Punk Globe: Congratulations Donna on getting your six-song EP  recorded. Have you pressed them? Are you waiting for that?

Donna: Thanks Gingersnap. I’m anxious to get it out there. I wrote most of the songs way back in the day but they sound fresh and new if I say so myself. I’ve collaborated on two of the tracks with Freddie Katz, one of which is my favorite. It’s called Fantasy and it’s a tribute to Anne Rice whose vampire novels occupied much of my life in the 80’s. She was a fantastic author. Her prose is heartbreakingly gorgeous, in my humble opinion.  I do believe that in 100 years, Anne Rice will be thought of in much the same way as George Eliot or Mary Shelley are thought of today. I think Fantasy will probably be the single. Freddie Katz, who also produced the project, has given the songs to his music business attorney to submit to labels. We’ll see how it goes on that score, though frankly, I’m not optimistic and I’m also rather hesitant about the music business as it is these days. My understanding is that “ the suits”  are reluctant to sign anyone of a “certain age” and understandably so. If we don’t get a bite going that route, I am not opposed to putting it on major platforms myself.  I know people that have had number-one selling records in Europe and the States that are doing just that. I’m told people are hiring publicists for exorbitant amounts of money and all these publicists are doing is putting the projects on platforms that get “bots” to translate as hits/listens. That’s money out the window, in my opinion, when you can reach out to radio stations on your own. When I was with Mainman, Tony Defries had me call college radio stations to get airplay for my Rebel Rebel remake. I was wondering why I even had a manager , never mind one with such clout. It was a do it yourself thang even way back when…

Punk Globe: Where did you record and who did you have playing with you? 

Donna: We recorded at Katz’s studio, Sierra Sound and also at Steve Addabbo’s studio, Shelter Island Studio. Steve co-produced one of the tracks called Heaven Knows. We have the great Stephen Holley playing drums and Danny Ray doing some sax bits. 

Punk Globe: I heard the track you posted on Facebook. I believe it was dedicated to The Everly Brothers.  I enjoyed that a lot. What is the story behind the song?

Donna: That song, Tomorrow Comes Too Soon is not so much a dedication to the Everly Brothers but the double vocal harmony is heavily influenced by Phil and Don.

 Also, I loved Craig Leon’s production of Blondie’s Out in the Streets which I also did some background vocals on. He reinvented that excellent Shangri La’s track and Debbie did a double lead vocal on it. I guess I kind of tried to give my track that same vocal flavor…The music is a nod to Rockpile and Dave Edmunds whose songs I always liked. I think that Freddie got the guitar parts on it,  just spot on and in the right feel—retro without sounding hackneyed. The song has an interesting story. It’s mainly about some younger kids in my neighborhood who used to see me getting dressed up to go out to see the New York Dolls when I was just a teenager myself. They would always ask a million questions about New York City nightlife, David Johansen, and Johnny Thunders. I was thinking of them one day and pondering what advice about growing up I might give them…mind you I wrote the tune in the 80s when I didn’t really feel grown up myself!

Punk Globe: Did you write all the music or are you doing covers?

Donna:  I wrote four of the songs myself and collaborated with Freddie on Two: Fantasy and Hideaway. There’s a cover of Blind Faith’s, Can’t Find My Way Home. 

Punk Globe: I know you are a fan of Cilla Black, Flo from Progressive aka Stephanie Courtney, and Dusty Springfield. Did they inspire you for this recording?

Donna:  I love the early Cilla recordings. I love any of the Swinging London sounds. I think we need another British Invasion, don’t you Gingersnap? Flo is always an inspiration—even though Progressive and other insurance rates have skyrocketed these days! Jeez, Louise! You’ve got to be wealthy to insure your car and home. It’s nuts. Anyway, I digress.  I could listen to Dusty all day every day. For me, her voice is a religious experience. She was my ultimate hair brush in the mirror- go- to as a kid. Me and Aunty Jayne have Dusty love in common.

Punk Globe: Is your brother Jimmy playing on the release?

Donna: No, Jimmy has always been reluctant to get involved in my music. He didn’t want people to accuse him of nepotism, I think. Still, I would not be opposed to doing something with him. He actually wrote the lyrics and middle eight to one of my songs The Man without a Name. He knows the value of a bridge in music. He is such a great songwriter, but on that score, our writing styles are very different. 

Punk Globe: Any surprise appearances from a well-known piano Player( Beep Beep)

Donna: I will give her a call if and when I decide I need a boost. Maybe we can do a cover of Crocodile Rock. However, I’d be really jealous if someone was looking at her and not me…Beep Beep. 

Punk Globe Any plans to collaborate with your childhood friend Paul Zone again? Paul has given you some very wise advice. I would take it

Donna: Paul always has my best interests at heart. As you know I love him dearly. I consider Paul my brother from another mother—even though he insists on posting the most awful childhood pic of me every year on my birthday! LOL!  If it weren’t for Paul and his brothers Miki and Mandy, I might still be stuck in Brooklyn and married to a guy who would keep me a barefoot HausFrau for the rest of my days. 

Paul introduced me to Glam, to the New York Dolls, to Punk, to New Wave…he introduced Jimmy to Debbie and Chris and the rest was history. Paul was the social butterfly that everyone adored back in the day. His book Playground: Growing up in the New York Underground, chronicles all of this with excellent photos and text. The  Sonny and Cher thing with Paul was truly a labor of love and I am pleased with how it came out. Incidentally, the producer of one of the tracks, Richard Citroen, also produced the track that I wrote with my brother. I love how it came out and I’ll be sharing that on all major platforms soon.  Paul’s brother Miki was the most prolific songwriter on the scene back in the day. One of his songs, Man in the Moon, is an excellent pop ditty with a reggae flavor. I’d love to record it with Paul. I did a demo of it with Paul’s brother Mandy and we combined it with one of my songs, a tribute to Miki entitled The Fairy Tale Boy and The Man in the Moon. I wrote it after Miki died and I was gutted. 

The two songs meshed together perfectly. Sadly, I can’t find the demo tape, but I’d love to do the song(s) again at some point with Paul.