Atlantic City Weekly × May 03, 2009
Reunited
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt kick off reunion tour at Borgata by Ed Conran
When a recording artist possesses star quality, it’s usually fairly apparent. That’s typically so well before a singer-songwriter goes national. While having drinks, hot water and whiskey, with Courtney Love, circa 1991, it was obvious that the virtually unknown, yet larger-than-life rocker was destined to become a star. But then there was Dave Matthews. After chatting with the laidback Matthews before an early club show once, I never in a million would have guessed the soft-spoken, unassuming songsmith would become an icon.
And then there is Gwen Stefani, who fits somewhere in the middle between Love and Matthews. It was obvious that the bottle-blonde No Doubt vocalist from Orange County, Calif., wanted to become a pop sensation.
That was part of her appeal during the early to mid ’90s. Tough girls ruled that classic misnomer, “alternative” world. In 1994, the resilient Bikini Kill leader Kathleen Hanna was leading a riot girl revolution. Who would mess with a rocker who was screaming for vengeance?
Well, Hole’s Love beat up Hanna backstage at Lollapalooza in 1995 while she was busy touring behind Hole’s breakthrough release Live Through This. But that’s another story. And there were such female acts as Babes in Toyland and L7, possibly the hardest looking band I ever met. They were the last people you would want to see in a bar fight unless they were on your side.
And then there was the cute, non-threatening Stefani. Shortly after the release of No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom back in the autumn of 1995, 20 or so curious ska-pop fans caught the obscure band at the Middle East, a small Philadelphia comedy club that also hosted rock shows. Bands didn’t care for the venue since they had to haul gear up three floors and, well, it was a comedy venue, so it was hurting on atmosphere.
After a spirited set of ska-pop, Stefani hung out and told the few fans in attendance that she and her bandmates were going to catch Dance Hall Crashers across town. Within months, No Doubt broke through courtesy of Tragic Kingdom. Within 18 months, No Doubt packed 3,000 seaters.
Thirteen years later, No Doubt has sold more than 27 million albums and won two Grammys. The group, which has been on hiatus since 2004, will kick off a reunion tour Saturday at the Borgata. Tickets to the band’s shows are as hot as the glamorous Stefani, who has become a solo sensation.
“The fans have always loved Gwen,” guitarist Tom Dumont said during a late 1996 chat. “There’s just something about her.”
The band’s ska-pop sound is catchy but Dumont is correct. It all emanates from Stefani.
During the mid-’90s, grunge reigned supreme. Musical heroes dressed down in flannel and their tortured souls created bleak tunes. And then there was Stefani, who had much more in common with Debbie Harry than gritty girl rockers such as Corin Tucker of Sleater Kinney fame. Stefani sang of being just a girl or being caught in the spiderwebs. Her appeal was obvious when No Doubt’s ballad “Don’t’ Speak” set a record when it spent 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart throughout the summer of ’96.
“Things really took off for us after ‘Don’t Speak’ hit,” Dumont said. “Things changed and a lot had to do with Gwen and the video. If you didn’t think she was a star before ‘Don’t Speak’ she was definitely a star after that video just took off.”
Indeed. Stefani has that certain something that special performers possess. It’s that intangible, which Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Madonna, a distant cousin of Stefani’s, also have in spades. You can’t take your eyes off of those performers when they take the stage. They command your attention. Fewer and fewer younger performers have that connection.
But Stefani and her bandmates, which include bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young, possess a great deal of showmanship. No Doubt shows are all about entertainment. Stefani and Co. put on performance clinics.
No Doubt is working on a new album, which is slated for 2010. A tour supporting the disc will likely follow. But how long will Stefani hang with her bandmates before embarking on another solo venture? Both of her solo albums, 2004’s Love, Angel, Music, Baby and 2006’s The Sweet Escape went multi-platinum.
Kanal has worked with Stefani. Dumont spends considerable time with his side project Invincible Overlord. Young plays drums for the band Bow Wow Wow and has worked with Unwritten Law. Young will also keep time for Dilana Robichaux (of Rockstar Supernova fame).
And then there are the extracurricular activities. Stefani is a fashion designer and a mother of two sons, two-year old Kingston and eight-month old Zuma. Stefani has also dabbled in acting. She played legendary actress Jean Harlow in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator.
There’s no doubt that Stefani is terribly busy. How long until No Doubt is on hiatus again? Who knows, and who knows if it’s going to be long term. Fans should just revel in the fact that there is going to be at least two years worth of No Doubt. The group’s return is welcome since No Doubt is one of the more stylish, energetic and entertaining acts on the circuit. The act can be campy, theatrical and boisterous. And then there is the band’s music, which ranges from celebratory to poignant.
It’s not a bad package from a band that once hoped to be on the cult level ala the aforementioned Dance Hall Crashers. No Doubt went much further and the group is back for a long run.
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