DA! was an ethereal kind of band on the early 1980's Chicago punk scene... most of the other early punk bands like Naked Raygun, Effigies and Strike Under... were pushing the tougher big city heavier fast guitar melodic sound... everyone in the early scene liked DA!... but we didn't really understand their sound... they were like ghosts... they were hanging around and playing everywhere and recording records... but they seemed kind of invisible... and now years later they are gone... their music reflects the illusion of existence
DA was an anomaly didn't fit into the Chicago Punk sound... they were more gothic than punk... the other bands created the more original style from Chicago's working class punk scene... powerful guitars and drums...
Moody and ethereal; the mysterious and yet still post-punk sound. The direction DA! had in this song puts it apart from the typical sound of that genre at the time. Glad this video exists, it encapsulates something about that time.
This group just oozed potential of future greatness. Too bad they had just a short life until they broke up. This song and their others are fucking brilliant. Hidden treasure
Hi babe: With styling tips for the girlies from Sheena Easton........And - y’all KNOW (ya should by now) how I hate our early “feminist”girlies with them vag basses....... Mistress Bex 💋
This is one beautiful haunting amazing song! Lorna’s voice is a stunner. Note to Dawn Fisher-please tell someone you are alive. We want to hear from you! -Eric Nihilist
Shit,im from that era,was very much inot Bauhaus,Siouxsie and Joy division at the time,and this is the first time i accidently stumbled onto this band..love this song!
It's in that night time world so changed from the day that feelings are born in blood and sweat and pain where children lay in huge beds in dark rooms with shut doors where shadows jump from blood and joy twisting on the floor two paintings alive on the wall when that world clock twist away the hours to other times he says grown too tired to move their hands to move their hands to move their hands to move their hands on the twisting red face so they sit on their shelves and move them so tired listen to the love and saw one in pain
I'm going to post this on a few different DA-related videos here on YT, not to fuckin' impress or annoy anyone but because one never knows who out there---including the surviving members of the band---might read this. Loved this band. Saw them at least a handful of times. Lorna Donley (RIP), Dave Thomas on guitar, Gaylene (sp?) on guitar and a female drummer whose name I don't remember. I *think* this was their "classic" short-lived lineup. I remember Dave and Gaylene each played blonde Telecasters and one or both of them had put a few band band-aids on the guitars to cover up nicks in the wood. Funny! Lorna lived behind Sterch's pub on Lincoln Ave., Gaylene cut my hair a few times and I traveled with Dave to NYC. He was visiting Gaylene there after she split DA to be part of the band Bag People, which included my friend Algis Kizys (1981, maybe?) Rough loft on Broadway in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Scary back area then. Man, what memories...
It is so good to come upon bands and the music one has not heard of before and You Tube is brilliant for this. They definitely sound like an early 80s' British band , in their simplicity and no frills sound. Very muck like early 80s Siouxsie and the Banshees " and early " Goth ", rather than 77 to 79 sounds . Its sad though to also read of the death of one of the band members just as I discover them . It is the singer I assume?
I met their manager in Brixton and bought one of DA's singles off him, I failed to hook up again a stupid mistake since I ended up in the US a few years later.
They really must have stood out among all of the Chicago punk bands of that era. Their sound is definitely post-punk and rare to hear from American bands of the time. Yes, I think there's some Siouxsie and the Banshees influence, but DA! isn't derivative of SATB either. I like this. I just wish the video were better quality but it's likely from a very old home video tape.
One of the best songs I have heard in a while, the video quality is telling us, they are deleting us X generation rebels in iceland. Very nicelandish is here heill Kleina
I have never heard these guys. Yes she does sound like Siouxsie and the Banshees. For a second I thought it was but I saw that Steve Severin was missing.
With its ominous sound I really could have imagined Joy Division doing this. I think it's about Nightmares but when it is light every thing will be ok. Very imaginative.
Easily the best music to come out of that whole "You Weren't There" era of Chicago Punk. Nothing legendary about them, they were overshadowed by Naked Raygun, Effigies, Big Black etc. Don't know what was behind the break-up, but Da manager and Lorna's bf, Terry, was a piece work. Lorna had a beautiful voice, was a fine bass player, and so sad how she left us. RIP Lorna, Beautiful Lady, the Flower in the Dustbin of the Chicago Punk Scene.
PrinceOfCicero Boy George was a descendant of the punk and new romantic era and a faithful worshipper in The church of Bowie. Culture Club were pop and that may not be everyone cup of tea, but they were a damn good band and dressed their success. this band was also good and they deserved success too, but talking about them and CC is apples and oranges.
