The RISE & FALL Of THE DONNAS

The rise and the fall of The Donnas
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"In our last albums, we kind of reveled in being like, 'Screw you, we're gonna move on to someone else,' 'cause we were young and that's what you do," Now, we've all met people that are worth it; at that point, I don't think we had people that were really worth it. The general feeling was like, whatever. Those people are gone now, and we're onto a new batch of keepers." The sessions proved to be stressful though. Their drummer Tory Castellano’s was dealing with tendonitis, due to being a self taught drummer. You can look at any old video of her playing and she’s got a pretty noticeable death grip on her drumsticks.. It forced the band to take a period of time off before they could even start work on their follow up album. She began working with drum teacher chuck brown, Anderson, meanwhile dealt with vocal issues, while, , Robertson’s was dealing with a divorce and Ford was dealing with writer’s block telling 48 hills ,"I kind of ran out of ideas and just got depressed," "I think I felt, like, a lot of pressure, and it’s never a good situation to be under the gun." The Sacramento Bee remarked how Gold Medal saw slower songs due to the Castellano having tendonitis and at the same time the album showed a more diverse collection of songs with the title track being an acoustic number.
Atlantic records predicted in the press for Gold Medal that it was going to outsell Stay the Night. Anderson even quipped to the publication 48 hills years later "Our big joke was that we were making Gold Medal so Spend the Night would go gold. But Atlantic had dropped the ball There were two things that happened.
One was that Around the time of Gold Medal’s release Atlantic underwent management and personnell changes as they were dealing with shifts in their parent company.. Anderson told Stereogum what happened next
The problem is, when we signed, we had a great team that we got to know, and we chose to work with that label because of those people and the amount of control we were offered versus the advance. And then all those people left and a whole new group of people came in and we’re like, “Who are you guys?” And they’re like “Who are you?”
Then the second thing happened. Manufacturing issues. Anderson told south of heaven “When we released our 2nd album on Atlantic, it shipped on a Tuesday and Tuesday around 10am they started coming back because they were defective. The last 30 seconds of the last song wasn’t there. This totally messed up our sales which also messed up our radio and it really made the record nose dive compared to what it could’ve done. Gold medal sold only about 13,000 copies in it’s first weekpeaking at number 76 on the album chart in the US. It went on to sell under 100,000 copies. The album had one modest single with the track Fall Behind Me, which peaked at number 29 on the us alternative airplay chart.
To support the album, The Donnas hit the road with maroon 5 and von bondies, but it was too little too late. The album was a commercial failure. Now you might think this is the part where i tell you they were dropped by Atlantic, but surprisingly they were not. They stayed on the label for the time being and began work on their follow up record - writing 3-4 songs./ Atlantic’s insisted they wanted more pop sounding songs and even had the group work with outside songwriters including Dave Stewart of the Eurthymics. But the band ultimately bailed and they and Atlantic went their separate ways.
The Donna’s soon formed their own label purple feather records a joint venture with Red Eye Distribution. In 2007 the Donnas released their final studio album, titled “Bitchin” with the band focusing on writing more arena rock songs. The itunes bonus song new kid in school you might remember as showing up in rock band 2 on as an on disc track. Bitchin peaked at number 89 on the billboard chart, but no singles charted. The Donnas hit the road with the Hives the following year. By 2009 drummer Torry Castalleno left the group after dealing with shoulder problems announcing she was retiring from d

[@rnrtruestories]

what other topics would you like to see me cover?

[@Jason_Maier]

The original breakup of the Go-Go's (Jane Weidlin left after the tour to support their 1984 album 'Talk Show', either from a royalties dispute or from creative differences).

[@giustinoscalise3177]

Jolee's "I wonder what's inside your butthole"

[@jerryk3280]

The Exies

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

Can you cover Fields of the Nephilim? Thank you! ✌🏼😊

[@rnrtruestories]

@@Jason_Maierthey are coming very soon!

[@paristrout8469]

