The Donnas - The Atlantic Years 2002-2005 (2025)

• For fans of The Ramones and Runaways.

• Their two Atlantic albums, plus singles, B-sides, acoustic versions, live takes and more.

“THE DONNAS’ ALBUM ‘SPEND THE NIGHT’ IS SO MUCH FUN YOU’LL WANT TO STAY FOR BREAKFAST!!!”

So said the publicity at the time of its release, this despite these four girls being, “Every mother’s nightmare, every school boy’s dream,” according to Spin magazine. Spin also reckoned they were, “The coolest band in America,” whereas Kerrang! recognised their, “Grimy, glorious rock ‘n’ roll… dripping star power and packing irresistible pop-rock.”

Taking inspiration from the punky pop rock of the Ramones and The Runaways, mixed with the classic rock of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and KISS, they signed to Atlantic in 2002, who proclaimed they were, "Inspired by AC/DC, the Sex Pistols and Madonna, Donna A’s lipstick- snarl vocals pummel Donna C’s and Donna F’s furious chug and Donna R’s early Guns n’ Roses’ guitar wall.”

2002’s ‘Spend The Night’ (CD1) saw the band appear on mainstream US TV shows, while taking a mainstage slot on 2004’s Lollapalooza tour. Their punky sound lead to appearances on a number of film soundtracks (including Dodgeball, Mean Girls, Elektra and Herbie Fully Loaded), and computer games, as well as sound-tracking Budweiser, Levis and Rolling Stone advertising campaigns.

‘Gold Medal’ (CD2, 2004) reached #76 on the Billboard 200, continuing the commercial hard rock sound of ‘Spend The Night’, featuring the singles ‘Fall Behind Me’ and ‘I Don't Want to Know (If You Don't Want Me)’. Stylus reckoned that The Donnas were, “incapable of playing in anything but the key of badass”, while Rolling Stone reckoned that the band's "wailing on solos that would make AC/DC's Angus Young proud”.

CD3 completes all of the recordings released by the quartet between 2002 and 2005 and adds raucous live sets recorded in Boston in 2003 plus three tracks recorded for XFM, along with the single B-sides ‘Hyperactive’, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine’, ‘Mama's Boy’, ‘Play My Game’ and ‘Done With You’, plus acoustic versions of ‘Fall Behind Me’ and ‘Don’t Break Me Down’. There’s also a cover of Billy Idol’s ‘Dancing With Myself’ along with ‘Please Don't Tease’ which is taken from the film New York Minute.