We landed an interview with singer Brett Anderson, who, along with drummer Torry Castellano, bassist Maya Ford and guitarist Allison Robertson, are collectively known as The Donnas—the Bay-area rock phenoms—before they hit the road for a five-city tour this month. Here’s what Brett had to say about the band’s musical inspirations, the importance of working—and being earnest—with friends, and staying on “diva alert,” among other things.
What drove you to pursue a career in music? Weren't you all still in high school?
Actually, we were in middle school, and it didn't really feel like a choice; there wasn't much to do besides hanging out with friends and killing time.
Since we all loved music we started playing together, at first because that's all we talked about, and then slowly, little by little, it grew into a full-time thing.
Who were your musical role models?
My biggest idol at first was Bon Scott—I loved his voice and his spirit—but there were so many others. When we started playing, L7, Shonen Knife, Sonic Youth and Faith No More were inspiring to us. Then, later on, we got into bands like Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Guns N Roses — bands that reminded us of what we thought was really exciting musically when we were younger.
Since then we’ve added Blur, Pulp, Tom Petty, ABBA, Supergrass, The Rolling Stones, PJ Harvey, Blondie, and a lot of other musical stuff that doesn't seem like it should go together but actually does in the end.
Like most everyone else, you started out playing covers. When did you make the transition to original material? How did you find that "voice"?
We played four covers at our first show, which was at lunch in the amphitheater at our middle school. Our next show was a Battle of the Bands about six months later, and we wrote all our own songs for that.
Our original sound was all a product of wanting to be really tight—meaning we played as fast and as loud as we could. After a while we slowed down, and started paying more attention to songwriting and dynamics.
The same goes for me personally. I went from pretty much constant screaming to something more melodic, but I'm still playing with the balance.
You're four women who are obviously very successful at working collaboratively. In an industry filled with divas, how do you keep yourselves from avoiding the problems egos can cause?
We’re friends first and foremost. We keep the band’s priorities in mind, and forget about whatever individual priorities we might have.
We can identify a long list of "rock chicks" that have paved the way for other female musicians. For instance, Patti Smith and Bonnie Raitt have both participated in the recent Rockrgrl Music Conference. What advice do you have for rocker girls trying to break into the business?
We’ve performed at and endorsed a few rock camps, and we always say that the most important thing is to start out by playing with your friends.
Your 2004 release, "Gold Medal," has been called "pure rock 'n' roll brilliance."
That's awesome!
Can we expect a new CD soon?
We're in the middle of writing a new batch of songs that are going to blow your minds—I promise!
Do you remember your first microphone?
My first microphone was a $9.99 masterpiece from Radio Shack. The worst part was that it only had, like, a 3-foot cord.
What are you using now?
I've had good luck with Betas, but I like singing into SM57s and SM58s, both on stage and in the studio for a more energetic and live sound. I'm also looking forward to trying out the wireless: freedom!
Thank you, Brett. You and your band mates are an inspiration. To find out more about The Donnas, visit their site at www.thedonnas.com.
Also in this issue:
Women Who Rock!
Breaking the Sound Barrier: Michelle Sobalchick
Prima Donnas? Forget About It!
Go Ask: Alice Peacock
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