So the disc goes on, the bass thumps, the drums kick in, and then a heavy Les Paul/Marshall crunch cuts across, followed by monotone vocals. Then it's...

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So the disc goes on, the bass thumps, the drums kick in, and then a heavy Les Paul/Marshall crunch cuts across, followed by monotone vocals. Then it's into the chorus, with Donna A sneering, "Are you going to move it for me?" It hooks you, and strangely enough, is reminiscent of Sweet's "Fox on the Run," which came out, oh, six or seven years before the Donnas each turned one. And that's the strange attraction to their music, where you'll hear influences, or at least shades of AC/DC, the Ramones, Kiss, and heck, even Bachman-Turner Overdrive, among others. Coincidence? Perhaps, but odds are the girls know how to play, know how to write hooks, and can rock hard as well. On Turn 21, the Donnas seem more confident with their songwriting abilities, injecting humor and attitude while they rock merrily along. In "40 Boys in 40 Nights," Donna A throws a spin on the male rock idol hedonistic ideal, gleefully singing, "Makin' out all night in Hollywood/ You know I'd do 'em all if I could/ My honey in Stuttgart doesn't care/ That I collect their underwear/ I got boys all over the road/ I got boys helpin' me unload." Take that, guys.
As for their names, they've taken a page from the Ramones book, and are all called Donna with the following initial for their last name -- Donna A. (Brett Anderson, vocals), Donna F. (Maya Ford, bass), Donna R. (Allison Robertson, guitar) and Donna C. (Torry Castellano, drums).

Their sense of humor is evident, as is one of their influences, with the cover of Judas Priest's "Livin' After Midnight." And sure, Donna A sounds a bit like a young Joan Jett, a comparison that's inevitable, and one she's probably grown to hate. But if you think about it, there aren't too many girl bands out there that rock. Well, there are more now, but if you're looking for a comparison and look back in time, there are even less groups to measure against. I suppose a greater question is how did the girls find Sweet to be an influence? Never mind. The girls know how to rock, and in the end, that's all that matters.

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