Jim Ward on His At the Drive-In Firing: “I Still Don’t Speak to Omar and Cedric, But I’d Give Either of Them a Kidney”

Jim Ward has spoken plainly about the fractured relationship with his former At the Drive-In bandmates Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, nearly a decade after his abrupt firing. The Sparta frontman, who co-founded the influential post-hardcore band in 1994, told NME he still has no contact with either of them — but also no resentment.

The split occurred during rehearsals for a 2016 reunion tour. Ward says the circumstances remain unclear. “Even if all five of us talked about it, I’m not sure we’d understand what happened,” he said. “What I do know is that I wasn’t in a good place mentally, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have done my job.” He called the dismissal a “blessing in disguise,” noting that many positive things have followed.

The remarkable part: Ward’s loyalty outlasts the conflict. “If either of them called me and said they needed a kidney, I’d be on the first plane. I have a connection and a love for them that is beyond any drama.”

At the time, Bixler-Zavala suggested Ward may have struggled with the Mars Volta’s success during the band’s hiatus. “His head wasn’t there. His head wasn’t trustworthy,” he told the Dallas Observer, but added, “I love him. He’s a beautiful human being.”

Both parties have moved on. Sparta just wrapped a U.S. tour supporting Cut a Silhouette and will head to South America before joining Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American anniversary shows. The Mars Volta launch a U.S. tour in September.