Sassy Magazine (June 1996)
No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani
Gig: Dynamic frontwoman for ska-punk-rock-pop phenom No Doubt
Discography: No Doubt, The Beacon Street Collection, Tragic Kingdom
Compatriots: Bass player (and former flame) Tony Kanal ("One of those anal-retentive guys, very organized and businesslike, but with a dark sense of humor"); guitarist Tom Dumont ("He has no fashion sense --wears velcro running shoes!"); drummer Adrian Young ("A weirdo...also the jock in the band")
Hometown: Anaheim, California. Yup, she's been to Disneyland a a lot. "We used to sneak in!"
Trademarks: Platinum hair, spit curls, red lips. "I'm a real girly-girl in that I'm totally into hair and makeup and clothes." Oh, yeah, that belly-baring bra fashion. "Growing up, I was always chubby. When I was in sixth grade, the doctor told my mom I was overweight, so she freaked and put me on a diet. It was torture! Now I eat...a lot! I would rather work out every day than diet, and if I didn't work out, I wouldn't have the strength to do my show."
Recognition: "On the road it's not so bad, but at home, it's kinda crazy--especially when I'm at Sav-On buying tampons, and I just rolled outta bed, no makeup, looking like scum."
Family affair: Gwen's older brother and musical mentor Eric left No Doubt last year to pursue his first creative love: cartooning. "It's been really hard for me, but he discovered that he hated touring and wanted to get back to his art." She's got another brother and a sister--and still lives at home with Mom and Dad. "I have a crib in my parents room; I get a bottle at night!" No, really, she's a parent's dream! "Why waste your time hating them? I mean, you came out of your mom, you should respect her!"
Girls vs. boys: "When we first started, most of our fans were guys, but things have changed and now there are a lot of girls. I remember my little brother saying, 'Your pit's getting soft! There are so many chicks!'"
Sew way! "I used to make all my own on-stage outfits. One time, we were opening for Ziggy Marley and it was a big deal for us, so I was working on this thing, sewing forever. I started crying because it didn't turn out. I wound up wearing some random outfit from the mall."
Bush, man! When this interview took place, No Doubt were touring with Bush--so we wanted Gwen's up close and personal take on Gavin Rossdale. "He's all that: super sweet...so nice...and cuter in real life than in any of his pictures.”