The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band[6] based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986.[7]
After starting off as a cover band and then developing a punk sound, Goo Goo Dolls experienced mainstream success following the 1995 release of their breakthrough single, "Name". The band is renowned for their 1998 single, "Iris", which spent 11 consecutive months on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked atop the Hot 100 Airplay chart for 18 weeks. In October 2012, "Iris" placed first on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart. Other notable singles include "Slide", "Black Balloon", and "Broadway" from Dizzy Up the Girl (1998); "Here Is Gone" from Gutterflower (2002); and "Better Days", "Give a Little Bit", and "Stay with You" from Let Love In (2006).
The band has had seven top-40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, which includes three top tens.[8] They have sold 15 million records worldwide,[9][10] and received four Grammy Award nominations.
History
Origins and early music (1986–1993)
The band's original lineup included John Rzeznik (guitar, vocals), Robby Takac (bass, vocals), and George Tutuska (drums, percussion). Takac and Tutuska had been long-time friends in school and met Rzeznik while he was playing in the band The Beaumonts with Takac's cousin, Paul Takac, and close friend Michael Harvey who was the inspiration for the band.[11] In 1999 Rolling Stone reported the trio picked their name from a True Detective ad for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll.[12] In 2022, Rzeznik said he didn't remember how they picked the name. "We had a gig and so we had to come up with some kind of a name just to play the show," Rzeznik said. "It's kind of a stupid name."[13]
The band released its third album, Hold Me Up, in 1990 and featured Rzeznik as the lead vocalist on five tracks, including the single "There You Are"—as well as their then-concert favorite, "Two Days in February". After being embraced by local college radio and punk scenes (including such venues as CBGB), the Goo Goo Dolls incorporated elements of heavy metal, pop rock, and punk rock into the album. In 1991, the song "I'm Awake Now" was recorded for the soundtrack of Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.[citation needed]
Superstar Car Wash, released in 1993, received significant media attention. The critical success and encouraging sales of their last album resulted in a larger budget from Metal Blade Records. The album was partially recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario. The single "We Are the Normal", co-written with Paul Westerberg of The Replacements, Westerburg providing the lyrics, received a major push toward play on college and independent radio, and its video was displayed on MTV's 120 Minutes program. "Fallin' Down" made it onto the 1993 soundtrack of Pauly Shore's hit film Son in Law.[17]
Mainstream success, A Boy Named Goo, legal issues, and Tutuska's departure (1993–1997)
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Just before A Boy Named Goo's release, Tutuska was fired from the band and replaced by Mike Malinin.[18] Prior to Tutuska's departure, there was a payment dispute between him and Rzeznik over Tutuska's contribution to the writing of the Superstar Car Wash single "Fallin' Down". During the completion of A Boy Named Goo, Tutuska had told band management that he would not tour behind the album unless royalties were to be split evenly among the three members, a practice Tutuska said had been the band's standard practice ever since the release of its self-titled debut in 1987. Tutuska has said that when he told Rzeznik he had not received royalties from "Fallin' Down", Rzeznik admitted that he had been receiving such royalties for two years.[18]
A Boy Named Goo, released in 1995, had a catchy rock sound, and became one of the most successful alternative rock albums of the mid-1990s. A Boy Named Goo became the first album in Metal Blade history to achieve double-platinum status. This success, however, proved bittersweet, as the band found themselves in a legal battle with Metal Blade. The band filed suit against Metal Blade, claiming they had not earned any royalties from their album's sales, which was attributed to a "grossly unfair, one-sided and unenforceable contract" which had been signed by the band in 1987.[19] The two sides reached a settlement which had the band signed to the Metal Blade's distributing label, Warner Bros. Records, under which the band released their sixth album, Dizzy Up the Girl, in 1998.[20]
The Goo Goo Dolls experienced mainstream success following the 1995 release of their breakthrough single, "Name".[21][22][23][24] The success of "Name" marked a fundamental change in the band's sound from alternative rock to a more mainstream, adult-oriented direction; this disappointed many of the original fans of the band. "Name" made the band popular, and led to guest appearances on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed.[citation needed]
Dizzy Up the Girl and Gutterflower (1997–2005)
