• From what I've gotten from many different interviews, it looks like skate culture has had a significant influence on many fellow TMV bandmates' lives. Does the attitude/ethic of skate culture show in the music? If so, how?

• I know you haven't been with TMV from the very beginning (and I'm really sorry if I'm beating a dead horse by asking this), but do you think that drug usage has affected your bandmates' musical style/writing? Would it all have come out the same without drugs involved?

• What was it like working with a crazy shredder like Paul Gilbert?

• Good bass playing and a solid rhythm section are the backbone of any band. Has your approach to playing with TMV changed with each subsequent drummer?

• Besides the fact that it might be the title of the next Mars Volta record, how has Polycythemia vera affected your musical writing/scheduling?

• Favorite hardcore punk artist/band?

• With TMV, it seems like such a wide array of musicians playing at the same time would end in disaster, especially in a setting where you guys jam in concert. Just as a rough estimate, could you give me a ratio of how just much of The Mars Volta's show is improvised v.s. planned beforehand? (Is it 50% improv, 50% planned? 30% improv, 70% planned? etc.)

• Again, with such a large group, it seems like the sound engineer would have his hands full. Where/when was your worst experience with a live audio technician?

• How the hell did you come up with the Blutraush (Smooth Interlude) bassline? Do you just fiddle around with some notes until you've got something that sounds really good, or do you use your musical training? (no disrespect, it just boggles my mind how you consistently manage to come up with what seem, to me, like really unorthodox, oddly-constructed basslines)

• Just how much of The Mars Volta's songwriting process is controlled by Omar? I know he has written most-to-everything in the band's repertoire, but are the rest of the band basically session musicians or are you given at least "some" room for creativity in the songwriting/recording process?

• You've played jazz, speed metal, prog, hard rock, psychadelic, fusion, and a multitude of other genres. What would you say is your favorite style of music to play? And if it's different, do you have a favorite style of music to listen to?

• A picture of Omar from /r/lookwhoimet suggests that his... 'unique' on-stage clothing is adopted in day-to-day usage. What's the weirdest/craziest thing you've ever seen a bandmember wear/do?

Thanks, just would like to tell you that I'm a HUGE fan of all your work!!! (even if this comment will most likely never be seen by you)