Jonathan Donahue
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Daniel Donahue is an American
rock
musician
. He has been an integral member of two of North America's more influential indie
/experimental
bands of the 1990s; The Flaming Lips
and Mercury Rev
.
Donahue helped form Mercury Rev, along with vocalist/guitarist
David Baker, bassist
Dave Fridmann
, guitarist and clarinetist Grasshopper (born Sean Mackowiak), rooster-tail bass flutist Suzanne Thorpe, and drummer Jimy Chambers, in the late 1980s as a source to create soundtracks to the members' personal student films. The members were further encouraged to explore their talents by their mentor, minimalist composer and multimedia artist Tony Conrad
.
Donahue also doubled as a concert promoter in Buffalo
. After billing the Butthole Surfers
and their opening act The Flaming Lips, Donahue joined the Flaming Lips around 1989/1990 as their guitar technician. He later joined the band as the full time lead guitarist and recorded on the albums In a Priest Driven Ambulance
and Hit to Death in the Future Head
, both of which were critically praised.
After being a member of The Flaming Lips for around two years, Donahue and The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne
began to disagree over creative differences. Donahue left the band shortly after recording Hit to Death in the Future Head
and was replaced by Oklahoma City
guitarist Ronald Jones
.
After leaving The Flaming Lips, Donahue returned to Buffalo and focused his time on reforming Mercury Rev. Jonathan Donahue was credited as having played the clarinet line for The Chemical Brothers' 1997 cult hit "The Private Psychedelic Reel", which has been the on and off closing song to their shows ever since. The clarinet part was actually played by former Mercury Rev reed player, Mark Marinoff. Donahue is currently Mercury Rev's lead singer after David Baker left the band.
An avid hockey player, Donahue grew up a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens during the 1970s and 80's.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He has been an integral member of two of North America's more influential indie
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
/experimental
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
bands of the 1990s; The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
and Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were David Baker , Jonathan Donahue , Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a...
.
Donahue helped form Mercury Rev, along with vocalist/guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
David Baker, bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. From 1990 onwards he co-produced all releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips...
, guitarist and clarinetist Grasshopper (born Sean Mackowiak), rooster-tail bass flutist Suzanne Thorpe, and drummer Jimy Chambers, in the late 1980s as a source to create soundtracks to the members' personal student films. The members were further encouraged to explore their talents by their mentor, minimalist composer and multimedia artist Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad is an American avant-garde video artist, experimental filmmaker, musician/composer, sound artist, teacher and writer...
.
Donahue also doubled as a concert promoter in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. After billing the Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
and their opening act The Flaming Lips, Donahue joined the Flaming Lips around 1989/1990 as their guitar technician. He later joined the band as the full time lead guitarist and recorded on the albums In a Priest Driven Ambulance
In a Priest Driven Ambulance
In a Priest Driven Ambulance is the fourth album by The Flaming Lips, released in 1990 . It is a concept album primarily focused on frontman Wayne Coyne's fascination with religion. It is generally considered among critics to be one of the best early period Flaming Lips albums...
and Hit to Death in the Future Head
Hit to Death in the Future Head
-Personnel:* Wayne Coyne - guitar, vocals* Michael Ivins - bass* Jonathan Donahue - guitar* Nathan Roberts - drums...
, both of which were critically praised.
After being a member of The Flaming Lips for around two years, Donahue and The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne
Wayne Coyne
Wayne Michael Coyne is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter for the band The Flaming Lips.-Early life:...
began to disagree over creative differences. Donahue left the band shortly after recording Hit to Death in the Future Head
Hit to Death in the Future Head
-Personnel:* Wayne Coyne - guitar, vocals* Michael Ivins - bass* Jonathan Donahue - guitar* Nathan Roberts - drums...
and was replaced by Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
guitarist Ronald Jones
Ronald Jones (musician)
Ronald Jones is an American musician, who was a guitarist in the Oklahoma rock band The Flaming Lips from 1991 to 1996....
.
After leaving The Flaming Lips, Donahue returned to Buffalo and focused his time on reforming Mercury Rev. Jonathan Donahue was credited as having played the clarinet line for The Chemical Brothers' 1997 cult hit "The Private Psychedelic Reel", which has been the on and off closing song to their shows ever since. The clarinet part was actually played by former Mercury Rev reed player, Mark Marinoff. Donahue is currently Mercury Rev's lead singer after David Baker left the band.
An avid hockey player, Donahue grew up a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens during the 1970s and 80's.