Ikey Owens of the Mars Volta Sounds Out of this World with the KORG CX-3
Korg
Posted 2005-09-17
Having built credence since opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2003, The Mars Volta is now selling out every show on their own U.S. tour. Bandmates Isaiah “Ikey” Owens, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala combine hardcore, progressive/psychedelic rock and free jazz to the delight of critics and crowds. Their new album, Frances the Mute, garnered a 4-star rating from Rolling Stone and scored #4 on the Billboard Top 200, selling more than 123,000 copies its first week.
Known for creating a warm atmosphere with his organ skills, Owens uses a Korg CX-3 Combo Organ on stage. He states, “Playing live, all of the band’s songs are pretty organ-heavy. The Korg CX-3 is kind of like the second guitar. Whenever there’s a heavy part, I’m playing the organ. A feature I especially like about the CX-3 compared to other organ modules is that I have the ability to switch the drawbar settings quickly. Once I set up my favorite sounds it’s like having another version of them immediately available.”
Owens plays with Free Moral Agents on the side and is also collaborating with artist/producer Danger Mouse. The Mars Volta have scheduled a Fall U.S. tour supporting System of a Down. Log onto www.themarsvolta.com for more info.
