By Jill Hamilton

COULD DONITA Sparks be anymore rock & roll? She sings and plays guitar for a hard-ass band, L7, a group that eternally lingers in that ultra cool level just below actual mass popularity. She lives in LA, in Silver Lake , which even your mom can tell you is mighty hip. She’s tough (at one show, she chucked a tampon – a tampon that had been in use-at the crowd). But today, soon after the release of L7’s fine new record The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum, and before a summer tour (with new bassist Gail Greenwood) opening for the Offspring , Sparks is playing hostess at her hillside house. She’s no Martha Stewart – surprise! - but she tries. A radio sets the mood with "Boogie Nights" and

"Baby Come to Me". Her house is strewn with Sparks debris, but she politely serves room-temperature water from a jug on a table. And she dabbles in décor. Her living room is filled with exotic lamps- a particularly festive one has a blue shade festooned with fringe balls and pictures of Eddie Van Halen.

" I made that," says Sparks proudly.

What risks did you take on THE BEAUTY PROCESS?

Pop backing vocals. And I think we pulled it off. I thought it was something we had to shy away from in the past - you know, for the rock aggression thing. But you hear bands like Cheap Trick and the Breeders doing awesome backing vocals, and you get more confidence. So, basically we ripped off Cheap Trick and the breeders.

It was out of complete frustration, like, "Fuck it, I can’t play these riffs, let the Micro Jammers do it for $1.99"

"Off the Wagon" has the chorus, "Off the wagon and on the town," Today, admitting drunkenness is taboo.

That song came to me one night. And I was thinking at the time, "Shit, some people might not like this." But its not really advocating drinking. Its what I do. And how can you sensor yourself like that?

Especially when you haven’t struggled over the lyrics - they just came to you, like, channeled.

Gail Greenwood.

Gail is fabulous in the band and has a really good time playing. Before she was in Belly, she was in hardcore bands on the East Coast, and I think she’s very happy to be rocking hardcore again.

She’s pretty clean –living. Is that weird?

I like it. It’s freaky to me.

Jennifer Finch, your old bassist , left suddenly. What happened?

She left (when we were) in the studio. We were talking about all the touring we’d have to on this record, and she just had, I think, a bit of a freakout. She’s toured for years and, at this point, was just over that. So she pulled out. With that time clock a-ticking away and the cost of being in a studio, you can’t sit around and hem and haw over something like that. We had a bass player within a week.

Have you seen her new band, Lyme?

No. I went to see them one night. They were supposed to go on a 10 but got bumped to 12, and I couldn’t stay.

How do you get energy up for a show?

Sometimes I take that truckers’ speed, the, uh…

Ephedrine?

Yeah. Or a couple of beers. Sometimes I’ll jump around in the dressing room or break shit – get that adrenaline going. Sometimes sex …with myself.

A SERIAL MOM anecdote, please.

We had to wear leggings and control top pantyhose underneath so our bodies would look better, and we all got yeast infections.

Your touring tips?

Good music, travel- size products , a vibrator and lots of sunglasses, because we look like shit so often that we need to mask ourselves from the fans and the photographs.

What posters did you have in your childhood room?

Blondie, the Ramones, David Bowie, the B-52’s. Early on , I had Rocky and Sha Na Na.

What was the record that changed your life?

Rocket to Russia, by the Ramones. My older sister had great musical taste , so I was also exposed to Bowie and Roxy Music, but with my stupid little friends, I was listening to Boston and crap like that. My sister brought home Rocket to Russia, and everything changed. My hair was green within months.

What CDs do you have that would shock people?

Oh, gosh. The Mills Brothers, Dean Martin, Buck Owens, Dee Lite. I don’t even listen to rock much. In a party situation, yeah, but when I’m chilling at the crib, I listen to all different stuff.

Do you collect anything?

I collect Jim Carrey things. I went to the Liar Liar premiere last night. It was awesome. I’m Hinckley for that guy.

You mean like, kill to get his attention?

Yeah. I was close enough to either kiss him or throw something at him at the premiere. I would never- let me say on the record- I would never throw anything at Jim Carrey, except my booty.

Last question: Why do you do it?

Sometimes I think I do it for the abuse. I don’t know. You bust ass, you create stuff, and then you’re just throwing it out their for people to spew their opinions about. Its really masochistic. Maybe that the appeal. I went to a costume party the other night that was a superhero theme party, and I was Super Doormat. I wore a welcome mat as a cape on my back. It’s harsh, but I think partially true. I’m a fucking doormat.