PZO: As a band, what are your best qualities?
<laughter>
Jiro: That's such a prepared question. It's okay though.
Wil-Dog: I'd probably say music.
Jiro: Not our front side or our back side.
Wil-Dog: Side angle.
Jiro: Music. Loving it, listening to it, sound.

PZO: Is there anything about your music that you'd like to improve or change?
Wil-Dog: Change, I don't know. Improve, yeah.
Jiro: Everybody I think individually has their own thing that they'd like to improve on as well as working together. It's a challenge to make music.

PZO: What's a common compliment people give you as a band and invidividually?
Jiro: You guys are great. That's the most common one. You guys are awesome.
Wil-Dog: That was fun.
Jiro: I like what you guys do.
Wil-Dog: Thanks for staying together. Is that a compliment? It's more appreciation. I don't know about compliment. People have their own reasons for liking or disliking anybody.
Jiro: Really?
Wil-Dog: Yeah, who knows why. We've heard that's the best show we've ever been to, your albums are great.
Jiro: But you know they're telling everybody that. We try to keep it humble. I don't listen to any compliments or criticisms.
Wil-Dog: I think you listen, but you don't take it in.
Jiro: I try not to take it in.
PZO: How about individually?
Jiro: Now it gets personal. You're getting personal on us.
Wil-Dog: You gained weight. Is that a compliment?
Jiro: I think they meant phat. P-H-A-T.
Wil-Dog: This guy was like you gained thirty pounds. It was only eighteen, but who's counting?

PZO: What's your best childhood memory?
Wil-Dog: Surfing with my Uncle. That's my Uncle right there. One of the best surfers in the world.
Jiro: I can't think of one. If it comes to mind--keep rolling.

PZO: As a band, what's something you'd like to do before the end of the year?
Jiro: Release a record or at least come close to releasing a record.
Wil-Dog: Ditto.
PZO: So you're currently working on it?
Wil-Dog: Yeah, it's going.
Jiro: We're getting to the point where we're going.

PZO: What's a line in one of your songs that is often misunderstood?
Jiro: It's not part of song, but whenever we exit we always say, "Ozomatli ya se fue." That's one of the most common questions. What are you saying at the end? [*Note: If you still don't get it, it means: Ozomatli has already left.]

PZO: What was the last good deed you did?
Jiro: Help out my tour manager.
Wil-Dog: Yeah, help out my tour manager by being here.
PZO: More like he's helping you.
Jiro: That's what they say.
Wil-Dog: I don't know. I don't count.
Jiro: I made sure we had drum heads here today.
Wil-Dog: That is a good deed. It may not sound like it, but it is.

PZO: What keeps you grounded and optimistic?
Jiro: A hundred and ten degree weather. This [Jiro and Wil-Dog both pull out drawings made by a little kid] keeps me optimistic.
Wil-Dog: It's the same person with two different names.

PZO: What event on your life had the greatest impact on you?
Jiro: Uh…birth.
Wil-Dog: Is that a common answer?
PZO: It's been said. Be original.
Wil-Dog: Be original. I think going on tour for the first time.
PZO: That's a good one.
Wil-Dog: How about a series of event? Playing trombone in the third grade, then start playing drums, then moving up to bass, then joining a band, quitting that band, joining Ozomatli. That's a series of events.
Jiro: Good answer. I would say the same thing, but different. Okay. Fourth grade they made us choose an instrument and then I picked up the drums…
<laughter>

PZO: What's the best lesson you've ever learned?
Jiro: Three times three is nine. I'm serious because nine is the perfect number. You take nine, right? You take any multiple of nine and you add up the numbers and it equals nine. Nine times nine is eighty-one, right? Eight plus one is nine. Woooooow.
Wil-Dog: That's right. I've never thought about that.
[Mario walks in]
Mario: Are we doing interviews?
PZO: Yeah, we need your help.
Mario: Is he being a smart aleck?
PZO: Uh huh.
Jiro: This is Mario Calire.
Mario: Hi.

PZO: What's one thing you would not do no matter how much money you were offered?
Everyone: Oooh.
Mario: Hurt an animal.
Jiro: Yet he eats meat.
<laughter>
Jiro: We're full of contradictions.
Wil-Dog: I think there's timing involved in this.
Jiro: She hates us already.
Wil-Dog: I definitely would not kill somebody.

PZO: What was the last meaningful thing you did?
Jiro: I ate this tri-tip sandwich. It was very meaningful. It filled my belly and provided nourishment. It's breaking down in my belly right now.
Mario: Any small act of passion.
Wil-Dog: I sent my Uncle to eat. I got him a backstage pass to our concert. He's a big time surfer.
Mario: Can I ask some of them?
PZO: Yeah, sure.

Mario: What band would you like to see back together? I know what my answer is.
Wil-Dog: The Wallflowers with Mario Calire.
PZO: They're playing tomorrow.
Jiro: Really?
PZO: Yeah.
Wil-Dog: He is the original drummer of The Wallflowers and that's who I want to see back together.
Mario: No, it's real easy: The Police with all the original members.
PZO: That's a good one.
Wil-Dog: The Clash.
Mario: Well, they couldn't do it.
Wil-Dog: Oh, that's true. Fishbone.

PZO: Okay, next.
Wil-Dog: See Mario stopped right away. He knew every one would be about him. If he asks a question I'm going to make every answer be about him.
Mario: I'm out.

PZO: Are there any fairly unknown bands out there that you like?
Mario: Boca Floja.
Wil-Dog: Boca Floja. The Visionaries.
Mario: Monte Carlo 76.
Wil-Dog: State Radio.

PZO: What's the worst advice you've ever been given?
Jiro: Here, smoke this.
<laughter>
Mario: I promise it won't hurt.
<laughter>
Wil-Dog: I can't beat those.
Jiro: Because everything is a competition, you know?

PZO: What's a slang term or phrase that you're tired of hearing?
Jiro: That's hot.
Wil-Dog: I'm sick of the WHAT? OKAY! I'm Rick James, bitch!
Jiro: Okie dokie. I'm sick of that.
<laughter>
Jiro: Word. I'm sick of that. Fuck. Shit.

PZO: Given the opportunity, who would you kidnap for a day?
Jiro: I would kidnap George Bush.
Mario: I would kidnap Sly Stone to ask what have you been doing for the last twenty years, man? I'd take him to a recording studio and make him work.
Wil-Dog: I'd kidnap your camera.
Jiro: Say somebody.
Wil-Dog: Mariah Carey and not for the reasons you think. I'm down with Mariah, bro. She's my favorite new artist.
<laughter>

PZO: As a band, what is you main goal to accomplish that you haven't already done?
Jiro: Put out a new record within the year of the last. That's one goal. World peace.
Mario: Through music.
Jiro: Through music.
Wil-Dog: Through Ozomatli music.

PZO: What questions are you tired of being asked in interviews?
Jiro: What does Ozomatli mean?
Mario: Yeah, where'd you come up with your name?
Jiro: I have to give it to you. At least you put thought into your questions. You're trying to make it interesting. Most people are like blah blah blah blah blah blah. www.PopZineOnline.com is the bomb.