If you know anything about me, you might know that a significant portion of my fun time includes scavenging the depths of the Internet for slivers of information about my favorite bands. Every new picture is gold, that blurry backstage footage from 1986 is priceless, and my Watch Later list is overflowing with various concerts and interviews. So I figured it’s about time I got cracking on an interview for your enjoyment.
I sat down with—well, emailed—Donny Donovan of Dinosoul. Dinosoul is a dark indie band from Pittsburgh, with a growing fanbase full of culture and spirit. The band was formed by Donny and their bandmate, Carolyn, in 2016. After a few members came and went in their early foundation, they became comfortable as a two-piece band for the moment. Since the band’s image focuses significantly on LGBTQ+ representation, I really wanted to get to know Donny with this interview, as well as discover how they’re keeping creative during the pandemic.
The interview with Donny went as follows:
Alrighty then, let’s kick this off. Your main band—Dinosoul—is very spiritually and metaphysically based. In other words, your goal seems to be to connect with the listener’s soul. How exactly does the name of your band play into that? Does “Dinosoul” mean something important?
Well, at the time when we were trying to figure out "the name", we were really drawn to dinosaurs. One of our favorite movies growing up was "The Land Before Time". Randomly, we’d find little dinosaur toys and figurines around the city. It was bizarre. In 2016, when the band was formed, I was going through a spiritual awakening and the word "soul" came up a lot. I actually can’t remember how or who said the name Dinosoul, but it happened during a walk I took with Carolyn, my dog Mya, and my dad. The vision behind Dinosoul was to connect with our audience in a very conscious and deep way. We wanted to share our higher self to inspire others to connect to theirs, while communicating the raw human emotions going through true hardships.
Things have been very different obviously in the past year due to the pandemic. How are you staying creative? What effects does this worldwide isolation have on what you write?
Artistically, I am staying creative by painting, writing beats, and listening to music. Unfortunately, we have only released one single "How to Survive" during the pandemic. It has been really tough to be an active band, mostly because I don’t feel super comfortable promoting my music with everything going on in the world right now. For me, this is a reflective and self-development period. I am very excited however to perform and record new material. I actually had top surgery on 1/28/2020 right before the pandemic and haven’t played a show as my new authentic self. This is something that I’m very excited about and ready to share. The pandemic has given me the opportunity to heal and work on myself in my ways. I do, however, feel confused and sad about not having the music community physically in my existence. I haven’t been able to be active on social media as much as I’d like because I enjoy face-to-face human connection.
Your music also focuses a lot on human identity and being true to yourself. Are you excited to share your experiences with sexuality and gender on stage as the world starts to open up again? Or scared?
I am very excited. After getting top surgery and feeling more comfortable in my body, I am able to move better. What I mean by that is, I am not hiding my body. I am moving more freely because I feel connected to myself. In addition to the top surgery, I have focused and improved my health by working out consistently and eating more nutrient-dense foods. In September 2019, I also was diagnosed with celiac which helped me get to a better place about how to heal my gut and absorb the foods I was eating.
This being said, can your fans and new listeners expect fresh content soon?
Right now, I’m still figuring out the direction and energy I want to work with moving forward. I am in two bands, Hearken and Dinosoul. These bands are very different style-wise. After a year of not playing or writing specifically for either band, I’m actually thinking about releasing a tune just under Donny with Gregg from Hearken on drums and Carolyn with keys on the track. Both bands will most likely play shows and release songs, but I have to see how much energy I have for it all in a post-COVID-19 world.
My favorite song of yours thus far is "Let Me Go". Looking into it deeper, it’s about the freedom of choice, and how we evolve into our present selves without regret. Would you say this song in particular is especially relevant to now?
Yes, the main theme of that song is to "let go" and not be attached to certain parts or even relationships in your life, including yourself. Things will change and people will grow with or away from you. Listening back to the songs and the lyrics, I sometimes understand things more in the future of where I was and what I was trying to say. In relationships, we become very stuck in patterns and assume a lot or that things can never change. The block becomes like mud and we use words like "always" and "should" but sometimes we just need to really let go of the past. It’s the only way to rewire our nervous system. What I’ve learned over this past year is to be kind and listen to people. To actually "hear" them and acknowledge how they feel. If everyone would do this more, I feel that we would let down our defenses and allow connections to flow. When we hide or try to manipulate situations, we only make things worse and fake because it’s not how we really feel, even if we are trying to protect someone.
And you’re not only a musician. What other impacts are you making on the community and the environment?
Professionally, I am [an] exercise physiologist providing personal training and other holistic services. I’ve been practicing for about 12 years and I opened my own studio last year (2020) in East Liberty. My specialty is biomechanics and Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT). My studio is open to EveryBODY and I do not turn anyone away based on price. It’s been an amazing experience working with so many unique individuals with different goals and challenges. I have attracted many people in the music, queer, and art community which has been very special. I also work with collegiate and professional athletes, people with neuromuscular conditions such as MS, Parkinson's, ADEM, and others who have had major joint surgeries. As far as the environment, I love supporting local gardens, farmers markets, and practicing a plant-based diet which I’m a very big advocate for.
What advice would you give to the young creatives of Pennsylvania (whether they are a part of the LGBTQ+ community or not)?
My advice would be to focus on your art and allow creativity to flow through you. Don’t let music become a job, but learn as much as you can yourself. There will be moments where you might not feel super creative and that’s okay. Allow that space to be and focus on what the universe is showing you. Don’t let opportunities compromise your work. Expectations will always be there, but allow change to happen if it presents itself.
If you could open for any artist at a concert, who would it be?
I would love to open for Tegan and Sara.
Give me a sentence that sounds poetic off the top of your head without looking anything up.
We die from our fears and live for our desires.
You’re vegan, so—favorite food?
Yes. So I’m plant-based and also eat eggs right now. This is [a] new thing since November 2020. My favorite food is either pizza or a smoothie depending on the day. I love Thai food and am always excited to try new authentic dishes.
What’s a song you’ve had on repeat recently?
Right now the song that I’ve been listening to on repeat is "Runaway" by AURORA. I usually listen to a new song that "hits" me at least 100 times and then move on to another one. I become slightly entangled with the new inspiring tune and somehow the lyrics end up synching up with events happening in my life.
I love that last line Donny gave me, and I think it really proves that music isn’t just soundwaves, but rather, full of emotion and depth. Dinosoul is here for everything that music offers and I had a wonderful experience collaborating with Donny for this interview. Be sure to give them a listen and support a local inclusive and captivating band!
photo credit via @dinosoulmusic.
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