The Son Of A Disgruntled X-Postal Worker Reflects On His Life: An Interview With Dave Giffen of Alice Donut

What can be said about Alice Donut? Without a doubt, one of the unique and different bands to come out of the New York punk scene, Alice Donut made their mark by being themselves. When doing covers of popular songs like Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs,’ drummer Stephen Moses broke out his trombone and made the song almost his own. The band never catered to the mainstream but they stayed definitive in their sound. True to form, the band had a ball with this interview, refusing to take even the simplest question seriously. 

Alice Donut Discography:

Donut Comes Alive (Alternative Tentacles, 1988)

Bucketfulls of Sickness and Horror in an Otherwise Meaningless Life (Alternative Tentacles, 1989)

Revenge Fantasies of the Impotent (Alternative Tentacles, 1990)

Mule (Alternative Tentacles, 1990)

The Untidy Suicides of Your Degenerate Children (Alternative Tentacles, 1992)

Dry Humping the Cash Cow (Alternative Tentacles, 1994)

Pure Acid Park (Alternative Tentacles, 1995)

Three Sisters (Howler, 2003)

Fuzz (Howler, 2006)

Ten Glorious Animals (Alternative Tentacles, 2009)

Poof (MVD, 2013) 

Popular Tracks: Lisa’s Father (Waka Baby), The Son Of A Disgruntled X-Postal Worker Reflects On His Life While Getting Stoned In The Parking Lot Of A Winn Dixie Listening To Metallica, War Pigs 

Pete: How did the Donut come together and how did the band develop its sound?

Dave: We were all stuck in an elevator together while visiting the Empire State Building. Someone farted, and no one owned up to it.  The “Donut sound” is us just continually trying to resolve that ongoing dispute.

Pete: How did you come to join the band?

Dave: Asked and answered, counselor.

Pete: How did the band come to sign with Alt Tentacles and what was that like?

Dave: It’s not clear that we ever signed anything. They put out records with our name on it and sent us royalty statements. We chose not to make any waves.

Pete: What was it like recording Bucketfulls and Mule?

Dave: It was ok.

Pete: What was the inspiration for a song like Lisa’s Mother?

Dave: The PreemieToo movement.

Pete: What was ‘success’ like and how did you guys react to it?

Dave: Fuck off.

Pete: What caused Dave Miffin’s (sic) departure and what was it like bringing in Richard?

Dave: The constant misspelling of my name just got to be too much. Richard brought a healthy appreciation for seafood into the band.

Pete: How did Sissi come to join the band?

Dave: Long and complicated contractual negotiations involving three lawyers, one ambassador, a “clean-up” guy (whose job was never really clear) and the promise of mutually assured destruction in the back of everyone’s mind at all times.

Pete: How did the band come to tour with Blind Melon; did that do anything for the band?

Dave: That was just staged for a reality TV show.


Pete: What ultimately caused the band’s initial breakup?

Dave: We just lost each other’s phone numbers. Shit gets lost when you tour a lot.

Pete: What was everybody up to after the split; did things remain cordial?

Dave: We were aggressively trying to kill one another in undetectable ways. Stephen’s resilience to all manner of poison, Sissi’s ability to catch bullets in her teeth, Tom’s immunity to electrical shock, Michael’s immunity to gravity, and the thick metal plate in Dave’s groin-area oddly saved each band member at critical times.

Pete: How did the 2001 reunion come about?

Dave: It was just coincidental, really.

Pete: What was it like recording the first reunion record?

Dave: Like waking up in a pool of your own vomit, but being deliriously happy about it.

Pete: What are you guys currently up to?

Dave: Meh….?

Pete: What do you think of the impact of alternative rock in the ‘90s?

Dave: Equivalent to a tree falling in the woods onto one hand clapping.

Pete: What do you hope the Donut’s musical legacy will be?

Dave: The conquering of evil once and for all.

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