This email interview proves thast the individual band members are just as motley a crew as their influences are ...

Terry Rice: Odd animal - that's a great way to describe us... kinda like a psychotic hybrid Satan bunny or something.

Joey Kamiya: Terry has an unhealthy obsession with rabbits...

Terry: Actually, Noah and I are practically brothers; we used to live in the same town (I still live here). We met in an odd way... I stole his girlfriend and then, by coincidence, we started working together at a local movie theater where we instantly started working on music together.

We kinda, like, fell in love instantly (not like that, you perverts). The girlfriend has long since gone and never came back but we're still best friends, though we have had our battles throughout time. When he moved away we'd get together sometimes at least once a year around Christmas and record and our style slowly evolved into something mostly acoustic.

Then we discussed recording again around the time Dead Puppy Records did a Sixth Floor tribute and the girl I was dating at the time wanted to do a song for it. So with the help of myself and Noah we recorded... and it felt nice... so we ended up back together.

As for Joey, he was a (Dark Humor) fan first and I asked him to help on one song called "Jim Beam and a Bottle of Pills", which isn't finished yet honestly.

Joey: I joined in 2003 when Terry asked me to appear as a guest musician for an upcoming Dark Humor album. My task was to write and record a track for Terry and Noah to play along with. Fortunately, the final product impressed them so much that they called me back to work on one more song... and then another...

Terry: And it went from there... we loved his work and kept him around, haha. Now he's an official brother!

Joey: It truly is an honor to be collaborating with such talented and kind-hearted (and sometimes psychotic) individuals!

What is the songwriting process like for you guys? Does one person come up with an idea, share it with the others, and then everyone contributes their own parts or are there main songwriters in the band?

Terry: Well, at one time it was always Noah who would come up with some music and I'd put some lyrics to it... or I'd have lyrics and Noah would put music to it. Now due to our current geographical situation I do a lot of the writing myself... definitely all the lyrics. Sometimes I have an acoustic demo that I send to Joey who will then write a basic music track for it, which sometimes is technically a full orchestrated masterpiece, and then Noah will finish it off with his leads and production.

A lot of our songs are actually my solo songs that we've revamped and turned into Dark Humor tunes [such as "October 2004", "A Sad Song", "Bye, Be Careful, I Luv You"]. Some were written specifically for Dark Humor.

Joey: Whenever I write the music, I write and record the song in its entirety [utilizing electric guitars (rhythm), bass guitar, drum programming, and occasionally keyboards] and then send the tracks to Terry, who writes the lyrics and lays down his vocal tracks. With each and every song, all of the tracks are finally sent to Noah...

Noah: My contribution is probably a bit unusual compared to other bands. Terry and Joey write most of the lyrics and main riffs and I usually limit myself to the icing on the cake - lead guitar, fills, and backing vocals (except on a few songs). My songwriting role is pretty minimal as far as the structure of the song itself is concerned.

However, I spend a lot of time on effects and mixing, and sometimes I'll take a track in a completely different direction than the guys intended when they wrote it. An example would be taking what was supposed to be the main rhythm track or lead vocals and putting them in the background as a fill while some other element of the song becomes the main focus.

So I guess it depends what you mean by "songwriters" in the band – even though I don't participate much in the traditional songwriting process, I feel like I'm responsible for giving each song that trademark Dark Humor sound.

I'm assuming that the three members all practice individually. Does this hinder the band at all, in your opinion, not being able to bounce ideas off of each other in real time?

Terry: Haha, practice... that's funny. Well, I play my solo stuff... that's about it. I'm not sure what the rest of the guys do. I do think that our songs get filtered shall I say by the Internet. Maybe the other guys don't really get or understand the emotion I put into the demos and sometimes the songs lose something.

Joey: Terry always tells me that he’s so glad that we have miles upon miles of separation between us due to the constant arguments he and Noah would go through while recording the first Dark Humor album ["And The Rabbits Danced" (????, Dead Puppy Records)] back when they lived in the same town. It really lifts a great deal of weight off of each of our shoulders.

