Then And Now
You're probably sitting there thinking, "What the hell does KMFA stand for?" Well, like all things, there's a story behind it. A quite simple one, but a story is a story. First of all, KMFA is record studio / record company located in Chalmette (or can we just say New Orleans?), Louisiana. Our goal is to have every underground band in our area run through us, hopefully making KMFA a really big business in the future. And one day, you may see some band signed to Epitaph or DGC and think, "Hey, that band started out with KMFA." We want to be the hand that rocks the cradle of newborn bands. We're mainly targeting bands that are, grunge, punk, hardcore punk, industrial, or pop. Anything else we may let slide by, but there is one rule and one rule only. And that is no ska.
Keep in mind that this is the background of KMFA, not Penguin. The events just lead up to the birth of KMFA Records. That's how it happened...
1995
Michale Molero started a band with his long-time friend Mickey Harrison in the very early months of this year, and called it Penguin. In the summer, they recorded and released their first demo. The equipment? A cheap karaoke called "The Sound Machine". This one record sold 22 copies and that was it. KMFA wasn't even an idea...
1996
Around the summer of this time, Michale had acquired a cheap Tascam 4-track (a Porta 03 if you want to be anal). Anyway, Penguin recorded their second demo with this machine. Michale came up with "Kiss My Feathered Ass" as a sort of slogan for the band, so he put it on the insert of this 2nd demo. And just to be stupid, he put the word "Records" behind it. And well, the joke stuck like glue. Later that year, Michale decided to put together a mix of local bands and mainstream bands on a tape he named "KMFA Compilation #01". This was the first time the initials were used. "KMFA" stuck like glue as well. Although still a joke, this idea started to look like it may lead somewhere...
1997
This year, nine cassettes were produced from KMFA. Although still an unofficial unliscensed business, KMFA seemed to be doing alright. Also during this time, Point 07, a very shitty ska band, had borrowed Michale's four track "just for a weekend". Well, over a year later, it was returned broken. This machine was pretty much KMFAs only recording equipment. After this, the record sales dropped, but nobody really cared. KMFA is still a joke isn't it?
1998
In these twelve months, only one record was released. It was both KMFA's and Penguin's first CD, "Four Demos And A Cow". However, only 4 copies were made because they were being recorded by Dellfold Entertainment (another local nobody business). Penguin had bought 8 or 9 CDs and dropped them off at Dellfold. Then, they were given a contract to sign stating that Penguin would owe Dellfold like 10 cents per every CD sold. The contract was rejected and Dellfold kept the CDs. But Penguin got their financial revenge with the Dellfest '99 Scandal. Anyway, after the contract was rejected, the CD production stopped. The four CDs that exist are owned by the band. And since there was nothing more than a broken four-track, KMFA seemed dead...
1999
On Martin Luther King Day (January), Michale wrote a song called "The KMFA Theme", a tribute from KMFA to Penguin and vice versa. February 5th, a brand new Tascam MK II Portastudio (it's an eight-track!) was given to Michale as a birthday present, putting KMFA back into (unliscensed) recording business. The first song ever recorded on this new machine was a song called "Mainliner" back in May. Later in July, Wounded Moose recorded their first demo at KMFA. A third compilation was being mapped out, and Michale started asking bands if they wanted to record a song at KMFA and contribute it to the compilation. So far, Interstate 12 has done so and Misunderstood is setting a date.
2000
KMFA Records has grown, somewhat. Michale and longtime friend Mickey are now in a co-ownwership. Interstate 12 has recorded and released their 2nd demo under KMFA. Other records were also planned but fell through
2005
KMFA Records comes to an end. Clock Studios takes it's place in 2006 and ends in 2014.
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