THE VERY BEGINNING
Anaheim, California. Little Eric Stefani writes his first song, "Stick It In The Hole," about a pencil sharpener, forcing sister Gwen to sing along. Gwen was more interested in The Sound of Music.
Born and raised in England, relocated to SoCal at age 11, Tony Kanal joins his high-school jazz band in 10th grade as the bass player, although he had previously played the saxophone.
Ninth grader Adrian Young attempts to drum to "Bend Over' by O.C. band Doggy Style at a school talent contest; several years later, when he was 18, his parents bought him a kit for Christmas and he learned "Wild Flower" by the Cult.
Tom Dumont's life changed when he realized what the phrases "dressed to kill' and "hotter than hell" really mean: Rock 'n' Roll; a wee lad with a prized KISS record living in Irvine (California), he dreamed of being a rock star. When he became a teenager, Tom picked up a guitar and started practicing.
SETTING THE FOUNDATION
December 1986
Back-flipping singer John Spence forms the Orange County-based 2 Tone ska group No Doubt -- named after his favorite expression -- with keyboardist Eric, who forces Gwen to sing backing vocals. Gwen cites Madness, Kermit the Frog, Julie Andrews and Fishbone's Angelo Moore as her heroes.
March 14, 1987
After several raucous party performances, No Doubt play their first "official" gig at Fender's Ballroom in Long Beach, California; the band was second on a bill of fourteen with The Untouchables headlining. Tony was one of several hundred people watching.
Shortly after, Tony, a high-school junior, shows up to try out wearing baggy pants and Mexican sandals. Band accepts him even though this is his first band; still a high-school senior, Gwen eagerly accepts him.
Summer 1987
Gwen kisses Tony at an Orange County party. They hide their relationship from the band. An organized perfectionist, Tony becomes the band manager (now he's just the bass player).
Dec. 21, 1987
Tragically, John Spence shoots himself at an Anaheim park. A few days later, No Doubt plays big industry gig at the Roxy in Hollywood; but devastated over John's suicide, they call it quits. Days later, they reform knowing that's what John would want.
STILL FORMING
Spring 1988
Heavy-metal guitarist Tom, a college music student, leaves his sister's heavy-metal band, Rising, because the metal scene in O.C. sucks; after peering in the window while No Doubt rehearsed, Tom pulls his long hair into a ponytail and joins the ska-heavy No Doubt, adding a heavier edge.
1987-1988
Part of the then-underground-ska-scene, No Doubt built a huge following of loyal "rude boys" and "rude girls" after numerous gigs opening for The Untouchables and Fishbone, as well as their own all-ages shows. Through this following, they were able to avoid the "pay-to-play" crap many young bands acquiesced to. A three-song and a five-song demo are sold at shows.
Summer 1989
Drummer, huge No Doubt fan and fibber, Adrian joins No Doubt after calling a number from the back of a demo tape; he tells No Doubt he has years of experience, but later admits he only has one. His love of 70's rock and ska made the choice obvious. No Doubt plays their first out-of-state show in Arizona in front of about a hundred people.
1989-1990
No Doubt evolved into a solid five-piece unit, expanding their sound to include the styles of each member. The natural evolution caused a few "rude kids" to fall away, but with shows opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ziggy Marley and Mano Negra, their fan base broadened to the college crowd. Pizza mailing list parties became the modus operandi as the list, which was started in 1987, grows from a few hundred names to a couple thousand. (In 1993, when the list reaches approximately 7,000 names, Tony decides to have just pizza parties).
UNDERGROUND BAND STRIKES IT BIG, SORT OF
August 1991
No Doubt signs a "big" recording contract with Interscope Records; they continue driving around O.C. in their old cars and work day jobs (Gwen and Tony were sales people at the same department store, Adrian waited tables at a steak house, and Tom ran a small music equipment rental business). Interscope head honcho Jimmy Lovine predicts Gwen will be a star in five years. The band really wants to be played on local radio station KROQ.
Oct.-Dec. 1991
Between working and going to school (Tom's a music major, Gwen's an art major, Tony and Adrian are psychology majors -- it's a smart band), band drives to a Los Angeles studio as often as possible to record their debut album, a 14-song collection of older material (1987) as well as recently penned tracks; on a budget, they spend less than $13,000.
March 1992
Self-titled No Doubt released. Only 30,000 sold; grunge is in; they don't get played on KROQ. Adrian remembers the program director saying, "It would take an act of God for this band to get on the radio." Enough said.
In support of No Doubt, the band embarks on their first two-week 13-show Western-state headlining tour in two vans (five members, a three-piece horn section, a roadie, tour manager/soundman and equipment).
Summer 1992
Band makes video for "Trapped In A Box" for a mere $5,000; MTV never played it, but M2 does now. No Doubt once again make a two-week Western run.
Fall 1992
Hitting the big time, the band undertakes a two-and-a-half month national-tour -- still in a van. Although, predominately headlining small clubs, the band plays a couple shows with Public Enemy, Pato Banton, and The Special Beat, a reunited Specials and The English Beat.
FROM TRAGIC TIMES COMES MAGIC
March 1993
No Doubt begins the first sessions for what would be called Tragic Kingdom. The album was recorded in eleven different studios over two and a half years. Tony refers to it as a "battleground" -- and there were casualties.
1994
Eric departs before the completion of Tragic Kingdom, and continues as an animator for The Simpsons.
