Ahhhh, those were the days. SFist was young, nobody read us, and we were landing killer interviews already. Now that we have so many awesome readers, we thought we'd take you on a trip down memory lane with a few of the best of interviews past. This little gem was originally posted 9/28/04. Enjoy!

What’s it take to become the editor of a music and culture magazine based in San Francisco? Well in the case of Mountain View native, and XLR8R editor, Tomas Palermo, freelancing and radio DJing were the ticket. What would Tomas give up his title for? In January he’ll be heading back to school for teaching credentials, and taking on the role of Managing Editor. Note: Since this was originally posted, Tomas decided to stick with XL8R, thrilling readers of the magazine. When you pick up a copy of XLR8R, make sure to check out the Editor’s Rant. In the September issue, Tomas used his column to comment on the lack of politically motivated hip-hop songs on the airwaves. As he points out, other than Jay-Z’s “Beware of the Boys," Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” was the last politically motivated hip-hop song to get serious air time. That was in 1989! Are the last 15 years worth of hip-hop artists really that politically apathetic, or does the problem lie with the sterilization and consolidation of the radio waves in this country? Tomas’s proposed solution is a commercial radio revolt, an idea SFist can certainly get behind

Introduce yourself in one sentence:
Hi, my name is Tomas, and I don't mind SF fog one bit.

Age and Occupation:
36, Editor

Home Town:
Mountain View, CA

How long have you lived in the Bay Area and Where:
I grew up in the South Bay Peninsula, Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Los Altos between age 1-18,then I went to Los Angeles for college and stayed 4 years more for a total of about 8 years, during LA's turbulent period: riots, earthquakes, raves and skinheads. I moved to SF in 1995. I call SF home because you can't beat the living and music options here, from Muni to the bars and resturants and all the natural surroudings, it's the best little big city in the world.

Favorite website:
www.versionist.com, bbc1xtra

Favorite dot com or local business:
Wisdom Records

What I'm currently Reading:
Dime's Worth of Difference edited by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey Sinclair (Counterpunch)

Best Deal in San Francisco:
Public Librarys, Lennon rehersal studios

Favorite mode of transportation:
Bike, bus

Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area:
None of the San Franciscan artists I like are natives...

Favorite local hangout:
The Panhandle park

SF has the BEST:
Mix of divergent people

You've never lived in SF until:
You've worn a wool scarf in May.

Favorite Bay area politician of past or present:
None. So my write in is Father Louie Vitale of Saint Bonaface Chruch, the volunteers at SF Homeless Coalition.

You can tell someone is a local here IF:
They're indifferent to Muni's schedules.

SF would be soooo much better if only:
There were more bike lanes and better care for the elderly.

Best Burrito:
El Toro, Valencia/17th.

Best Burrito After 2AM:
El Faralito: Mission/24th Street.

Best Restaurant:
Naan & Curry, O'Farrel/Jones

Best movie scene filmed in or about SF:
I'm not a movie person.

I want all the SFists out there to know:
This is your city, not Gavin Newsom's, start acting like it. Don't pretend that youth violence isn't your problem. Let's make another push for later bar closing hours.

Question you'd ask if you were doing this
interview:
What public space needs the most improvement in SF an why?