Alice Donut
Encyclopedia
Alice Donut is a punk rock
band from New York City
. Formed in 1986, disbanded in 1996, and re-formed in 2001. Between 1989 and 1996 the band toured vigorously in the US, Europe
and Japan
and played over 1000 live performances. Between 1987 and 2011, Alice Donut released ten full-length albums and around 16 EPs, singles, and other releases on Jello Biafra
's Alternative Tentacles
label and various other labels.
2004's Three Sisters, their first release after their hiatus, was recorded as a four-piece with Tom Antona on vocals, Michael Jung on guitar, Stephen Moses on drums and Sissi Schulmeister on bass. Guitarist Dave Giffen rejoined the group for Fuzz, which was recorded in Brooklyn's BC Studio with longtime co-producer Martin Bisi
, mixed and engineered by Joel Hamilton
, and released on September 5, 2006. The band's tenth studio album followed, Ten Glorious Animals, released in September 2009, on Jello Biafra
's Record Label Alternative Tentacles
.
The band's style and lyrics are eclectic. Their music is a mixture of hard rock
, punk
, and post-punk
and typically features melodic, guitar-heavy, odd-metered, and rhythm based pieces and is often punctuated with brass instrumentation. Many of the members are traditionally- or classically-trained musicians, though rarely on the same instruments they play in the band.
Alice Donut's lyrics take on what they view as the perversities, odd details, and petty humiliations of life. Their lyrical subject matter focuses on topics including depravity, domestic violence
, and sexuality
, reflected in songs like "Freaks in Love", "My Life is a Mediocre Piece of Shit" and "The Son Of A Disgruntled X-Postal Worker Reflects On His Life While Getting Stoned In The Parking Lot Of A Winn Dixie Listening To Metallica
".
In 2011 the documentary film FREAKS IN LOVE by filmmakers David Koslowski and Skizz Cyzyk was released, documenting the 25 year career of Alice Donut. The film debuted at the Chicago International Film Festival
on 04/15/2011. From Alice Donut's humble beginnings to just play a gig at CBGBs to signing to Alternative Tentacles to performing at Reading Festival's Main Stage and touring with bands like Blind Melon
, Meat Puppets
and NoMeansNo
. Jello Biafra
, Curt Kirkwood
of Meat Puppets
, producer Martin Bisi
, music industry insiders and the band tell the story of how Alice Donut has been able to 'Freak Freely' by just doing it for themselves for 25 Years and counting.
Since 2001 live performances of Alice Donut are very rare, but the band keeps writing and recording music. The band has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following, mostly in North America
and Europe
.
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...
band from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Formed in 1986, disbanded in 1996, and re-formed in 2001. Between 1989 and 1996 the band toured vigorously in the US, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and played over 1000 live performances. Between 1987 and 2011, Alice Donut released ten full-length albums and around 16 EPs, singles, and other releases on Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
's Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
label and various other labels.
2004's Three Sisters, their first release after their hiatus, was recorded as a four-piece with Tom Antona on vocals, Michael Jung on guitar, Stephen Moses on drums and Sissi Schulmeister on bass. Guitarist Dave Giffen rejoined the group for Fuzz, which was recorded in Brooklyn's BC Studio with longtime co-producer Martin Bisi
Martin bisi
Martin Bisi is an American producer and songwriter.He is known for recording important records by Sonic Youth, Swans, John Zorn, Material, Bill Laswell, Helmet, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, White Zombie, Boredoms, Angels of Light and Herbie Hancock's Grammy-winning song Rockit,In 1979, Martin Bisi...
, mixed and engineered by Joel Hamilton
Joel Hamilton
Joel Hamilton is a producer, engineer, and musician originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Since the late 1990s he has been based out of Brooklyn, NY. He shares a studio with partner Tony Maimone named Studio G. He has worked with a number of well known artists, as well as writing for various...
, and released on September 5, 2006. The band's tenth studio album followed, Ten Glorious Animals, released in September 2009, on Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
's Record Label Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
.
The band's style and lyrics are eclectic. Their music is a mixture of hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, 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...
, and post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
and typically features melodic, guitar-heavy, odd-metered, and rhythm based pieces and is often punctuated with brass instrumentation. Many of the members are traditionally- or classically-trained musicians, though rarely on the same instruments they play in the band.
Alice Donut's lyrics take on what they view as the perversities, odd details, and petty humiliations of life. Their lyrical subject matter focuses on topics including depravity, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, and sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
, reflected in songs like "Freaks in Love", "My Life is a Mediocre Piece of Shit" and "The Son Of A Disgruntled X-Postal Worker Reflects On His Life While Getting Stoned In The Parking Lot Of A Winn Dixie Listening To Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
".
In 2011 the documentary film FREAKS IN LOVE by filmmakers David Koslowski and Skizz Cyzyk was released, documenting the 25 year career of Alice Donut. The film debuted at the Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
on 04/15/2011. From Alice Donut's humble beginnings to just play a gig at CBGBs to signing to Alternative Tentacles to performing at Reading Festival's Main Stage and touring with bands like Blind Melon
Blind Melon
Blind Melon is an American rock band active from 1989 to 1999, and from 2006 onward.Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock...
, Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
and NoMeansNo
Nomeansno
NoMeansNo is a Canadian progressive punk rock music group originally from Victoria, British Columbia and now located in Vancouver.The band has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America and Europe...
. Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
, Curt Kirkwood
Curt Kirkwood
Curtis Matthew Kirkwood is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but currently resides in Austin, Texas....
of Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
, producer Martin Bisi
Martin bisi
Martin Bisi is an American producer and songwriter.He is known for recording important records by Sonic Youth, Swans, John Zorn, Material, Bill Laswell, Helmet, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, White Zombie, Boredoms, Angels of Light and Herbie Hancock's Grammy-winning song Rockit,In 1979, Martin Bisi...
, music industry insiders and the band tell the story of how Alice Donut has been able to 'Freak Freely' by just doing it for themselves for 25 Years and counting.
Since 2001 live performances of Alice Donut are very rare, but the band keeps writing and recording music. The band has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following, mostly in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Discography
- Dork me Bangladesh (demo, 1987)
- Donut Comes AliveDonut Comes AliveDonut Comes Alive is Alice Donut's first studio album, release in 1988. It was produced at Water Music.-Track listing:# "Green Pea Soup"# "World Profit"# "Mason Reese"# "Great Big Big Big Head"# "Diet Cola Syringe"# "New Jersey Exit"# "American Lips"...
(LP, 1988) - Bucketfulls of Sickness and Horror in an Otherwise Meaningless Life (LP, 1989)
- MuleMule (album)Mule is Alice Donut's third studio album, release in 1990. It was produced at Sanctuary Studios, New York.-Track listing:# "Mother Of Christ"# "Mrs Hayes"# "Roaches In The Sink"# "Crawlpappy"# "My Severed Head"# "Bottom Of The Chain"# "Burlesque"...
(LP, 1990) - Demonologist (Single, 1990)
- Get A Life (Single, 1990)
- Revenge fantasies of the impotentRevenge Fantasies of the ImpotentRevenge fantasies of the impotent is Alice Donut's fourth studio album, release in 1991. It was produced at NY Noise, New York.-Track listing:# "Rise To The Skin"# "My Best Friend's Wife"# "Telebloodprintmediadeathwhore"# "What"# "Dead River"# "Sleep"...
(LP, 1991) - The Biggest AssThe Biggest AssThe Biggest Ass is Alice Donut's first EP album, release in 1991. It was produced at Baby Monster, New York.-Personnel:* Tomas Antona - Vocals* Stephen Moses - Drums, Trombone* Michael Jung - Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals* David Giffen - Guitar, Vocals...
(EP, 1991) - Magdalene (Single, 1992)
- The Untidy Suicides of your Degenerate ChildrenThe Untidy Suicides of Your Degenerate ChildrenThe Untidy Suicides of your Degenerate Children is Alice Donut's fifth full length studio album, release in 1992. It was produced at Baby Monster, New York.-Track listing:# "Magdalene"# "Untidy Suicides"# "Loteria *"# "The Tingler"...
(LP, 1992) - Medication (Single, 1993)
- Dry-humping the Cash CowDry-humping the Cash CowDry-humping the Cash Cow is Alice Donut's first live album, release in 1994. It was recorded at CBGB, New York.-Track listing:# "Green Meat Stew"# "Hose"# "The Tingler"# "Dorothy"# "Everybody Is On Sale"# "My Best Friend's Wife"# "Mrs...
(live LP, 1994) - Nadine (Single, 1994)
- Pure Acid ParkPure Acid ParkPure Acid Park is Alice Donut's sixth studio album, release in 1995. It was recorded at BC Studios, Brooklyn, New York.-Track listing:# "Millenium"# "Dreaming In Cuban"# "Freaks In Love"# "Big Cars & Blow Jobs"# "I Walked With A Zombie"...
(LP, 1995) - Three SistersThree Sisters (album)Three Sisters is Alice Donut's seventh studio album, release in 2004. It was recorded at Hizhaus, Brooklyn, New York.-Track listing:# "Kiss Me"# "Mr Pinkus"# "Wired"# "She Tells Me Things"# "Running Arms in the Philippines"# "Cost"# "Problems"...
(LP, 2004) - London, There's a Curious Lump in My Sack (DVD, 2004)
- FuzzFuzz (album)Fuzz is Alice Donut's eighth studio album, release in 2006. It was recorded at BC Studios, Brooklyn, New York.-Track listing:# "Madonna's Bombing Sarajevo# "Little Monkey# "The Unnoticed Fall# "Days Away # "Cropduster...
(LP, 2006) - Ten Glorious Animals (2009)
Members
- Tomas Antona - Vocals
- Stephen Moses - Drums, Trombone
- Michael Jung - Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals
- Sissi Schulmeister - Bass, Banjo, Vocals, Accordion
- David Giffen - Guitar, Vocals
- Richard Marshall - Guitar, Vocals (1990–1995)
- Ted Houghton - Bass, Vocals (1986–1990)
- Tom Meltzer - Guitar, Vocals (1986–1987)