What's Up! Magazine

DON’T features Dave Minick, Sam Henry, Dan Lowinger, and Jenny Don’t. Photo by Rachel Montgomery

Featuring two ex-Bellingham musician’s Dan Lowinger and Jenny Don’t, Portland’s DON’T mix a dark and brooding sound with surf rock for a combination that is winning over the Portland music scene and beyond.

DON’T initially came together seven months ago when Jenny (formerly of Ladies of the Night) answered a Craigslist advertisement Dan (formerly of Foot Stompin Trio, Honeymoon’s Over) had posted regarding guitar lessons. The two had known each other a bit from their time in Bellingham, but never collaborated. During the second guitar lesson, Jenny showed Dan a few songs she had written. “I was blown away. My first thought was forget the lessons, lets start a band,” exclaimed Dan.

Jenny had already been playing music with drummer Sam Henry (formerly of the seminal band The Wipers, as well as Napalm Beach) and one night they asked Dan to join them. “It came together pretty quick,” explained Dan, “and Sam invited Dave Minick (ex-Napalm Beach) to play bass after a couple of practices. From the first time we all played together, it just clicked.”

DON’T pulls their sound from punk, blues and surf, creating a dark and soulful blend of rock. While the band is comprised of legends in music, Jenny is the heart of the sound, or at least the creator. “I’m still terrible at this! I guess it is a combination of punk, blues, surf sounds,” Dan said. “When Jenny first talked to me about playing she described the sound in her head as dark songs, with slow guitar and fast drums… When I finally got what she was talking about the songs came quick.”

Though the sound started with Jenny, Dan states it’s a collaborative effort, noting, “I couldn’t ask for a better group of musicians and people to play with.”

Currently Dan is playing in several different musical groups, but that wasn’t the case when he first moved to Portland. “When I moved I went from a great music life in Bellingham to pretty much nothing in Portland, and built it up from scratch. Not a fun process but I can’t tell you how happy I am now I’m playing with so many great musicians doing so much different music.”

While the transition was difficult for Dan, it helps there’s a large Bellingham contingent living in Portland. “At this point if I step outside my door and wave, someone from Bellingham will wave back. It rules there are so many great Bellingham people living down here now.”

Though Dan loves living in Portland, he notes the scene in Bellingham is special. “The cohesive and supportive scene that Bellingham has is rare. It happens down here, just not as much.”

The problem, according to Dan, is the town is so saturated with musicians. “One night I decided to randomly ask my cab driver if he was in a band. Yup. I think about 75 percent of the people I have met in Portland have at least one band, maybe more.” Turns out there are so many people in bands that Dan doesn’t tell people he’s in one anymore, opting instead to call it a “party creator.”

Recently, DON’T recorded with Justin Phelps whose worked with the Dead Kennedys, Mars Volta and Cake to name a few. The final mixes are being worked on this week and will be released early next year, according to Dan. After the record comes out, they’re hit the West Coast for a tour.

This month they’ve been invited on a mini-tour with Pierced Arrows (ex-Dead Moon), a personal thrill for Dan. “They have been really supportive of us. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Dead Moon is one of my all time favorite bands!”