Donnie Spada 2009
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The No Doubt Vault recently caught up with Donnie Spada. Donnie has been working with No Doubt for many years and has been all over the world with them. Read on to learn how he got involved with the band as well as some exciting behind the scenes stories! As with all interviews from the No Doubt Vault this interview is exclusive and has never been published anywhere else. |
Can you tell us when and how you got involved with No Doubt?
The 1st time I worked for ND was a couple of shows before the first self titled record, kinda just helping them out a little, feeling it out, learning as much as I can. Man, those shows were insane! There were usually no barricades, super tiny stages, trying to figure out how to fit all of the band on the stage, crazy stuff. I also had known them for a little while before that. Most of us went to high schools in and around the area of Anaheim so we would see each other out and about at parties, gigs and other type of functions I guess.
What is your favorite No Doubt song?
Songs that they play live off the top of my head: There is more then just one… Underneath It All, Hella Good, Bathwater and so many more
Songs they don’t play: Doghouse and I Throw My Toys Around
What is your favorite part about touring?
I just love it. It is what I do.
What do you do to keep busy when you are not on tour?
My kids. Hopefully I can have more time surfing and skateboarding.
What are some other bands you have toured with over the years?
Pearl Jam, The Offspring , 311, Nofx, Smashmouth, Bad Religion, Social Distortion and some others.
What’s something you can tell us about life on the road that we might not know?
It is not a party out there. It is fun though and I love it, but it is a job first. Some days are tough and the days are long usually from 7:30 in the morning to 12:00 at night. There is also lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes to make the show happen. Everything you see on stage travels with us and at one time there could be at least 80 people on tour including the band members and their family’s and the production staff divided in different crews like backline, lighting, sound, management, accountants, video, merchandise, security, riggers, band and management assistants, wardrobe, truck drivers, bus drivers . A lot goes into the show! There is a method to the madness though and it cost a lot of money to run the tour right.
How different is it touring with No Doubt now (recently) versus in the earlier years?
Well the newest tour has not started yet , but I do know there will be a lot of extra small people around this time, which is different, and some extra people who look after the small people when there parents are on stage or doing other things. So yeah it is gonna be a huge change , but it is all good . I am just happy to see the band playing again, doing shows. The band just feeds off of each other and the crowd.
Is touring life different now that you have children and a wife at home?
The older my kids get the harder it is for me. They are always on my mind. Going overseas is a lot harder though because I can not always call them when I want to because of time difference… I get depressed for sure. On the Gwen tour it was real heavy for me sometimes because we were gone for so long and I would see Kingston everyday and I couldn’t see my own kids. I’d get really jealous and would get homesick. When I would hold or play with Kingston it made things a lot easier for me, he was good therapy. Dr Kingston for sure! Touring is tough though and I am gone a lot… but when I am home, I am home 100% and able to give my wife a big break from the madness of the boys. My 2 year old is crazy and the 7 year old is super mellow. They’re both rad though. I never thought I would ever be a dad. I love them so much they are great, they keep me smiling for sure.
Do you think tour life will be different for everyone now that so many of the band members have children/wives?
Oh for sure. I would think it would be a little more tame backstage with the after show kind of stuff. Might be a little bit more mellow but the band will still perform at 100%. They always do. But no more sleeping off hang-overs, for them though. They got to take the kids to the park and other fun stuff. Kids go to bed early and get up really really early. I am sure there will be some cranky days but we all have those kind of days, right ..,
Do you think the fans at the shows are going to be different now that there may be people at the shows who became fans of No Doubt because of Gwen’s solo records?
Well I am hoping that the people who only know of Gwen are gonna fall in love with No Doubt as they did with her music. As you know, the show is totally different, not to take anything away from the Gwen show, it was a great tour. As far as the Paramore fans, I think a lot of them don’t realize this side of Gwen with ND, just the solo side with the dance stuff. They will soon realize that No Doubt is a rock band with roots in ska and reggae. I am sure they will be pleasantly surprised by ND. I would also like to be the first to say welcome new No Doubt fans and maybe some ND fans will become Paramore fans.
Wow, this is one of those super heavy moments for me . I found out about it when Tom texted me when I was on the Gwen tour in Omaha. He said “I am gonna bring an amp and a guitar with some pedals to Irvine”. Confused, I replied “HUH?????” then called him up instantly. We talked about it, he told me they might be doing the encores in Irvine. I got super excited about it but the problem was I couldn’t say anything to anyone. That was the hardest part. So on the day off in Irvine, I had to go and put together some extra pieces for the bands equipment that had not been used for at least 5 years and was sitting in storage. The day of show, the Gwen solo band blew off their sound check so that No Doubt could do a sound check. Big C [Curtis] had to make sure there was nobody lurking around to ruin the surprise. When they all got on stage it was magic. Like, they have been playing together the whole time. I think we all had these huge Sh*t eating grins on our faces, it was stupid, like a kid who just discovered candy. I was getting calls from people who were in line at the show asking me “why is the Gwen band playing ND song?” I had to just play it off. So then it was time for the show and I was super stressed. I think the whole band was stressed a little because it was Gwen’s show, but we all knew deep down it was gonna be insane. I was super worried that when Tom was suppose to start the song nothing would come out of his guitar or when Tony started to play nothing would come out . I also had to make sure everything was a-go in a couple minutes …I was stressed , but let me tell you when that spot light hit Tom ,when he started the guitar, it was magical. Like they had never stopped playing. There was so much emotion going on that stage, how could you not get teary eyed or choked up? And for me it was a big “f*ck you!” to the haters who said Gwen would never play with them again and that ND were broken up. I always knew that was not true, but people always talked about it. Heavy… that night was heavy. If you were not there, you missed something magical.
Why do you think No Doubt fans are so competitive with each other?
You know what, this is what bothers me. We are all one and were all here for the same thing- we love No Doubt. We all have to live with each other it take so much more energy to be a jerk to someone than to be just cool with each other. Let’s be positive. There are a lot of haters on the ND community boards who are straight up mean. People get real tough behind their computer keys. Thank goodness the positive people outweigh the negative people on there. Also, ND are a positive band and I think people need to be reminded of that and try to follow from their example on what they believe in and throw good vibes.
This is next phrase might sound kinda stupid, but it might make sense to some people:
“I might not have a No Doubt tattoo, but I will always have No Doubt in my heart !! “
In a recent video posted on nodoubt.com, Tom mentions you taught him how to play the “bird” sounds for “It’s my Life”, what else have you taught the band?
I don’t think I have taught them anything that is something you need to ask them. It is more of what I have learned from them. When I speak of No Doubt, I speak of four amazing people who basically took a chance with me . When I started with them I had so little experience they took me in as a friend and we all grew together. There was so many up’s and down’s during the beginning of the TK record of people struggling with themselves personally and what was going on with the record, but whenever someone would kick them down they would come back fighting. It made them tough. They would do shows where most of the bands were male fronted and then there was Gwen and company and they had a lot to prove. They would just blow peoples mind. When Tragic kingdom blew up, the wave that I rode with the band was insane. I had no idea what country we were in at times, I think the we grew really tight with each other as friends. Now I see Tom all the time. I don’t see the rest of them as much, only when we work together, but no matter what, they mean the world to me. They are a family to me.
