Zechs Marquise

Zechs Marquise
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	2003 in El Paso, Texas, United States
Headquarters	El Paso, United States
Products	Psychedelic rock music

Zechs Marquise was a psychedelic rock ensemble originating from El Paso, Texas in 2003.

History

The group came together in the autumn of 2003, featuring Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez on keyboards and percussion, Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez handling bass duties, Marcos Smith and Matthew Wilkson on guitars, and Michael Farraro on drums. Originally called Monolith, they eventually selected the name Zechs Marquise, inspired by the anime series Gundam Wing. They cultivated a dedicated local following and recorded their initial album in 2004, though it was ultimately discarded. Instead, in June 2006, they released the live improvised EP titled 34:26, recorded during their tours along the West Coast. By the end of 2006, Zechs Marquise was extensively touring the West Coast, performing alongside artists such as Daedelus, Busdriver, and The Gaslamp Killer.

In July 2007, the band took charge of producing their first full-length album, Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare, utilizing their own studios Castle Greyskull and El Morro. The recording process concluded by February 2008. This album marked the final contribution of drummer Michael Farraro before his departure, after which Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez transitioned to drums. In March 2009, Zechs Marquise toured Europe as an opening act for the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, with Marcel also participating in that group. They secured management under Sargent House and released their debut album on LP, CD, and digital formats through Rodriguez-Lopez Productions in August 2009.

Following this release, Zechs Marquise embarked on extensive tours across the United States, supporting bands like Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group and Rx Bandits, as well as leading their own headline shows. In 2010, amidst commitments including Marcel’s involvement with The Mars Volta, the band began crafting their second studio album. Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez remarked that the prolonged recording period allowed them to gain fresh insights into their material, culminating in a record they felt confident about. Released on September 27, 2011, Getting Paid was fully produced and engineered by Marcel. The album fused sequenced percussion and loops with live instrumentation to preserve their dynamic sound. Each member contributed additional parts to enhance Marcel’s foundational compositions. Vocals were introduced for the first time on select tracks, featuring guest performances by Matt Embree (RX Bandits, The Sound of Animals Fighting) and El Paso vocalist Sunny Baker. Keyboardist Rikardo Rodriguez-Lopez joined the lineup in 2011.

Current

Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez – drums (2009–present), keyboards, synthesizers (2003–present)
Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez – bass (2003–present)
Marcos Smith – guitar (2003–present)
Matthew Wilkson – guitar (2003–present)
Rikardo Rodriguez-Lopez – keyboards (2011–present)

Former

Michael Farraro – drums (2003–2008)

Studio albums

Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare (2008), Willie Anderson Recordings/Rodriguez Lopez Productions via Sargent House
Getting Paid (2011), Rodriguez Lopez Productions via Sargent House

Videography

"Everlasting Beacon of Light" (2011)

External links