No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboardist Eric Stefani, Gwen's brother, was also a former member when the band started to release albums in 1992. Since the mid-1990s, trombonist Gabrial McNair and trumpeter Stephen Bradley have performed with the band as session and touring musicians.
For other uses, see No Doubt (disambiguation).
No Doubt
Anaheim, California, U.S.
- 1986–2005
- 2008–2015
- 2024–present
- Trauma
- Interscope
- Beacon Street
- Hollywood
- Chris Leal
- Jerry McMahon
- John Spence
- Eric Stefani
- Chris Webb
- Alan Meade
- Tony Meade
- Gabriel Gonzalez
Though its 1992 eponymous debut album failed to make an impact, its ska punk-inspired follow-up The Beacon Street Collection sold over 100,000 copies in 1995, more than triple the sales of its predecessor. The band's diamond-certified album Tragic Kingdom (1995) benefited from the resurgence of third-wave ska in the 1990s, and "Don't Speak", the third single from the album, set a record when it spent 16 weeks at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. "Just a Girl", co-written by Stefani, was described as "the most popular cut on the CD".[1]
The band's next album, Return of Saturn (2000), did not match the success of their previous album, despite its Top 40 hit single "Simple Kind of Life". However, the album received critical praise and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 43rd Grammy Awards. The following year, the band returned with the album Rock Steady (2001), which incorporated reggae and dancehall music. The album was primarily recorded in Jamaica and featured collaborations with Jamaican artists Bounty Killer, Sly and Robbie and Lady Saw. The album produced two Grammy-winning singles, "Hey Baby" and "Underneath It All"; "Hella Good" was also nominated for a Grammy award.
After a 2004 tour, the band members pursued solo projects, with Stefani releasing two successful solo albums Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004) and The Sweet Escape (2006), while Tom Dumont released his own solo music project, Invincible Overlord. In 2008, the band resumed working slowly on their sixth and latest effort, titled Push and Shove (2012), and released its lead single "Settle Down". The band has sold over 33 million records worldwide.
History[edit]
1986–1989: Formation, early years and line-up changes[edit]
In 1986, Eric Stefani and John Spence met at a Dairy Queen and talked about getting a group together to play music. Stefani acquired a keyboard and gathered some players together to practice; these included himself (keyboards), his sister Gwen Stefani (backing vocals), John Spence (lead vocals), Jerry McMahon (guitar), Chris Leal (bass), Chris Webb (drums), Gabriel Gonzalez (trumpet), Alan Meade (trumpet), and Tony Meade (saxophone). They practiced in Eric's parents' garage.[1]
Tony Kanal went to one of the band's early shows, and soon joined the band as its bassist. After initially rejecting her advances, he began dating Gwen, but they kept their relationship secret for a year, feeling that it was an unspoken rule that no one in the band date her.[2] Paul Caseley (trombone) also joined the band in 1987. Eric Carpenter (saxophone) joined the horn section soon after.[3] The group performed at an Orange High School backyard graduation party on June 6, 1987, with two other California ska bands. At the party, No Doubt's set included "Total Hate", "Too Much Pressure", "Danger", "Paulina", "Gangsters", and the song "No Doubt". Video clips from the party appeared on VH1's Behind the Music.
In December 1987, Spence died by suicide, several days before the band was to play a gig at The Roxy Theatre for record industry employees.[2] No Doubt disbanded but decided to regroup after several weeks[2] with Alan Meade taking over vocals.[4] When Meade left the band, Gwen replaced him as lead singer,[4] and No Doubt continued to develop a live following in California.[2] In early 1988, Tom Dumont left Rising, a heavy metal band of which he was a member with his sister,[5] stating that local metal bands "were into drinking, wearing Spandex" but that he wanted to focus on music.[6] He joined No Doubt and replaced Jerry McMahon as the band's guitarist. Adrian Young replaced Chris Webb as their drummer the following year.[2] During this time period, No Doubt played gigs at local colleges, Fender's Grand Ballroom, The Whisky, The Roxy, many shows with The Untouchables, Fishbone, and a show with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Cal State Long Beach. Caseley left No Doubt in July 1989 for the US Navy Band.
Musical style and influences[edit]
No Doubt's musical style has been characterized as ska punk,[59][62][63][64] ska,[62][65][66][67] pop rock,[62][68] new wave,[66][67] alternative rock,[63][65] pop-punk,[58][65] reggae,[69] reggae fusion,[66] and punk rock.[70] Some other genres the band has described as include synth-pop,[71] electropop,[71] dancehall,[71] third-wave ska,[72] post-grunge,[72] funk,[73] and disco.[73]
The band's debut album blended the ska punk, alternative rock and new wave genres. However, the band utilized a punk rock sound in their second album The Beacon Street Collection[74] and their third album Tragic Kingdom, although the latter incorporated pop-punk and alternative rock influences. They later shed their punk rock roots for the following album Return of Saturn, utilizing influences from new wave music and pop rock.[75]
The band completely altered their sound in their next album Rock Steady, incorporating Jamaican music influences from reggae fusion, rocksteady and dance-rock.[76] However the band's comeback album Push and Shove blended pop rock, new wave music and dancehall;[77] the English electronic bands New Order and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) were cited as key influences on the album.[78]
Other appearances[edit]
In 2009, No Doubt made an appearance on the television series Gossip Girl, playing a fictional band called "Snowed Out" in the episode "Valley Girls".[79] They performed a cover version of the Adam and the Ants song "Stand and Deliver".[80]
No Doubt played at the Bridge School Benefit organized by Neil Young on October 24 and 25, 2009, at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.[81]
On December 5, 2010, No Doubt performed a tribute to Paul McCartney at The Kennedy Center Honors, playing a medley of Beatles hits including "Hello, Goodbye", "All My Loving", and "Penny Lane". The band performed for President Barack Obama, Sir Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.[82]
The band also appeared as guests in the animated show King of the Hill[83] and the sketch comedy program Portlandia.[84] They can also be seen in a scene of the Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza". At the time Eric Stefani was one of the show's animators, and inserted his sister and her bandmates behind Homer in the scene where the crowd riots against him.[85]
Band Hero lawsuit[edit]
On November 4, 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that No Doubt had filed a lawsuit over its portrayal in the music video game Band Hero. The lawsuit alleged that the game had "transformed No Doubt band members into a virtual karaoke circus act", singing dozens of songs the group neither wrote, popularized, nor approved for use in the game. The case was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and cited Activision, the game's distributor, as having exceeded contractual likenesses of the members of No Doubt.[86]
On February 15, 2011, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District affirmed the trial court's denial of Activision's special motion to strike No Doubt's lawsuit as a strategic lawsuit against public participation, after an interlocutory appeal by Activision.[87] The appellate court explained that the dispute arose from No Doubt's discovery, two weeks before Band Hero went on sale, that its band members could be manipulated in the game to perform songs they would never perform in real life. The court then explained: "The band also learned that female lead singer Gwen Stefani's avatar could be made to sing in a male voice, and the male band members' avatars could be manipulated to sing songs in female voices. The individual band member avatars could be made to perform solo, without their band members, as well as with members of other groups." The court then ruled that Activision's First Amendment defense was meritless, No Doubt had a reasonable probability of prevailing on the merits, and that No Doubt was entitled to recover costs and attorney's fees incurred in opposing Activision's appeal.
In 2012, the issue was settled out of court, two weeks before scheduled trial date.[88]
