Oi! The following is my first ever attempt at an interview. It was conducted over e-mail with Da Pingaz vocalist Omar. EnjOi!
Note: This interview is now available in Do a Runner! #2 which is now out.
What does your name mean?
Our name means the Dicks, Da is a short way of saying "the" and Pinga is a Puerto Rican slang word for "dick". The name is really a joke 'cause when we were looking for one somebody said it, and everybody liked it.
How long has Da Pingaz been together?
Our current line-up (Omar - vocals, Gomez - bass, Gabriel - guitar, Aby - drums, Andre - guitar and Rasta Rauly plays the keyboards in our reggae songs) has been together for a year, more or less, but Gabriel and I started it two years ago
How did you first get into oi?
I got into Oi with my friends and exploring music by myself, that was six or seven years ago. Since then, I introduced it to a hardcore-punk band that I had that was called Dunder Head, then after that in 1991 me and some friends formed a skinhead Oi! band called Al Raz that became well-known in our scene and was known by people outside of Puerto Rico too. Then Al Raz broke up and I started my ska band (Los Naborias) but I still wanted to play Oi! so I talked to Gabriel (the guitar player) and we formed Da Pingaz.
Can you tell us something about the Puerto Rican skin/Oi! scene? Is it very big? Are there any boneheads in Puerto Rico?
The skin Oi! scene has had its ups and downs but we're still here keeping the greatest youth cult of all alive. Our scene right now is not very big and there aren't many skinheads here like in other scenes, but we get along good with everybody in the scene including punks and normal people who hang around with us and pay us beer. So anyone who wants to have a great laugh and drink lots of cheap beer is invited. As for boneheads, there aren't any, but like in every scene there are people who like to mess around and they always end up with a boot in their face
On a similar note, how are skinheads portrayed in the Puerto Rican media? Has this led to any problems with getting gigs?
I think our media is the most stupid of all because they haven't noticed us at all and that's very good for us, but many skinheads have had problems with people who have seen how skinheads are portrayed by the media in other countries and think that we are nazi freaks. In general it hasn't affected us greatly. The problem of not getting gigs doesn't have to do with the media, but with the fights that occur at our gigs or just simply the style of our music.
Speaking of gigs, could you describe a typical Da Pingaz show? What is your audience like?
A typical Da Pingaz show is go-go girls dancing and people playing with our cocks, just a joke. If you hear five people playing oi, reggae and joking around with old heavy metal songs, see beer everywhere, people singing and having fun, and a huge pecker dancing with the crowd, [???-ed.] we're playing there. This is the best way to describe our shows: just pure fun. Any person who wants to have a good time is invited to our shows.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it? What are your musical influences, favourite bands?
Our music is pure street punk. Our influences are many and varied, but in general we like early 7's punk, Oi!, dub and old heavy metal
What are you lyrics about?
Our lyrics are mostly about drinking and things that have happened to us.
Have you released anything as of yet? If so, how could we get it?
We haven't released anything yet but we're looking forward to going to the studio, but if anybody wants to listen to us just write and I will send you a tape of our practices.
Tell us a bit about the ska band you are in, Los Naborias.
Los Naborias is my other band and we play third wave paying respect to he roots with our Puerto Rican touch. We have a demo out, t-shirts and stickers, so if anyone is interested write to my address. Since we are a ska band we play very often because the owners of the bars prefer that style of music.
Is there anything that you think we should know about your country, that isn't common knowledge to he average non - Puerto Rican?
Puerto Rico has a good scene like any other place in the world. Most of the bands have material out and there are also good fanzines that portray the scene. So for everyone who hasn't been here, Puerto Rico is not a jungle and you can visit and hang around without being worried that a jungle animal will eat you.
Any last words, questions you wished i had asked, etc?
Thank you Simon for this interview and to everyone in the world for keeping the faith. I also wanted to add that I publish an Oi, punk and ska-based fanzine called Boricuas Bestiales (Truly Puerto Ricans) so if anyone is interested just send $1 (U.S.) and $2 (rest of world) to my address. Oi!
Contact Da Pingaz:
Omar Dauhajre
Box 192043
San Juan, Puerto Rico,
00919-2043
Email: Boricuas Bestiales@eart.com or Bestial@coqui.net