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Title: Interview with John from azcentral.com Post by Shannon on Aug 18th, 2010, 7:07pm Dolls' Johnny Rzeznik talks tour, new album by Ed Masley - Aug. 18, 2010 12:33 PM The Arizona Republic When the Goo Goo Dolls rolled out of Buffalo in 1987, there was nothing to suggest they'd one day top the Hot 100 Airplay charts - for 18 weeks, no less - with a heartbreaking, string-laden ballad the cute one would write for a Meg Ryan film. Those first records were spirited post-Replacements punk served with reckless abandon. But even then, the Goo Goo Dolls could write a hook. Ask guitar-playing vocalist Johnny Rzeznik when they found their own voice and he'll point to the fourth album, "Superstar Carwash," the earliest record he's willing to sample on the tour that brings the Dolls to Phoenix's Dodge Theatre in support of "Something for the Rest of Us," due Tuesday, Aug. 31. Rzeznik talked about the inspiration for the latest album, stepping out of the Replacements' shadow and their mainstream breakthrough as the ballad guys who gave you "Name" and "Iris." Question: You've said you wanted to address the disillusionment of these difficult times on "Something for the Rest of Us." Answer: Well, I didn't want to make any sort of blatant statement because I'm just not that guy (laughs). But I tried to approach it more from the emotional aspect of what are people going through, being affected by a bad economy and two wars. It's getting really difficult. People are losing their homes. I wanted to write about that sense of disillusionment when people feel as though they're losing their purpose in life. Q: Do you think people look to you for that? A: I don't think I've ever sat down and said, "Well, I know my audience is this and this and that." I've never tried to do a demographic study and then said, "Well, I believe that these people, according to my research, will react to this material and then, I'll make $100,000." (laughs) One thing I've realized about writing is it really is a selfish process. Maybe cathartic is too strong a word, but it's a way to clear your own mind. And this kind of stuff has been on my mind for a while. I feel this chronic sort low-grade anxiety in our society. We're in a constant state of high alert. Q: What inspired the title "Something for the Rest of Us?" A: We're not a very urban sort of rhythmic Top 40 act (laughs). And we're certainly not kids anymore. I just feel like this isn't for these people or those people. This is for the rest of us. Q: You've had huge commercial successes. Do you feel like that's unlikely now because of the climate at Top 40 radio? A: If I started thinking about that, my chronic low-grade anxiety would go into high alert (laughs). But it's OK because I'm lucky. I'm a little blessed. I make my living playing live and doing tours, and we've got great fans that come out and see us. Q: You and (bassist) Robby (Takac) are coming up on 25 years of playing together. How would you say your relationship compares to what it was when you were getting started? A: We were crazy kids together when we started. Everything was a big party and it was a lot of fun. We traveled around the country in a big van and played every crappy little punk-rock club in America 15 times. Along the way, we started to evolve as human beings, and I hope the music evolved along with (us). People ask me, "Why don't you play anything off your first couple records?" Well, for the same reason I don't play with G.I. Joe dolls anymore (laughs). I'm a grown-up. I don't feel comfortable playing those songs. Were they important? Did they lead me to where I am now? Yeah. So did wearing a diaper and then being toilet trained (laughs). Q: What's the earliest song you feel comfortable playing? A: We do some stuff off of "Superstar Carwash," because that's when I was starting to sort of find my own voice, rather than just trying to be the Replacements. Q: Did you reach a point where you felt you had to put some distance between yourselves and that? A: I was lucky enough to tour with the Replacements on their last tour and have a couple of conversations with Paul Westerberg. He didn't say much, but he did say, "You know, you've gotta put your own spin on this, man, and take it to the next place." Q: He told you that? A: Yeah. Q: Meaning that he thought you guys were too similar? A: I don't think he ever really thought we were too similar. I think he thought we were a cute, cheap version of them (laughs). Q: When you wrote "Name," could you tell right away that it would be a big song for you guys? A: No. It blindsided me because we were making a video for a song called "Flat Top," which was a cool rock song, and we were thinking, "We're a rock band." Then, the biggest radio station in the country started playing "Name," and it was just like "What the hell?" And we've been sort of typecast from there. I think "Iris" really sort of sealed the deal of our being typecast as this big, lush ballad sort of act. Q: Does that make you uncomfortable? A: No, because I'm actually incredibly grateful that I've had some hits. I have no problem playing those songs. And I play them every single night. That's what the people come to see, and I'm not there to judge my audience. Q: I think there's been a decent balance of the ballads and the rockers on your albums. A: I still think like that, because I grew up listening to vinyl and there was always that balance on records. It just kind of makes it a little more interesting, I think. It's not this sort of psychotic "I have one emotion and it's anger." Q: Do you have a favorite Goo Goo Dolls album? A: I don't think so. I've gotta admit. I dig the new record, because it's new and it's fresh. It's like having a new girlfriend. But I'm pretty happy with most of what I've done. I always go back and listen to what I've done when I'm about to start a new record and go, "Damn, I wish I'd done that differently." But you learn from it, when you dig back into your past. Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/2010/08/18/20100818goo-goo-dolls-johnny-rzeznik-phoenix.html#ixzz0x0ObnutP |
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