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'''The Donnas''' were an American [[rock band]] formed in Palo Alto, California in 1993.<ref name="stone"/> The band consisted of [[Brett Anderson (American musician)|Brett Anderson]] (lead vocals), [[Allison Robertson]] (guitar, backing vocals), [[Maya Ford]] (bass guitar, backing vocals) and [[Torry Castellano]] (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Amy Cesari replaced Castellano, who left the band in 2009 due to tendonitis. They drew inspiration from the [[Ramones]], [[The Runaways]], [[Girlschool]], [[AC/DC]], [[Bachman–Turner Overdrive]] and [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]].<ref name="stone"/><ref name="MTV"/> ''Rolling Stone'' has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not catharsis, fun rather than rage".<ref name="stone">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thedonnas/biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030032253/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thedonnas/biography|url-status=dead|title=The Donnas: Biography : Rolling Stone|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=October 30, 2007|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> MTV has stated that the band offers "a good old-fashioned [[rock & roll]] party".
'''The Donnas''' were an American [[rock band]] formed in [[Palo Alto, California]], in 1993.<ref name="stone"/> The band consisted of [[Brett Anderson (American musician)|Brett Anderson]] (lead vocals), [[Allison Robertson]] (guitar, backing vocals), [[Maya Ford]] (bass guitar, backing vocals) and [[Torry Castellano]] (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Amy Cesari replaced Castellano, who left the band in 2009 due to tendonitis. They drew inspiration from the [[Ramones]], [[The Runaways]], [[Girlschool]], [[AC/DC]], [[Bachman–Turner Overdrive]] and [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]].<ref name="stone"/><ref name="MTV"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on [[adolescent]] alienation; they traffic in kicks, not [[catharsis]], fun rather than rage".<ref name="stone">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thedonnas/biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030032253/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thedonnas/biography|url-status=dead|title=The Donnas: Biography : Rolling Stone|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=October 30, 2007|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> [[MTV]] has stated that the band offers "a good old-fashioned [[rock & roll]] party".


After gathering a [[cult following]] in the [[punk rock|punk]] scene since their 1997 debut, the band achieved commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward as their music mixed punk, metal and classic rock sounds.<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/donnas/artist.jhtml#bio |title=The Donnas &#124; Music Artist &#124; Videos, News, Photos & Ringtones |publisher=MTV |access-date=May 3, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425025837/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/donnas/artist.jhtml|archive-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref>
After gathering a [[cult following]] in the [[punk rock|punk]] scene since their 1997 debut, the band achieved [[major label]] commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward as their music mixed punk, metal and classic rock sounds.<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/donnas/artist.jhtml#bio |title=The Donnas &#124; Music Artist &#124; Videos, News, Photos & Ringtones |publisher=MTV |access-date=May 3, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425025837/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/donnas/artist.jhtml|archive-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
===Origins and early years: 1993&ndash;2001===
===Origins and early years: 1993&ndash;2001===
All four founding band members were born in 1979; [[Brett Anderson (American musician)|Brett Anderson]] (vocals) on May 30; [[Allison Robertson]] (guitar and vocals) on August 26; and [[Maya Ford]] ([[bass guitar]] and vocals) and [[Torry Castellano]] (drums, percussion, vocals), both on January 8. They all became friends by eighth grade and formed as a band in May 1993<ref name="allmusic.com">{{cite web|last=Huey |first=Steve |url={{Allmusic|class=artist |id=p279006 |pure_url=yes}} |title=The Donnas |publisher=AllMusic |date=February 12, 2004 |access-date=October 9, 2011}}</ref> to play for their school's "Day on the Green." One of two [[all-female band]]s in Palo Alto, California,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Girls-Aloud-Who-says-having-a-garage-band-is-a-3021396.php | title=Girls Aloud / Who says having a garage band is a boy thing? These girls rock and roll | publisher=San Francisco Chronicle | access-date=August 16, 2012 | first=Julene | last=Snyder | date=October 29, 1995}}</ref> they were relatively unknown until they were out of high school. They are all self-taught musicians and practiced in Castellano's garage during their years at [[Palo Alto High School]]. They called themselvesRagady Anne in their early days and shortly thereafter changed their name to The Electrocutes.<ref name="allmusic.com"/>
All four founding band members were born in 1979; [[Brett Anderson (American musician)|Brett Anderson]] ([[lead vocals|vocals]]) on May 30; [[Allison Robertson]] ([[guitar]] and [[backing vocals|vocals]]) on August 26; and [[Maya Ford]] ([[bass guitar]] and [[backing vocals|vocals]]) and [[Torry Castellano]] ([[drumkit|drums]], [[percussion]], [[backing vocals|vocals]]), both on January 8. They all became friends by eighth grade and formed as a band in May 1993<ref name="allmusic.com">{{cite web|last=Huey |first=Steve |url={{Allmusic|class=artist |id=p279006 |pure_url=yes}} |title=The Donnas |publisher=AllMusic |date=February 12, 2004 |access-date=October 9, 2011}}</ref> to play for their school's "Day on the Green." One of two [[all-female band]]s in their town [[Palo Alto, California]],<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Girls-Aloud-Who-says-having-a-garage-band-is-a-3021396.php | title=Girls Aloud / Who says having a garage band is a boy thing? These girls rock and roll | publisher=San Francisco Chronicle | access-date=August 16, 2012 | first=Julene | last=Snyder | date=October 29, 1995}}</ref> they were relatively unknown until they were out of high school. They are all self-taught musicians and practiced in Castellano's garage nearly every day during their years at [[Palo Alto High School]]. They called themselves "Ragady Anne" in their early days and shortly thereafter changed their name to "The Electrocutes".<ref name="allmusic.com"/>