Look, this kind of music would never reach radio airwaves like Culture Club did. This is underground by definition. Culture Club was an amazing band that could only come from England anyway. America could never produce such inventive and unique band...they were too busy listening to Toto.
@@edsonsantiago9135 Toto... yikes. Can't say I ever thought much of them, even in Jr. High. They were just one of many space fillers on the top-40 stations broadcasting out of Seattle back then, like starch packing peanuts.
Patricia P WOW!!! If you can get a message to her, please tell her to find me on Facebook or Twitter or here on RUclips. Everyone has been looking for her. She may or may not know about a film that is on DVD and on demand called "You Weren't There" and DA! is in it. They wanted to interview her for the film, but as I said, no one could find her.
These guys were ahead of their time. Even this Video was ahead of it's time. Wish they would have done a lot more music. Maybe we could have avoided that horrid hair band crap in the 80's. LOL
I can understand why this band went under the radar. They aren't punk, they aren't rock, they weren't radio friendly. They existed in a bleak, post-punk Chernobyl landscape people weren't ready for.
this band is fucking amazing! found out about them through the doc called you weren't there... this song gives me goosebumps
Yep, me too, watched it lastnite. Great documentary!
What is this song about? I'm guessing the little girl is being molested? Idk
RIP Lorna Donley. You were a beautiful person.
What happened to Lorna? 😢
@@sanityassassin8161she passed away in 2013 due to a heart problem. She was the best.
DA! was an ethereal kind of band on the early 1980's Chicago punk scene... most of the other early punk bands like Naked Raygun, Effigies and Strike Under... were pushing the tougher big city heavier fast guitar melodic sound... everyone in the early scene liked DA!... but we didn't really understand their sound... they were like ghosts... they were hanging around and playing everywhere and recording records... but they seemed kind of invisible... and now years later they are gone... their music reflects the illusion of existence
They sound more British than the bands you mentioned. This is closer to 197801981 Siouxsie. Damn good stuff! :)
DA was an anomaly didn't fit into the Chicago Punk sound... they were more gothic than punk... the other bands created the more original style from Chicago's working class punk scene... powerful guitars and drums...
thank you for posting this bit of history, your memories.
Because of their sound I would have thought they were from England too and they are clean cut looking they don't look grubby like Americans
It's great. Reminds me of Siouxsie and The Banshees and Babes In Toyland.
Exactly, what I wanted to write
and Pat Benatar as appearance
I wish i grew up in this era 😭
That sucks. It was awesome!
Great bands so many should of hit big-time long live DA darkrooms we all miss you guys.
Very intriguing Chicago band. Just discovered them via documentaries. Some of their more complex music reminds me of Beefheart. That's a compliment.
Thanks, ive been trying to find more of their music for a while now
Moody and ethereal; the mysterious and yet still post-punk sound. The direction DA! had in this song puts it apart from the typical sound of that genre at the time. Glad this video exists, it encapsulates something about that time.
Word..proto shoegaze.
This group just oozed potential of future greatness. Too bad they had just a short life until they broke up. This song and their others are fucking brilliant. Hidden treasure
Miss you Lorna!! Love you!!!
Rip Lorna, a truly wonderful girl
Oh noes!
The Dark side of the 80's and I love it!!
it's like Siouxsie and Bauhaus got stuck in an elevator with a couple guys from Joy Division. when the doors finally opened DA! walked out.
Hahaha yes!
Perfect description! 👌🏿
Couldve been a fail but this is fucking awesomeeee
Hi babe: With styling tips for the girlies from Sheena Easton........And - y’all KNOW (ya should by now) how I hate our early “feminist”girlies with them vag basses....... Mistress Bex 💋
Add in Medium Medium's 'Hungry So Angry" played at half-speed.
This is one beautiful haunting amazing song! Lorna’s voice is a stunner. Note to Dawn Fisher-please tell someone you are alive. We want to hear from you! -Eric Nihilist
thanks for this upload...had the 45 many decades ago - great to hear this again
Deserves so much more credit today 💯
I love this. It's got such a creepy vibe,and this video is even creepier! ❤ I've watched it 100x
I've never heard DA! before, but I'm liking this a lot! Reminds me of Xmal Deutschland...
More than Xmal Deutschland I would say Siouxie and the banshees
This is dark! Love it!
