NEWS: The Donnas: Big Riffs on a Smaller Label

MUSIC: The Donnas: Big Riffs on a Smaller Label

For those who just can't resist the sugary allure of The Donnas' brand of bubblegum party rock with sweet, sweet Frehleyesque licks (and always disappointingly flat vocals); today's news is for you. Billboard is reporting that the Los Angeles-based rockers are preparing to release their as-yet-untitled seventh album in September.



The Donnas "parted ways" with major label Atlantic last year and will now be releasing the new album and future releases through their own imprint in a deal with indie distributor Redeye. This new deal appears to be very lucrative for Donna A, C, F & R.

Song-wise, Bassist Maya Ford tells Billboard that fans shouldn't expect the band to break any new ground on the forthcoming LP.

Incidentally, The band's top friend on their Myspace is Cinderella frontman Tom Keifer.



Further evidence of the band's linear move can be heard on the album's Joan Jett/Gary Glitter-biting first single, "Don't Wait Up For Me". Though the song sports snappier pop-metal production (check out that ridiculous canned applause), the band's party mantra and riffs-o-plenty are firmly intact (sample lyrics:"I've got one shot/ and the night is young/so don't wait up for me"). The single went up for sale exclusively at the band's Myspace this past spring.



After the new album's release, the band plan to tour extensively beginning in the fall. L.A. fans, however, will be able to catch The Donnas in live action much sooner when the band plays a one-off June 30th show with L7's Donita Sparks at Hollywood's Safari Sam's.



Further Perusal:

Here's the band performing "Don't Wait Up For Me," live at San Francisco's Noisepop Festival this past March.

Only album worth a damn was the first.

Shit, I agree with that statement.

I love The Donnas. Fuck the nay-sayers.

A-Fucking-Men.

I have one album of theirs, back when they were called The Electrocutes. Decent garage punk stuff.

Also, Donna R. needs to come over to the house. Srsly.

last few albums have been abit meh. but i can hope this new one will be good

Wait, you mean to tell me her name really isn't "Donna"?


ZOMG! What a SELLOUT!!!

You just have this knack for being right, you know?

My bed is singing, it must be my-doona.

Possibly the least original, least creative band to ever sign to a major label.

Turn 21 is still my favorite, though I loved the last few as well. And I want Donna F

yay!!!! The Donnas are now a local North Carolina band!!

I love folks who sniff dismissively about "party-rock" as though that's supposed to be a bad thing. Rock & roll was invented as fun music - thank heavens for The Donnas and all the other great, mostly indie bands who are helping keep that flame alive.

So true. Less is more. 3-chords and a driving beat, that's rock & roll right there. Then again, the people who diss the Donnas are probably the same type of people who diss Nirvana or Green Day. The music isn't "advanced" enough for their precious musical palette. Whatever, they can go wack off to a Yes album or something.

Heh, exactly. That's what Rick Wakeman was doing on the keyboards anyway. I guess that's why there are come stains on his keyboards.

+1

and they're the nicest, coolest people too...the drummer (Donna C., I think) is cuter than all hell

Well, he certainly wasn't worried about pleasing anybody. Except himself.

I like the Donnas and am looking forward to the new cd.

I fucking know, right?


I mean... yow.

Hello.

I'm a woman holding a guitar. Who cares that I have no chops, drool anyway. Feminism rules.

Yes is more of an easy listening pretension. We furiously whack ourselves to Emerson, Lake and Palmer or Brian Eno/David Byrne collaborations.

Uh, If you think Donna R has no chops, you're dead wrong. Girl can play. Very, very well, actually.