Toward the end of high school, while they were still known as The Electrocutes, they created another band (with the same members) that would play softer tunes without distorting the metal queen image of The Electrocutes. To help their fans distinguish between the two bands, they all took matching "Donna" monikers, where all of their names were Donna and their last names were the first initial of their last name (Brett Anderson became Donna A, etc.), which they used only when performing as The Donnas.
Towards the end of their high school days, while they were still known as The Electrocutes, they decided to create another band (with the same members) that would play softer tunes without distorting the metal queen image of The Electrocutes. To help their fans distinguish between the two bands, they all took matching "Donna" monikers, where all of their names were Donna and their last names were the first initial of their last name (Brett Anderson became Donna A, etc.), which they used only when performing as "The Donnas."


They worked with producer [[Darin Raffaelli]] for their first two albums, the first of which, titled ''The Donnas'', was released on Raffaelli's Super*teem!<ref name=45cat>{{cite web|title=Record Details / Artist: The Bobbyteens / Label: Super*Teem! |url=http://www.45cat.com/record/sup4503&ei=1 |access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref> record label.<ref name="MTV" /> (It was later released again on [[Lookout! Records]].) They took a week off their senior year of high school to tour Japan as The Donnas, and were promoted and organized by [[:jp:ピンキー青木|Pinky Aoki]] A.K.A. The Phantomgift. In December 2001, they signed with [[Atlantic Records]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/music-donnas-dc-idUSN2235309820070623|title=Rock band the Donnas take control after stumble|date=June 23, 2007|access-date=September 12, 2020|website=Reuters.com}}</ref>
They worked with producer [[Darin Raffaelli]] for their first two albums, the first of which, simply called ''The Donnas'', was released on Raffaelli's Super*teem!<ref name=45cat>{{cite web|title=Record Details / Artist: The Bobbyteens / Label: Super*Teem! |url=http://www.45cat.com/record/sup4503&ei=1 |access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref> [[record label]].<ref name="MTV" /> (It was later released again on [[Lookout! Records]].) They took a week off their senior year of high school to tour Japan as The Donnas, and were promoted and organized by [[:jp:ピンキー青木|Pinky Aoki]] A.K.A. The Phantomgift. Afterwards, they signed with [[Lookout! Records]]. As the band grew, they were urged to sign with a major label company. In December 2001, they signed with [[Atlantic Records]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/music-donnas-dc-idUSN2235309820070623|title=Rock band the Donnas take control after stumble|date=June 23, 2007|access-date=September 12, 2020|website=Reuters.com}}</ref>