I was The Donnas Tour Manager, Production Manager, and Monitor Engineer for 3-4 years back in the mid 2000's, though I have toured with dozens of artists over the years. I can tell you they were one of the greatest, and most professional, all around bands I ever toured with. If I said "be in the lobby at 10 am", at 9:55, all 4 of them would be waiting in the lobby with a coffee in their hand, luggage at their feet, ready to go. No other band in 25 years has been able to accomplish that simple feat. They all struggled in their own way playing live, and they will fully admit that. Torry's wrists were a problem from the beginning when I came on. As you said, she had to have surgery at one point, as she was self taught, which is what started all the problems. She hit HARD, more than she needed to. Sometimes she would hit the kick drum so hard she would literally lift herself off her own seat. It was crazy. She was also short, so we had to customize her snare stand and hi-hat so they would go low enough. Brett, regardless of what anyone says, was a top level singer. She may not have been able to hit "high notes" but she didn't need to. She sang within her limits and was always strong. She was never gasping for breath. If she had any real "issue" it was self confidence. When she was having fun she was amazing. Allison was a killer guitar player, and remember, there was only one guitar, so she carried a big weight. She also lacked a little self confidence at times, which I thought was crazy. She was better than 90% of the guitar players I have ever toured with, and that number is in the hundreds. Whenever we did shows with other top artists, all the male guitar players from the "big" bands would stand in the wings and watch her play. She was amazing. Maya was not the best technical bass player, but she was more than competent and the most fun on stage. She had a stage presence that worked. Though she did have a touch of stage freight at times, and sometimes lacked confidence. But they were a GREAT live band. Their unique image, and pop-punk sensibilty with a rock and roll sound, allowed them to open for some huge bands, and do large festivals. More importantly that allowed their AMAZING manager to book a lot of good money corporate gigs. (The only band manager I ever worked with that I thought was looking out for the band above all else). The only strange thing I had to deal with as a TM, was what we called the "Super Fans". For the most part, the Donnas live audience was teenage, and early 20's women. However, there was also a small group of late 40's men, single, as in, came to the show alone, at every show. These were not the fathers of the girls. Let me give you an example. My very first show. I pick the girls and the manager up in a rental SUV in LA, and drive them out to a festival in San Bernardino I think. The girls and manager go to a Virgin Megastore record signing thing, and I go meet up with the crew for the stage setup. Im hanging out in the dressing room about 30 min's later, when the band walks in. Brett throws me an envelope and says, "Here you go, this is the kind of stuff you get to deal with". In the envelope is a greeting card. I open it up and there are a stack of pictures in side of it. The first pic, dopey guy with a mullet. Second pic, dopey guy with a mullet with no shirt on. I say to Brett, "who's this?" I look at the third pic as she says "Oh, that's XXXXXX, he comes to all the shows" I detect a hint of sarcasm in her voice, and then I focus on the 3rd pic....... "OH MY GOD HE'S NAKED" Fourth pic, he's naked in front of a mirror. Fifth pic, He's naked on the bed. Sixth pic, He's naked on a car. He was a "Super Fan" This exact incident is what immediately made me realize, that security for this band was going to be an issue, and it became my instant top priority. Whenever we were in public, I had to have dedicated security. I miss the Donnas, they were the first International band I ever toured with, and we had some great times. Long live the Donnas.

[@RokuErickson]

Lmao okay man

[@jennamarie2481]

Long Live The Donnas!!!!! Hell yeah, thanks for this info.

[@therealsuloking]

Thanks for sharing. I got the opportunity to first come across the Donnas back in 2000 at Warped Tour. They were amazing and completely blew me away. I also got to briefly meet them when they were walking around the festival grounds and I remember how friendly and down to earth they were. Fast forward to 2009 and I got to book the Chelsea Girls , which was an all female group equivalent to Steel Panther. Allsion Robertson from the Donnas was their guitarist. I used to be the lead booking agent / talent buyer for the music venue, Brick by Brick in San Diego where I booked the Chelsea Girls at and I got to meet Allsion and she was an absolute pleasure to work with. She's very professional, humble and extremely talented. I remeber a lot of the local musicians I would book in SD showed up to the show and were all impressed with her talent. I even had the opportunity to see the Donnas play for my last time in San Diego at the Casbah. That was such a fun way to see them for the last time as it was a sold out show in an intimate venue like that. They were amazing and I was bummed when they called it quits. Initially it was released that they were on an idefinite hiatus but in a 2017 interview, their singer , Brett, stated that the band was no more and had refused offers for the band to reunite. In 2012 right before the broke up they were working on a brand new album which I realy hope was finished and eventually will be released. Last year we saw a little glimmer of hope as they released a compilation album of their early material. so we'll just have to wait and see. I know Torry retired from being a musician and now is a lawyer in Texas but I wonder what the remaining members are up to and if they are doing anything musically. The last I heard of Brett was the 90's show theme song. I am an optimist by heart so I still hold some faith that one day they will get back together for a reunion. You never know. We saw the Lunachicks not only reunite but release a book and documentary on their career so if anything I would love to see the Donnas at least get a documentary produced on their career.

[@aisforapple2494]

As a former theatrical lighting operator and a gigantic fan of The Donnas, I appreciate you sharing your experiences with them. Those ladies are one of the greatest bands ever! Thx again.

[@mookytc]

Thank you for sharing. Fantastic story.

[@RFResnick]

So, circa 2000, I’m leaving work and listening to The Donnas on my iPod. I get to the lobby (Time & Life Bldg., NYC) and I see four young women walking with one guy. I catch up to them and ask, “Excuse me. Are you in a band?” One says yes. “Are you The Donnas?!?!” “Yes!” “I’m listening to you right now!” They were stunned to be recognized in NYC, especially by some guy in a suit. … I really liked that band.

