PZO: For the people who haven’t had the chance to experience one of your live shows, how would you describe them?
Matt: It’s a fairly energetic rock show and we try to have a really good time. I guess like our having a good time kind of reflects on everyone else having a good time, I think.

PZO: Someone on your site’s message board wanted to know what your definition of emo is...
Matt: Oh geez, I really don’t like that word at all. I read somewhere in a review of our record that we were the classic definition of emo, and I was like <gives blank/confused stare> There’s so many bands that get lumped into this genre I guess. Rock. That’s all it really is. I don’t know; I don’t like it.

PZO: Speaking of the message board, do you check it out at all?
Matt: Yeah, usually whenever I get a chance when I get home. Usually if I try to get online on the road it’s kinda hard ‘cause usually all the venues have like in-line service or suck at times.

PZO: If you could be a superhero, what would you call yourself and what would your costume look like?
Matt: <laughs> A superhero?
PZO: Yeah.
Matt: <laughs> I don’t know. Tree man??
PZO: <laughs>
Matt: I’d wear green; I don’t know. <laughs>

PZO: What’s the best prank that you’ve pulled?
Matt: That I’ve pulled? Or collectively...
PZO: Yeah, as a band.
Matt: The best prank was on our last west coast tour with a band called Airplanes Are Better from El Paso. We were playing at Portland and one of the guys, I can’t remember if it was the opening band, but they had a monkey suit so the bass player from Airplanes Are Better got in the monkey suit and jumped around onstage and accidentally hit a power chord that blew half the stage’s power. So like after we did the show we acted like we were pissed and our tour manager went up to them right after the show and was like, “As soon as you’re off the stage you have to meet me in the RV and we have to fucking talk.” And they were all oh, whatever. And Tony got the video camera and hid it in the RV, like hid it in one of the bunks so that they could see what was going on, and Lalo (Sparta’s tour manager) tore them a new one. He was all, “We bring them on tour and we expect them to act a certain way and they mess things up and they’re off the tour and here’s a hundred bucks, get the hell out of here.”
PZO: <laughs>
Matt: They were freaking out, they were freaking out. And you could see their faces change. Like when they came in they were all cocky and everything but at the end of that their faces were all white. They were so bummed and went back to their van and then Tony got the camera and the guys came back outside we were all laughing so they knew we were kidding. It was really cool; they were freaking out.

PZO: Are there any new bands that are signing to Restart that we should keep an ear out for?
Matt: Restart’s been like, done.
PZO: Oh, really?
Matt: Yeah. The two bands that were on there, they broke up. So I think we’re going to be starting our own label all together. But I don’t know when that’s going to start happening, hopefully pretty soon.

PZO: Even though you’re a pretty new band, is there a moment in your band’s history that stands out from the rest?
Matt: No, we’re relatively young. We’ve only been touring for not even a year yet, so nothing really yet besides the fact that right off the bat we got to tour with Weezer. That was pretty awesome.

PZO: What do you have in your pockets right now?
Matt: I’ve got my laminate, a lighter, my smokes, and a little bit of cash.

PZO: Is the Nakia album going to be released anytime soon?
Matt: Uh, we’re gonna try and do that on our own label but it’s gonna be changed, it’s not going to be called that name anymore. That’s Tony’s baby.

PZO: Who or what are you referring to when you sing about Orlean in Cataract?
Matt: Actually, that’s New Orleans.
PZO: Oh really?
Matt: Yeah.
PZO: A couple of people had been wondering about that.

PZO: Is there a question or questions that you’re tired of being asked in all the interviews?
Matt: Yeah, they always think I’ve got some kind of like secret info. on why At The Drive-In broke up.
PZO: <laughs>
Matt: And it’s just...I’ve known the guys for years, but even if I knew something, I wouldn’t share it ‘cause it’s their private lives.

PZO: Has what happened on September 11th changed you as a person, if at all?
Matt: Yeah, I mean it’s changed everybody in a way. It didn’t change the way we...the whole scheme of how things work, it just gave everyone a giant feeling of vulnerability when we saw that happening. We never expected that to happen so quickly, just like that. It made everyone feel really insecure about everything, like going overseas.

PZO: If you had to pick someone to be handcuffed to for the rest of your life, whom would you choose?
Matt: Handcuffed? I’d pick my girlfriend.

PZO: Were you at all surprised by the support you got when you played at South by Southwest earlier this year?
Matt: Yeah, we were really surprised; we didn’t expect that. Like every tour we’re shocked by how many people show up. We didn’t expect all of this to turn out as big as it’s happening.
PZO: Do you plan to play at it again?
Matt: Possibly next year, it depends on exactly where we’re at.

PZO: You worked with Jerry Finn on Wiretap Scars; do you have someone in mind that you’d like to work with on your next album?
Matt: He’s the man. He’s part of the family. It was just an incredible experience with Jerry. He’s a friend, he’s a musician, he’s a producer, he’s an engineer, he’s everything. He’s an awesome guy. Foremost he’s a friend, so, he’s part of the family.

PZO: Given the opportunity, what time in history would you like to live in?
Matt: I think now. I really wouldn’t want to go back ‘cause you already know what it’s like, but now it’s kind of exciting ‘cause you don’t really know what’s going to happen.

PZO: What was one of your favorite Halloween costumes that you wore when you were a kid?
Matt: Gene Simmons.
PZO: <laughs>
Matt: <laughs>
PZO: With the makeup and everything?
Matt: Yeah.

PZO: In 60 seconds tell us why everyone should go out and buy your album.
Matt: In 60 seconds?
PZO: Or less. However long it takes.
Matt: To go out and buy our album? They don’t have to go out and buy our album. They can just listen to it online if they’d like. If they like it and want to spend the money, then buy it, but if they wanna check it out, it’s rock. Our idea of music.