Aspire. Attain. Surpass.
The three words that aptly
sum up the Goo Goo Dolls
career to date- aspiration,
attainment and the ability
to surpass all expectations-
are also the essential elements
in the creation of Gutterflower,
the trio's brilliant new
offering on Warner Bros.
Records, featuring their
stunning new single "Here
Is Gone."
"There's no way we
could rest on our laurels,"
asserts vocalist and guitarist
John Rzeznik on the collective
mindset the band brought
to the writing and recording
of their fourth major label
release. "No matter
how successful we were going
into this record, we all
felt we were starting from
scratch, as if we were making
a record for the first time.
Sure, you learn from experience,
but the important thing
is to keep it fresh, to
stay alive to the possibilities
and potential of the music.
You can never take that
for granted." So much
for Aspiration. And, while
it's true that success too
often breeds complacency,
for the Goo Goo Dolls it's
only served to bring them
closer to the fundamentals
of their fifteen-year partnership.
"We never really bought
in to the whole rock star
myth," John continues,
before adding with a laugh,
"Well, we might have
'rented in' for a weekend
here and there, but in the
end it always comes back
to the music. For us, success
- real success - is one
song at a time."
That's the way it's always
been for the Goo Goo Dolls.
From their earliest days
on the rough-and-tumble
Northeast music scene through
years of playing according
to bassist Robby Takac -
"every one night stand
in American, twice,"
through their obligatory
stint in the indie records
realm, the band have combined
an unerring instinct for
original and authentic music
with a hardcore work ethic
that is nothing short of
inspirational.
It was that mix of talent
and sweat equity that paid
off with the 1998 release
of Dizzy Up The Girl, a
breakthrough in every sense
of the word, with worldwide
sales approaching six million
and counting and a string
of smash singles including
the epochal "Iris,"
as well as "Slide,"
"Black Balloon"
and the title track. Together,
Dizzy's hits have racked
up an historic one million
radio spins to date. Two
solid years of international
touring followed the album's
release and, while the band
and its fans could be forgiven
for concluding that the
Goo Goo Dolls had finally
"arrived," it
was that restless urge to
turn the next creative corner
that kept the trio cranking.
Which brings us to Attainment.
After a well-deserved six-month
hiatus, the group reconvened
to compile a long overdue
career retrospective. With
the revealing title of What
I Learned About Ego, Opinion,
Art & Commerce, the
22-track collection was,
says Robby, "A way
for people to get caught
up on what came before 'Iris.'
We've been at this a long
time and we're proud of
what we've done. This was
our way of acknowledging
that history."
It was in the fall of 2001
that John and Robby, along
with drummer Mike Malinin
and producer Rob Cavallo
(the man behind the boards
for Dizzy Up The Girl) began
assembling the elements
of a new album. "Of
course our success was a
factor going in," asserts
John. "How could it
not be? We worked our asses
off to get to this place,
and we didn't want to disappoint
ourselves or our fans. But
more than that, we wanted
to see where the music would
take us. We'd been living
in a fishbowl for three
years, and it felt good
to get back to basics."
"Basics" in this
case included recording
with an array of vintage
instruments in the confines
of Hollywood's legendary
Capitol Records Studios.
"The place had a real
vibe," John continues.
"I even put up some
velvet drapes and a memorial
bar in honor of Sinatra
and all the others who had
recorded there. Along with
using the old equipment,
it helped us keep in touch
with the sound we were after.
With digital technology
you're always fighting against
something antiseptic. We
needed that edge to keep
it real."
"The whole process
took about four months,"
continues Robby, "which
is about normal for us.
The pressure was definitely
on, but that didn't change
our approach. We had an
incredible team, especially
Rob Cavallo, who totally
understands what we're about
and our engineers Allen
Sides and Ken Allerdyce.
In the studio, the difference
between success and failure
can come down to how many
inches there are between
microphones. We depended
on them totally to make
those calls."
With all the elements in
place, it remained for the
Goo Goo Dolls to grapple
with the greatest challenge
of their career - to create
music that would both build
on and surpass the extraordinary
accomplishments that preceded
it. And it's in this final
category that Gutterflower
represents a full-on, flat-out
triumph. Simply put, the
twelve tracks that comprise
this potent and persuasive
tour de force not only exceed
every available expectation,
but also create a whole
new standard for the energy
and emotional impact that
has always been the hallmark
of genuine rock & roll.
It always starts, of course,
with the songs. On Gutterflower
both John and Robby seemed
to have taken a leap from
an already impressive perch,
fashioning music and lyrics
into a resonant and revealing
listening experience far
greater than the sum of
its parts. On that rarest
of occurrences - an album
with no throwaway tracks
- it's impossible single
out any one selection for
special attention except
to say here is a collection
of songs that manages to
convey universal insights
in highly personal terms.
"I think, if there's
a theme to these songs,
it about being honest with
yourself and with others,
and seeking out those who
will return the favor,"
John ventures. "Our
experiences over the past
three years have taught
us to appreciate friendship,
love and loyalty…those
basic human values. When
we're writing about characters
we've encountered and scenes
we've survived, it's that
need for connection that
comes through and hopefully
everyone can relate to that.
Otherwise, you're just talking
to yourself."
The assured and accessible
lyrics of Gutterflower are
matched, note for note,
with music that both celebrates
the band's stylistic diversity
and conclusively consolidates
their cohesive ensemble
sound. From their trademark
blood-and-thunder alchemy
to glorious acoustic outings
to a soundscape wholly their
own, the Goo Goo Dolls,
on Gutterflower, have expanded
their expressive range in
dazzling new directions.
Next up, naturally, is
an extensive touring itinerary.
"This is one of my
favorite times of the whole
process," John reveals.
"The album is finished.
There's nothing more you
can do, even if you wanted
to. It's time to start thinking
about stepping from the
studio onto the stage and
making that the best experience
it can be. We're ready."