===Atlantic Records: 2002&ndash;2005===
===Atlantic Records: 2002&ndash;2005===
In 2002, The Donnas released ''[[Spend the Night (The Donnas album)|Spend the Night]]'' as their Atlantic debut. The album represented their first attempt at mainstream success. With their single "Take it Off" they were booked for appearances on ''[[Total Request Live]]'', ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', and the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''. In the summer of 2003, they played the main stage at [[Lollapalooza]]. In 2004, they released their sixth album ''[[Gold Medal (album)|Gold Medal]]''. In February 2005, they toured Australia with the [[Big Day Out]] music festival, playing from Sydney to Perth. While in Australia, they performed "Take It Off" live on show ''[[Rove (TV series)|Rove Live]]''.
In 2002, The Donnas released ''[[Spend the Night (The Donnas album)|Spend the Night]]'' as their Atlantic debut. The album represented their first attempt at mainstream success. With their single "Take it Off" they were booked for appearances on ''[[Total Request Live]]'', ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', and the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''. In the summer of 2003, they played the main stage at [[Lollapalooza]]. In 2004, they released their sixth album ''[[Gold Medal (album)|Gold Medal]]''. In February 2005, they toured Australia with the [[Big Day Out]] music festival, playing from Sydney to Perth. While in Australia they performed "Take It Off" live on national [[Prime time|prime-time]] show "[[Rove (TV series)|Rove Live]]" with [[Rove McManus]].


Atlantic repeatedly placed the Donnas' music in video game soundtracks. "You've Got a Crush on Me" can be heard in the [[PlayStation 2]] game ''[[Splashdown (video game)|Splashdown]]''. "Who Invited You" can be found on the soundtracks for ''[[True Crime: Streets of LA]]'' and ''[[MVP Baseball 2003]]'' as well as [[Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild]]. "I Don't Want to Know" is in the ''[[Gran Turismo 4]]'' soundtrack, and a cover of the song was used for ''[[Donkey Konga 2]]'' for the [[GameCube]]. "I Don't Want to Know" was used as the theme song for the first season of series "[[South of Nowhere]]". A cover of "Take it Off" is featured in ''[[Guitar Hero (2005 video game)|Guitar Hero]]'' and added as a downloadable track in ''[[Guitar Hero 2]]'' on the [[Xbox 360]] (released in 2006) and ''[[Downhill Domination]]'' (released in 2004). ''[[Rock Band 2]]'' (for the [[PS3]], [[Xbox 360]] & [[Wii]]), released by [[Harmonix]] in 2008, features the track "New Kid In School", released on Apples iTunes service. "Fall Behind Me" was used in a national television commercial advertising the Nissan Xterra, and "Take It Off" was used in a Budweiser commercial.
Atlantic repeatedly placed the Donnas' music in video game soundtracks. "You've Got a Crush On Me" can be heard in the [[PlayStation 2]] game ''[[Splashdown (video game)|Splashdown]]''. "Who Invited You" can be found on the soundtracks for ''[[True Crime: Streets of LA]]'' and ''[[MVP Baseball 2003]]'' as well as [[Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild]]. "I Don't Want to Know" is in the ''[[Gran Turismo 4]]'' soundtrack also and a cover of the song was also used for ''[[Donkey Konga 2]]'' for the [[GameCube]]. "I Don't Want to Know" was also used as the theme song for the first season of The-N's hit series, "[[South of Nowhere]]". A cover of "Take it Off" is featured in ''[[Guitar Hero (2005 video game)|Guitar Hero]]'' and added as a downloadable track in ''[[Guitar Hero 2]]'' on the [[Xbox 360]] (released in 2006) and ''[[Downhill Domination]]'' (released in 2004). ''[[Rock Band 2]]'' (for the [[PS3]], [[Xbox 360]] & [[Wii]]), released by [[Harmonix]] in 2008, features the track "New Kid In School" which was released exclusively on Apples iTunes service. "Fall Behind Me" was also used in a national television commercial advertising the Nissan Xterra while Take It Off was used in a Budweiser commercial.