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Rzeznik was approached to write a song for the City of Angels soundtrack, and the end product was "Iris". This song continued the band's fame, as it stayed on top of BillboardHot 100 Airplay charts for a record-breaking 18 weeks and spent 4 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Songs chart. Iris held the record for the most weeks on the radio for almost 22 years before The Weeknd released "Blinding Lights" and broke the long-standing record on August 22, 2020. Shortly after Iris was released in 1998, it was nominated for three Grammys. According to several interviews with Rzeznik, he was experiencing serious bouts of writer's block when he was approached, and was on the verge of quitting the band days before he wrote the song.[25]
"Iris" was included on the quintuple-platinum Dizzy Up the Girl, considered their most successful album, and was among top-ten hits "Slide", "Black Balloon", "Broadway", and "Dizzy" from the same album. In 2001, the Goos released their first ever compilation CD, What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce. Next, Gutterflower (2002) achieved gold certification, producing the hits "Here Is Gone", "Sympathy", and "Big Machine". On July 4, 2004, the band performed a free concert in Buffalo, playing through a deluge of rain that can be seen on the DVD released later that year. The DVD also contained a studio version of the Goo Goo Dolls' cover of "Give a Little Bit" by Supertramp. The single reached the top of the Adult Top 40 chart in 2005.[citation needed] July 4, 2004, has been proclaimed "Goo Goo Dolls Day" in their native Buffalo, New York.[26]
On June 27, 2007, the Goo Goo Dolls performed to a sold-out crowd at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. The entire concert was released as a DVD on the limited edition version of their 2008 release, Vol.2.[citation needed] Though the album has not (as of 2007) been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), various music sites have asserted that it has gone gold.[28]
Greatest hits albums (2007–2008)
The band performing "Slide" in 2007
On November 13, 2007, the Goo Goo Dolls released a greatest hits album entitled Greatest Hits Volume One: The Singles, which includes a new version of "Name" recorded and mixed by Paul David Hager, and a remix of "Feel the Silence" by Michael Brauer.[29]
The band performed "Better Days" and "Stay With You" at the halftime of the Detroit Lions' 2007 Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field, which focused on the United Way and the NFL's commitment to youth health and fitness.[30]
Something for the Rest of Us (2008–2010)
The Goo Goo Dolls announced recording sessions for a new album, on their official website, unrelated to their Volume Two in 2008.[31] In addition, the band performed as part of the O2 Wireless Festival in London's Hyde Park in the summer of 2008.[32]
Something for the Rest of Us was released on August 31, 2010.[33][bettersourceneeded] While the album was full of the pop-rock that has sustained the band for decades, lead singer/guitarist Rzeznik's songwriting took on a more somber, serious tone.[34]Something for the Rest of Us included the single "Home", which extended the band's record to 14 top ten hits at the Hot AC radio format (more than any other artist in the history of that format).[35]
The band performed a live mini-concert at the Apple Store in Manhattan, New York on December 2, 2010.[36]
Magnetic and Malinin's departure (2010–2015)
The album Magnetic was released on June 11, 2013[37] and debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. On July 19, 2013, the band released the second single off of Magnetic, "Come to Me".[38]
In December 2013, Mike Malinin announced his departure from the band.[39] In November 2014, Malinin sued the band for wrongful termination, claiming that he was fired after requesting paternity leave.[40][41]
The Goo Goo Dolls contributed to the soundtrack of the broadway musical Finding Neverland in 2015. The soundtrack, released June 9, 2015, contained the song "If the World Turned Upside Down".[42]
Boxes, 20th anniversary of A Boy Named Goo and touring (2015–2017)
The Goo Goo Dolls celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of A Boy Named Goo by releasing a special edition of the album on November 27, 2015.[43][44]
Goo Goo Dolls released an exclusive vinyl box set for Record Store Day on April 22, 2017, entitled Pick Pockets, Petty Thieves, and Tiny Victories (1987–1995).[45][bettersourceneeded]
You Should Be Happy, Miracle Pill, and Christmas album (2017–2021)
On May 12, 2017, Goo Goo Dolls released a five-song EP entitled You Should Be Happy. In support of the EP, the band toured throughout the summer of 2017 on the "Long Way Home" tour with Phillip Phillips.[46] With 2018 marking the 20th anniversary of Dizzy Up the Girl, the band embarked on a commemorative tour where they performed the album in its entirety. Also in 2018, the band released two live albums: The Audience is This Way in June, and The Audience is That Way in November.[citation needed]
At the beginning of 2019, the Goo Goo Dolls announced that they were working on a twelfth studio album. On record store day (April 13, 2019), a vinyl box limited to 1000 copies under the name Topography was released.[citation needed]
On August 24, 2020, the band announced its first Christmas album: It's Christmas All Over, which was released on October 30. Later that year, Rzeznik sat down with Atwood Magazine to discuss the band's 35th anniversary.[24]
