The Demolition Doll Rods was a three-piece glam / garage rock band from Detroit, Michigan. The band, known for wild stage attire, released its first record in 1994. The line up included Dan Kroha aka Danny Doll Rod (formerly of The Gories) on guitar, vocals, and harmonies, Margaret Doll Rod on guitar and lead vocals, and songwriting, Christine Doll Rod, also known as 'The Thump'/Thumper/Thumpurr on drums. In March 2006 Christine went on "maternity leave" and was replaced by Tia "Baby T" Dollrod.
The band first found national exposure in the mid-1990s on the second stage at Lollapalooza as an opening act for, respectively, Iggy Pop, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and The Cramps. The band's sound has been influenced primarily by other famous Motor City rockers like the MC5 and the Stooges. Their stage performances have been likened to those of the New York Dolls, and also The Cramps; the band members appearing in drag or in costume, occasionally wearing food items and often almost nothing at all. One memorable performance featured the band performing with only toy cartoon mouse heads covering their breasts, and only plastic wrap and semi-strategically placed slices of Swiss cheese covering their nether regions. In the last few years of their existence they wore leather pieces that they had made by Tom the Leatherman who designed costumes for Parliament/Funkadelic in the late '70s.
The Doll Rods play a genre-crossing, minimalist Detroit rock style incorporating rhythm and blues and garage rock. The three piece band features lead and rhythm guitars backed by the most basic bass-drum-floor-tom-and-snare drum kit. Their lyrics tackle issues such as sex, drug overdoses, drag racing, boys, girls, dogs, cats and good times.
On April 4, 2007, Dan Kroha posted the following message to the band's Myspace page:
To all our beloved and loyal fans . . . This is Danny. I have decided that after thirteen years of non-stop Doll Rod action, it is time for me to take a break for a while (don't really know how long). I am very proud of all we've done as a band and I want to thank everyone who has loved and supported us all these years.
The band has since been inactive - all members are concentrating on other musical projects.