Eureka the Butcher, solo pseudonym of Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez (also of Zechs Marquise and The Mars Volta) debuts the video for “Desert Rituals” today. The clip for the track culled from the album Music For Mothers. The album Music For Mothers is dedicated to the multi-instrumentalist’s mother Frances Sarah Rodriguez-Lopez who passed away last year.
“This record is for my mom because she is the reason why I started playing the piano. She told me that it was great that I wanted to play drums, but if I played the piano, I could create music and play to a room full of people by myself. I didn’t start playing drums for another 4 years, and I wouldn’t start playing piano for another 7 or so. That’s when i started making electronic music. Making music under the Eureka name gives me that ability: to make music and perform by myself. I, however, do not perform alone. Sadah Luna performs with me because of my love for her dance and her love for my music. She completes the live show.
“This record was made all over the world while on tour with The Mars Volta and Zechs Marquise, and at home when I was on break. I worked on it in buses, vans, planes, dressing rooms, airports, hotel rooms, backyards, sidewalks, just about everywhere. Music for Mothers is a testament to how much waiting around you do while on the road. It was a very rough time for my family and I, and this record was my therapy. My mom is my biggest fan and she gave me the drive, confidence, and clarity to start and finish this album.
“I didn’t want it to be completely selfish and personal though. I want this music to be for all mothers…for all families. I hope that it will inspire other people to make music for their mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. I was given the strength to push through and finish these songs, and I hope these songs give other people the drive to do the same. The drive to gain more knowledge and improve. If my family had not been there to motivate me, if my mom hadn’t pushed me to learn other aspects of music, I would be sampling records and it wouldn’t be as rewarding to me. Sampling records properly is an art form in itself, but i knew it wasn’t for me. Instead, I learned to play a handful of instruments and because of that my music is all original and has a specific sound. This record is the sound of our household, the sound of our family.”
In an interview with Fusion Magazine, Marcel explained that his name “comes from the nature of editing; the Butcher part from cutting up sound, chopping up beats to make up new things; the Eureka part comes from when it all comes together.”