In May 2021, the band announced that Rarities, a double compilation featuring rare and unheard songs spanning from 1995 to 2007, would be released on June 25, 2021.[47]
Chaos in Bloom (2022–present)
In a June 2021 interview published on YouTube, singer John Rzeznik revealed that the band was working on their 14th studio album, which would be released sometime in 2022. When asked about how the album differs from the band's previous work, Rzeznik claimed that the band had decided to approach both writing and recording in an alternative way. Specifically, the band used earlier forms of production which they utilized prior to the digital era in the music industry.[48][49]
In a November 2021 Spin interview, Rzeznik stated that he produced most of the album himself. He added that the album would sound more experimental than the band's past releases, hinting that he did not believe it would receive much radio airplay.[50] It was later confirmed that the album was entirely produced by Rzeznik.[51]
On June 27, 2022, the band officially announced on their Facebook page the title of their new album, Chaos in Bloom, as well as the first single off it, "Yeah, I Like You". The latter premiered on July 1, 2022.[52]
In February 2023, Goo Goo Dolls announced their North America tour.[53]
Band members
Current members
John Rzeznik – guitar (1986–present), lead and backing vocals (1990–present), backing and lead vocals (1986–1990), keyboards (2008–2010)
Robby Takac – bass (1986–present), backing and lead vocals (1990–present), lead and backing vocals (1986–1990), guitar (2016)
"Iris", the band's 1998 hit single, enjoyed critical acclaim. At the 41st Grammy Awards, "Iris" received nominations for "Record of the Year" and "Pop Performance by a Duo or Group". The song also garnered John Rzeznik a "Song of the Year" nomination.[55] The song was ranked at number 39 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest pop songs.[56]
In October 2012, "Iris" was ranked number one on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart, which ranked the top songs of the first 20 years of the Mainstream Top 40/Pop Songs chart. The list also featured the Goo Goo Dolls' hits "Slide", ranking at number nine, and "Name" at number 24. The Goo Goo Dolls are the only musicians to have three songs on the list, two breaking the top 10 and all three falling within the top 25. They are also the only musicians that have back to back singles (Iris, 1998 and Slide, 1999) featured on the list.[57]
Superstar Car Wash is the fourth studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released on February 23, 1993 on Warner Bros. John Rzeznik wrote the song "We Are the Normal" with his idol, The Replacements' singer Paul Westerberg. The two corresponded by mail but never sat in a studio together. The song "Fallin' Down" was featured in the 1993 Pauly Shore movie Son In Law. Also, the song "So Far Away" was originally written and recorded with the title "Dancing In Your Blood"; the song had the same basic structure, but different lyrics, more minimal instrumentation, and a slightly different melody.
A Boy Named Goo is the fifth studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released in 1995 on Warner Bros. The album was a commercial success, and was certified double-platinum by the RIAA within a year of its release. This is the last Goo Goo Dolls album with George Tutuska on drums; he was replaced by Mike Malinin just before the album was released.
Dizzy Up the Girl is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Goo Goo Dolls, released on September 22, 1998, through Warner Bros. Records. The album is often noted for being the release which propelled the Goo Goo Dolls into a higher tier of stardom, although they had already scored a Billboard top five hit with the downbeat track "Name" in 1995. Dizzy features more mainstream compositions than they had previously recorded. It is also the band's first album to feature drummer Mike Malinin.
Gutterflower is the seventh studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It is the follow-up to their critically successful albums Dizzy Up the Girl and A Boy Named Goo. The album was commercially successful upon its release, hitting No. 4 on the Billboard 200, their highest position on the chart.
George Tutuska is an American musician, best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Goo Goo Dolls. He grew up in South Buffalo with four sisters. He attended Medaille College in Buffalo, and was studying to become an English teacher. That was also where he met Robby Takac and formed the Sex Maggots with one of Takac’s friends, John Rzeznik.
John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the guitarist and frontman of the rock band Goo Goo Dolls, with whom he has recorded several chart-topping hits, including "Iris", "Slide", and "Name".
Robert Carl Takac Jr. is an American rock bassist and vocalist. Takac is one of the founding members of the Goo Goo Dolls, along with John Rzeznik.
"Iris" is a song by the American alternative rock band Goo Goo Dolls. Written for the soundtrack of the 1998 film City of Angels, it was included on the sixth Goo Goo Dolls album, Dizzy Up the Girl, and released as a single on April 1, 1998. No character named Iris appears in the film, and the song title is not heard in the lyrics.