[@johnrsherwood]

40 boys in 40 nights... Were you one of the 40? Joking, obviously. Cool story though...

[@AnthonyWilliams-ot1yk]

Dude that’s awesome!

[@lilacs-n-kiwi]

This is so many LEVELS of cool - the Donnas, you listening while they happen to appear where you were, the' TIME LIFE BLDG (have you watched Mad Men?) - Thanks for sharing, love this!

[@RFResnick]

@@lilacs-n-kiwi Time Life Building was an incredible place back in the hey day of magazines. But I never quite overlapped with Don Draper, unfortunately ...

[@lilacs-n-kiwi]

@@RFResnick I can only imagine... 😍💭✨ daydreaming. Lol.

[@JonnyAugz]

I miss The Donnas. They were actually a good rock n roll band.

[@Whitehorse_crimefighter]

Super basic. Aside from their drummer being a total babe and the rest of the band being an all girl gimmick the music isn't very memorable and pretty uninteresting

[@p0llenp0ny]

No one thinks this.

[@Ma660t5andw1ch]

If you haven’t already, check out The Warning!

[@zdunne]

Same here

[@jimmyz2098]

@@Whitehorse_crimefighter I bet you're fun at parties. LOL Let's hear your music on the radio. or on a streaming site.

[@ImBobbyRicigliano]

That opening riff to “Take It Off” is unironically one of the best for that decade IMO. It’s just rips so hard and creates such a fun tension. I imagine that’s why it’s been used in action scenes on TV.

[@lunarvision]

Yes!! That’s a totally awesome rock song.

[@LivingDeadDrummer]

The band’s manager stopped by a music school I teach at a couple years ago and donated a bunch of their equipment that was sitting in storage. Guitar amps, couple drum sets, bunch of road cases. We still use all of it daily.

[@belltolls1984]

Wow, that's crazy! What brand of guitars and basses are they? Just curious.

[@blacknovella]

that is awesome! i love that he did that.. inspire more youths

[@rockrecordreport7136]

@@belltolls1984 He does not mention any guitars or basses, just the amps and cases. Where does he mention any bass?

[@mondobizzzarro]

So sad. But glad to see it all got a second life for a good cause. Had there not been guitar/music classes in school, I probably would not be a musician today.

[@LivingDeadDrummer]

@@belltolls1984 I don think we got any guitars or basses. We did get a few amps. Marshall cab & head. Bunch of road cases, and two Pearl Drum kits with all the hardware.

[@tArchStantont]

Brett is hella nice. She offered some supportive advice on insta regarding my father's dementia. I'm glad she landed somewhere in life where she can shine.

[@thetramp123]

I met Brett and Torry after a show they opened for The Hives and they're both really friendly. The Hives Bassist at the time, Matt, invited a friend of mine and me to an afterparty thing and they were really cool.

[@therealsuloking]

@@tArchStantont what's Brett's Instagram? Would love to see what she's up to these days.

[@ThomSin1985]

I won't lie and say I knew the Donnas from the start. I actually found them through the movie Drive Me Crazy. I lived in a 1,200 person town with a one film theater. When I saw them I fell in love. I signed up to be a Donnaholic on their website, and I bought the 3 albums I could find by mail order. I still love their music today. If they ever come back, I'll be there.

[@Bassmanhill84]

My old band opened up for The Donna's in Las Vegas in 2010. They brought a great crowd, they were nice and sounded amazing! Sucks they never got bigger like everyone thought they'd be

[@Jacksabbath44]

Totally Underrated band for sure, Spend The Night is a 2000's classic, this is totally the kind of band that should be reuniting right now, no gimmicks no backing tracks, just Rock n' Roll

[@ricardosilvestri94]

I played in a fair-to-middling indie rock band around the time the Donnas Get Skintight came out and we supported them for a few shows. They were great, but sadly many of the so-called punk bro-types treated them with a contempt that had to be SEEN to be believed. Fortunately, real music lovers prevailed, and I'm happy this group had the longevity they deserved. Thank you for recognizing this important band in your video.

[@livefromadive6751]

It was a privilege to have Donna A join my punkabilly band for "Living After Midnight", at her grandmother's 90th birthday party. She is an awesome person and great talent

[@dfinma]

Judas Priest reference?

[@Winston0Boogie]

Dude I had all their albums. That's great to hear when you're a fan of their music.

[@livefromadive6751]

@@dfinma yup, Brett sang Judas Priest for her grandmother's 90th birthday. But in a "cowboy lounge" style. Then things got weird.

[@blazingstar9638]

That’s so cool

[@MelindaParsons-m7x]

I had the displeasure of having to hang out with Brett Anderson a couple of times. Horrible nasty person. Awful egotistical.

