Living After Midnight

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning "Living After Midnight" by The Donnas from their 2001 album The Donnas Turn 21, getting all the Zoo Freaks amped up. This track, a cover of the iconic Judas Priest song from their 1980 album British Steel, was chosen by The Donnas to showcase their love for classic metal. In a 2017 interview, lead vocalist Brett Anderson mentioned that covering "Living After Midnight" was a nod to their influences, aiming to infuse their punk rock energy into a heavy metal classic. The original song’s title came from a late-night jam session where Judas Priest’s Glenn Tipton woke Rob Halford at 4 AM with his guitar, prompting Halford to quip that Tipton was "really living after midnight," a phrase that became the song’s hook. The Donnas’ version, while staying true to the original’s rebellious spirit, adds a raw, feminine edge, with critics noting its straightforward, no-frills delivery as both a tribute and a reflection of their evolving hard rock sound.

Another tidbit about The Donnas’ take on "Living After Midnight" comes from a 2001 Pitchfork review, which called the cover "perfectly humdrum," suggesting it didn’t reinvent the wheel but served as a window into the band’s metal influences. Despite mixed critical reception, fans on The Donnas’ official Facebook have shared nostalgic posts about rocking out to this track during their early 2000s tours, with some recalling how the band’s live performances brought a playful, party-ready vibe to the song. The Donnas themselves have shared on their Instagram throwback photos from the Turn 21 era, hinting at the wild times that inspired their music. The song’s lyrics, celebrating late-night revelry, resonated with the band’s image at the time—four women embracing a hedonistic, carefree lifestyle, as seen in their album’s bar-themed cover art featuring drinks and carefree attitudes.

The Donnas got their start in Palo Alto, California, in 1993, when Brett Anderson (vocals), Allison Robertson (guitar), Maya Ford (bass), and Torry Castellano (drums) formed a band in eighth grade under the name Ragady Anne. Inspired by bands like The Ramones, The Runaways, and Kiss, they played covers of groups like R.E.M. and L7 at a junior high battle of the bands. By high school, they adopted a punkier sound as The Electrocutes, but created a side project called The Donnas to play softer, Ramones-inspired tunes. To distinguish the two, they took on “Donna” monikers—Donna A., Donna R., Donna F., and Donna C.—a nod to their punk heroes. Local musician Darin Raffaelli helped produce their first album, The Donnas, released in 1997 on his Super*teem! label, later reissued by Lookout! Records. Their early gigs included a week-long tour in Japan during their senior year, organized by Pinky Aoki of The Phantom Gift, cementing their cult following in the punk scene.

The band’s official online presence includes their Bandcamp website, where fans can grab merch and music, and their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and X, though posts have slowed since their 2012 hiatus. Fan communities keep the spirit alive, with groups like the The Donnas Fan Club on Facebook sharing memories and rare photos. Another fan-driven site, Last.fm’s The Donnas page, offers a space for Zoo Freaks and others to discuss tracks like "Living After Midnight" and trade stories about the band’s high-energy shows. Though The Donnas are no longer active, their legacy as trailblazing women in punk and hard rock endures through these fan hubs and their timeless tunes.