Atlantic marketed the Donnas through placements in numerous film soundtracks. The band appeared in the movie ''[[Drive Me Crazy]]'' in 1999 (as The Electrocutes),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Girls to the Stage: 7 All-Female Punk Bands From the Bay Area|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/11057775/girls-to-the-stage-7-all-female-punk-bands-from-the-bay-area|access-date=August 17, 2020|website=KQED|language=en-us|quote=with band members even appearing in the 1999 teen comedy Drive Me Crazy as their alter egos, the Electrocutes.}}</ref> and later on the TV show ''[[Charmed]]'' performing the single "[[Fall Behind Me]]" at [[Charmed#P3 Club|P3]]. They also appeared in the 1999 teen comedy ''[[Jawbreaker (film)|Jawbreaker]]'' as the prom band, contributing two songs to the soundtrack ("Rock 'N' Roll Machine" and "Checkin' It Out"). A cover of "Roll on Down the Highway" was used in ''[[Herbie: Fully Loaded]]'' and Backstage was used in ''Freaky Friday''. The Donnas can be heard on ''[[Mean Girls]]'' during the end credits playing a cover of the [[Billy Idol]] song "[[Dancing With Myself]]", and they contributed to the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Grind (2003 film)|Grind]]''. The video "Too Bad About Your Girl" also features the cast of that film. The song "Take It Off" is featuref in the movie ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story|Dodgeball]]''. The song "Take Me to the Backseat" can be heard in ''[[D.E.B.S. (2004 film)|D.E.B.S.]]''. A cover version of the [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] song "[[Strutter]]" was used in the soundtrack to the 1999 movie ''[[Detroit Rock City (film)|Detroit Rock City]]''. "Please Don't Tease" was used in "New York Minute" and "Everyone Is Wrong " was featured in the movie "Elektra", and then [[Guitar Hero]] used "Take It Off" for 2009 [[Guitar Hero Smash Hits]]. "Take It Off" was used in movie ''[[The Hangover (film)|The Hangover]]''. "Play My Game" was featured in a Season 1 episode of ''[[What's New, Scooby Doo?]]''. "Who Invited You" is featured on the soundtrack of ''[[What a Girl Wants (film)|What a Girl Wants]]''.
Atlantic also energetically marketed the Donnas through placements in numerous film soundtracks. The band appeared in the movie ''[[Drive Me Crazy]]'' in 1999 (as The Electrocutes),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Girls to the Stage: 7 All-Female Punk Bands From the Bay Area|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/11057775/girls-to-the-stage-7-all-female-punk-bands-from-the-bay-area|access-date=August 17, 2020|website=KQED|language=en-us|quote=with band members even appearing in the 1999 teen comedy Drive Me Crazy as their alter egos, the Electrocutes.}}</ref> and later on the TV show ''[[Charmed]]'' performing the single "[[Fall Behind Me]]" at [[Charmed#P3 Club|P3]]. They also appeared in the 1999 teen comedy ''[[Jawbreaker (film)|Jawbreaker]]'' as the prom band, contributing two songs to the soundtrack ("Rock 'N' Roll Machine" and "Checkin' It Out"). A cover of "Roll On Down The Highway" was used in the [[Disney]] comedy film ''[[Herbie: Fully Loaded]]'' and Backstage was used in "Freaky Friday". The Donnas can also be heard on ''[[Mean Girls]]'' during the end credits playing a cover of the [[Billy Idol]] song "[[Dancing With Myself]]", and they also contributed to the soundtrack of the movie ''[[Grind (2003 film)|Grind]]''. The video "Too Bad About Your Girl" also features the cast of that film. The song "Take It Off" features in the movie ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story|Dodgeball]]''. The song "Take Me To The Backseat" can be heard in the action comedy film 2004 ''[[D.E.B.S. (2004 film)|D.E.B.S.]]''. A cover version of the [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] song "[[Strutter]]" was used in the soundtrack to the 1999 movie ''[[Detroit Rock City (film)|Detroit Rock City]]''. "Please Don't Tease" was used in "New York Minute" and "Everyone Is Wrong " was featured in the movie "Elektra". Then [[Guitar Hero]] used "Take It Off" for 2009 [[Guitar Hero Smash Hits]]. "Take It Off" was also used in the 2009 hit movie ''[[The Hangover (film)|The Hangover]]''. "Play My Game" was featured in a Season 1 episode of ''[[What's New, Scooby Doo?]]''. "Who Invited You" is featured on the soundtrack of the 2003 movie ''[[What a Girl Wants (film)|What a Girl Wants]]''.