[@kyleericson9777]

I’m 61 years old and loved The Donna’s … good to see that at least two of the ladies are doing well and I wish all four of them nothing but the best!❤️

[@mookytc]

Same I really liked Allison Robertson on guitar playing a Gibson pretty much straight into a Marshall. Rock and Roll 🤘

[@ziggyphoto]

If you liked The Donna's music, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@Seeyalater1515]

I saw them 19-20 years in Minneapolis. In between one of their songs I yelled out “I love you Donna A”, while drunk. She said on the mic: “I love you too!”. So yeah, the singer loves me

[@kgilliagorilla2761]

You dog!

[@lilacs-n-kiwi]

7th Street Entry or where were they playing? :)

[@Seeyalater1515]

@@lilacs-n-kiwi the Quest I believe…end of 04

[@bigseanprice]

she talkin to her b/f, yo.

[@paulcurtis5317]

Saw them in Leeds 2005, they were good. A guy i was with said to me "I hate that guitarist" I asked why and he said "Shes fucking better than me!" 😃🤟

[@Umppy]

I saw them in Leeds aswell great year at Leeds festival

[@paulcurtis5317]

@@Umppy when green day and the manics were on and the exploding toilets, classic! 👍

[@Umppy]

@paulcurtis5317 it was 2004 by the looks of it after checking the line up remember watching morrissey chatting with the guys from Franz ferdinand how time flys

[@brentjarvis8940]

Thanks for the true story of what happened to the Donnas. Another great story from you. Sad but very well done. So much talent and such great really fun foot stompin music. Tory amazed me the way she just beat the hell out of her drums, and she sounded great doing it. She was so flashy and fun to watch. Brett took control of that stage when she was singing, and I loved her voice. Allison has got to be one of the best guitarists I've ever seen male or female. At 66 years old, I still rock to the Donnas all the time especially when driving around alone I will have the volume all the way up. I still enjoy watching their fun music videos. They were absolutely fantastic and so full of energy. I brought my wife and two good friends to see them on their last tour here in Ilinois. They opened with Bitchin and never stopped rocking that night. Our two friends had no idea who they were, but they were on their feet with everyone else throughout that show. I'm so happy we had the chance to see them before they called it quits. With so many great bands back together for both short and long tours, we have been blessed to be able to see so many famous bands that we somehow missed back in the day. Groups like the GoGo's, B 52's, Steve Miller, and recently The Bangles who did only one show in Milwaukee Wis of all places. Maybe, just maybe the Donna's might get back together for a couple shows to thrill all of their fans one last time.

[@wizard2755]

As a man, I have no problem sitting at the lights blasting “40 boys in 40 nights” or “take me to the backseat” and singing along. Those guitar riffs on par with early AC/DC classics! Those girls rock hard

[@richysuphiy]

Allison robertson is an excellent guitarist!!👍👍👍

[@cristianolangendorf4063]

I'm from the south of Brazil and I had the privilege of going to both of their shows here, including the first one I went at dawn to get right in front (I got a high five XD). The Donnas marked my adolescence and I will always keep it in my heart with great affection!! 💚

[@paristrout8469]

I mixed the sound for both of those shows, and remember Brazil fondly. The day we got to Sao Paolo I think, we went to a signing in a record store in an outdoor mall. It had at least 8 stories with balcony's overlooking an open courtyard. I was not prepared for the number of people, there must have been close to 10,000. The street in front of the mall, the square, and 10 deep on every balcony was packed with screaming fans. The police were there. It was insane. Love Brazil.

[@dfinma]

1. The Electrocutes is a GREAT band name. B. My thought when I first saw Torry play was, "She's not going to last." Truly sad b/c she was a ton of fun to watch. As I understand it she had to overplay in order to be loud enough in the band's early days when she weighed, like 37 lbs. I think the topped out at, like, 84 lbs. III. It's On The Rocks is a GREAT song. Just listen to Allison's playing. She's a monster. 4. Maya doesn't get the credit she deserves. Bass players rarely do.

[@johngerson7335]

Yep, the opening riff on "It's On the Rocks" is one of the best and well produced guitar tones ever laid down imho. Those gals could _play!_

[@ziggyphoto]

Want to see a band where everyone is a ton of fun to watch? If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@JM-rb3wy]

Love The Donnas. They captured each era on their albums so beatifully. I love Bitchin' and Gold Medal equally. One of the best guitarists ever. Slash said she figured out how to play GnR songs by combining the rhythm and leads parts at one time live. Super impressive. I loved Chelsea Girls, too. Wish Donna R would do a solo album. Can you tell im a guitarist, lol.

[@stevewright8990]

The Donna’s were the way I got into working for music venues. I was a regular at a dive”punk” bar where they played on the tiny stage and the bar paid me to try to keep people from mobbing them. Fell in love with the chaos of the industry and have involved for 25 plus years now. That show was nuts. I’ll never forget the singer saying they need their car keys immediately after the last song of the set.

