Sky International Magazine (March 1997)
What Are You Looking At?
No Doubt are America's biggest band. And now they're coming over here 'cos they think they're hard enough.
Gwen Stefani is sitting in her front room in Orange County, California. She has a stinking cold. Again. As she fights to keep her cough under control, the 27-year-old explains that she's had the problem for a while: "It's nothing new. I've been sick all year." Hardly surprising, really--her band have performed over 180 gigs in the last 12 months with just 20 days' holiday. So why hasn't Gwen quit/had a breakdown/gone mad? There can only be one explanation. The girl is in love...
No Doubt are the ska-influenced pop-rockers who've taken America by storm, having just celebrated their seventh week at No 1 in the US album charts. Their live shows are legendary, most notably for the on-stage antics of screaming, pouting, writhing frontwoman Gwen, who treads a bizarre line between 30s movie idol and certifiable lunatic. She's incredible--one minute, a flailing rock goddess with flying Docs that could kill; the next, a torch-song balladeer with the looks of a young Madonna. You'd think she didn't have a care in the world. But you'd be wrong.
You see, there's a darker side to the No Doubt story. Their original lead singer, John Spence, committed suicide. The first album sank without trace, even in America. And founder member Eric Stefani--Gwen's brother--resigned in the middle of recording their second (and enormously successful) album, TRAGIC KINGDOM. "It was really tough when my brother decided to leave," Gwen explains. "This band has just had the worst things happen to it."
Then came what could have been the fatal blow to the band when Gwen was dumped by her man of seven-and-a-half years, No Doubt's co-writer/bassist, Tony Kanal. Most of the tracks on TRAGIC KINGDOM intimately catalogue the split, and the pair have had to cope with their relationship being constantly analysed through they lyrics. Just listen to the current single, "Don't Speak", for evidence...
However, far from breaking up the band, the split seems to have brought No Doubt--Tony, Gwen, guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young--closer together. And their reputation is spreading. At the time of going to press, the video of "Don't Speak" was getting more thatn 100 plays per week on video jukebox channel The Box. People are predicting huge things for the single. And Gwen has her bags packed, ready to head over here. We caught up with her just before she left.
WHAT'S THE DEAL IN AMERICA?
The whole thing in the States has gone crazy. It's, like, outta control. More than you can even dream. I mean, every mom knows who you are, too, and every dad. Over Christmas I went shopping at the mall and some little kid recognised me...and then another one, and suddenly I had 20 kids around me, screaming! (Gwen is cracking up at the memory.) It was like, oh my God! I was sweating.
TELL US ABOUT THE "GWENNABES," THE FANS WHO DRESS LIKE YOU...
It's pretty weird. I mean, after being on tour for a year-and-a-half, you become the grunge version of yourself, you stop caring about how you look and it's an effort to get rid of the sweat! Then you'll be playing a gig and see all these girls looking how you used to, looking great! And you think: "God, maybe I should make more of an effort!" And they're all like: "Yes! Great! Do!"
AND NOW YOU'RE DESTINED TO BECOME EVERY BRITISH BOY'S PIN-UP?
Oh no! I'd better lose that five pounds!
WHAT IS "DON'T SPEAK" ABOUT?
Basically, it's a break-up song. But we didn't want the video to be about a normal break-up. So we thought: "What would be the saddest thing that could happen? The band splitting up?" So that's what the video's about. But yeah, it's about me and Tony.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY TOUGH FOR YOU AND TONY THEN...
(Takes a deep breath) Tony and I were together for more than seven years. Two-and-a-half years ago, he broke up with me. It's really been difficult, but it's funny...we've just hit this new phase of having a good time together and become really close again. We've just been blessed to be able to deal with it.
AND WHAT ABOUT TONY?