Shit,im from that era,was very much inot Bauhaus,Siouxsie and Joy division at the time,and this is the first time i accidently
stumbled onto this band..love this song!
That riff is SO GOOD.
@dreamtransmissions Nomeansno thought so too and used it the same year for their song 'Forget Your Life'.
Wow, haven't heard this in 30 years. Forgot about this group.
R.I.P. Lorna, you will be missed.
It's in that night time world
so changed from the day
that feelings are born
in blood and sweat and pain
where children lay in huge beds
in dark rooms
with shut doors
where shadows jump from blood and joy
twisting on the floor
two paintings alive on the wall
when that world clock
twist away the hours
to other times he says
grown too tired
to move their hands
to move their hands
to move their hands
to move their hands
on the twisting red face
so they sit on their shelves
and move them so tired
listen to the love and saw one
in pain
Woah way cooler than I was expecting! Dig this in a major way! New favorite. New OLD favorite:-) yesss!
Great Obscure Classic!!
Why i have never heard of'em? What a good stuff.
I'm going to post this on a few different DA-related videos here on YT, not to fuckin' impress or annoy anyone but because one never knows who out there---including the surviving members of the band---might read this. Loved this band. Saw them at least a handful of times. Lorna Donley (RIP), Dave Thomas on guitar, Gaylene (sp?) on guitar and a female drummer whose name I don't remember. I *think* this was their "classic" short-lived lineup. I remember Dave and Gaylene each played blonde Telecasters and one or both of them had put a few band band-aids on the guitars to cover up nicks in the wood. Funny! Lorna lived behind Sterch's pub on Lincoln Ave., Gaylene cut my hair a few times and I traveled with Dave to NYC. He was visiting Gaylene there after she split DA to be part of the band Bag People, which included my friend Algis Kizys (1981, maybe?) Rough loft on Broadway in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Scary back area then. Man, what memories...
Gaylene joined SCAB, great all girl NYC Hardcore Band for a few years. Still playing.
Gaylene now plays in Revolt-Chix based out of San Diego
Thank you for sharing those memories.
I missed those times.
I was around,
but I missed those times... 😢
Her voice sounded pretty similar to Siouxie . RIP Lorna Greetings from Spain
so glad i found this
They made a video for this? This song is outstanding. Good dark sound to it.
It is so good to come upon bands and the music one has not heard of before and You Tube is brilliant for this. They definitely sound like an early 80s' British band , in their simplicity and no frills sound. Very muck like early 80s Siouxsie and the Banshees " and early " Goth ", rather than 77 to 79 sounds .
Its sad though to also read of the death of one of the band members just as I discover them . It is the singer I assume?
Just absolutely perfect
Great 🖤
I met their manager in Brixton and bought one of DA's singles off him, I failed to hook up again a stupid mistake since I ended up in the US a few years later.
They really must have stood out among all of the Chicago punk bands of that era. Their sound is definitely post-punk and rare to hear from American bands of the time. Yes, I think there's some Siouxsie and the Banshees influence, but DA! isn't derivative of SATB either. I like this. I just wish the video were better quality but it's likely from a very old home video tape.
Very cool track and band I had never heard before. Thanks for uploading!
One of the best songs I have heard in a while, the video quality is telling us, they are deleting us X generation rebels in iceland. Very nicelandish is here heill Kleina
Wow! Too cool for school! Thank you, thank you!
R.I.P. Lorna.
this is amazing!
I love this
Vraiment excellent ! Belle découverte !
awesome videoclip
Never heard of this band.... but I'm here.
Unsung heroes of deathrock!
RIP lorna.
R.I.P. Lorna!
So good!
this is too goddamn good
I definitely hear the Susie and the banshees influence in this song s i o u x s i e that is. Definitely amped up to 11:00!
i wish we had a higher quality version of this. but also I wish we had more music from DA or any idea what the name means
amo esta canción
RIP LORNA
God almighty this song is pretty freekin' great!!!
Fantastic!
this is really good
Its about a child going to bed scared of the dark right? I love the shadow figures looking like a clock.
I have never heard these guys. Yes she does sound like Siouxsie and the Banshees. For a second I thought it was but I saw that Steve Severin was missing.
Amazing band!!
With its ominous sound I really could have imagined Joy Division doing this. I think it's about Nightmares but when it is light every thing will be ok. Very imaginative.
Muuittoooo bom esse som!!!!
Bisher kannte ich die Band noch gar nicht, gefällt mir aber sehr gut !
Ich auch!
Ich wünschte, ich hätte früher von ihnen gehört.