[@fink94]

Darren is one hell of a song writer. Im glad that Superteem records is mentionned too. That record is amazing.

[@robbm_chemist7441]

I saw them in 1998 where they played a show with the Groovie Ghoulies. I was 14 and got to dance on a sofa with Donna R and Donna C while Ghoulies were playing "Pet Cemetery"...such a magical moment. i thought they were just some local band.

[@thorn_again]

Every song on Spend the Night was a banger. So bummed I never got to see them live. Allison's guitar playing is peak rock n roll for me

[@ziggyphoto]

If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@thorn_again]

@ziggyphoto I love band-maid too!

[@BobbySummers]

I saw them live through the 2000's, they always (or almost always) came out to greet the fans after their shows. I made a fan website where I tried hosting their music videos. Pre-KZbin the technology was a mess! That site's gone now, but I hope the former Donnas are living good lives as well as all their families, friends and fans!

[@pootle5096]

People like you are a blessing! Whilst I never saw your site, THANK YOU for creating it.

[@CosmoToppers88keys]

This was extremely informative. I saw a great Donnas show at the palace, formally the Hollywood Palace and I got to say hi to them for a brief minute. I really thought they were really unique! total rock ‘n’ roll and extremely nice people. This was extremely informative and well written and I appreciated everything you had to say about them long live the memory of the Donna’s

[@JettScott]

'I don't wanna grow up well, I just want my Taco Bell". I like the earlier Donnas. When they were more like a female Ramones then just their Donna A Donna R name monikers. Their songs and song titles sounded Ramones-ish too. Then they went sleazy style 80's glam rock. But the raw energy of their first CD is pure fun teen bubblegum rebellion.

[@wrongbeach35]

Toured with them on Lollapalooza 2003. They were a kick ass band and super cool people.

[@katjetson]

Thanks for doing this. The Donnas are still on repeat in my house. Allison's guitar playing is god-like. Miss them. Understand why they are no more.

[@rnrtruestories]

You’re welcome

[@ziggyphoto]

If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@namoraxo]

I was lucky enough to have gone to see them play live at smaller intimate venues and I had some of the best times of my life going to see them. Awesome musicians awesome shows.

[@mondobizzzarro]

Went on a big donnas kick in high school, and watching this got me interested again. So slept on these days, and I've always felt sad about how they ended up; they deserved better for sure. Another victim of the cruel industry. Havent watched that 90s show but hearing that theme song with Brett and James Iha put a huge smile on my face. Great singer!

[@Large23collectibles]

I'm from the Bay Area and heard about them in the late 90's. I was so happy for their success.

[@Shauma_llama]

I was too. I don't remember if they were played much on Live 105, like you'd expect, but I saw one of their CDs somewhere, Fry's Electronics I think, and ended up with all their CDs, and saw them live in LA once. Loved the band. ❤

[@Large23collectibles]

@@Shauma_llama I don't remember ever hearing them on any radio at the time. The first time I read about them was on BAM Magazine. I had to find their music at Streetlight Records and I was hooked.

[@lunarvision]

Thank you so much for making this video 🙏🏼🤘🏼. I have not thought about The Donnas in years, but back in the day I was obsessed with them. It’s great to learn more about less than mainstream bands.

[@RickRottman]

"Take it Off" has been on every playlist I've ever made to listen to while at the gym on the elliptical.

[@dreamersdisease2481]

Gay

[@michaelwills1926]

middle school boy 👆🏼

[@dreamersdisease2481]

@@michaelwills1926 middle-aged boy actually. You can save the world but you can't save yourself

[@RickRottman]

@@dreamersdisease2481 I appreciate the compliment, but I'm just a run-of-the-mill, non-rare straight dude.

[@dreamersdisease2481]

@@RickRottman oh it has nothing to do with your sexual identity. You could substitute that with lame instead of gay for PC peeps

[@atlasking6110]

My band opened for them once. They were super cool and nice and generously shared their free trays of shots with us at the afterparty. My bandmates cajoled Brett into giving me a kiss because I had a massive crush on her at the time, and she did!

[@rnrtruestories]

Sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@aisforapple2494]

Been a fan since I first heard them! Terrific retrospective of The Donnas! I LOVE YOU, LADIES! 💋❤️

[@RobbieSuede13]

I met the Donnas back in 2000 at the Warped tour they are really sweet girls and I even took a picture with all of them, If they did a reunion show I would so be there.

[@henrymanzano2201]

I saw The Donnas when they headlined at Irving Plaza in NYC in 2003. Well worth the price of admission and more!

