The Donnas
Encyclopedia
The Donnas are an American
all-female
rock band
from Palo Alto, California
. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways
, AC/DC
, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss
. Rolling Stone
has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not catharsis
, fun rather than rage". 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 1993 debut, the band achieved major label commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward.
, vocals), Maya Ford on January 8 (bass guitar
, vocals), and Torry Castellano on January 8 (drums, percussion, vocals). They all became friends by eighth grade and formed as a band in May 1993 to play for their school's "Day on the Green." The only girl band in their town Palo Alto, California
, 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 high school. They called themselves "Ragady Anne" in their early days and shortly thereafter changed their name to "The Electrocutes"
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 entirely written by Raffaelli and released on his own Superteem! record label
. (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 was promoted,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 2001, they signed with Atlantic Records
.
, 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.
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 soundtrack 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 Nintendo 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.
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), 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 a Disney commercial. 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 movie D.E.B.S. (2004 film). A cover version of the Kiss
song "Strutter
" was used in the soundtrack to the 1999 movie Detroit Rock City (film)
. 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
.
Within a year of being dropped by their label, 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 7th 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
.
The Donnas have had a very dedicated fan-base almost from the beginning of their touring career. The band has a fan only community called ‘The Donnaholics’. Every year these fans are sent a special membership package. Membership sometimes includes concert pre-sales, meet & greets and member only message boards. The band has played two ‘Donnaholic’ only concerts, first in 2005 & the second in 2008. These concerts were named ‘Desert Moon’ and were both held at Pappy & Harriets in Pioneertown, California.
In July 2009, the band released a retrospective
collection entitled Greatest Hits Volume 16
to celebrate the bands 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. Long time friend Amy Cesari of the band The Demonics has been chosen to fill in for Torry.
On July 9, 2010, Torry 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 and is currently a student at Stanford University.
As of October 2011, the band is currently recording their ninth album and also premiered a new song called "Tramp" at a recent private show.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
all-female
All-women band
An all-female band is a musical group composed of female musicians exclusively. A distinction is made here with a girl group, in which the members are solely vocalists, though this terminology is not universally followed.-1920s-1940s:In the Jazz Age and during the 1930s, "all-girl" bands such as...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not catharsis
Catharsis
Catharsis or katharsis is a Greek word meaning "cleansing" or "purging". It is derived from the verb καθαίρειν, kathairein, "to purify, purge," and it is related to the adjective καθαρός, katharos, "pure or clean."-Dramatic uses:...
, fun rather than rage". MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
has stated that the band offers "a good old-fashioned rock & roll party". After gathering a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
in the punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene since their 1993 debut, the band achieved major label commercial success in the early 2000s and afterward.
Origin and early years
All band members were born in 1979; Brett Anderson on May 30 (vocals), Allison Robertson on August 26 (guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals), Maya Ford on January 8 (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals), and Torry Castellano on January 8 (drums, percussion, vocals). They all became friends by eighth grade and formed as a band in May 1993 to play for their school's "Day on the Green." The only girl band in their town Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
, 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 high school. They called themselves "Ragady Anne" in their early days and shortly thereafter changed their name to "The Electrocutes"
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
Darin Raffaelli
Darin Raffaelli is a guitarist, formerly of the band Supercharger. In the 1990s he owned the indie record label Super-Teem. He was a producer for The Donnas and songwriter for the band's first album, which was recorded at a Mail Boxes Etc. shop where he worked, and released on his Super-Teem label...
for their first two albums, the first of which, simply called The Donnas, was entirely written by Raffaelli and released on his own Superteem! record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. (It was later released again on Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
.) They took a week off their senior year of high school to tour Japan as The Donnas, and was promoted,organized by Pinky Aoki a.k.a The Phantomgift. Afterwards, they signed with Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
. As the band grew, they were urged to sign with a major label company. In 2001, they signed with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
.
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 LiveTotal Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, 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
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
. In 2004, they released their sixth album Gold Medal. In February 2005, they toured Australia with the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
music festival, playing from Sydney to Perth.
