Donnette Thayer is a vocalist and guitarist most active in the 1980s and early 1990s underground rock scenes. Thayer has been described as "the enchantress" (Bucketful Of Brains), "a suave (post-paisley) successor to California flower-pop" (Trouser Press Record Guide, 4th edition), and "Gaea personified" (Hard Report). Thayer is known for her heavy interest in mathematics and science.
She was a guitarist/singer for power pop/ college rock band Game Theory in the late 1980s. As a guitarist/vocalist with Game Theory, Thayer toured extensively promoting the cult classic, Lolita Nation (Enigma). Thayer played on the band's subsequent recording, Two Steps From The Middle Ages.
Following the release of Two Steps, Thayer teamed up with Steve Kilbey of Australian psychedelic rock band The Church, whose Top Ten hit, "Under The Milky Way," was #12 for the year of 1988. (Kilbey's nickname for her was "Starfish;" this was later used as the title of The Church's album Starfish, which featured "Under The Milky Way.") In 1987, Kilbey and Thayer created their Hex project, whose self-titled debut album was originally released on First Warning, then on Rykodisk (1989), as well as on Demon (U.K.). The Kilbey-Thayer duo returned to the studio to produce their second Hex recording, Vast Halos (1990).
In 1997, Thayer released a solo album, Chaos And Wonder, on Escapist Music.
In 2007 and 2008, Thayer taught chemistry and tenth grade English at Benjamin Franklin Senior High School in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Donnette contributed vocals and lyrics to the song "Peregrine", music by Tony Pucci and Stefan Horlitz, for the ALS Charity CD "Songs for Jenny" . The CD was released on Heyday Records in October 2009. The "Songs for Jenny" CD also features vocal performances by Margot Smith, Tim Powles of The Church, and many others.
Donnette lives in Alberta, Canada, with her partner John Gamon.