===New label, lineup change and dissolution: 2006&ndash;2012===
===New label, lineup change and dissolution: 2006&ndash;2012===


[[File:The Donnas by angela n 03.jpg|thumb|left|Performing in 2008]]
[[File:The Donnas by angela n 03.jpg|thumb|left|Performing in 2008]]
On May 19, 2006, The Donnas announced on their public message board that they had "parted ways with Atlantic Records," claiming "[t]he decision was entirely mutual and completely amicable and will not impact the band, nor will it impact upon the writing, recording or touring for the next Donnas album."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2006/06/the_donnas_have.html | title=The Donnas have "parted ways" with Atlantic Records | publisher= brooklynvegan | access-date=May 13, 2007 }}</ref> In March 2007, the Donnas released the single "Don't Wait Up for Me".
On May 19, 2006, The Donnas announced on their public message board that they had "parted ways with Atlantic Records," claiming "[t]he decision was entirely mutual and completely amicable and will not impact the band, nor will it impact upon the writing, recording or touring for the next Donnas album."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2006/06/the_donnas_have.html | title=The Donnas have "parted ways" with Atlantic Records | publisher= brooklynvegan | access-date=May 13, 2007 }}</ref>
In March 2007, the Donnas released a single, "Don't Wait Up For Me," and had a new band logo designed.


The Donnas released their seventh studio album titled ''[[Bitchin']]'' on September 18, 2007 [[Purple Feather Records]] label. ''Bitchin''' was produced by Jay Ruston and The Donnas and contained the single "Don't Wait Up For Me".
The Donnas independently released their seventh studio album titled ''[[Bitchin']]'' on September 18, 2007 [[Purple Feather Records]] label. ''Bitchin''' was produced by Jay Ruston and The Donnas and contained the single "Don't Wait Up For Me".


In 2008 The Donnas toured with the Melbourne-based, Australian band [[Kisschasy]] as part of their Skin and Bones tour. They also toured the U.S. and Canada with [[The Hives]].
In 2008 The Donnas toured with the [[Melbourne]]-based, Australian band [[Kisschasy]] as part of their Skin and Bones tour. They also toured the U.S. and Canada with [[The Hives]].


In July 2009, the band released a retrospective collection titled ''[[Greatest Hits Vol. 16]]'' to celebrate the band's 16th year together. The album contains new songs, re-recorded older songs as well as some unreleased material. The band toured that summer with [[Pat Benatar]] and [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] on the two's joint Call Me Invincible Tour. Drummer [[Torry Castellano]] was unable to play on any of these tour dates as she was suffering from tendonitis of the shoulder. Amy Cesari of the band The Demonics substituted for Castellano.
In July 2009, the band released a [[retrospective]] collection entitled ''[[Greatest Hits Vol. 16]]'' to celebrate the band's 16th year together. The album contains new songs, re-recorded older songs as well as some unreleased material. The band toured that summer with [[Pat Benatar]] and [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] on the two's joint Call Me Invincible Tour. Drummer [[Torry Castellano]] was unable to play on any of these tour dates as she was suffering from tendonitis of the shoulder, which was accredited to the fact that as a self-taught drummer she had held the drumsticks incorrectly (even though it felt right to her) and sustained long term damage over time. Long-time friend Amy Cesari of the band The Demonics has been chosen to fill in for Castellano.


