See + Hear: KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic live session
Spinner: Ozomatli, 'It's Only Paper' (Live) and Interviews
A great song can come together any number of ways -- and can take anywhere from minutes to years to complete. Sometimes, when it seems like the song just isn't all there yet, all it needs is a little help from a friend. In Ozomatli's case, that friend was Jack Johnson and the song is 'It's Only Paper.'
"We write a lot; over time old ideas always resurface. The music that inspired what you hear now was a few years old," Ozomatli guitarist Raul Pacheco explains to Spinner. "Justin, our percussionist, MC and resident beat-maker revisited it. We all sat around and came to agreements about a melody and song structure. We were working at Jack Johnson's studio in L.A. We've known him for years and he was working on a live concert film of his in the next room. He heard the track and asked if he could come sing an idea. It worked."
You got that right. In fact, the song doesn't merely 'work' -- it actually rocks. 'It's Only Paper' appears on the band's latest disc, 'Fire Away,' which officially drops on April 20. Ozo fans can get some bonus tracks if they pre-order the LP through Ozomatli's official website or iTunes. In the meantime, check out this live video below, which features interviews with the band. As Pacheco tells us, straight up, "It's only paper, man."
Spinner * April 13, 2010
by Benjy Eisen