Last Sigh: Who is Kalma and Diskosquid Records? Where are you currently located in real life and on the web?

Brian: Kalma is a stain in your toilet. We are in New York City and at http://www.diskosquid.net on thee internet.

Donna: =o) Kalma and Diskosquid Records is mainly Brian and myself. Kalma has many people who have contributed in the past, and will continue to have many in the future. Diskosquid is run by me and Brian, with me doing the business part, and Brian doing graphics and layouts (I drew the ghost squid logo though!) We both plot future endeavors!

Last Sigh: What brought you both into music? Do you have any formal training in production or use of instruments or are you self taught? How long have you been interested in music?

Brian: Sucking at everything and having no life in junior high school brought me into music. I have no musical training but I have training in Audio Engineering. I am 80% self taught though...poop!

Donna: I had an older sister exposing me to old Siouxsie and Ministry and Killing Joke (think VERY early 80's). I liked those sounds from a young age, and explored all the music in those genres from when I was about 9 years old...thus leading me into having no life in junior high and high school as well..=o)
I also have very little musical training. I took guitar lessons for a while, and I know some music theory, but not enough to really boast about! I am also mostly self taught.

Last Sigh: What/who has inspired you to create your music and Diskosquid Records?

Brian: I'm not really sure, I'm shot. I basically just wanted to do weird shit because I liked weird shit... Plus if you are on your own label you can release CDs without some asshole telling you what to make.

Donna: I have always wanted to be working within the music industry.....I have been working with certain labels for years now. But I wanted to do it on my own. I think I just like being in charge!

Last Sigh: You have a premiere release out entitled: "Embarrassed" by Kalma. How would you describe the sounds on "Embarrassed"? Who worked on this release and in what capacity? Where can we purchase this release?

Brian: "Embarrassed" sounds like what happens inside Lionel Richie's brain
when he first sits on the toilet and realizes there is no TP, but the deed
has already begun.

Donna: hah! Kalma is also a mix of drum and bass/ experimental / grindcore/ electronic muzak! I do some keyboards, sampling, moral support & coffee making.

Other people who worked on this release are Darayl Demarco, who did alot of the ambient background noises on many songs. Scrubbing Lockdown was created with the help of Corona beer. Hangin Out With Patty is all done by Dave Demarco. Half Of Glam Sundress is Adam Auteri. Jeff Anthony (drummer extraordinairre) provided the drums in 3 Beans.. (Brian then cut them up and mutilated them in acid) he also did some keys on that song. Dave Demarco did some synth too on that track. On Freebasing Pimp Toes, All The Dig is by Brandon Burdon. The Outro ambient guitar was made by Moses Burdon. Toobsteak has some of Moses's hawain tent samples and loopz! On Suction, Chris Haines did some ambient. And on Leye on el richey, Bast (our squiddy kitty) did some keyboards..and Janitt Planitt did some necklace fondling. The album was written, produced, and engineered by Brian Herman in Six Feet Under Studios and at Squidlandia /Diskosquid Studios 1997-1999. You [can] order the CD (at) http://www.diskosquid.net by clicking the order button on the entrance page. Send us your money.......

Last Sigh: What, if any, is the philosophy behind Kalma? Where did you get the name for the band and label projects? Can we get a gear list for the music you create?

Brian: There is no real philosophy, just whatever happens. Donna got our
name from somewhere - Kalma means "corpse odor" in Finnish. And Diskosquid
was derived from waify disco batz.

Donna: ha! Hate to disagree, but I had the Diskosquid name long before I heard the term waify disco batz! (but I do like the term waify disco batz, so I will leave it in here...thanks Jon Whitney!) Diskosquid actually came to me one day when I was sitting at my boring old desk job at the dept. of labor 2 years ago. I wanted to start a record label, but I knew it needed a good name. So I was answering the phone and it popped in my head. I wrote it down and that has been the name since. I have a strange squid obsession. (I also have a thing for yaks, spleens, and non dairy creamer.)

