El Gran Orgo

El Gran Orgo was the third EP by At The Drive-In (ATDI), recorded in January 1997 at Rosewood Studios and first released during September 1997. It's notable for a significant personnel change, with the lead vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala as the sole member who appeared in the same role since the band's debut album, 'Acrobatic Tenement'. The ATDI co-founder and guitarist Jim Ward was absent due to his conflict with a new drummer, Tony Hajjar; thus, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez switched from bass to guitar, and Paul Hinojos joined as the permanent bassist. The title El Gran Orgo is an homage to Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1989 surreal horror film Santa Sangre (opens in a new tab).
Most CD pressings read: "This record is dedicated to Marcelo (opens in a new tab), the doctor of salsa and to the loving memory of Sarah Reiser and Laura Beard." The dedication referred to Omar's father, Angel Marcelo Rodriguez-Cheverez (b. 1949), who later contributed percussions and backing vocals to several recordings by At The Drive-In and De Facto, plus there's reference to two members of The Fall On Deaf Ears, one of Cedric Bixler-Zavala's bands, who died in a car accident during March 1997.
Two significant controversies marred the release. At The Drive-In, which self-released their first two 7-inch singles on Cedric's label, Western Breed Records, and issued their debut album via Flipside Records, had recently signed a new contract with Off Time Records, an aspiring punk indie label from Houston, Texas. Off Time re-issued both ATDI's Western Breed singles and now funded the recording of El Gran Orgo, organizing an ambitious "100 Days Tour" to promote this new EP. Due to financial issues, Off Time delayed the shipping of the new record, only putting out demo CDs as the tour began. Meanwhile, a more troubling issue arose with Ben Rodriguez, a guitarist and co-founder of a prolific local band, Tü Edge, who joined ATDI alongside Hajjar. Only two weeks after At The Drive-In embarked on the "100 Days Tour," Rodriguez suddenly got fired from the band and sent home. At the time, the reasons for the rapid fallout weren't publicized. Later sources, however, revealed that Ben Rodriguez, described as a "sociopath" by Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez in subsequent interviews, bullied and tormented the group's fellow musician and influential El Paso artist Julio Venegas (1972—1996) to commit suicide.
The band soon parted ways with Off Time Records, attempting to sue the label to obtain the original masters. The musicians even encouraged their fans to download the EP illegally, stating: "when you buy El Gran Orgo you do not support ATDI, you support DISHONESTY." In 2002, the EP was re-issued with a new artwork by Onefoot Records.