Please enjoy this vintage interview with Very Hot MS. Donna Destri by the talented Will Sid Smith

I find it hard to believe that the first time I talked to Donna Destri for Punk Globe was over two years ago. An awful lot has been happening for my favorite New York doll since then so I figured it was about time we had a catch up. As always, Ms. Destri was gracious and generous with her time. Not surprisingly, she was also as interesting and open as ever.

The first time I saw or heard you was singing Shaking All Over on video with Jayne County and the late Joy Ryder. I never knew Joy at all but loved her voice. What was working with her like/What is your abiding memory of her?

I'd known Joy from the New York scene since the late 70's. She used to play at Max's Kansas City a lot when I was working in the restaurant there, in the days before I even had a band or started to sing live. She and her then husband Avis Davis, along with some other bands at the time, were managed by the owner of Max's, Tommy Dean, for a bit so it was natural for them to play there. Later on, Tommy would manage me for a while too so there were always parallels between my career and Joy's. When I auditioned for Tony Ingrassia (he was responsible for Andy Warhol's "Pork") and got a part in his play Sheila, I was happy that Joy was also going and she would be the lead. I really didn't know any one else who was going to Berlin, so it was a comfort that someone I knew and liked would be going as well. It was in Berlin that Joy and I got really close. This was largely because she and her husband Avis were breaking up at the time. These things are always difficult, so naturally being in a foreign country and having no other girlfriends around, Joy gravitated towards me. During that time in Berlin, Joy encouraged me constantly. She was one of the most unselfish and giving people I'd ever met. Truly. When we returned to the states, we maintained our friendship, except for a time when she was hanging with some shady people. However, when her son Jesse was born all that changed and we got back in touch. It was Joy who kept urging me back to music, (I had taken a long hiatus after my son Dylan was born) and asking me to sit in with her on gigs. Recently, we made a short film together, shot and directed by Mark Brady who also did Rachel Amadeo's "What about Me"?. Sadly it wasn't finished before she passed, but I hope that someday it will be--- as a tribute to her. It was really rather funny in a dark way. It's called "Searching for Jayne" and it's about searching the country for the elusive Jayne County all the while trying to raise money to give to a guy who has a hole in his cranium...Only Joy could think up a script like that. During the last conversation I had with Joy, after she told me she had cancer, she said to me " I hope you never again stop doing music. I will remember that always. And I will keep that promise. My fondest memory of her is singing "Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things" every night in the play Shiela and killing it always. She was a beauty in so many ways and I miss her horribly...

PUNK GLOBE: What inspires you when you come to write new material?

Donna Destri: Unfortunately, I'm most inspired when I'm in some kind of emotional pain! When the weather is overcast, I love to play the piano and write melodies. I very rarely write music when the sun is out. The weather has a colossal effect on my moods, so I find myself most reflective when it rains...kind of like that Garbage song "I'm Only Happy When it Rains" Haha! I did write a little classical piece for my son and that was written when I was happy, so at times I do break with tradition! I'm also inspired by singers and in particular, the singers I grew up with like Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, Mary Weiss, Sandy Shaw. Singers back then didn't rely on vocal pyrotechnics so much as so many young singers do today. I really feel that all that riffing seriously takes away from the melody. To that end, I was happy to take Steven Jones up on his suggestion that I rerecord a song that Cilla and Dusty both covered called "I've Been Wrong Before." It's a little known song by Randy Newman, but it's oh so lovely and poignant. Steven's been after me to sing it since we met and I'm glad I finally listened. He was right...we're very happy with the result and that will be out soon.

I know what you mean. I think my best songs were written when I was feeling sad! You've reminded me of something my friends and I were talking about recently and it would be good to get your viewpoint. Do you think that having some form of creative outlet can affect a person's emotional and psychological well-being?

Yes definitely. On a personal level, whenever I've gone through trying times it's always helped me to write about what was bothering me. Whether that writing took the form of a journal entry, a song lyric or a poem didn't really matter as long as I was getting those feelings out. I think that writing is very therapeutic! As far as emotional well being is concerned, music can have a tremendous effect on mood! Who hasn't at one time or another listened to a song just to have a good cry (sometimes a necessary evil) or to dance or sing wildly along with the music just for fun? Moreover, studies have proven that playing an instrument, painting, or singing have been known to lower blood pressure and Cortisol levels. (Cortisol is a killer stress hormone that wreaks total havoc on the body) Therefore, engaging in creative enterprises is definitely beneficial on a physiological level as well. Melodies have haunted my brain since I was a little girl and as a songwriter as well, I'm sure you can relate. It's a kind of musical schizophrenia that's common among artists I think---- and the only thing that keeps it in check is the creative process. I'm most happy when I've created a song. That's for certain.