[@ImBobbyRicigliano]

Such a fun era at Irving Plaza during that time. Used to be my favorite venue

[@henrymanzano2201]

@@ImBobbyRicigliano yup! I remember shows where everyone RAN towards the stage to get as good a spot as possible. Irving Plaza and Roseland were THE places to see a show back then

[@jamesasc7709]

Note that on Spend the Night, every track has a guitar solo. They weren't told which tracks would be singles so just covered all the bases. Remember this is 2002 when solo's were being cut from recordings, even the likes of Metallica wouldn't record them

[@thwipp89]

robertson was the star of that band, imo. she's awesome.

[@sampleoffers1978]

Solos went out of favor for a minute, as overly technical and not punk...but there was a bias to it as if it were a young band, especially female...that was still cool but labels could not read room on that stuff chasing trends.

[@captpotato6503]

saw robertson loading out of a rehearsal studio in 2003 (?). I just remember thinking 'how the hell does she play with those (long sharp) fingernails?" ;)

[@scottr7465]

I was very lucky to work for their record company in Australia Shock Records at the time and as I was obsessed with them got to see The Donnas live on 2 Oz tours and meet them at a record store signing. I got a few cds signed and some great pix with the Donnas! Also got to see Brett in another band in LA in 2010, unfortunately they had nothing on The Donnas rockin' sound. PS this didn't mention their last cd Greatest Hits Vol 16 - some great unreleased tracks, live outtakes and rerecords of early stuff. Must have for true Donnas fans

[@dr.snakes]

Didn't hurt they were four incredibly talented smokeshows. Everyone has a favorite Donna. Mine was Donna F. Something about a girl rocking a bass. 😍

[@dannyho6786]

Excellent job here ! I Luv'd the Donnas !! Many thanks !

[@rnrtruestories]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Toothnut_Hamsterfolder]

I only heard about the Donnas because they played "I Don't Want to Know" on SNL. They blew my mind! I went to the record store on Monday and bought Gold Medal. Great band! Thanks for covering them.

[@jeffreyharris5890]

I so glad you covered this great band existence, I miss seeing them put out albums, but am glad you keep their legacy alive. I hope maybe they do one last tour and I get to go see them. Thank you again for this video!! ❤

[@rnrtruestories]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! They are a great band.

[@sspotter1978]

"Fall Behind Me" is a great tune.

[@firescapesunrise1]

"Gold Medal" is criminally underrated

[@Rebrods26]

I was obsessed with them in high school. Obsessed.

[@joelpinckney9782]

In the past couple of years, I've followed The Warning very closely. This caught my eye because of The Donnas being all-female. Well done. A very good watch. Thank you!!!

[@davidcox3076]

Got to see The Warning a couple of years ago at a festival. They put on a hell of a show.

[@staticmonkey8436]

I was always impressed by them. One of the first concerts I ever went to was Lalapolooza 2003 in Houston. I was mainly there to see Incibus. I remember when The Donna’s came on, the vocal microphone wasn’t working, and it wasn’t a brief glitch. It went on for MULTIPLE songs! Then it came back on and everybody started cheering. It was the first time I remember hearing the roar of the crowd. But yeah, they played great!

[@UnknownJorge]

I’m about the same age as The Donna’s and I had a super crush on Torry Castellano 😅 I think the first time I heard them was Too Bad About Your Girl from the movie Grind. They were awesome and had an awesome modern classic rock sound that I enjoy to this day. Great video!

[@shannonjones3714]

Excellent video! I didn’t know most of this. Quite a story!

[@hammeraway2693]

Let me start by saying 2 things: Thank you for this run down of The Donnas, cos secondly, I LOVE THIS BAND! TBH, I feel what really brought issues outside of those given here is when Gold Medal hit. The band was becoming more melodic, however Brett's vocal style is punk, and doesn't dial in on all those melodic notes. The same has happened with others. Once it gets pitchy, there are issues. Joan Jett got away with it for some of what she did, yet for the most part, she stayed in that punk-style lane. Again, I LOVE THE DONNAS and own all there stuff. I worked for St. Louis Music, and a co-worker was listening to SPEND THE NIGHT. I walked in and was immediately and beautifully B-slapped right in both ears. It was ballsy, bluesy, sexy hard rock that made you want to Spend The Night with these rockin' women! Great riffs and hilarious, Kick-Ass lyrics! Don't gt better than that! Viking OUT! ROCKIT!!🤘😋⚡

[@milhouserock]

An old band of mine played a show with the Donnas in San Diego, I believe it was their final tour. They were f**king awesome live. Miss these girls.

[@ScottDaddyMac]

To me, music has nothing to do of gender. It's all about tone and making me want to tap my foot, play air drums, bang my head, or just make me stop and think, "damn....this is good music!" The Donnas were a band I instantly liked when I heard them. Being a guitarist myself, I immediately grabbed onto the guitar tone and I thought the riffs were damn fun to play. I couldn't give a fart in the wind that they were male or female. I saw them at The El Rey in Los Angeles supporting their Gold Medal album and they did not disappoint. They sound great live as well. Guns N Roses can't make that claim, am I right? Seeing them fade away was something I expected because, without a doubt, maintaining a band and maintaining the desire to go through the grind of making music is much more mentally and yes, physically, taxing that most people realize. Going on 25 years later, I this band still holds a solid place in my heart that also includes, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Fanny, Girlschool, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Lita Ford, Dead Kennedys, FEAR, Oingo Boingo, Harry Chapin, Elton John, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Queen, KISS, and ooooooooooooooooh so many more. The Donnas did great, and I wish them all the best in their endeavors today.