On July 9, 2010, Castellano announced via the band's website that due to her continued shoulder problems she would have to retire from drumming and performing with The Donnas. She returned to school at Santa Monica College and then Stanford University, where she graduated in 2013; she later attended Harvard Law School.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/01/16/top-five-stanford-alumni-in-the-music-industry/ | title=Top five Stanford alumni in the music industry | date=January 16, 2015 | publisher=The Stanford Daily | access-date=January 23, 2017 }}</ref>
On July 9, 2010, Castellano announced via the band's website that due to her continued shoulder problems she would have to retire from drumming and performing with The Donnas. She returned to school at [[Santa Monica College]] and then [[Stanford University]], where she graduated in 2013 and went on to [[Harvard Law School]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/01/16/top-five-stanford-alumni-in-the-music-industry/ | title=Top five Stanford alumni in the music industry | date=January 16, 2015 | publisher=The Stanford Daily | access-date=January 23, 2017 }}</ref>


In August 2012, the band was reported to be recording their eighth studio album and premiered a new song titled "Tramp" at a private show.
In August 2012, the band was reported to be recording their eighth studio album and also premiered a new song called "Tramp" at a private show.


In November 2016 [[Cherry Red Records]] re-released ''[[Spend the Night (The Donnas album)|Spend the Night]]'', which included six bonus tracks of B-sides and songs from previous albums.
In November 2016 [[Cherry Red Records]] re-released the band's fifth album, ''[[Spend the Night (The Donnas album)|Spend the Night]]'', to include six bonus tracks which consist of B-sides and songs from previous albums.


In an interview from 2017, Brett Anderson discussed "the end of the band" <ref name="auto"/> and declining offers to "reunite," implicitly confirming the band is no more. In the same interview, she mentions that there are no plans to release previously unreleased studio-recorded songs.
In an interview from 2017, the band's lead vocalist, Brett Anderson, discussed "the end of the band" <ref name="auto"/> and turning down offers to "reunite," implicitly confirming the band is no more. In the same interview, she also mentions that there are no plans to release previously-unreleased studio-recorded songs.


In April 2023, for [[Record Store Day]] the band released a compilation of earlier material titled ''The Donnas - Early Singles 1995-1999''.
In April 2023, for [[Record Store Day]] the band released a compilation of earlier material entitled 'The Donnas - Early Singles 1995-1999'.


==Band members==
==Band members==

Revision as of 14:33, 7 October 2023

The Donnas
The Donnas in 2002
The Donnas in 2002
Background information
Also known as
  • The Electrocutes
  • Ragady Anne
  • Screen
OriginPalo Alto, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active1993 (1993)–2012 (2012)[1]
Labels
Past members

The Donnas were an American rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1993.[3] The band consisted of Brett Anderson (lead vocals), Allison Robertson (guitar, backing vocals), Maya Ford (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Torry Castellano (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Amy Cesari replaced Castellano, who left the band in 2009 due to tendonitis. They drew inspiration from the Ramones, The Runaways, Girlschool, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss.[3][4] Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not catharsis, fun rather than rage".[3] MTV has stated that the band offers "a good old-fashioned rock & roll party".

