I remember going to see L7 at London's Brixton Academy as a teenager. It was 1992, I was 15, and L7 were, in my opinion, the crown princesses of grunge. The show was pubescent riot grrrl heaven...I wore black eyeliner, torn fishnets and DM boots and wished I could look like them, an angry mess of lanky hair in faded hues of green and blue. I had recently watched their legendary live performance on the British TV show The Word, which culminated with Donita Sparks pulling her jeans down at the end of Pretend We're Dead. As she stood there, proud and defiant in her bushy glory, guitar hanging from her shoulders, I knew I was smitten. This is a photo of Donita and her tampon at the Reading Festival that year, shortly before said tampon was hurled into the crowd.
You can imagine my excitement when I heard that Donita was opening for X at the House of Blues last night, a show for which Steffie had blagged free tickets. We were running late, and as Steffie argued with the doorman about not being allowed to bring her camera in to the venue, I raced inside to catch the last moments of Donita on stage with her new band.
And there she was, same ol' attitude, same ol' voice...but with a hairdo so wrong it sent shivers down my scalp. Those majestic greasy locks of yore had been replaced with a heavily layered, peroxide mushroom mullet that looked like it belonged on the set of Dallas. It didn't help that she seemed dressed for the national drumline championships, in glittery blue cheerleader shirt complete with epaulettes.
From L7 to Loni Anderson - Donita, what happened?
Donita Sparks
Loni Anderson
(Photo of Donita Sparks by Sean Murphy, Photo of Loni Anderson by hissandpop.com, tampon pic from thenextleft.com)
Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)
Trackbacks
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://mt.laweekly.com/mt-tb.cgi/36086
Slideshows
-
Cobrasnake from 90210 to the Sunset Junction
Beverly Hills princesses and Silver Lake leather daddies looking for parking -
Seeking the Rage: Among the Protesters at the DNC
The group Recreate '68 tries to ignite the passion of another generation -
Crazy 4 Cult 2 at Gallery 1988
More artwork and photos from the Friday, 8/22 opening in Hollywood.
Recent Posts
- We've Been Defamed!
- CRAZY 4 CULT 2: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL
- OUTFIT OF THE WEEK- VESTED INTEREST
- FASH FLASH: Uh-Oh It’s Magic In Vegas/Sears & Siriano/LA Fashion Week Smashed Out?
- Downtown L.A. Film Fest: The Good, The Bad, and The Booze
- OUTFIT OF THE WEEK- SEXY IN SATIN AT THE KNITTING FACTORY
- Rachel Pally Warehouse Sale
- The Downtown LA Film Fest: grand opening, shaky day 2
- Vintage, American Style
- Those Olympic Swimsuits, a.k.a. Drugs on a Hanger?
Archives
Comments
There are 11 comments posted for this article.
You've switched the picture labels, unless it's deliberate.
Posted on February 17, 2006 8:02 PM by Thalassa
It was deliberate :)
Posted on February 18, 2006 5:02 PM by Caroline Ryder
Oops! I spoke too soon, nitpicker that I am :).
For the links, you can add them directly in your main template, if it is possible. Here's a page I found that might be useful:
http://weblogs.us/tutorial/links/add.html
Posted on February 18, 2006 8:02 PM by Thalassa
How utterly mean. You caught the last moments of what was an amazing show. But the fact that Donita is out there rocking her ass off is inconsequential to you. From one time wishing you could be like them to tearing her down like this..... based on her hairdo. You should be ashamed. I think she looks hot.
Maybe, as you note in your own profile, you and Manson share more in common than just birthdays. "...didn't get to be a rock and roll star, so he started fuckin' wipin' people out. Dig that."
Posted on February 19, 2006 10:02 AM by bob
Bob, honestly, whatever floats your boat. If you like her hair, that's great, somebody has to. I am in no way commenting on her music or the show, I didn't see enough of it to say. I'm sure she still totally rocks. I just didn't like the hair. And I'm sure Donita herself could give two shits whether anyone, especially me, likes her hair. But it's very gallant and rather charming that you take such offense on her behalf. She's a lucky gal.
Posted on February 19, 2006 5:02 PM by Caroline Ryder
Hey Bob,
Jeez, remember this is "the Style Council" for chrissakes. I too, am sure ol' Donita was "rockin her ass off" that nite; too bad that dumb wig didn't rock off instead! Personally, I think the bloody tampon brought out her highlights quite nicely, and, combined with the blue and white streaks, gave her an "all-american girl" sorta look.
Posted on February 24, 2006 6:02 PM by steve
I remember the days of dying parts of my hair blue so I could look like Donita. But that was in the early 90s, when brightly-colored, messy hair was edgy. Nowadays if people dye their hair like that it just looks too desperate for attention.
Alas, she had to move past that and try something different. In the late 90s she went blonde, and now her hair's gone smooth. What next?
Posted on March 15, 2006 12:03 PM by Capt. Jack Sparrow
Court upholds clearing Disney board in Ovitz case
them last August and absolved board members, including former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner, of personal
Posted on June 9, 2006 6:06 AM by a Delaware Chancery
Three-armed boy op 'success'
in Shanghai say surgery on a baby boy who was born with two left arms has been successful.
Posted on June 10, 2006 1:06 AM by Shanghai say
Walton Thankful for Link to '86 Celtics
gave me my life back. It was my boyhood dream team. They gave me the joy, the opportunity and the hope. It was a wonderful team,
Posted on June 12, 2006 1:06 PM by says, The
Johnson Glad Nuggets Dealt him to Dallas
contract in 2001, writes Marc J. Spears of the DENVER POST. But
Posted on June 13, 2006 4:06 PM by draft pick on