[@ziggyphoto]

There's room in your heart for 1 more band. If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@notsure3838]

Oh wow! Hearing some of those songs made me really nostalgic for middle school and high school. Good times!

[@sixstringkingkb]

One of my favorite bands of all time. If they did a reunion tour, I’d literally contemplate selling a kidney to go. 😫

[@jeffreyval9665]

With how expensive everything is today you might have to sell both of your kidneys.

[@paulbradley705]

Just buy a ticket .keep your organs😅😅

[@jeffreyval9665]

@paulbradley705 We all can't get money from Mommy and Daddy everytime we need something. Most of us have to deal with real world problems instead of overpaying for concerts.

[@fclefjefff4041]

I'm super bummed that I never got to see them, but I also hope they don't do a reunion. People need to learn that things run their course and come to and end, and that's okay. They made their mark and left behind a delightful discography.

[@jiminychristmas123]

I got into The Donnas after this channel’s first video about them a couple years back. I remember reading about them in Maximum Rock n Roll back in the day but never checked them out. I friggin love their music and love to listen while I lift weights. Spotify told me I was in the top 0.1% of their fans worldwide lol. Also Brett is a goddess and I could watch her reading the phone book hahaha

[@EvilEyeGypsy]

They were solid. I liked them, and respect them for doing things their own way.

[@MelindaParsons-m7x]

I had the displeasure of having to hang out with Brett Anderson a couple of times. Horrible nasty person. Awful egotistical.

[@EvilEyeGypsy]

@@MelindaParsons-m7x wow, sorry to hear that.

[@Juliana_So_Unique]

@@MelindaParsons-m7x Why did you *have* to hang out with her?

[@MelindaParsons-m7x]

@@Juliana_So_Unique because she was friends with my friends.

[@Juliana_So_Unique]

@@MelindaParsons-m7x Fair enough. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Have a nice day.

[@bassman8144]

I miss The Donna’s. They were a chick band that was legit. They just seemed like regular girls that you grew up but could kick ass on stage. Mad respect🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@ziggyphoto]

If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@bluesoddity2094]

Donnas were a great band that, like the Beatles, you could hear them grow with each album. All their records are great, still crank them hard every day!!!!

[@ziggyphoto]

If you like The Donna's, check out Band-Maid. Here are three songs/videos to get you started. 1. "Thrill" (OMV) 2. "Real Existence" (OMV) "From Now On" (OMV).

[@fclefjefff4041]

@@ziggyphoto You're trying way too hard. I was interested in checking out the band after seeing this comment the first time. Now after seeing the same exact comment repeated several times, I'm no longer interested. Hijacking a comments section isn't a good look.

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

Thank you for the post! ✌🏼😊

[@rnrtruestories]

My pleasure!

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

@@rnrtruestories 👍🏻😊

[@JoeBobaRebob]

Thx for this, there were a few nuggets I didn’t know. They kept getting better, were great til the end of the Donnas and I hope are making more music if they wanna.

[@SpiritusMundi4EVER]

Proud of these ladies. They rock and rolled. 🎸🎤

[@mimmikyute]

I've been a major fan of The Donnas since like, '05 when I was a teenager. They don't get enough credit for how much they paved the way for women in rock, and their album Bitchin' is criminally underrated. I remember how big Fall Behind Me got in Canada due to it being shown in commercials for the Vancouver Olympics; which I'm kinda sad you didn't touch on at all. That first riff is absolutely iconic.

[@rnrtruestories]

Love their music think they’re are definitely underrated

[@NJDrew]

This video was great and informative! I love the Donna’s , spend the night was an amazing album

[@gringogreen4719]

The Donnas were always AWESOME! 😎👍✨💚

[@bakerbrown6]

I disagree about them saying they “weren’t accepted by the underground on the west coast.” The first time I heard about them was in Maximum RocknRoll, one of the largest punk magazines. They were actually showering them praise over that first album. When the sound shifted from Ramones to Motley Crue yeah, the scene basically dropped them like a hot potato.

[@xTheeLancelotx]

I had a music class with Brett a few years back. I had no clue I was sitting two seats away from her. Lol. She was so nice and funny.

[@JB-cx4bn]

Great presentation. I have been a fan for years and learned a few new things about the members. Thanks.

[@rnrtruestories]

@@JB-cx4bn much appreciated!