Arguments are usually out of question since we're never truly in each other's faces and giving attitude - although, Terry and Noah do get into an occasional argument about some little thing that only two perfectionists would argue about... but like I said before, the distance relieves a great deal of tension, thus allowing the three of us to get along easily.

Noah: Certainly there are times that you get a little bit stuck and wish you could sit down and work through the song with the rest of the band. But it also forces you to be a little more creative on your own, and it gives you time to work through some ideas that maybe seem strange initially, ideas that might be shot down if they came up during a jam session but that sound really cool after recording a few tracks and working out the kinks.

Joey: The distance and lack of real time also provide for us - or for me, at least - a wonderful relief from band pressure and creative blocks, meaning that if I don't have a good idea right then and there, I'll have at least a few hours to come up with something and then email or instant message one of the guys!

Noah: I think the physical distance and the way we work helps keep each song new and exciting. There's less temptation to write a bunch of sound-alike songs because the three of us are always in different places, listening to different bands, feeling our own individual ups and downs, and when we sit down to record we all bring something different to the table in a way that would be difficult if we were always hanging out together.

Joey: The only downside to it is that if any of us are hit with a spur-of-the-moment idea, it'll usually take a while for it to reach the other band members... but that’s what demo-ing is for, right?

Terry: I do wish we could all three sit down and write in real time as you say. Man, that would be amazing. We'd be something to be reckoned with then...

One of the aspects of Dark Humor that I like the most is how you guys don't seem to care in the least about following trends or being hip. Seems like you're in it to make music that you enjoy, regardless of genres or what people will think. Was this a conscious effort or just a natural flow of ideas?

Noah: You've hit it dead on. Basically, I feel like our target audience is... Dark Humor. I enjoy making music that I can crank up and rock out to in my car or at the gym. It's really nice when other people like our music, too, but that's not what I'm thinking about during the creative process.

Terry: Yeah, well we're all into totally different styles of music. I worship Hank Williams Sr. and I'm in love with Sheryl Crow!! And I love Alkaline Trio, etc. Hell, I even like Pink and Britney Spears... so... I'm into weird shit. Not to mention my life and the schizophrenia I deal with messes with my styles. And Joey is all into horror punk and stuff and Noah is more of a folk type, I think. Hell, I don't know what he's up to now... but yeah, our style isn't planned nor is it an accident. We don't want to be like anyone at all. We love the fact that we're different – we get that a lot [about our music]: "It's different!!!!"

Joey: To be honest, I don't see anything truly "different" about Dark Humor's sound - we have intros, verses, choruses, (two to four) bridges, and outros. What separates us from the norm, though, is our usage of dynamics, shifts in styles, and our spontaneity.

Your style brings various (eclectic) bands to mind ... everyone from Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa to the Butthole Surfers and Beck ... while retaining a "dark" undertone. How do you see Dark Humor fitting in the current musical landscape?

Noah: Well, I'm a little out of the loop when it comes to the "current musical landscape". I listen to diverse genres – a typical playlist might include baroque classical, contemporary ukelele, ambient electronica, swing jazz, nerdcore hip hop, etc. in addition to the stuff you're probably talking about which more obviously inspires us. And I listen to a TON of stuff from foreign countries. So I'll leave this question to someone in touch with what's going on closer to Dark Humor's region of the musical landscape.

Terry: Well, we're like Lilith and Cain – we're there somewhere in the shadows in the background, slowly sucking the life out of popular crap and reinventing it. I love that you compare us to the Butthole Surfers and Beck. I get a lot of comparison to Beck in my solo music, and I used to harass Noah to death with Butthole Surfers back in the day!

Joey: The current musical landscape... where do I begin? It changes so often that I find it difficult to keep up, especially with the steady mix of musicians who are innovative, musicians who follow the herd in a creative way, and musicians who are mediocre or poor replicas of something great. I see Dark Humor in the spot where musicians choose to write, produce, and perform for the hell of it; we're not trying to be innovative nor are we trying to sound like the next big thing.

Terry: As for the "dark" undertone, that's natural. We all have a dark side – some of us hide it better than others and some of us can't.