Kalma Is the Finnish Death goddess, I believe the literal English translation is "corpse odour". I like how people are always like "what a pretty name, what does it mean?"

Last Sigh: Being a record label owner, you are probably aware of the ongoing legal scuffles of Metallica vs. Napster, and Neudorf vs. Nettwerk Records/Sarah McLachlin. Do you have any thoughts on these cases? How do you feel about the use of MP3s on the internet? Do you feel they more of a help or a hindrance to an artist/label in terms of getting their music
heard?

Brian: The whole world is a grimy scam from somebody's dirty asscrack. Napster rules! Metallica are greedy assholes. As far as Mp3s are concerned in general they rule, and if you are a record label that's worried just make better packaging, so when people spend $$ they are getting something that is worth it. Also if you like an Mp3 enough you will probably buy it anyway, I mean, who knows.

Donna: I agree with Brian on most of that. Yea I download on Napster, some stuff I will never buy (guilty sin # 23, Chaka Khan, I feel for you). But, I have been exposed to many bands on Napster who I have gone out and bought their CDs. But then, I also know how important it is to support underground artists. It is very expensive to put out a quality CD. We want to keep putting out CDs, and we are not as high profile as say, Britney Spears. If our CD went up on Napster and no one bothered to buy it, it would take us 6 years to put out another CD (PLEASE BUY IT!! WE HAVE MANY COOL PLANS!) I think that that is some thing that REALLY needs to be stressed to people who listen to this type of music, SUPPORT EVERYONE! I know alot of people expect freebies if they know people involved, and yes, if I had a never-ending cash flow, I would give out all of our music for free. We do have a number of mp3s up on the site. Some songs will never be on our albums, some are from Embarrassed. But the more people who buy our CD, the more we will be able to do. We want to sign bands too, which is impossible right now, even though we have received alot of GREAT submissions.

As far as the Sarah M Vs Darryl case, well, she leaves a bad taste in my mouth, that is just poor business and climbing all over people to get to the top. She didn't even write many of her songs that were popular, but she is rich, and the ones with the talent are getting sued by her. That is just wrong and does not make any sense. It doesn't stop there...it is unbelievable how many people get taken advantage of. We know a major producer who is one of the kindest people I have ever met, and he is in the same boat with someone who has been around for longer than Sarah. And what about the artists on labels who aren't getting paid for their CDs sold, the tours they do. It happens daily. This bullshit is the very reason I started Diskosquid.

Last Sigh: If there was one artist you admire that you could work with, who would that be and why?

Brian: Probably people from Ween or Mr. Bungle, because I like their shit alot!

Donna: I agree with Brian on those. They are 2 of the most talented eclectic bands out there, and both have a sense of humor, which I find very important to life in general, and in music. I hate people who take themselves too seriously. I would also love to work with Lionel Richie!

Last Sigh: Are you signing any artists to the label? If so, what would an artist have to do to be considered in being signed to Diskosquid Records?

Brian: They would have to smell like an old hamburger and be able to speak to cats telepathically.

Donna: Well, I am a vegetarian, so I don't know about the hamburger scented part. I am impressed with originality, intelligence, and a sense of humor. I do agree that they would need to speak to cats telepathically, however!

Last Sigh: What can we look forward to in the future with Kalma and Diskosquid Records?

Brian: Some more stuff to listen too.

Donna: hah! Yea I hope so! We will be playing some shows in the New York City area this summer. PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US! We are also well into our next album. Video game soundtracks and spec remixes loom in the possible future. We also want to put put a killer holiday single, that will depend on time and money, however.

Last Sigh: Thanks so much for the interview. The new CD is great ! I hope to hear more from you both in the future.

Donna: Thanks YOU! Please check out http://www.bluedivide.com the new issue has a big ole Diskosquid ad on the back cover! Anyone can contact me at milzika (at) diskosquid.net