The Province (Dec. 19th 2003)

There's no doubting No Doubt's success

Tom Dumont can rest assured that the doubters have been put in their place.

"Sorry to use that word, doubters," says the guitarist for No Doubt. "But I remember that we were tagged as one-hit wonders."

The album, The Singles 1992-2003, 15 strong and most of them bona fide hits, is the band's loud reply. There is no doubting No Doubt.

There was a time, though.

"Just a Girl" became the first substantial hit for the Anaheim group, the album it came from, Tragic Kingdom, casting attention on its roots in ska and California punk. These elements were presumed to have a short life, so naturally No Doubt also were presumed to be written off easily. Instead, it followed "Just a Girl" with the ballad, "Don't Speak," an even bigger hit from the same album, that this time cast attention on singer Gwen Stefani.

She became a star, brother Eric left the band, the group (Stefani, Dumont, Tony Kanal, Adrian Young) shrugged and carried on, singles amassed and, before anyone realized it, No Doubt had reached this juncture.

"When the idea was presented to us that we could do an album like this, we didn't think we had enough stuff," recalls Dumont. The Singles 1992-2003 chronicles 11 years in a career that began in 1986. "I think you're right; it does feel like a summing up. We worked so hard for so long that we needed a break."

The compilation shows that the band has transcended its ska beginnings. In the process, No Doubt shows great range and defines itself.

"It's definitely true," Dumont agrees. "But we don't know what is going to be a single. We have a real hard time doing that because we're so close to the music. We have a hard time being objective. We have this thing, when we sit down to write, where we hate to repeat ourselves. Without it meaning to be, it's become a strength of ours. We try to do what isn't expected."

Doing the unexpected has given No Doubt freedom. Few bands would or could follow a reggae smash such as "Underneath It All" with a cover of a new wave song, Talk Talk's "It's My Life." No Doubt has a momentum that nobody wants to second guess. In that regard, it is like an old-fashioned singles band like The Beatles where you are wondering what the band will do next. This builds anticipation, keeps you intrigued.

"The kind of success we've had is a boost in our confidence in some way. It has helped our insecurity in that it makes us feel like we belong.

"Lately, we haven't felt too much of that pressure (to top their success)," Dumont concludes. "We continue to redefine ourselves."