Former Enuff Z'Nuff songwriter/lead vocalist Donnie Vie guested on the 80's Glam Metal Podcast and discussed his rise to stardom with Enuff Z’Nuff, the band's classic albums from the late '80s and early '90s, his relazionship with Chip Z'Nuff, and more.

On what he has going on for 2021

Donnie: "Working on new songs and putting my own company together. I'm also looking for a catalog deal for my solo stuff. If I end up releasing the songs myself, I'll probably just do singles. It's pretty expensive to make a record. If you want to do it right, you have to have the studio, hire an engineer. All that shit costs money. Nobody buys albums anymore anyways. To make a whole record in my position would be pointless unless their are finances to do it." 

On the Enuff Z'Nuff back catalog coming out now on Cleopatra Records

Donnie: "Cleopatra records have just put out Dissonance and Peach Fuzz. It's cool to have those on vinyl because they have never been on vinyl before. It's also good to have all those albums that were scattered all over on shitty labels corralled in one place. Now they are getting the attention and love they deserve." 

On his relationship with Chip Z'Nuff

Donnie: "It's successful right now under the circumstances. He has his quirks and I have mine. We had a lot of years together and some hard times. I prefer not to be involved with him every day, and I'm sure he prefers not to be involved with me every day. Because of the Cleopatra deal, we had to talk and work together on it. We have found a way to make it friendly and remember the love and forget the hate. I hated his ass. There was some really violating stuff happening coming from a so-called brother. But we talked about it and all that shit has been worked out."

On getting big in the '80s and the bands heavy glam image

Donnie: "I'll tell you what I can remember. Back in the '80s, it was like everywhere you would go, there was a party for you. Everybody loves you....giving you all kinds of free shit. It was so much fun, but it came with a lot of excess baggage that was impossible to shake for a long time. Our image in the late '80s just came from a lack of planning. Chip and I had never envisioned that as our look. With Derek and Vik, it kinda came with the territory. Derek had the giant hair and Vik was a total Crüe and Poison fan. That was what was going on on MTV and in the clubs. Chip and I without knowing any better, just got on the bus with the glam look. Our label didn't try and discourage it either. Atco basically built the label on that '80s glam shit. We were building them up because we were their main baby. We showcased for Geffen and the guy from the label said he had to pass on us because of our look. I really wasn't a fan of that glam shit and shook it as fast as I could. It went against my instincts, but it was such a big opportunity at a young age. How was I going to walk away because I didn't like the look, making it big was what I had dreamed about." 

On changes in the business in the '90s

Donnie: "On the Strength album it really hadn't sunk in yet. We didn't realize what was happening with music. For us and for a lot of fans, that album was like a masterpiece. We didn't make it thinking it was not going to be pushed and just sit on a shelf. When we went to Arista with Clive Davis, the first thing he had us do was drop the image. Before Nirvana came in, that was how I used to look as a kid. Punk, bum, drug addict, street lizard. I was writing punky shit too. I was like damn! Clive told me I deserved to be up on the wall with all these classic artists in his office. He said the minute you do something that's unnatural, you start taking away from you. He said all that glam and makeup shit had to go. I don't think he had any intention of keeping the rest of the band. He only cared about these power ballads and me. I was happy when all that glam shit was gone, but it was a lot of fun! When that '80s lifestyle went out, the good times went out of the business."