Atlantic repeatedly placed the Donnas' music in video game soundtracks. "You've Got A Crush On Me" can be heard in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game, Splashdown
Splashdown (video game)
Splashdown is a water racing game for Xbox and PlayStation 2. It can be played by one or two players. Splashdown is quite similar to Nintendo's Wave Race series. Players take control of a personal water-craft as they race against each other on various courses...
. "Who Invited You" can be found on soundtrack for True Crime: Streets of LA
True Crime: Streets of LA
True Crime: Streets of LA is an action-adventure video game developed by Luxoflux and published by Activision for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube in November 2003 and the first game in the True Crime series...
and MVP Baseball 2003 as well as Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild
Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild
Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild for the PlayStation 2 is a sequel to the original Splashdown for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The game features a career mode where winning races gives the player points which can be used to upgrade items or buy new items. It also features arcade, training and multiplayer...
. "I Don't Want to Know" is in the Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...
soundtrack also and a cover of the song was also used for Donkey Konga 2 for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. "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
South of Nowhere
South of Nowhere is an American teen drama television series created by Thomas W. Lynch. Aimed primarily at teenagers, it first aired on November 4, 2005 and was one of six original series on The N. The second half of the third and final season aired October 10, 2008 and the final episode aired on...
". 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
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
(released in 2006) and Downhill Domination
Downhill Domination
Downhill Domination is a video game based on a fictional racing event with fictional racers mixed with a few unlockable professional racers. The game was released for the PlayStation 2.-Gameplay:...
(released in 2004). Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
(for the PS3, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
& Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
), 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.
Atlantic also energetically marketed the Donnas through placements in numerous film soundtracks. The band appeared in the movie Drive Me Crazy
Drive Me Crazy
-Tracklisting:# " Crazy " - Britney Spears# "Unforgetful You" - Jars of Clay# "I Want It That Way " - Backstreet Boys# "It's All Been Done" - Barenaked Ladies# "Stranded" - Plumb...
in 1999 (as The Electrocutes), and later on the TV show Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
performing the single "Fall Behind Me" at P3. They also appeared in the 1999 teen comedy Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (film)
Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
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 a Disney commercial. The Donnas can also be heard on Mean Girls
Mean Girls
Mean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Tina Fey and is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can have...
during the end credits playing a cover of the Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
song "Dancing With Myself
Dancing with Myself
"Dancing with Myself" is a song by the band Generation X. The song was first released as a single and a 12" in 1980 and, a few weeks after the single release, was included on the band's last album - 1981's Kiss Me Deadly...
", and they also contributed to the soundtrack of the movie Grind
Grind (2003 film)
Grind is a 2003 American adventureassshole movie comedy film about four young aspiring amateur skaters Eric Rivers , Matt Jensen , Dustin Knight , and Sweet Lou Singer who are trying to make it in the world of pro skateboarding by pulling insane stunts in front of pro skater Jimmy Wilson...
. The video "Too Bad About Your Girl" also features the cast of that film. The song "Take It Off" features in the movie Dodgeball
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, commonly referred to as simply DodgeBall, is a 2004 American sports comedy film produced by 20th Century Fox and Red Hour Productions, written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and starring Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, and Rip Torn...
. The song "Take Me To The Backseat" can be heard in the movie D.E.B.S. (2004 film). A cover version of the Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
song "Strutter
Strutter
"Strutter" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on their eponymous debut album in 1974. The song was released as the third single from their album and failed to chart....
" was used in the soundtrack to the 1999 movie Detroit Rock City (film)
Detroit Rock City (film)
Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
. Then Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is the first entry in the Guitar Hero series. Guitar Hero was released on November 8, 2005 in North America, April 7, 2006 in Europe and June 15, 2006 in...
used "Take It Off" for 2009 Guitar Hero Smash Hits. "Take It Off" was also used in the 2009 hit movie The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
. "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
What a Girl Wants (film)
What a Girl Wants is a 2003 film starring Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston and Oliver James. Directed by Dennie Gordon, the film is a remake of the 1958 film, The Reluctant Debutante which had a screenplay by William Douglas-Home, based on his play of the same name.The title, "What a Girl...
.