After a seven-year relationship, Tony gets claustrophobic and dumps Gwen; the singer has plenty to sing about and "Don't Speak" evolved from a love song into a broken heart song.
Early 1995
Knowing it had been three years since they had any music out and local fans were wanting something new, No Doubt self-releases the 10-song Beacon Street Collection, named after the house on Beacon Street in Anaheim where several
members lived and the garage studio where most of the tracks were recorded. They sold out of the first thousand CD's within two weeks after selling them at shows and local record stores (To date, they've sold approximately 100,000 copies).
Fall 1995
Wanting to learn how to read music and grasp the rudiments, Adrian takes a basic drumming class at Fullerton Junior College (California); not a morning person, Adrian still makes the 8 a.m. classes.
Aug.-Sept. 1995
Laying the groundwork for Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt plays the main stage on the first Warped Tour.
October 1995
Tragic Kingdom, a mixture of ska, new wave, pop, punk and rock, is released. Of the lyrics, Gwen says: "We went through some really bad times in the past couple years -- personally and bandwise -- and our whole way of dealing with that is humor and I think that's really apparent in the record."
Album doesn't make the charts and KROQ, slow to catch on, doesn't pay attention.
No Doubt play the Virgin Megastore in Costa Mesa, California; since relatives will be attending, and also, Gwen believes, because she's a girl, her mother asks her not to swear when she sings "Just A Girl"; Gwen swears; her mom won't speak to her for a week.
Winter 1995
KROQ pays attention; band smiles. New wave-ish "Just A Girl," about being a girl, gets massive requests.
Band swears it's not their friends calling.
In support of Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt tours a week with 311, then several weeks on their own, followed by holiday radio shows.
A GIRL IS A QUEEN, NO DOUBT IS FLY
January 1996
Several months after it's release, Tragic Kingdom debuts on Billboard's Top 200 at No. 175, and the single "Just A Girl" reaches No. 10. "That single surprised the hell out of me," Tom, who created the music, told Guitar World. "I always thought the song was cool, but I never expected it to fly like it has." Video, which features band in one room and Gwen in another, is all over MTV; media ignores band and focuses on Gwen's midriff and bindi.
No Doubt makes late night debut performing "Just A Girl" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
March 28, 1996
David Letterman is seen tapping his foot while No Doubt performs "Just A Girl" on The Late Show.
May 1996
On the road opening for Bush, Gwen breaks her foot while performing; the show must go on -- this time with plenty of Band-Aids.
After Dominic Griffin interviews No Doubt for the syndicated radio show, "Live From The Pit", Dom follows Gwen, repeatedly saying: "Yeah, I know I was the drunk Irishman from the Real World, but I'm just a boy and you're just a girl." A restraining order is issued. (If you believe this, you believe Dominic is a journalist.)
June 1996
The catchy "Spiderwebs," with music by Tony and Gwen-penned lyrics NOT about their relationship, reaches No. 5 in Billboard.
Band begins their first European tour, followed by dates in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Japan.
July 1996
Tragic Kingdom goes Platinum.
Gwen changes her hair; Mabel's Salon in Austin reports big business in platinum color treatments.
August 1996
Tragic Kingdom certified Double-Platinum. Although No Doubt had been headlining in clubs for seven years, the band embarks on their first sold-out theater-size headlining tour.
Salons across the country complain that every teenage girl wants to get their hair cut and colored like "that No Doubt girl." "Gwennabees" are hatched.
Meanwhile, Tony goes from blond to brown, and Adrian, who had sculpted his hair into two red horns, and Tom check the theory that blondes have more fun by dipping into the bleach bottle; barber shops don't report an increase in coloring.
Sept. 5, 1996
Mutual admiration established, No Doubt returns to Letterman to perform "Spiderwebs."
Sometime 1996
Some leading news magazine reports that those other two blonde singers are out and "that No Doubt girl" is paving the way for a new style; she changes her hair again. The band gets cropped out of photos. No Doubt stipulates they are a BAND, not just a girl. Gwen feels guilty, but becomes the reigning queen of pop and idol to teenage girls.
October 1996
November issue of SPIN hits the stands with No Doubt cover story--only they forgot there were three guys in the band too. Gwen's pretty face and belly button get top billing while the boys are relegated to the Table of Contents page. SPIN says: "No Doubt is the Last American New Wave Group."
November 1996
After performing nearly every night for a year, Gwen's vocal chords are strained; the band cancels its second European tour; the dates are made up in February and March 1997.
Quintessential power ballad "Don't Speak," about Tony and Gwen's break up, reaches No. 2 on the Modern Rock chart and No. 1 on Hot 100 airplay chart in Billboard. Video portrays a different story, the story of three forgotten guys pitted against the adored singer; it was therapeutic. "Has it got to the point where we mean nothing?" Tom queries a Rolling Stone writer. "If Gwen doesn't speak, we mean nothing?"
Dec. 7, 1996
No Doubt perform "Don't Speak" and "Excuse Me Mr." on Saturday Night Live. The following week Tragic Kingdom reaches No. 1 in Billboard -- 14 months after its release, selling 229,000 copies the first week at the top spot, more than 500,000 Christmas week, and 6 million total. The album will spend nine weeks at No. 1, and 36 weeks in the Top 10.
pet vel 29, 2008 3:18 pm