Dornacker was the lead singer (Leila), keyboardist, and songwriter of the 1970s/1980s San Francisco "tack" rock group Leila and the Snakes. Pearl E. Gates and Pamela Wood provided supporting vocals. Their repertoire included "Rock and Roll Weirdos," "Pyramid Power" and a spoof version of Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?". Dornacker described the group as closer to musical theatre than rock music: "I worked with a couple of girls I knew from dance classes, and we did nutty dance routines and songs, and I did these long, rambling monologues.’ Gates and the band became Pearl Harbor and the Explosions without Dornacker. Guitarist Miles Corbin formed the surf instrumental band the Aqua Velvets.