2006–present
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."Within a year of being dropped by their label, 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 7th studio album titled Bitchin'
Bitchin'
Bitchin' is the seventh studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2007 on their own label Purple Feather and released through RedEye. It is their first album since leaving Atlantic Records...
on September 18, 2007 Purple Feather Records
Purple Feather Records
Purple Feather Records is an independent record label started by the members of the rock band The Donnas. In or before May 2006, The Donnas and Atlantic Records "parted ways." The band then sought a deal with other record companies but was unable to get one with terms that were to their liking, so...
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
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based, Australian band "Kisschasy
Kisschasy
Kisschasy are an Australian rock band formed in Victoria, Australia, in 2002. Since forming, their line-up has consisted of lead vocalist Darren Cordeux, bassist Joel Vanderuit, guitarist Sean Thomas and drummer Karl Ammitzboll....
" as part of their "Skin and Bones" tour. They also toured the U.S. and Canada with The Hives
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band that first garnered attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the "greatest hits" album Your New Favourite Band, featuring their most well-known song "Hate to Say I Told...
.
The Donnas have had a very dedicated fan-base almost from the beginning of their touring career. The band has a fan only community called ‘The Donnaholics’. Every year these fans are sent a special membership package. Membership sometimes includes concert pre-sales, meet & greets and member only message boards. The band has played two ‘Donnaholic’ only concerts, first in 2005 & the second in 2008. These concerts were named ‘Desert Moon’ and were both held at Pappy & Harriets in Pioneertown, California.
In July 2009, the band released a retrospective
Retrospective
Retrospective generally means to take a look back at events that already have taken place. For example, the term is used in medicine, describing a look back at a patient's medical history or lifestyle.-Music:...
collection entitled Greatest Hits Volume 16
Greatest Hits Volume 16
Greatest Hits, Volume 16 is a 'retrospective' album by American rock band The Donnas. The album was released on July 7, 2009, on the bands own label Purple Feather Records...
to celebrate the bands 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
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
and Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
on the two's joint Call Me Invincible Tour. Drummer Torry Castellano
Torry Castellano
Torrance Heather Castellano is the former drummer of The Donnas, announcing her retirement in July 2010. She is the cousin of actress Laura San Giacomo....
was unable to play on any of these tour dates as she was suffering from tendonitis of the shoulder. Long time friend Amy Cesari of the band The Demonics has been chosen to fill in for Torry.
On July 9, 2010, Torry 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 and is currently a student at Stanford University.
As of October 2011, the band is currently recording their ninth album and also premiered a new song called "Tramp" at a recent private show.
As The Electrocutes
- Steal Yer Lunch Money (released 1998) (Sympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
)
Studio albums
- The DonnasThe Donnas (album)The Donnas is the debut studio album by American rock band The Donnas, released in 1997, re-released in 1998. . The last nine tracks on the re-released version are bonus tracks; they are the nine tracks that were released on three singles prior to the original release of this album.-Track...
– 1997 – Super*Teem! / reissue July 28, 1998 – Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock... - American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll MachineAmerican Teenage Rock 'n' Roll MachineAmerican Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine is the second studio album by American rock band band The Donnas, released in 1998 on Lookout!.-Track listing:all songs by The Donnas#"Rock & Roll Machine" – 2:53#"You Make Me Hot" – 2:20...
– January 27, 1999 – Lookout! Records - Get SkintightGet SkintightGet Skintight is the third studio album by the American rock band band The Donnas, released in 1999 on Lookout!.-Track listing:All songs written by The Donnas except as noted.#"Skintight" – 2:36#"Hyperactive" – 2:15...
– June 8, 1999 – Lookout! Records - The Donnas Turn 21The Donnas Turn 21The Donnas Turn 21 is the fourth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2001 on Lookout!. Their last release on Lookout!, the album marks their transition away from their previous pop punk sound and towards a more hard rock sound.-Track listing:All songs by The Donnas,...
– January 23, 2001 – Lookout! Records - Spend the Night – October 22, 2002 – Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
– US #62, UK #111 - Gold Medal – October 26, 2004 – Atlantic Records – US #76
- Bitchin'Bitchin'Bitchin' is the seventh studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2007 on their own label Purple Feather and released through RedEye. It is their first album since leaving Atlantic Records...
