Donita Sparks tells us about the L7 documentary and the shows in Brazil.
L7 band . Not only for the resounding success they had between the 80s and 90s, but also for the ideals the group represents. Vocalist Donita Sparks has even described them as a "rock band whose members are feminists," rather than a band whose sole purpose is activism. And it's true. The lyrics range from the interpersonal apathy of the Reagan-Bush eras in the classic "Pretend We're Dead" to writing lists of people who irritate the vocalist.
But you can't deny the band's political importance, which goes beyond their controversial songs. Rock For Choice , for example, was created by them. Artists like Bad Religion, Foo Fighters, Joan Jett, Nirvana, The Offspring, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, and Red Hot Chili Peppers have performed on the festival's stage over its 10 years to declare their support for women's rights and abortion.
In 2000, however, the band broke up. Without any official explanation. Eighteen years passed before Donita decided to reminisce about the band's past through her video archive. This led to the idea of making a documentary, which also bears the name of the extremely famous song "Pretend We're Dead". A band reunion was commissioned and now, 25 years after their last visit, they are returning to perform in Brazil .
In a phone interview, vocalist Donita Sparks talked about the breakup. “When we split up, we didn't have a record label, we didn't have any more money or producers. Everything fell apart.” It was the response from fans through their Facebook page that led her to talk to the other members of the group. “We already talked a lot because of the documentary. Then I asked, 'Hey, is anyone interested?' I didn't really care about the answer. But I thought it would be cool if we got back together. Especially for the young audience who might not have any rock role models to inspire them,” she said.
Art and politics are intrinsic to L7's expression. It's as if Donita doesn't even realize her strong militant streak. “Every band has a different voice. Some sing about having fun and partying. We sing about partying. And also about getting angry about things.” Donita's creative process has always been politically engaged, however. “I've been a feminist since I was born, it's a part of my life. My family is feminist. But I don't think I sing that much about feminism either.”
Coincidence or not, current times are very similar to when L7 started. If today, the Republican Trump is the president of the United States, back then it was Bush. The father. “There was a very strong punk scene when Reagan was in power, too. It seems that when these imbeciles are in power, punk is revived. The resistance of the artists too.”
And Donita didn't just talk about American conservatives. The singer commented on the case in which President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said he "wouldn't rape" a fellow congresswoman "because she didn't deserve it." "What a polite human being," Donita quipped, "I'm not going to say that jerk's name, we can call him 'Mr. Polite' from now on. All I know is that he's an imbecile."
That's precisely where the power of music comes from, according to the artist. “Music helped bring down apartheid in the 80s. It helped the labor movements in the US in the 30s. Folk and protest music helped in the demonstrations against the Vietnam War. I think it's very important that artists, and people in general, resisted all that crap. Doing whatever they do best.”
"Now, you can be a band that likes to sing about parties. You can make a lot of money doing that and donate it to some charity. Everyone can do something," he added.
This revolutionary attitude is what can be expected from both the L7 documentary and the shows they will be performing in Brazil between December 1st and 6th. " Pretend We're Dead" brings together videos recorded on tours from the 90s and archival footage. Regarding the film, Donita says: “It was nice to see our performances. We were a good rock band. Everything seems very relevant and timeless.”
Regarding the shows in the land of "Mr. Polite," L7 says they are very excited. "The last time we were here, in 1993, the fans were crazy," Donita laughed. "I'm sure we'll receive a lot of love. And we'll give a lot of love. It will be, in a sense, like coming home."
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