In 2008 The Aspinauts and I were gathered in a living room improvising with me doing beat poetry as the guys jammed on guitars, drums, keyboards.  It became an anti war protest song, Ladies and Gentlemen.  Luckily, someone hit the record button so when Paul joined us as drummer in 2009 we began to rehearse the song.  It became a powerful, almost Floydian stand out piece of sound art and made it onto the debut album, Broken Biscuit in 2010.

Here’s the video clip made by Oz Thomas, a colorful human and a wonderful poet in his own right.

The Aspinauts are known for their mixture of theatre, spoken word and catchy, evocative songs with meaning.  Having played small independent theatres, we like to connect with the audience, create an intimate atmosphere.  So the concept of house concerts really appealed.  So what is a house concert? Read the rest of this entry »

After their capture months ago, holed up in PV Studios which progressively filled with Broken Biscuit,  Donna and The Aspinauts’ album,  Broken Biscuit was finally released this week.   Experience the surrealism for yourself.

In childhood I was called Dolly Burger by my mother’s side, Miss Polly by my father.  I’d rather have been Miss Polly even if I was sick, sick, sick too often than be anyone’s doll.  I didn’t like doll’s, those staring, plastic almost demonic representations of a one-size-fits all normality or perfection.  I never identified with being Doll-y or anyone’s doll.  When my mother told me I was hers, her doll, I felt the foundations of my feminist rejection of conformist expectations of ‘what a girl should be’.  I liked the ballet dress with its fluttering leafy skirt, its sheeny pink sating and mother of pearl beading catching rainbows in the lights.  But the doll thing… Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve always considered Donna and The Aspinauts to be diversity friendly but what does it mean to be a disability friendly band?  Is it about having people with disabilities in the band?  Is it about making it easy for those with disabilities to attend your gigs and shows?  Is it about having a natural sense of equality with and respect for those with disabilities?  Is it about having a strong presence in the wider disability community?  Read the rest of this entry »

CD Baby are donating $1 to for every album sold.

Dear Donna,

The earthquake and its aftermath in Haiti have touched all of our lives. Many in the CD Baby family have already contributed as individuals, but we wanted to do more to help the victims of the horrible earthquake tragedy. By selling your music on CD Baby, you can help raise funds towards those affected by the disaster. Read the rest of this entry »

Combining color with rhythms and beats, movement, voice and characterisation, the hour long, interactive Soundscapes Program combines elements of music and drama into the one program. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of you may remember the Autie Christmas Poem I did on YouTube a few years ago

Well, it got turned into a song called “Merry Christmas” over on

http://www.aspinauts.com

Read the rest of this entry »

We have a small community show of our kids rock musical, Baloombawop this Saturday, 7th November 6pm at Jika Jika Community Hall, cnr Plant and Union Streets, in Northcote here in Melbourne, Australia.  Then a big leap with the next public performance of the show at the Missing Piece Theatre, Burbank, California (4:00 PM @ The Missing Piece Theatre 2811 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA, 91505, Burbank, California 91505) in January 2010.  Read the rest of this entry »

Win Win by Donna Williams 09

Compete, compete, I watch my feet, I watch my back, I watch the cracks.

Delete, delete, me from your Facebook, behind the curtain, steal my jacks. Read the rest of this entry »