Grüße von der kapitalistischen Oligarchie Amerikas. 🤑
These guys are SO COOL! I can't believe they're from Chicago; I never would have guessed it. They sound English.
What, COOL can't come out of Chicago?
excellent. i gotta say though, it's a wonder that all the little girls of this time frame weren't scarred for life by their dollies.
Pat Benatar and the Banshees. Nice.
Sounds great
I am subscriber 202!!!
Very Siouxsie and the Banshees influenced sound. Vaguely recall hearing this song in the early 80's.
It sound a bit like Mittagseisen / Metal-Postcard first ...
Easily the best music to come out of that whole "You Weren't There" era of Chicago Punk. Nothing legendary about them, they were overshadowed by Naked Raygun, Effigies, Big Black etc. Don't know what was behind the break-up, but Da manager and Lorna's bf, Terry, was a piece work. Lorna had a
beautiful voice, was a fine bass player, and so sad how she left us. RIP Lorna, Beautiful Lady, the Flower in the Dustbin of the Chicago Punk Scene.
Bands with female drummers are always dope
Yep, like L7!
@@anthonyc1883 Don't forget Sleater-Kinney.
@@petebestbeatles9117 Cate Le Bon too!
@@joetipre8598 No offence, but Wikipedia only lists guitar and vocals for her.
@@petebestbeatles9117 her band has a female drummer, so good!
At first I thought it's the Southern California band Daniel Amos. This is an amazing gem.
Genial♥♥♥👍👍
reminds me of Siouxsie a lot!
poetry
It sound like early Siouxsie and the Banshees, back in the time when Kenny Morris and John McKay where part of the band
is that Gaylene on guitar? Cool video.
Anyone have a tab for the bassline ?
It's a shame that a band like DA! remained obscure while Culture Club became an international sensation. :-/
PrinceOfCicero Boy George was a descendant of the punk and new romantic era and a faithful worshipper in The church of Bowie. Culture Club were pop and that may not be everyone cup of tea, but they were a damn good band and dressed their success. this band was also good and they deserved success too, but talking about them and CC is apples and oranges.
nuwavegurl Thank you! They are two completely different kinds of sound but both are equally great in their own way.
Look, this kind of music would never reach radio airwaves like Culture Club did. This is underground by definition. Culture Club was an amazing band that could only come from England anyway. America could never produce such inventive and unique band...they were too busy listening to Toto.
It's almost like dark post punk dirges have less mass appeal than upbeat pop songs. Who would've guessed.
@@edsonsantiago9135 Toto... yikes. Can't say I ever thought much of them, even in Jr. High. They were just one of many space fillers on the top-40 stations broadcasting out of Seattle back then, like starch packing peanuts.
You can hear the Siouxie influences in this sound
Does anyone know what happened to the drummer Dawn Fisher?
Yes, she's still around...Not currently in the music scene, though.
Patricia P WOW!!! If you can get a message to her, please tell her to find me on Facebook or Twitter or here on RUclips. Everyone has been looking for her. She may or may not know about a film that is on DVD and on demand called "You Weren't There" and DA! is in it. They wanted to interview her for the film, but as I said, no one could find her.
Haunty
Does anyone know where I can find the lyrics to this? Or does anyone have the lyrics?
These guys were ahead of their time. Even this Video was ahead of it's time. Wish they would have done a lot more music. Maybe we could have avoided that horrid hair band crap in the 80's. LOL
I actually like it! As an old school audiophile, I’m surprised never heard this!
Let's face it. If The Banshees had stepped in front of a bus in 1977 these chancers wouldn't have existed.
3:02 best part
That sweet proto-Goth sound...
Nice Tele.
Play "Ready 'n' Steady" please!
+MuscleJacker That song no longer exists
+Bruce Wayne Implying it once existed. Not even the record label accompanied by it has ever released any material besides this phantom record.
this song means business ..
Never knew anything good came out of Chicago.
dumb
The audio is gone. :(
The singer looks like Sam from "Freaks and Geeks".
Haunting post punk goth naww dont you jus love it xD
Had never heard of them.
It's so.....Siouxsie.
Da! And Big Black.
I would have mistaken this for something by Cocteau Twins
I can understand why this band went under the radar. They aren't punk, they aren't rock, they weren't radio friendly. They existed in a bleak, post-punk Chernobyl landscape people weren't ready for.
A lot of decent bands went unnoticed.
Soiuxsie and the Banshees rip. Can't blame them, still good.