John Theodore is right up there with the great fusion drummers of the 70s for me. incredible accuracy, power and complexity whilst still playing for the song and making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. A rare combination and the reason why the Mars Volta were never as good after he was fired, in my opnion.
I saw them live a bunch of times with Jon Theodore and then with Thomas Pridgen after Jon left, and they were definitely better with Jon, but Thomas brought a slightly different manic feel to the music that I really liked as well. I’m a drummer so I obsess over drums in music and although Jon is my favorite, I think they were both really solid players. I never saw them with any other drummers so I can’t speak to the others who weren’t with them for very long.
8:34 Jon Theodore entered the empyrean of drumming at this moment... holy shit, he just fucking transcended. no other TMV drummer can possibly even come remotely close to this attempt as he does here...
@@JsRf13 He just finesses that part so well. He has the perfect touch for this song, especially during the verses where it needs a more latin flavor that Pridgen didn't really impart to the beat.
OH MAN. I remember watching this back when it was on The Comatorium. I've been looking for this vid forever and dont think I've ever seen it with the synced audio. Sick.
Saw them in Brussels one or two days before. Jon Theodore was amazing. His style and his beats were so surprising for someone who came to see "the project of half of ATDI". He is a machine that will make you dance funny even if you don't want to.
Man I have so much catching up to do on Deloused/Frances era TMV shows. I was a fan at the time (16 when Frances came out and changed my life lol) but definitely wasn't going to a show as a kid. I was wondering how they dragged out the playing time and now I see they include that Cassandra jam session in Cygnus here. I knew they did that but I never really watched full shows enough to witness. Neat.
2005 version was definitely smoking fast! I don't think the video is by THE Flea. Most likely someone who had the username Flea on the old volta message board.
![The Mars Volta - Roulette Dares (Incomplete) [Live] 2005-02-23 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LHAFjs3foNk/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Mars Volta - Roulette Dares (Incomplete) [Live] 2005-02-23 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso](/img/tr.png)
![The Mars Volta [Live] 2004-01-24 - Sydney, Australia - Sydney Showground - Big Day Out](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xSOV-pfhm0E/mqdefault.jpg)
John Theodore is right up there with the great fusion drummers of the 70s for me. incredible accuracy, power and complexity whilst still playing for the song and making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. A rare combination and the reason why the Mars Volta were never as good after he was fired, in my opnion.
I saw them live a bunch of times with Jon Theodore and then with Thomas Pridgen after Jon left, and they were definitely better with Jon, but Thomas brought a slightly different manic feel to the music that I really liked as well. I’m a drummer so I obsess over drums in music and although Jon is my favorite, I think they were both really solid players. I never saw them with any other drummers so I can’t speak to the others who weren’t with them for very long.
thomas may be faster or crazier but jon has ultimate control and finesse over his kit, its especially obviously when improvising in terms of dynamics
2004 - 2005, what a time to be alive.
If only I had been a few years older at the time, I might have been able to see Theodore-era TMV live 😩
absolutely phenomenal... nothing short of masterpiece, especially on Jon's part.
It's so much better with Jon Theodore playing this song.
8:34 Jon Theodore entered the empyrean of drumming at this moment... holy shit, he just fucking transcended. no other TMV drummer can possibly even come remotely close to this attempt as he does here...
@@JsRf13 He just finesses that part so well. He has the perfect touch for this song, especially during the verses where it needs a more latin flavor that Pridgen didn't really impart to the beat.
@@billyjackoff I agree, the Latin tinged percussion is clear and sorely missed. Jon was definitely the only drummer that added that extra clavo.
OH MAN. I remember watching this back when it was on The Comatorium. I've been looking for this vid forever and dont think I've ever seen it with the synced audio. Sick.
Saw them in Brussels one or two days before. Jon Theodore was amazing. His style and his beats were so surprising for someone who came to see "the project of half of ATDI". He is a machine that will make you dance funny even if you don't want to.
Man I have so much catching up to do on Deloused/Frances era TMV shows. I was a fan at the time (16 when Frances came out and changed my life lol) but definitely wasn't going to a show as a kid. I was wondering how they dragged out the playing time and now I see they include that Cassandra jam session in Cygnus here. I knew they did that but I never really watched full shows enough to witness. Neat.
Is it just me or is this version fast as fuck?!?! Also, video by THE Flea? Wild.
2005 version was definitely smoking fast! I don't think the video is by THE Flea. Most likely someone who had the username Flea on the old volta message board.
It feels like they had opening night jitters and played this way faster even than the remainder of the 2005-early 06 tour. Thanks for the reply!
I’m guessing that madness at the very end is Juan??
Mira mis muchachos! Tan grandiosos aquí, taban locos
wow this sounds better than the studio version!
Amazing!!!! Thank you!!!
jon rushing this a bit
HIKE