Tag: John Spence

Tunes and ‘Toons

Eric Stefani relishes both worlds-and anonymity by Jennifer Vineyard

I don’t think of my friend Eric as a rock star. If he mentions his sister, he does so in a way you might mention one of your sibs: they’re a part of your life, like it or not. If he talks about music, it’s about how he really wants to hear the Dixieland band at Disneyland again. If he discusses art, he tells you about an animation festival in Pasadena he’s dying to see.

He won’t really talk, much less brag, about his own work-how he was the principal songwriter for No Doubt, how he’s been nominated for a Song of the Year Grammy Award for writing “Don’t Speak” (the awards ceremony is on Wednesday in New York), or how he’s already won an Emmy Award for his work on The Simpsons. Nope, Eric Stefani’s just a nice, normal person. “I’m the same guy I always was,” he demurs. “I just like music and art.” Read the rest of this article »

Get happy!

A tragic suicide. A messy inter-band romance. A flop first album. Gwen Stefani and No Doubt have suffered enough heartbreak to feel your pain, they’re just not all that interested in replicating it.

Smatterings of breathlessly excited, blonde-streaked, sparkle-lashed 14-year-olds litter the backstage area of San Francisco’s fabled Filmore. Oblivious to the portraits of Janis, Jimi, and the Jefferson Airplane scattered around the venue, these girls line up to press tokens of esteem on the recently adopted object of their devotion, No Doubt’s bare-midriffed, high-octane, dreamboat frontwoman, Gwen Stefani. “You inspired me to start my own skateboarding magazine for girls!” enthuses one such acolyte. Then she presents the 26-year-old singer with a painting, thankfully explaining the elements contained therein — “That’s the sky, that’s the river, that’s the castle” — and before anyone can ask “Uh, what is it, exactly?” Stefani gushes gratitude and holds the piece out of me. “Isn’t this amazing?” she gasps. Of course, I find myself with a headful of retorts of the “I can’t tell till you wipe the vomit off” variety. I search Stefani’s eyes for a glint of cynical complicity, find only earnest appreciation, and feeling like grinch, mumble, “Interesting. Very unique.” Another devotee pleads to use the phone in No Doubt’s dressing room. Against the advice of the group’s road manager, Stefani lets the girl in. She rushes to the phone, dials seven digits, and shrieks “I’m in No Doubt’s dressing room!” Read the rest of this article »

Ms. Doubtfire

SPIN: Are you sick of your song “Just a Girl” yet? Gwen Stefani:
No, not at all. Understand that for years we were this underground cult band that sat in the garage and made fun of every other band on MTV. Now that we have a hit single, it’s like a whole new fresh thing. It’s a really amazing feeling for a band that’s together nine years.

Do people get the satire in that song?
Enough people get it. I hate it when I’m asked what that song is about. The lyrics are so obvious. If you don’t think it’s sarcastic, you’ve got to be like an idiot. Read the rest of this article »