappreciated - unheard of rock bands :BIG STAR!!! And as a Memphian it's great to see other music getting noticed from my city other than Elvis and Staxs artist!!

[@nikolademitri731]

Great bunch of albums he bought, but I’ll always think “The Mars Volta”, when I see Cedric BZ... ‘Relationship of Command’ is fucking great, but um, TMV are just an absolutely, singularly, catastrophically, mind blowing experience! ✌️

[@reymateria]

Other great delivery👌 thanks Amoeba

[@whomonster1]

Cedric is the man !

[@imranbaharil]

I've been a fan for ages and never realised that this amazing dude is super smart! Awesome interview!

[@SummonTheBirds]

Wow, I wasn't expecting him to be so sweet. Great episode.

[@GiantOfTheNorth]

Super cool to look at some of his musical inspirations. But what's even cooler is this video is basically a short history into the bands that that had the biggest impact and shaped American pop music.

[@kevlo9]

Great pics!!

[@rushshukla4636]

Love this dude. He's a legend in his own lifetime. I'm glad he mentioned Kluster. They dropped the K for the C later. I have Zwei Osterei.

[@Daniela_Rocanrol]

Cedric, mijo! ❤

[@Daniela_Rocanrol]

Climbing Up The Sounds ILY 😘

[@quetshupfa]

Daniela Hernandez I've some tequila mija, we can have some fun at chico's tacos u know wot a mean esa? Y luego nos vamos a juaritoz

[@boogiedull]

quetshupfa she's into donkeys not taco sized.

[@deesnutz4638]

DANIELA mija..

[@aestheticwolf7769]

Pasa tu insta

[@knew_man]

So cool seeing artists i admire nerd out on some of their favorites. explaining each one in detail with a big dumb smile on their face. rocknroll.

[@shawnyewest3966]

Its kind of awkward seeing him mention that 70s show

[@asiintrospect6229]

Why though? Lol

[@lessthanpinochet]

@@asiintrospect6229 Danny Masterson who plays Hyde allegedly raped Cedric's wife when they dated in the early 2000's.

[@sstaners1234]

Danny Masterson? Yeah.

[@ethervagabond]

yeah, that was weird

[@boopah4365]

He doesn't actually mention that 70's show though..he just says a famous tv show.

[@TravisBeckMusic]

I was so obsessed with ATDI and TMV towards the end of high school beginning of college. I have tons of vinyls some rare for TMV. I even have the 3 eye logo tattooed on me! Thanks for this awesome video!

[@thiniceking12]

Travis Beck I fell in love Acrobatic Tenement

[@TravisBeckMusic]

I love listening to the whole albums front to back while driving on the highway! Very therapeutic lol

[@josephgaydosjr]

I hate when people say "vinyls"

[@lamecasuelas2]

Travis Beck atdi and TMV were my teenage years,me and my friends used to say that maybe we didn't saw Zeppelin or Floyd in their prime, but we got to see The voltas

[@MrBlairskie]

Me too dude, I heard in/casino/out and was hooked

[@davideberhardt6150]

He clearly loves music for being music. I picked up a whole bunch of amazing artists from Cedric & Omar and I think I found some more.

[@brianzane5748]

This was great. Thanks.

[@gilllie666]

I love this series

[@davidpaddock8153]

Every time Cedric talks about music I learn a lot. This video is no different.

[@mladenovic3584]

great picks, really enjoyable guy

[@jacobduvier5798]

Great choices and what a nice guy. 😊

[@durden2480]

Their show at shaky knees 2016 Atlanta was absolutely wild! Love at the drive in

[@quenecio]

That was a great selection!

[@daskleinegluck4553]

Just WOW! And I am very happy that right at the beginning he said, we can hang out together 😊.

[@brownyuio]

You don't know how happy I am about this episode (which I wish was 10x longer). I wouldn't know shit about music if it wasn't for this man.

[@djlueck]

I really enjoyed this. I’m not an at the drive in fan. Or Mars Volta fan. I was into Sparta and Jim Ward. Saw quite a few shows. But this explained a lot of the early sound, and I got a lot more research and listening to do. Great discussion/interview.

[@PeeterHanes]

Sleaford Mods!!

[@parkerflemmings]

Madlib also used the van dyke parks,record too for beat konducta vol.1+2..

[@sirapos6550]

I never listened to any of the bands this guy was involved with, but putting the amazing John Carpenter, the German Krautrock and Van Dyke Parks in the same bag,tells me a lot about his excellent musical tastes. Nice done Sir - now I'm off to discover At The Drive In and Mars Volta !

[@kobiebrown3002]

How’d you go?

[@nickrodmusic]

A number people have sampled the "Assault on Precinct 13" mail title theme, Cedric, from Tricky to Afrika Bambaataa. But thank you. I love you, man.

[@osawero2293]

Great choices! Nice to hear the details about them, he surely must have an awesome record collection (also, first time hearing his normal voice)

[@XavierTheBat]

great episode - nice one Cedric

[@shannonbiggers3312]

WOW!! Flamin' Groovies. Dig into them.

[@Crampsam]

Really cool that he digs Sleaford Mods. Love their stuff

[@jackedkerouac4414]

I used to love listening to One Armed Scissor over and over again on long bike rides

[@nomore2001]

LOL at That 70s Show popping up with Mastersons name

[@andrewbowen341]

His enthusiasm is infectious

[@jozemrlz383]

Nice! Always interested in what Cedric in listening to.

[@joshuastein1888]

thats a nice thing to hear as a german. love you guys

[@lukeshippart4]

So weird that you guys posted this, I was just watching an old video of mine impersonating him and decided to watch some At The Drive In vid when I saw this... THANK YOU! He's an awesome guy, great music taste how you can expect

[@jasonboyer2252]

If I walked into an otherwise empty coffee shop and saw Danny Elfman and Cedric drinking coffee and talking about music, I would instantly realize that I was dead and made it into heaven.

[@whoresband]

Cedric seems like a really nice guy and a genuine fan.

[@cornflakegirl4811]

Omg omg omg omg love this Episode so much

[@joeblankenship2360]

Damn Cedric I could listen to you talk music all day.

[@Kyle_etc]

Love the motor away pick from gbv. Just a perfect rock song

[@d.leon.pedro.26]

Justo na semana que peguei The Mars Volta pra ouvir loucamente, que coincidência !

[@georgeaguirre9426]

At the drive in. Absolutely thee best.

[@BobMaulucci]

This might be my favorite episode yet. Interesting guy!

[@cowboyallstar5119]

This episode is amazing