– September 18, 2007 – Purple Feather RecordsPurple Feather RecordsPurple Feather Records is an independent record label started by the members of the rock band The Donnas. In or before May 2006, The Donnas and Atlantic Records "parted ways." The band then sought a deal with other record companies but was unable to get one with terms that were to their liking, so...
– US #89 - Greatest Hits Volume 16Greatest Hits Volume 16Greatest Hits, Volume 16 is a 'retrospective' album by American rock band The Donnas. The album was released on July 7, 2009, on the bands own label Purple Feather Records...
– July 7, 2009 – Purple Feather Records
Singles
- 1995: "High School Yum Yum" 7" b/w "A Boy Like You" and "Let's Rab" (Radio X Records #9)
- 1996: "Let's Go Mano" 7" b/w "Last Chance Dance" and "I Wanna be a Unabomber" (Radio X Records #10)
- 1996: "Da Doo Ron Ron" 7" bw/ "I Don't Wanna go to School" and "I Don't Wanna Rock'n'roll Tonight" (Super*Teem Records #2)
- 1998: "Wig-Wam Bam" THE DONNAS b/w "Funny Funny" Groovie Ghoulies (split with The Groovie Ghoulies)
- 1998: "Rock 'n' Roll Machine"/"Speeding Back to My Baby"
- 1999: "Strutter" THE DONNAS b/w "Detroit Rock City" Kiss clear vinyl 7" (Lookout Records)
- 1999: "Get you Alone" (7") (split with The Toilet Boys)
- 2002: "40 Boys in 40 Nights"/"Wig Wam Bam"/"School's Out"
- 2003: "Take It Off"/"Hyperactive"/"Rock & Roll Machine" #17 US Modern RockModern Rock TracksAlternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
, #38 UK - 2003: "Who Invited You"/"Mama's Boy"/"Backstage" #61 UK
- 2003: "Too Bad About Your Girl"
- 2004: "Fall Behind Me" #29 US Modern Rock, #55 UK
- 2005: "I Don't Want to Know (If You Don't Want Me)"/"Done with you" #55 UK
- 2007: "Don't Wait Up for Me" digital download only
- 2009: "Get Off" made available for free through various websites, blogs, etc.
Songs on soundtracks and compilations
- "Speeding Back to My Baby" – Gearhead Compilation (1998)
- "Strutter" – Detroit Rock CityDetroit Rock City (film)Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
soundtrack (1999) - "Keep On Loving You" – Drive Me CrazyDrive Me Crazy-Tracklisting:# " Crazy " - Britney Spears# "Unforgetful You" - Jars of Clay# "I Want It That Way " - Backstreet Boys# "It's All Been Done" - Barenaked Ladies# "Stranded" - Plumb...
soundtrack (1999) - "Rock n' Roll Machine" – JawbreakerJawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
soundtrack (1999) - "Checkin' It Out" – JawbreakerJawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
soundtrack (1999) - "Wig-Wam Bam" – Runnin' on Fumes! / The Gearhead Magazine Singles Compilation (2000)
- "Backstage" – Freaky FridayFreaky Friday (2003 film)Freaky Friday is a 2003 film based on the novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers. It stars Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother. In the film their bodies are switched due to an enchanted Chinese fortune cookie...
soundtrack (2003) - "Too Bad About Your Girl" - GrindGrind (2003 film)Grind is a 2003 American adventureassshole movie comedy film about four young aspiring amateur skaters Eric Rivers , Matt Jensen , Dustin Knight , and Sweet Lou Singer who are trying to make it in the world of pro skateboarding by pulling insane stunts in front of pro skater Jimmy Wilson...
soundtrack (2003) - "Take It Off" - Dodgeball (film) soundtrack (2004)
- "Take Me to the Backseat" - D.E.B.S. (2004 film) soundtrack (2004)
- "Dancing With Myself" – Mean GirlsMean GirlsMean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Tina Fey and is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can have...
