Mean Street (April 1991)

Set To Conquer the World

Unaffected might be the best word to describe No Doubt, following their monster success in the Southland. Pleased, yes; enthusiastic, maybe; but if you’re expecting this Orange County dance/ska quintet to have turned into smug, complacent, laurel resting bums, then you’re in for a disappointment.

“We had worked on recording our album for so long, that I think we neglected the writing,” reflects guitarist Tom Dumont, as he pulls his blonde strands of hair above his face. “So right after we finished recording and mixing, we started writing. Like, I’m not saying prolifically, but we’ve been writing a lot lately.”

It’s Sunday night in Anaheim, and No Doubt are yomping round a seedy rehearsal studio as they prepare to try out four brilliant new songs for the first time.

Outside, the winter chill has taken over, but inside the green and orange fluorescent lighted practice room, the five members of the band are creating some serious heat with their fiery renditions of these, still embryonic, songs.

That, and the fact that they are all sporting the latest in Southern California winter wear-- surfing shorts worn loosely over thermal long johns, topped with a sweat shirt.

“When you write a song, you get the same kind of high as when you play a show," Tom continues, as he examines his new haircut in the mirror. “I mean, it’s incredible.”

For a band that has been so raptuously received in Southern California, the members of No Doubt seem amazingly relaxed.

Last September, they played 7,000 seater Irvine Meadows opening for Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, and this past week they packed UC Irvine’s Crawford Hall in a show with Mary’s Danish. The list of clubs they’ve played during their four year existence is innumerable. In fact, their first show ever was in the
opening slot of an Untouchables gig.

To top off their impressive live credentials, No Doubt have just completed an album which, “no matter what,” is set for a summer release, and they are on the verge of inking a deal with a major label.

But, no one would guess any of this from the atmosphere of the room. Some, in fact, would say that their ensuing local success has proven No Doubt to be a whole new kettle of pirahnas.

Rather than sitting back, relaxing, and letting the hype surrounding their name take over and do all the work for them, the band members are still arguing over how songs should sound and still rehearsing just for the sake of keeping their act tight.

“We’ve been waiting four years for this, so we want to stay ready no matter what,” asserts bass player and ring leader Tony Kanal, as to why the band is still struggling with mere mechanics at a point where they are about to be handed the fabled golden ring."We know how things can fall through at the last minute,” he says.

Well, most of them are ready anyway. No Doubt’s keyboardist and main songwriter Eric Stefani keels over and falls asleep the minute the band starts packing up its gear.

Fortunately, the rest of the band endures the bump and grind rehearsal session long enough to ponder such matters as to whether their local following is as ready and willing as they are for the imminent major label signing.

“I think the kind of deal we’re looking for is one where we can keep our integrity, so I don’t think too many fans are going to find a change after the record is in the stores,” offers Tony, as he leans back against an amplifier. “We try to be loyal to our fans."

“Besides, No Doubt’s fans are all open minded people, who are non-racist and striving for equality in this world,” he says.

“And who are also looking for a good time,” adds No Doubt’s stunning, honey-voiced vocalist Gwen Stefani.

And a good time is guaranteed with this bunch. Their music is absolutely delightful- an infectious mixture of styles, layered w;ith dance beats, funky bass lines, and soaring harmonies.

As purveyors of pop’s artistic luxuries, No Doubt have always been rather more dignified, more perceptive than their peers. Shuffling the stylist assault of the Red Hot Chili Peppers into ska and dance influences, they have never quite been able to find a groove in which to settle. Of course, their fluidity has, thus far, had miraculous results.

“There used to be a lot of bands that used to play with us, like the Skeletones and all that, but I think it’s different now,” relates Gwen. “Things are changing for us so rapidly, that it’s hard to say what other bands out there are really like us.”

“I don’t think there’s any one band you could say is the same as us," asserts Tony, more confidently. “We’re in a league of our own.”

“But in the early years there were, because we played a lot of ska, and there were a lot of ska bands,” reflects Gwen, as she slides down next to Tony. “It wasn’t a conscious decision to change our sound.”

