Isaiah "Ikey" Owens
A powerhouse keyboardist whose swirling, psychedelic textures became a signature element of The Mars Volta's explosive sound.
1975–2014 (age 39)·American keyboardist·Birthday: December 1·Generation X
Biography
Ikey Owens brought a soulful, jazz-inflected chaos to the rock world, his fingers a blur across Hammond organs and synthesizers. Hailing from Long Beach, California, he cut his teeth in the fertile underground scene, co-founding the dub-influenced band De Facto before his life changed with a call from The Mars Volta. Within that volcanic progressive rock outfit, Owens provided the essential melodic counterpoint and atmospheric depth to the band's frenetic energy, his playing a vital thread on albums like 'Frances the Mute' and 'The Bedlam in Goliath.' Beyond the Volta, he was a sought-after collaborator, bringing his distinctive touch to projects with Jack White, Mastodon, and a host of others. His sudden passing in 2014 left a void in the music community, remembered for his immense talent, generous spirit, and the warm, complex sounds he conjured from his banks of keyboards.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Isaiah was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Isaiah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Isaiah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2014Died at 39
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Was the full-time keyboardist for The Mars Volta from 2004 to 2010, performing on four of their studio albums.
- Toured extensively and recorded as part of Jack White's all-male band, The Buzzards.
- Produced albums for a variety of artists, including fellow Long Beach band The Bicycle Thief.
- Co-founded the experimental dub group De Facto with Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López.
Did You Know?
He was a skilled multi-instrumentalist who also played drums, guitar, and melodica.
He died of a heart attack while on tour in Mexico with Jack White's band.
A dedicated fan of the Denver music scene, he relocated there and worked with many local bands.
The Mars Volta song 'Since We've Been Wrong' is dedicated to his memory.
“I just try to find the right sound for the song, the one that makes it breathe.”