When you're creating what comes first, the music or the lyrics?

For me the music always comes first. I once woke up with a melody in my head...and had to immediately play it on the piano a couple of times so I wouldn't forget it. It was too early in the morning to start with all the recording gear. Anyway, it's the melody for a song I've written called "Utopia Boulevard" about getting lost on Long Island with Steven Jones on the way back from a Depeche Mode concert! People ask me why lyrics don't come first and they are kind of surprised that they don't because I've been an English teacher for so long. The truth is, it is because of this that I labor over my lyrics. I over- analyze every word! Being hyper analytical has gotten me into a lot of trouble in my life let me tell you! Words can be so misused and so deceptive. That's one of the dangers for people who prefer to communicate largely via text messaging...it leaves so much room for misinterpretation but I digress...Yes, for me it's always the music first. I have on occasion written lyrics without music but I always find it difficult to work like that. For me it's like working backwards.

Do you ever get stuck? What do you do then?

Oh I get good and stuck sometimes...I have to admit, when I first started to do dance music, I didn't quite understand it because I come from the verse, verse, chorus, bridge pop school of song writing. So, I really couldn't understand that you could have a song without a middle eight because DJ's sometimes prefer just a vibe or loop that can be mixed into other things. Still, my favorite type of songwriting still adheres to that pop sensibility. So when I get stuck and can't come up with a neat bridge, I leave it for a while, sometimes days. If it doesn't come then perhaps I have to abandon the project. I have to say, however, that the elusive parts almost always come.

A twist on the regular question :) Describe yourself at my age (almost 20) in three words.

Imaginative, Rebellious, Romantic

And what three words would you use now?

Imaginative, Romantic, Rebellious...not necessarily in that order

I'm glad to see you haven't changed in the way you see yourself Donna - do you think it's common among artists to hold on to their younger selves?

I think it might be a common phenomenon among artists but not particular to artists. Generally, I think the happiest people are the ones who maintain a childlike sense of wonder about the world around them, the people who occasionally engage in fantasy as children do. I think when one becomes blasè about life it is the start of death.

I still laugh (though I don't blush) when I think of the first answer I once gave you to this question so I'll return it. What turns you on?

Haha! Getting back at me are you kiddo? Well...a lot of people would expect me to say beefcake and money, but I'm really not superficial, contrary to popular belief...though I am turned on by beautiful bodies...I'm not going to lie. What turns me on genuinely? Intelligence, Loyalty, Empathy, Integrity, Honesty, Respect...Diamonds...haha

Well, they are a girl's best friend! And what makes you sad?

Lack of Empathy, Lies, Deception, Cruelty to Animals, Cruelty to Children, Terrorism/ Religious Fanaticism, Mental/Emotional Cruelty, Poverty (spiritual and physical)

What projects are you working on now and what do you have lined up in the next 12 months?

Steven Jones and I have a really hot single coming out this month produced by our good friend Luna Ibiza...it's called "Love Bomb" and it has a really cool and sexy, summer vibe. As you know, Steven Jones has two releases out right now....a cinematic album with Marco Colombino and a fab EP called Desire Lines with Logan Sky. We have a single in the works with London DJ Chris Galbraith and we've just started working with a very talented guy called Daygun. His work is very unique and reminiscent of Leftfield...one of my fave electronic acts. Of course there's the Cilla/Dusty cover coming out and I've been toying with the idea of bringing my cabaret act back to venues in New York City. Most of all...I'd really like to cover a Will Sid Smith song at some point!

I can safely say Will would be honored if you did that Donna. I hope we can arrange something later this year. You should also think of bringing your cabaret act to England! Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us, as always your answers are fascinating and make me want to ask more. In closing, are there any links you'd like to share with the Punk Globe readers Donna?

Well go to iTunes to find any of our new releases and most of the old ones. Also, I have a fan page on Facebook that I post links to and I'm starting to pay more attention to Twitter these days. There's a website, but it's under construction at this point.

Once again Punk Globe would like to thank Donna Destri for giving up much precious time for this interview. We certainly would love to see her bring her cabaret act back (I know one young Punk Globe contributor who'd be willing to accept a free flight to New York to review it). For now, keep an eye on her Facebook page for the new releases. Thanks again Donna!