OST (2004) & I Love You, Man (2009) - "Please Don't Tease" – New York MinuteNew York Minute (film)New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy. It was directed by Dennie Gordon and released on May 7, 2004. In the film Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins with opposing personalities who have a series of misadventures around New York City...
soundtrack (2004) - "Everyone Is Wrong" – ElektraElektra (2005 film)Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...
soundtrack (2005) - "Roll On Down the Highway" – Herbie: Fully LoadedHerbie: Fully LoadedHerbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as...
soundtrack (2005) - "Drive My Car" – This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber SoulThis Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber SoulThis Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul is an indie tribute album by a variety of artists that commemorates, as the title suggests, the fortieth anniversary of the release of The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was released on October 25, 2005 by Razor & Tie...
(2005) - "I Don't Want To Know (If You Don't Want Me)" – The N Soundtrack (2006)
- "California Sun" -(Brett Anderson solo), "Brats On The Beat:Ramones For Kids" (2006)
- "Kids In America" – Nancy Drew soundtrack (2007)
- "Christmas Wrapping" - Shrek The HallsShrek the HallsShrek the Halls is a television special that premiered on the American television network ABC on Wednesday, November 28, 2007. The thirty minute Christmas special included the following: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas reprising their roles from the feature films. The...
soundtrack (2007) - "Round and Round" - (w/Stephen Pearcy of RATT), Stephen Pearcy's "Under My Skin" (2008)
- "Take It Off" - The Hangover (2009 film) soundtrack (2009)
- "Queens Of Noise" - Take It Or Leave It - A Tribute To The Queens Of Noise: The Runaways (2011)
- "It's Too Bad About Your Girl" - GrindGrindThe grind of a blade refers to the shape of the cross-section of the blade. It is distinct from the type of blade , though different tools and blades may have lent their name to a particular grind.Grinding involves removing significant portions of metal from the blade and is thus distinct from...
soundtrack (2004)
Film and television appearances
- Jawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
(TriStar PicturesTriStar PicturesTriStar Pictures, Inc. is an American film production/distribution studio and subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, itself a subdivision of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, which is owned by Sony Pictures...
, 1999) - Drive Me Crazy 1999Drive Me Crazy-Tracklisting:# " Crazy " - Britney Spears# "Unforgetful You" - Jars of Clay# "I Want It That Way " - Backstreet Boys# "It's All Been Done" - Barenaked Ladies# "Stranded" - Plumb...
- Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, 2003)(Ray Liota was the host.) - Bud Light commercial (2003)
- I Love the 90's (VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, 2004) - CharmedCharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
(2004) - MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
(2005) - I Love the '70s: Volume 2I Love the '70s: Volume 2I Love the '70s: Volume 2 is a television mini-series in the I Love the... series presented by VH1. The sequel to I Love the '70s, it premiered on VH1 July 10, 2006 until July 14, 2006, airing at 8pm and 9pm ET each night.- Recurring segments :...
(VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, 2006) - I Love the New MillenniumI Love the New MillenniumI Love the New Millennium, the latest entry into the I Love the... series, is a nostalgia show focusing on the 2000's and premiered on VH1 Monday, June 23, 2008. Each night, from Monday to Thursday, two of the eight episodes premiered, corresponding to the years from 2000 to 2007...
(VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, 2008) - Beautiful NoiseBeautiful Noise (TV series)Beautiful Noise is an HD television music profile and performance series produced in Canada by Original Spin Media. The series premiered on Rave HD in the United States in the summer of 2006. The programs debuted in Canada on Sun TV in January 2008 and CBC Bold in March of 2009. The series is...
(2008) - WCG Ultimate GamerWCG Ultimate GamerWCG Ultimate Gamer is a reality television program that airs on Syfy. It is sponsored by Samsung and WCG. The show is hosted by Hannah Simone and co-hosted by Joel Gourdin. The first season began airing on March 10th. A second season was confirmed at CES on January 7th 2010, and began airing on...
(2009) - VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Undatable (2010)
Music videos
- 1998: "Get Rid Of That Girl"
- 1999: "Skintight" & "Strutter"
- 2001: "40 Boys in 40 Nights" & "Do You Wanna Hit It?" (animated)
- 2002: "Take It Off" & "Who Invited You"
- 2003: "Too Bad About Your Girl"
- 2004: "Fall Behind Me"
- 2005: "I Don't Want To Know(If You Don't Want Me)"
- 2007: "Don't Wait Up For Me"
- 2009: "Get Off" (career spanning footage)