Donots
Donots are friends and brothers – not only in spirit, but in reality. Though lead singer Ingo and guitarist Guido are the only blood brothers in the band, together with guitarist Alex, bassist JD, and drummer Eike, they make up the Donots family. For the 15 years they have been together, the band has evolved both musically and personally. The name Donots stands for “Do Nothing,” a philosophy held by the band, who is always about keeping it real and keeping the corporate manufactured sound out of their music.
The band formed in 1993 and has an extensive discography of releases. Over the span of 8 studio albums, they went on to sell 700,000 records worldwide as well as have 3 top 20 records in Germany and 2 top ten records in Japan. They keep a seemingly never-ending touring regiment, having played nearly 1000 shows (including many headlining tours) all over the world since their first show in 1994. They pour their heart and soul into every performance.
Donots have released albums on both major and independent labels. They saw critical success with their album Pocketrock, which contained the hit single What Happened To The 80s. Pocketrock is regarded as the band’s breakthrough album and was their first major label release. By 2008, though, the band went fully independent and broke ties with major labels for good. The band cites its decision to release albums on their own label, Solitary Man Records, as sticking to the old “do it yourself” principle. The D.I.Y approach lead to much success with their 2008 release, Coma Chameleon, seeing air-time on MTV, single hits, chart positions, and critical acclaim. In 2010, the band released their 8th album, The Long Way Home, which immediately hit the Top 20 in Germany upon release.
The Long Way Home may be considered the Donots most experimental album with unusual new ideas and undeniable anthems. The group steers away from their usual punk roots and heads for new directions while still being Donots. They regard bands such as The Smiths, New Order and Depeche Mode as some of the influences for the new album. Every song offers something new to be discovered. The attention to detail didn’t stop at the record, but extends to the beautiful artwork as well. Since the release of The Long Way Home, Donots have gone on an extensive tour in support of the album and have also toured alongside Green Day for their German shows.
Donots are Ingo Donot (vocals), Guido Donot (guitar), Alex Donot (guitar), JD Donot (bass), and Eike Donot (drums).