Born 1959 in Auckland, Don studied English and Music at Auckland University and played French Horn and percussion in the Auckland Sinfonia from 1979-82.
He was a member of the percussion ensemble From Scratch from 1979-86, and was drummer and singer with Auckland agit-punk band Blam Blam Blam from 1980-82. Together with Harry Sinclair he formed the innovative music/theatre/film act The Front Lawn in 1985. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1988 and 1989, as well as in Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand until disbanding in 1990.
Don was singer and primary songwriter in The Mutton Birds from 1991 to 2002. The group signed to Virgin Records UK in 1995, and were based in London from then until 1999, touring world-wide.
Don returned to NZ in 2000, and lives in Auckland with his wife, dancer/writer Marianne Schultz, and their two children, Louis and Pearl.
His most recent work includes completing the score for Toa Fraser's debut feature film "No 2", and the score for TV series "Orange Roughies". He is currrently recording with his new band The Seven Sisters - SJD on Bass, John Segovia on pedal steel guitar, and Chis O'Connor on drums.