[@richardvandervoort]

Last chance dance was the first song I ever heard from them and i've followed the Donna's until they stopped playing. Did see them live in Amsterdam they were loud and fast, very good.

[@jedisparky]

I loved the Donna's! I'm glad I got to see them live. Miss the hell out of them

[@DrewMudal]

These girls really worked hard and are still beloved to this day. Every album they put out was a progression in their career. Would love to see a reunion some day.

[@JulioSerrano2015]

Really cool research, as always! I knew of them for their *amazing* Strutter (Kiss) cover... so cool! Love these chicks since, they rock hard and deserve better recognition, they were the Runaways of the 2000's!

[@charleskeracher5872]

The Donnas should have been huge!

[@mikeTHEmanatee]

The music world is both a beautiful yet evil, unapologetic and brutal industry. Their songs bring out all the good in music. They couldn't last because of their purity. Which is a beautiful thing. They came, they sought, they concurred what they set out to do. And the feeling they left us all with was for more. Cheers to Rock n Roll

[@X9523-z3v]

The biggest enemy of music is the music industry

[@theoryparker]

I saw them play in Portland in 2006 I think it was. It was legit one of the best shows I'd ever seen. They were so electric and having so much fun it was infectious. It was sad when they broke up seeing how they got better with every album.

[@archieguitarz4700]

I will always love the Donnas!! ❤❤🌹

[@Metalheadreaper87]

Oh Lord this band. I've forgotten about this band. I remember them when I was in high school.

[@hairy_cornflake]

The Donnas was easily my favorite band for years, I really miss them and hope that someday we might get a reunion.

[@nathan1255]

Friend got me into them when Turn 21 came out and then we got to see them in Minneapolis on the Spend the Night tour (I think.. or Turn 21?) The LOUDEST show I still have ever been to. A friend and I started talking about shows we had been to some years later and he independently brought up The Donnas and it being his loudest show. Definitely miss them~ Thanks for this video

[@westernfilet]

I saw them in '02 or '03 and they were awesome live. As I stood in the bar, two ladies said to me "you seem out of place here!" No I wasn't, this is good rock n roll. We ended up friends and will always thank The Donnas for that!

[@nexusplexus23]

Loved them!!

[@RexMaxwell-x8e]

Unfortunately I discovered The Donnas way too late! Thanks for the info on what has become one of my favorite all-time bands!

[@randallreid424]

I love this channel, brother you do such amazing work and I always appreciate the history lesson in music that I get every time I watch you. I have gotten a greater appreciation for music ever since I found your show, thank you and god bless.

[@martybgood62]

I think I saw them on Jay Leno's show mid-2000's. I was blown away by the lead guitarist's playing! Incredibly sexy also! I bought the album soon after.

[@jamescaron6465]

They get some notice on Little Steven's underground garage on Satellite radio and They deserve a good listen. They are one of the few bands that embrace the garage sound and attitude. I like that;

[@philthomson1481]

Interesting video. The Donna's were a great band and perhaps forerunners of many great female artists that are now driving the rock scene forward, top of my list being The Warning. They deserved more as they were breaking the mould and where would rock be now without the current female rock music talent!

[@ziggyphoto]

Have you heard of Band-Maid?

[@FleeceJohnson666]

The Donna's for life!!!!!! LOVE those ladies. Wish them nothing but good fortune no matter what they do. xoxoxoxoxoxoox

[@stephentot5011]

Am glad that I got to see them live and meet all four. They were nothing but cool

[@Relli80]

As soon as I heard the theme song for that 90s show, I was like WAIT IS THAT THE DONNAS!

[@Thomas-rw9nt]

Glad I got to see them a number of times. Great live shows.

[@wadeharten6600]

Saw them in Vancouver in 2006 or 7. They were great! Couldn't take my eyes off Torrie even though I was there to see Alison. Torrie had so much energy! She's was literally jumping off her drum stool. Great live band!

[@HarveysBMXfootage-jr4zs]

I love the Donnas so much. They were so good live. Got to see em' live 3 times! Check out live in Toronto 2008... The Donnas! Real rock!

[@elisap8136]

Love them. ❤️ I still got to see them one last time in '08' at The Troubadour in LA.

[@theragingdolphinsmaniac4696]

That was a real damn good band. Hope they reunite someday

[@IzzyK13]

My parents were really big Donnas fans when I was growing up! It sucks that they weren't more popular, I've found that not a lot of people know about them :(

[@orllyfools14X8]

I had the cover of them on The Wave magazine taped to the wall above my bed growing up. I was so in love with them. Hahahaha

[@fuzzydave]

The Donnas rulz. I miss them but happy to see they seem to be doing well

[@jimmyzbike]

I miss them. I watched them grow from a sub three cord band to a strong tight rock and roll machine. Thanks for catching up with them b

[@seanc2061]

Great band. Good songs. Fun stuff.