More L7 on NY Rock: - L7: Having a Uterus Doesn't Mean You Don't Have Balls (2000) - L7 Are Sum Tuff Bitches (1997) |
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NYROCK: | You just returned from your European tour. How did it go? | |||
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DONITA: |
It went great. Some of the countries we hadn't been to since '92. We do well in the hot-blooded countries – we like those hot-blooded Mediterraneans – and in the cold, frigid countries as well. In some pockets [of Europe] we're pretty big. We're on television in Spain and France. We're on the radio and on the cover of magazines. In those two particular countries we're quite well known. | |||
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NYROCK: |
You started your own record label. Tell me about the process. | |||
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DONITA: |
We were trying to figure out what to do. We didn't want to go with a major because of the Internet – we're so on the cusp of a revolution and we didn't want to get tied down to a seven-year deal with anyone. Also, the mergers are not very stable for artists at all. We didn't want to get into a shaky situation. We were looking at indies, but we wanted to get the record out in '99 really badly because our fans were demanding it. So we just started our own label. We figured our name was big enough, our fan base was big enough. | |||
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NYROCK: |
It seems great, but is it also a burden? | |||
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DONITA: |
Yeah, it is. But, it's OK. We partnered up with Bongload, a label out of LA, for this record. So they handle a lot of the day-to-day stuff. And our business meetings are a gas! We sit around the conference table and really have a good time. | |||
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NYROCK: |
A song of yours was featured on a "Chicago Hope" episode recently. How does something like that come about? | |||
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DONITA: |
It was a song from our previous album called "I Need" off of The Beauty Process, Triple Platinum. One of the doctors was playing our song in the operating room and her assisting doctor – it drove him over the edge and he jumped off the roof of the hospital. We were just giddy over that. Apparently, the doctor who attempted suicide referred to us as "gurgling transvestites." Suzie and I both sing on that song so we were arguing over who he was referring to. We both wanted to be the gurgling transvestite. | |||
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NYROCK: |
Speaking of notoriety, congratulations on being banned from the Christian Coalition too. | |||
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DONITA: |
Yes, that's a badge of honor. We're shouting it from the mountaintops. I also have to tell you about what happened on this tour. We played Chicago, and after the show, Suzi Gardner was the first woman ever to be plaster-casted by Cynthia Plaster Caster of Chicago [for more on this story click here]. Cynthia's actually got quite the collection of cocks in plaster – of rock stars. And Suzi was the first tit cast for her new tit wing. Both of Suzi's tits have been cast separately. | |||
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NYROCK: |
What's ahead for the band for the summer? | |||
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DONITA: |
We've pretty much been on tour since late last August [1999]. So we're going to finish this tour and then go to Spain for a few festivals and then we're going to start recording our next record. We'll probably have it out in spring of 2001. That's our plan. | |||
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NYROCK: |
I'd like to commend you all on your wit and your whole approach to your career. It's a breath of fresh air in this business. | |||
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DONITA: |
We need to amuse ourselves. I'm glad you appreciate our sense of humor because a lot of journalists are under the impression that we're these really angry, angry people. Our reputation is misconstrued. I used to live with a journalist. He told me a long time ago that usually journalists have the story written before they even talk to you. So it doesn't really matter what you say to them. If that's they're angle, that you're going to be angry women, it doesn't matter what you say. They've got the story written in their head already. I also find that sometimes I'll have this really great conversation with a journalist and then the editor will come along and pull some quotes that are just completely taken out of context. | |||
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NYROCK: |
Who is the band opening for you on this tour? | |||
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DONITA: |
Black Halos have been with us this whole tour and part of our last tour of the US as well. They're from Vancouver and they're on Subpop Records and they're really kick ass! They're a hell of a lot of fun. We love them in the Biblical sense. They're really great to tour with. | |||
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NYROCK: |
Anything you haven't done as a band that you'd like to? | |||
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DONITA: |
We've done it all. We've headlined a number of tours. We've been the support band for a lot of bands. We've done Lollapalooza, the Warped tour, the Redding festival in Europe, and all kinds of festivals over there and in Brazil, Australia. | |||
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NYROCK: |
Do you have a preference between headlining your own tour and doing festivals? | |||
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DONITA: |
There are pros and cons. I like headlining clubs. Unfortunately, you're the first ones in and the last ones out because you've got sound check first and then you play last. Supporting a band can be fun. You may gain a few fans but the crowd is really waiting for the headliners. | |||
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NYROCK: |
Being seasoned pros how do you feel about the music industry? | |||
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DONITA: |
I don't care for the music industry very much. Unfortunately, I find a lot of people who work the business side of music really just want to hang out with artists. Yet, I don't find that they have much loyalty toward artists. I do love hanging out with other bands and other musicians and other songwriters. It's a brutal business. At times, it's very masochistic. | |||
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July 2000 
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