After gathering a cult following in the punk scene since their 1997 debut, the band achieved major label commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward as their music mixed punk, metal and classic rock sounds.[4]

History

Origins and early years: 1993–2001

All four founding band members were born in 1979; Brett Anderson (vocals) on May 30; Allison Robertson (guitar and vocals) on August 26; and Maya Ford (bass guitar and vocals) and Torry Castellano (drums, percussion, vocals), both on January 8. They all became friends by eighth grade and formed as a band in May 1993[5] to play for their school's "Day on the Green." One of two all-female bands in their town Palo Alto, California,[6] they were relatively unknown until they were out of high school. They are all self-taught musicians and practiced in Castellano's garage nearly every day during their years at Palo Alto High School. They called themselves "Ragady Anne" in their early days and shortly thereafter changed their name to "The Electrocutes".[5]

Towards the end of their high school days, while they were still known as The Electrocutes, they decided to create another band (with the same members) that would play softer tunes without distorting the metal queen image of The Electrocutes. To help their fans distinguish between the two bands, they all took matching "Donna" monikers, where all of their names were Donna and their last names were the first initial of their last name (Brett Anderson became Donna A, etc.), which they used only when performing as "The Donnas."

They worked with producer Darin Raffaelli for their first two albums, the first of which, simply called The Donnas, was released on Raffaelli's Super*teem![2] record label.[4] (It was later released again on Lookout! Records.) They took a week off their senior year of high school to tour Japan as The Donnas, and were promoted and organized by Pinky Aoki A.K.A. The Phantomgift. Afterwards, they signed with Lookout! Records. As the band grew, they were urged to sign with a major label company. In December 2001, they signed with Atlantic Records.[7]

Atlantic Records: 2002–2005

In 2002, The Donnas released Spend the Night as their Atlantic debut. The album represented their first attempt at mainstream success. With their single "Take it Off" they were booked for appearances on Total Request Live, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the Late Show with David Letterman. In the summer of 2003, they played the main stage at Lollapalooza. In 2004, they released their sixth album Gold Medal. In February 2005, they toured Australia with the Big Day Out music festival, playing from Sydney to Perth. While in Australia they performed "Take It Off" live on national prime-time show "Rove Live" with Rove McManus.

Atlantic repeatedly placed the Donnas' music in video game soundtracks. "You've Got a Crush On Me" can be heard in the PlayStation 2 game Splashdown. "Who Invited You" can be found on the soundtracks for True Crime: Streets of LA and MVP Baseball 2003 as well as Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild. "I Don't Want to Know" is in the Gran Turismo 4 soundtrack also and a cover of the song was also used for Donkey Konga 2 for the GameCube. "I Don't Want to Know" was also used as the theme song for the first season of The-N's hit series, "South of Nowhere". A cover of "Take it Off" is featured in Guitar Hero and added as a downloadable track in Guitar Hero 2 on the Xbox 360 (released in 2006) and Downhill Domination (released in 2004). Rock Band 2 (for the PS3, Xbox 360 & Wii), released by Harmonix in 2008, features the track "New Kid In School" which was released exclusively on Apples iTunes service. "Fall Behind Me" was also used in a national television commercial advertising the Nissan Xterra while Take It Off was used in a Budweiser commercial.

Atlantic also energetically marketed the Donnas through placements in numerous film soundtracks. The band appeared in the movie Drive Me Crazy in 1999 (as The Electrocutes),[8] and later on the TV show Charmed performing the single "Fall Behind Me" at P3. They also appeared in the 1999 teen comedy Jawbreaker as the prom band, contributing two songs to the soundtrack ("Rock 'N' Roll Machine" and "Checkin' It Out"). A cover of "Roll On Down The Highway" was used in the Disney comedy film Herbie: Fully Loaded and Backstage was used in "Freaky Friday". The Donnas can also be heard on Mean Girls during the end credits playing a cover of the Billy Idol song "Dancing With Myself", and they also contributed to the soundtrack of the movie Grind. The video "Too Bad About Your Girl" also features the cast of that film. The song "Take It Off" features in the movie Dodgeball. The song "Take Me To The Backseat" can be heard in the action comedy film 2004 D.E.B.S.. A cover version of the Kiss song "Strutter" was used in the soundtrack to the 1999 movie Detroit Rock City. "Please Don't Tease" was used in "New York Minute" and "Everyone Is Wrong " was featured in the movie "Elektra". Then Guitar Hero used "Take It Off" for 2009 Guitar Hero Smash Hits. "Take It Off" was also used in the 2009 hit movie The Hangover. "Play My Game" was featured in a Season 1 episode of What's New, Scooby Doo?. "Who Invited You" is featured on the soundtrack of the 2003 movie What a Girl Wants.