“We just wanted to expand on what we were playing,” says Tony. “We still keep the ska sound, but we’re still exploring. There’s no limit on anything we do musically.”

"Any good musician wants to learn lots of things,” volunteers Tom, still roaming around the room. “We have all influences from punk to jazz.”

“I think that’s what makes us unique, is using all of those different elements," says Gwen.

"A lot of people have said, especially with label interest, that maybe we should focus our music more. Maybe that’s true, but I don’t think we’ll like it as much," explains Tom.

“We’re happy to play a diversity of sound,” he continues. “Now, whether that fits some label guy’s idea of commercial music, I don’t know. We love ska music, and there’s no doubt about that. That’s our roots. But can you imagine playing ska 40 years from now?”

“We just play everything, that’s the whole point,” concludes Tony, leaning in towards the recorder. “We love funk as much as we love ska, and rock, and punk. Just everything.”

"I think settling into one category might come with age,” says drummer Adrian Young, as he packs up his drum kit across the room.

“But it’ll still be the No Doubt sound,” promises Tony. “The cartoony, feel-good, happy on top of everything style. We will continue to break rock stereotypes.”

At no other time, is it so obvious that No Doubt are shattering all musical barriers than at one of their live shows. Just check them out any given night of the week at one of Los Angeles’ hipper clubs, and the throbbing rush they send cascading through the crowd will convince you that No Doubt knows no limiting musical genres, they only know “groove.”

Perhaps, this is the reason that Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers called upon No Doubt to open their recent show at Irvine Meadows. Despite being an amalgamation of all styles, No Doubt is hardly a Reggae band by definition. Yet, the band members felt no apprehension or fear about being on the bill of such a major show.

“Our music is everything,” reasons Tony. “The great thing about No Doubt is that we could open for any band...nearly any band.”

“I don’t even think we get scared at shows, it’s just excitement, really,” says Gwen.

“We’ve never been scared," boasts Tony. “Give me a snake, and I won’t be scared!”

Whoa!

“Whenever we play a show, we want it to be a good show," explains Tom. “And by fortune, that show turned out to be great.”

“I wouldn’t say by fortune.”

“Whatever...We played and the vibe was good and the groove was good. Where, possibly, we could have had a shitty show for whatever reason.”

“I don’t think that could have happened.”

“What if the drum set would’ve fallen over? Or what if the lighting rig fell on us? Or what if my guitar was out of tune the whole time?”

“What if Bob Marley came back and said, ‘Fuck you guys!’ and shot us all?"

“In other words, I don’t think we would let anything get in our way,” mutters Tom.

“Who cares?,” says Gwen. Exactly. The point is that, by playing that Ziggy Marley show, No Doubt discovered their best tactic for world domination is the infamous “opening slot” on more established band’s tours. It’s something a lot of other bands resent, but these guys look forward to.

“We could go out and headline small venues, but we’d rather go out with the bigger bands,” explains Tony. “Especially if you pick a band that’s going to be a good base for you. It’s a lot easier to go out with other people. When you headline, all the responsibility is on your head.”

“We’ve built a following here,” adds Gwen. “Now, we’ve got to do that all over the place. All over the States, and Europe, and Japan. How else could we really do it? We couldn’t do it ourselves.”

Tom interjects, “I think we’ll make a transition from being a local LA band to being a national, and even...not to think we’re cool or anything, but, I wanna go to South America, because of the women.” Gwen’s expectations for success don’t necessarily reflect that of Tom’s. Her views are slightly more realistic, and assuredly less hedonistic.

“The route we want to take is kind of a slower route,” says Gwen. “It’s not going to be like the album comes out, we’re a smash, and then gone the next day. It’s not going to be like that at all. It’s going to take a lot of time and a lot of work.”

“We want to take it slow, develop ourselves, get our style down, and really know who we are, because it takes a long time,” she continues, cracking a smile. “We’re still discovering ourselves.”

“Everybody that we talk to says, this is the beginning right here, and to us, it doesn’t really feel like it because we’ve been doing this for over four years. So I think it’s going to take a while before we’re huge.”

Without a doubt.