Oh, yeah, well, the whole record was about the break-up, etc. Then everybody starting really analysing all the lyrics. (She starts to sound angry) So then it was: "How could Tony do that to Gwen?" But they didn't see that I was demanding and smothering... (Gwen allegedly nagged Tony on a regular basis about getting married.) Tony's totally over it. He doesn't really like to talk about it. (Laughing) He didn't want a girlfriend in the first place, so...
SORRY?
(Sighs) We were really good friends, doing something creative and our hearts were really into it. But if one person thinks that's not enough, and the other person's going: "Hang on, this is cool..." It was unthinkable. I'm just really grateful we can still get along, still be in the band together.
These days Tony's still single, but Gwen has a fella. The dumper's on his own...and the dumpee? Well, Gwen is rumoured to be dating Gavin Rossdale from Bush. We say "rumoured," because she has never ever admitted to the "relationship." SKY tries the subtle approach...
HOW'S GAVIN?
Gavin? Gavin's good. He's just bought a house in north London. We hooked up in New York at Christmas and bought presents together. Having a boyfriend in a rock group (aha!) means I can see him more often than if he did something else.
DIDN'T HE HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME?
Yeah, he was going through a break-up too. I don't see him that often...but if I had a full-time boyfriend, I would want it to be him. But it's complicated. (She's sniffling again and trying not to cough. But the 'flu is winning.)
WE'D BETTER LET YOU GO THEN...
(Coughing) Thank you. I'll just go die now.
Five days later and SKY catches up with Gwen once more. But there's one proviso: we can't ask any more questions about Gavin. The problem is that she's now in England. In Gavin's house. In his bath...
HOW'S THE 'FLU?
Oh God! Remember how I was the last time I spoke to you? Terrible. But I'm way better now, thank you.
YOU'LL GET IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW. THERE'S AN EPIDEMIC OVER HERE...
No WAY! Don't say that!
WE'RE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO ASK YOU ANYTHING MORE ABOUT GAVIN...
Well, we talked about him a lot last time we spoke, didn't we? You know, I don't mind.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO OVER HERE?
Basically, I've just been doing the parks...Primrose Hill, Regent's Park, Hampstead Heath. And I've been to see my friend Sophie (Muller, who directs their videos). But I'm being lazy right now.
SO NO CLUBBING THEN?
No. It doesn't sound good! My whole life for the last year-and-a-half has been a gig and a party every night, so this is just a quiet time.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BRITAIN?
I love it. I was obsessed with Madness when I was younger, and they sang about grey skies and Camden Town, so I always had a fascination with London.
We leave her to her bath. Ten hours later, another call. The band (including Gwen) is worried that she is receiving too much solo publicity. Can we talk to another band member? We ask for Tony, the guy who dumped Gwen. They say yes. Cool.
THERE'S SO MUCH IN THE PRESS ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GWEN AND IT'S EVENTUAL BREAK-UP. DO YOU GET BORED WITH IT?
Yeah, actually I do. We've just done so much in the last year, and we've walked away from that. We're definitely friends.
SHE TOLD US THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO GO OUT WITH HER! WHAAT?
No, she's just kidding. I think she's exaggerating.
HAVE YOU MET GAVIN?
Have I? No, I personally don't know him very well. Why do you ask? We did a tour in the States and that was pretty much my extent of meeting him. I'm sure he's a very nice guy.
HAVE YOU FOUND SOMEONE ELSE YET?
Me? No, I'm still looking. (Laughs) I'm gonna take my time.
So that's No Doubt. Hardcore popsters, yet old-fashioned romantics at heart. Dogged by internal disaster, yet closer than ever before. Try to get them to deliver a bit of fighting talk about conquering Britian and kicking our limey asses and the best we get is Tony saying: "You know what? I hope so?" Cheers.
No Doubt are paving the way for a new American invasion. Us Brits have had it our way for a while and an US onslaught (Eel's weirdo college rock and the honorary yanks Bush and their Nirvana-lite sound) is well underway. And No Doubt--sexy, over-the-top, MTV friendly and cool as fuck-- will lead the charge. The Yankees are coming. In fact, they're already here….