You have many friends and acquaintances in the Horror Rock community but DH isn't really a typical Horror Rock band, sound wise. While I consider that a great plus has it held the band back? Have you turned off any potential fans who expect you to sound more "typical"?

Terry: Haha, held us back... you're the biggest break we've had, haha! Nah, if someone doesn't like us 'cause we're not horror rock, oh well... I mean, we're what we are – we are major league inspired by horror movies and the fact that I'm friends with half the cast of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", I dare them to fuck with me when it comes to horror, haha.

Nah, we've only really written one true horror punk song and that's "Dead Things". And I've got a solo one called "I Wanna Be A Wolf... Man!" which was inspired by "Ginger Snaps" and all my favorite werewolf movies.

Joey: I'm sure there are several people who were lured in by "Dead Things" and then completely repulsed by "Understood" or "Scarred". I don't blame them, though - our music ranges from being about the undead, failed relationships, confusion of identity, Terry's cat... It may seem random and aimless, but I guarantee you that there's a great deal of intent and passion behind each and every tune we write!

Terry: I don't know, maybe people will pick up the dark vibe and accept it anyway. Did I make any sense right then!?

What has Dark Humor accomplished so far that you're proud of and where would you like to see the band five years from now (if you consider it a long-term band)?

Joey: We've got listeners and a radio DJ in Brazil requesting for more of our music so they could dedicate a radio special to us... that’s pretty rad! Which reminds me, I need to have some CDs sent to them...

Terry: Well, I'm very proud of the fact that you're putting us on one of your compilations [Antidote Records, "Dead Alive 2005"] – that's probably the best accomplishment we have had...

Joey: '’ve been an Antidote fiend for almost two years now and my love for the label and every band on it hasn't diminished a single bit! And no, there is no ass-kissing or anything of that sort going on right now! We are truly honored!

Terry: Hmm... yeah and in five years I'd love to see about five Antidote Records Dark Humor releases!!! :) Hell yeah!

Hahah ... we'll see what happens, guys.

Being an "internet" band do you view that as a permanent thing or is there a day in the future where DH actually become a "real" band ... playing out regularly, etc.?

Joey: Jesus, I hope we'd be able to perform live in concert sometime! I almost had Terry fly out to Southern California to perform with me, but financial issues crushed those plans... I'm hoping that once I'm out of college I'll be financially stable enough to arrange some sort of mini-tour (depending on where all of our fans reside).

Terry: I would kill to be a real performing band! But that would be so hard with the lifestyles we all have and if we got together even if it were Noah and I without Joey, or Joey and I without Noah, I would refuse to call it Dark Humor. I mean it wouldn't be. We've got friends who would fill in the empty spaces but it wouldn’t be the same.

Noah: I think being an Internet band defines us and contributes a lot to our sound. I don't see us playing out as Dark Humor, but perhaps someday it will happen in some other form...

Joey: The musical chemistry we have is absolutely phenomenal to me - I've never felt a stronger creative connection to anybody else, not even local musicians! It's difficult for me to imagine how great we'd sound once our creative minds are locked into a single location.

The thought of Dark Humor live is a thought that never fails to excite me – a dream that I’d never give up.

You obviously view the internet as a great tool for promotion, communication, and (for you guys) production but how do you feel about file sharing amongst music fans?

Noah: I'm a big fan of file sharing. It's a great way to discover new bands, and it's truly empowering for independent artists - we don't need the major labels in order to find a global audience. I used to share all of my work on Napster and then Kazaa. It was very flattering and a little bit thrilling when some random person would download a song and then, five minutes later, start grabbing more of my work.

That said, I decided it was too risky to keep running file sharing software after I received a scary DMCA warning incorrectly claiming that I was sharing a copyrighted movie. Anyway, long story short, people who really like the music will buy a CD to support us and encourage us to keep writing songs, so I'm not worried about file sharing.

Joey: For independent musicians, Internet is heaven! I find it amazing that anybody and everybody can listen to music, watch films, or communicate with the click of a mouse! While file-sharing slowly destroys the mainstream music hierarchy, it stands as an independent musician's best friend. Through an optimistic point-of-view, anybody who actually takes the time to listen to an independent musician or band will either hate it or appreciate it - and if they appreciate it, they will buy the album, EP, or demo.

