DONOTS

Looks like The Donots are coming back to their roots as their first concert took place in April 16 of year 1994 in… Stodola.

YOUNG WILD AND SUCCESSFUL
Whiele a whole generation of German newcomers are quickly burning out as hyped Pop stars one band shows how to reconcile continuity, musical development and commercial success: right from the start, Donots sold their soul to the Rock’n’Roll devil – he thanks them with a dream made of Punk Rock, chart hits and a sweating concert audience!

THE STORY SO FAR
Since the end of 1993, a few boys from Ibbenburen have been working on their plan to wake up their idellic native town with hard Rock riffs. Ibbenburen, a 50.000-strong small town, characterized by industry, electrochemistry and coal mining, is almost the ideal place for provocation. Starting purely as a cover band (their setlist included songs from Nirvana. The Clash and Bad Religion amongst others), the line-up is perfect in 1996 after few changes: thanks to weird Punk Rock, catchy hooks and emotional live shows, vocalist Ingo, the two guitarist Guido and Alex, bass player Jan-Dirk as well as drummer Eike climb one rung higher up the ladder of success. During a newcomer contest organized by VISIONS, which takes place at the 1996 Bizzare festivals, the lively fivesome emerge victorious. In Autumn, Donots are signed by G.U.N. Records, rocking the house as support of Samiam – the time has come for the debut album!

THE ALBUMS

In 1999, they record BETTER DAYS NOT INCLUDED in Spain within four weeks, together with producer Uwe Hoffman (Die Arzte among others). The song “Outshine The World) is the anthem of the European Snowboard Championship, and Donots become one of the most hardworking tour bands in this country: within six months, they make Bloodhound Gang, All. Beatsteaks and Heideroosjes sweat. The press celebrates their debut album as “discovery of the year” – without suspecting what other masterpieces the Westphalians still have in store for them: “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE 80’s” – one song, one EP, one chartbreaker! In the middle of 2000, five boys from Ibbenburen find themselves surrounded by international stars. “Whatever Happened To The 80’s” enters the Top 70 of the German singles charts, smoothing the way for their second album: following the Crossing All Over tour along with H-Blockxx, Uncle Ho and My Balloon, they release POCKETROCK at the beginning of 2001 – ‘release’, however, only insufficiently describes the following reactions to this record. Thanks to their fresh sound, their snotty attitude and their cheeky humour, Donots are celebrated as “leaders of the new Punk movement” by the critics. The album produced by Fabio Trentini (Guano Apes among others) gets best reviews by the score hitting the German album charts straight at No. 31. The song “Room With A View” is chosen as title track of the movie “Swimming Pool”, and Donots themselves even have a cameo appearance in the movie “Engel und Joe”. Wouldn’t a break be useful such a success? No, not if the Rock’nRoll devil is raging inside you! Oh, did we mention that POCKETROCK makes The Donots the first German band to get licensed to Sweden’s finest punk rock – label BURNING HEART RECORDS?

Accordingly, the next smash hit is already out in June 2002: AMPLIFY THE GOOD TIMES. This opus, once again recorded with the help of Trentini, gets best reviews all over Europe, climbing up to No. 18 of the German album charts! The CD is also much lauded in Asia – in the face of such an enormous success, it’s about time they thanked all the artists who, basically, have made all this possible – their musical idols!

With the EP WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT, Donots make a childhood dream come true by interpreting the Metal classics of their youth: Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper, Doro and Co. are given the treatment. No. 33 in the charts! Just for once, the journalists are in agreement “a stroke of genius”.

2004 also sees the release of the latest Donots album. GOT THE NOISE hits the German album charts at No. 18 and takes Japan by storm (#3 in the Japanease album charts!!!). A decade after the Donots got together the band puts out their most focused, energetic and diverse album ever capturing their live-energy on a record. Rough yet contagious as hell GOT THE NOISE delivers everything the Donots are known fot: anthems, drive, positivity, a vintage 80s wavepop-influence and even tiny singer/songwriter-bits. The release of the album is once again followed by extensive touing of Europe and Japan and festial slots such as the mainstage of Rock Am Ring.

In 2004 the Donots join the punkover.com movement and release the exclusive track “Time’s up” on the “Rock Against Bush 2” compilation (Fat Wreck Chords).