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Shannon
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Bassist recalls early days with Goo Goo Dolls
« on: Sep 1st, 2007, 10:04am » |
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Bassist recalls early days with Goo Goo Dolls, band's growth
By Elissa Zlatkovich
The Goo Goo Dolls slugged it out trying to get their music heard for more years than most bands are together. Formed in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1986, it would be nine years before their first big hit.
The first two Goo Goo Dolls albums were loud, reckless punk rock. Depending on your perspective, they were either a fun outlet for pent-up energy or just plain obnoxious. Rzeznik, now the band's most prominent singer, couldn't be convinced to try lead vocals until 1989.
With their third album, Hold Me Up (1990), the Goos discovered the power of melody and harmony and began to hit their stride. Rzeznik emerged as a gifted songwriter with a knack for both tuneful rockers and wistful acoustic compositions, while Takac started to perfect his bouncy bursts of energy.
But for all their efforts, no one noticed. No one, that is, until Los Angeles radio station KROQ picked their own single, "Name," off A Boy Named Goo. Next thing you know, the band sold 2 million records.
Instead of a big check, however, the band got a rude awakening. They actually owed their label money.
"We still have a team of scientists working on that," Takac said. "Putting records out for 10 years had accrued quite a bill, and when the money came in they asked for it. So that's where it went - back to the record label so they could release more Lizzy Borden records." The Goos sued their record label, Metal Blade, and were able to find a new home at Warner Bros.
The band got another break when Rzeznik, in the midst of a crushing bout with writer's block, was asked to write a song for the movie "City of Angels." "Iris" became one of the biggest songs of 1998 and gave Rzeznik the confidence to finish the band's triple platinum album, Dizzy Up the Girl, which came out a few months later.
Since then, the Goo Goo Dolls have scored too many hits to name, from "Slide" to, most recently, "Before It's Too Late." They don't sell the same number of records, but then again, no one does.
While it couldn't have always been a picnic, Takac fondly remembers his years spent touring the country in a cramped, beat-up van.
"It was an adventure; it was Robin Hood and the Merry Men. Much different than now - now we're out all the time," he said. "Our lives as adults have changed drastically. Probably by this point a lot different than most folks' experiences when they choose this path in life. Most people don't get to do it into their 40s like I am right now. I don't know; I don't feel like slowing down."
The band comes through Austin on Saturday supporting their newest album, Let Love In. As Takac explained, the mindset for this record was different from previous efforts.
"John was trying really hard just to write songs - 'let the chips fall where they may' kind of thing. Be they Goo Goo Dolls songs, be they not Goo Goo Dolls songs, he just was trying to write songs. Then he'd bring them to the band and we'd see if we liked playing them or not."
After finishing touring in a few weeks, the band will head to Buffalo to begin work on a new record. They'll be recording in Trackmaster Studios, the same place their very first albums were made.
"There were pipes missing in the walls and no electricity in parts of the building, and it was pretty much a mess. So we went in and put some money into it. ... Hopefully we'll be in there in October or November, making music again."
Fans coming out to the show on Saturday should expect to hear some songs not performed live lately, like "All Eyes on Me" and "Slave Girl." They should also remember to bring a can of food for people in need in Austin.
The band works with USA Harvest and has raised an "outrageous amount of food" on this tour, according to Takac. "We collect canned goods, non-perishables, and get them to people within the local areas that we collect them in usually within 24 hours." Any donations can be dropped off in bins set up by the ticket window.
The Goo Goo Dolls will be perform at The Backyard Sept. 1. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7:00 p.m.Tickets are $35.
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/08/31/L ifeArts/Bassist.Recalls.Early.Days.With.Goo.Goo.Dolls.Bands.Growth-2946256.shtml
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zomg
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Re: Bassist recalls early days with Goo Goo Dolls
« Reply #1 on: Sep 2nd, 2007, 11:17pm » |
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Cool article! Thanks for sharing, Shannon! 
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