Jed is the second studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released on February 22, 1989 by Metal Blade Records. It was the band's first album in which John Rzeznik sang vocals for some of the tracks; the majority of the songs are sung by Robby Takac, with Rzeznik taking over for two. The album was named after painter Jed Jackson, who was Robby Takac's art teacher at Medaille College and who painted the cover artwork, which is entitled "Arkansas Sunset".
Hold Me Up is the third studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released on October 16, 1990, by Metal Blade Records. It marked the beginning of John Rzeznik's emergence as the band's principal lead vocalist. The album features the band's first single "There You Are," which became their first music video as well. In 2017, Loudwire listed the album as one of Metal Blade's best albums.
Goo Goo Dolls is the debut studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released on June 9, 1987 by Mercenary and Celluloid Records. All of the songs were sung by bassist Robby Takac, who was originally the band's lead vocalist. The album was recorded from late 1986 to early 1987 on a $750 budget at Trackmaster Audio in the band's hometown of Buffalo, New York. Later on, the band admitted in their 1999 VH1 Behind the Music special that the album was recorded under the influence of alcohol and drugs; Rzeznik stated, "[We had] a lot of beer, a lot of truck stop speed, a lot of pot...[I] don't remember a lot of it."
Live in Buffalo: July 4th, 2004 is a live album by the American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It includes a CD and a DVD, showing their concert in Buffalo, New York from July 4, 2004. The concert included performances of all their major hits, including "Iris", "Name", and "Slide". There are nineteen (19) songs on the DVD total, plus a studio version of their Supertramp cover, "Give A Little Bit" on the CD. The concert was shot and recorded in downtown Buffalo on Niagara Square in front of Buffalo City Hall. As for the concert itself, the performance was enigmatic, garnering comparisons to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense from members of the band's crew. Over 20,000 fans attended the performance, braving a torrential downpour. The rain cleared in time for the Goo Goo Dolls to start the show, but during their performance of "January Friend", the rain began pouring down again, harder than before. The band played on, finishing the set, despite being pulled off stage briefly for a safety precaution and skipping three songs that were on the original set list.
"Better Days" is a song recorded by the Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in September 2005 as the first single off the album, Let Love In. The song peaked at number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and also rose up to number 3 on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart.
Let Love In is the eighth studio album by American rock band the Goo Goo Dolls, released in 2006. The album peaked at #9 on the US Billboard 200, selling around 83,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified Gold for sales of 500,000 units in May 2019 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Name" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in September 1995 as the third single from their fifth studio album, A Boy Named Goo (1995). "Name" became the band's first major hit, topping both the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Album Rock Tracks chart. It also reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, "Name" peaked at number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number one on the RPM Alternative 30.
"Slide" is a song by American alternative rock group Goo Goo Dolls. It was released as the first single from their sixth studio album, Dizzy Up the Girl, in September 1998. According to lead guitarist John Rzeznik, the song is about a Catholic girl who becomes pregnant and discusses with her boyfriend how they should respond to it. Musically, the track is a jangle pop and alternative rock song.
"Here Is Gone" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. A song about yearning for a deeper relationship with someone, "Here Is Gone" was released on March 11, 2002, as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album, Gutterflower (2002). It reached number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number three on the Adult Top 40. The single also reached number 17 in New Zealand, becoming the group's second top-20 hit there.
Something for the Rest of Us is the ninth studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released on August 28, 2010, in Australia and on August 31 in North America through Warner Bros. Records. The recording process took place during the spring to fall of 2009 in the GCR Audio studio in Buffalo and Paramount Studios as well as "the Ark" in Los Angeles, with producer Tim Palmer.
Magnetic is the tenth studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released in the UK on June 10, 2013, and in the US on June 11, through Warner Bros. Records. The album is available on CD, Vinyl and as a digital download.
Boxes is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released on May 6, 2016, through Warner Bros. Records. It marks the band's first album since A Boy Named Goo recorded without drummer Mike Malinin, who was removed from the band in 2013, and their first album to be recorded as a duo. Upon release, Boxes debuted and peaked at #27 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, with first week sales of 15,000 copies. The album marks the first studio album released by the band to not debut in the top ten since 1998's Dizzy Up the Girl.
↑ Morano, Scott (1996). "Goo Goo Dolls FAQ". musicfanclubs.org. Music Fan Clubs. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
↑ Taylor, B. Kimberly (1996). "Goo Goo Dolls Biography". Contemporary Musicians. Thomson Gale. Archived from the original on November 20, 2006. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
↑ After signing with Metal Blade Records in 1987, the band's self-titled debut album Goo Goo Dolls was re-released under the revised title of First Release by their new record label. The albums Goo Goo Dolls and First Release are both identical, except for different cover artwork.
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