People who appreciate independent music realize what a struggle it is and usually realize that the mainstream music industry knows every single string to pull in order to screw you over! This is where file-sharing comes in... Sure, there are those who steal entire albums in mp3 format, but when you compare those to the number of people who actually buy albums and attend concerts, it's not like a mainstream band will ever be broke! What bands need to worry about is releasing great albums that are worth every single penny of the $19.99 price tags that are placed on them.

Terry: I love finding our music on download sites – it makes me feel proud. And have you seen Dead Puppy Records [http://www.deadpuppyrecords.com]? I offer all our music free. I mean if they want a CD from us they can get one but I'm poor white trash and can't afford the stuff I want. Hell, Alkaline Trio is my favorite band and I can't afford to go buy their new CD, so I know how it feels and I feel that Dark Humor is for everyone, not just the ones who can afford it!

I know that at least 2/3 of the band also have other musical projects simultaneously. Tell our readers about them.

Terry: Well, I've been involved with several different projects other than Dark Humor. My alternate personality, Gunther Void, used to do music of his own, that is until the doctors killed him with heavy doses of drugs this past winter. R.I.P. Mr. Void!

And I do lots of solo music. Lately I've gotten a new group of members almost the same as Dark Humor recording in pieces over the net, etc. that we call the Honky Punks. This is more the country side of me, showcasing my love of old school country with a punk attitude, much like my friend Shelton/Hank Williams III’s music.

My solo music, other than the Honky Punks stuff, is much more depressing and soul baring – almost like slitting my wrists and letting the music fall out of me – pure and unfiltered by the Internet. I have a couple CDs in preparation for release on Dead Puppy Records!

Joey: Terry's composed numerous compositions over the past few months for two solo albums. These songs are amazing – he claims that these are his best songs to date, and I agree with him! His music is always emotional to the core and I can't blame him, considering the crap he goes through and the crap he's been through... I don't want to discuss his personal life, so I'll just let his music speak for itself.

I, too, write and record music on my own. I've been composing my own material for four to five years now, constantly changing my alias. Nowadays I release material merely under my own name, Joey Y. Kamiya. I've been working on a new release for the past few months without much progress due to a busy schedule and college coming within the month, but I promise to have it completed sometime soon! I have several great ideas, I just need to find the time to process and complete them!

Joey, you're also involved with film making. Tell us a little bit about that aspect of your life.

Joey: Aside from music, film-making is my passion. I'm going to begin my first semester at the Art Institute of California - Los Angeles on July 11th, where I plan on achieving my bachelor's degree in video production after three years of attendance. This doesn't leave me with much of a summer vacation, but I've been dedicated to the Art Institute since last summer, which is when I first applied and was accepted a few weeks later.

Currently, I have several film projects including post-production for a zombie film collaboration ["Lucifer’s Lost Flock"], production for a documentary on a friend's band [The Sun Also Rises], and finishing a script for my next film ["The Devil and I" – which will begin production in July sometime]. First and foremost, though, I need to learn how to manage my time more wisely!

I have my recent short films and trailers available to stream and download on my online website/portfolio [http://jkamiya.cjb.net] for those who are interested in watching! Please bookmark that website if you wish to keep up to date with all of my films, music, etc. Also, the short film that earned me a half-tuition scholarship ["Last Rites"] may be featured on SunsetStrip.com – I just need to work out a few more details...

Finish the following sentences: Dark Humor is ___

Terry: Dark Humor is the worst band in the universe!!!!

Joey: Dark Humor is three guys who admire each other's individual work as well the work we produce together.

You should buy Dark Humor's releases because ___

Terry: You should buy Dark Humor's releases because it's not the crap you'll hear on the radio!!!

Joey: You should buy Dark Humor's releases because each and every song will be worth every penny spent or every minute waited during downloading sessions!

If you're into _____ you'll love Dark Humor.

Terry: If you're into psychos you'll love Dark Humor!!

Joey: If you're into A) Hank Williams, B) Horror, C) Independent music, D) All or none of the above, you'll love Dark Humor!