New label, lineup change and dissolution: 2006–2012

Performing in 2008

On May 19, 2006, The Donnas announced on their public message board that they had "parted ways with Atlantic Records," claiming "[t]he decision was entirely mutual and completely amicable and will not impact the band, nor will it impact upon the writing, recording or touring for the next Donnas album."[9] In March 2007, the Donnas released a single, "Don't Wait Up For Me," and had a new band logo designed.

The Donnas independently released their seventh studio album titled Bitchin' on September 18, 2007 Purple Feather Records label. Bitchin' was produced by Jay Ruston and The Donnas and contained the single "Don't Wait Up For Me".

In 2008 The Donnas toured with the Melbourne-based, Australian band Kisschasy as part of their Skin and Bones tour. They also toured the U.S. and Canada with The Hives.

In July 2009, the band released a retrospective collection entitled Greatest Hits Vol. 16 to celebrate the band's 16th year together. The album contains new songs, re-recorded older songs as well as some unreleased material. The band toured that summer with Pat Benatar and Blondie on the two's joint Call Me Invincible Tour. Drummer Torry Castellano was unable to play on any of these tour dates as she was suffering from tendonitis of the shoulder, which was accredited to the fact that as a self-taught drummer she had held the drumsticks incorrectly (even though it felt right to her) and sustained long term damage over time. Long-time friend Amy Cesari of the band The Demonics has been chosen to fill in for Castellano.

On July 9, 2010, Castellano announced via the band's website that due to her continued shoulder problems she would have to retire from drumming and performing with The Donnas. She returned to school at Santa Monica College and then Stanford University, where she graduated in 2013 and went on to Harvard Law School.[10]

In August 2012, the band was reported to be recording their eighth studio album and also premiered a new song called "Tramp" at a private show.

In November 2016 Cherry Red Records re-released the band's fifth album, Spend the Night, to include six bonus tracks which consist of B-sides and songs from previous albums.

In an interview from 2017, the band's lead vocalist, Brett Anderson, discussed "the end of the band" [1] and turning down offers to "reunite," implicitly confirming the band is no more. In the same interview, she also mentions that there are no plans to release previously-unreleased studio-recorded songs.

In April 2023, for Record Store Day the band released a compilation of earlier material entitled 'The Donnas - Early Singles 1995-1999'.

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Main article: The Donnas discography

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Brett Anderson Talks Life Since The Donnas, Scoring Commercials, And Shooting TV Pilots That Never Aired". Stereogum. October 24, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Record Details / Artist: The Bobbyteens / Label: Super*Teem!". Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "The Donnas: Biography : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "The Donnas | Music Artist | Videos, News, Photos & Ringtones". MTV. Archived from the original on April 25, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Huey, Steve (February 12, 2004). "The Donnas". AllMusic. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  6. ^ Snyder, Julene (October 29, 1995). "Girls Aloud / Who says having a garage band is a boy thing? These girls rock and roll". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  7. ^ "Rock band the Donnas take control after stumble". Reuters.com. June 23, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  8. ^ "Girls to the Stage: 7 All-Female Punk Bands From the Bay Area". KQED. Retrieved August 17, 2020. with band members even appearing in the 1999 teen comedy Drive Me Crazy as their alter egos, the Electrocutes.
  9. ^ "The Donnas have "parted ways" with Atlantic Records". brooklynvegan. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
  10. ^ "Top five Stanford alumni in the music industry". The Stanford Daily. January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
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