Arizona Republic (May 17th 2009)
Remember Gwen? The good times are back for No Doubt
There were definite doubts inside and outside No Doubt when the Grammy-winning band announced a "hiatus" five years ago to let singer Gwen Stefani pursue a solo career.
The second-guessing about whether the group was done for good only grew as Stefani's profile exploded with her debut CD, 2004's "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." and she played up her glamorous side in sold-out arena concerts.
Her No Doubt bandmates -- guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young -- acknowledge moments when they wondered whether things would come full circle.
But now, with a major No Doubt concert tour under way, albeit without a new album to promote, the band is back, delivering its bouncing mix of ska, rock and pop sounds. The group stops in Phoenix on Saturday.
Stefani is now a married mother of two, seemingly happy to be back in the fold after spreading her wings with two solo albums.
Two of her bandmates have become family men. (Stefani's ex-boyfriend, Kanal, is the band's sole bachelor.)
Dumont, the father of two young boys, talked about how No Doubt survived its lengthy hiatus and what lies ahead for the Grammy-winning band from Orange County, Calif.
Question: Was there any doubt in your mind about whether the band would actually regroup after Gwen's solo albums?
Answer: The question developed, but when Gwen (initially) talked to us about it ... she was very specific: "I'm not quitting the band, we're not breaking up, I don't hate you guys. I need to do this thing. I want to be my own boss and play music that doesn't fit No Doubt." She said she was going to take a year. ... We know each other like siblings, so there was all that trust.
But that one year did turn into three or four years, and there was a question. ... But in the back of my mind, I always felt confident. It was a matter of her ... saying to herself, "I want to come out from under the shadow of the band and see what I can do myself." I think that's a really healthy situation.
Q: Have you seen much change in Gwen since her solo experience?
A: Gwen is the same, really. Her solo albums were a departure. But when she's singing for No Doubt, she's a pretty electrifying female singer fronting a rock band. There are not too many (female lead singers) out there. ... Over the years, I've watched her grow into an incredible performer. She knows how to connect to people.
Q: After five years away from the stage, was there much rust to work off?
A: A little bit, for sure. Myself, Tony and Adrian started getting together (in February), once or twice a week. It was a little rusty, but it's amazing how quickly it all comes back to you after a couple of rehearsals. We (later) rehearsed about four weeks as a band, and it's feeling pretty smooth.
Q: Your band always has prided itself on its live show. Has that helped get you back into shape?
A: Definitely. Before we ever made records ... that's all we did, like most local bands, is play live. We always felt it was something we were pretty good at. Part of what doing this thing this summer is about, is getting back in that groove of being that band we always were and letting that live energy inspire what will hopefully become our next record.
Q: It sounds as if you guys were writing material during the hiatus. Did you see each other much?
A: Gwen was certainly the busy one that whole time. We saw her here and there but more infrequently because she was on the road and having babies (with British rocker Gavin Rossdale). She and Tony live up in LA, close to Hollywood, so they're closer in that sense. Adrian and I are down in Long Beach. But we three guys hung out fairly regularly. It's an amazing story, being in a band for so many years and still being friends and still enjoying each other's company.
Q: Did you get into the studio during the hiatus?
A: Around the time that Gwen started her last album (2006's "The Sweet Escape") ... we thought that while she was off doing her record and touring, we'll start coming up with musical ideas (for No Doubt). Last year, when Gwen got home, we started going up to her house and working on that stuff, but it didn't get to a point where we felt we had an album in us. What we decided to do was, "Let's kick ourselves in the pants again and go out and play and try to get inspired and figure out what this album should be about."
Q: Did you explore new styles and sounds with your guitar in your time off?
A: I did. All my life I've been a very simple guitar player -- not many pedals and sound effects. I wanted it to always sound like a guitar. The past couple of years, I've been fiddling a lot with layering, delays and different sound effects. A lot of our "demo" recordings (of new material) kind of showcase that.
Q: Will you play any of Gwen's solo songs in the live show?
A: We're keeping it separate. She never played any No Doubt songs on her solo tours, so we're going to stick to No Doubt songs. I think it's a good thing to keep those two worlds separate.