Goo Goo Dolls singer discusses new album, Family Weekend concert

InterviewSeptember 22, 2010Unknown source

OXFORD — Robby Takac, bassist for the Goo Goo Dolls, took time from promoting the band’s new album to talk about their music, the upcoming concert at Miami University and what the future holds for the trio who has rocked the grunge world since 1986.

With 24 years and nine albums under their belts, the Goo Goo Dolls continue to make music they believe reflects what’s been going on in people’s everyday lives.

“I think every record we do is kind of a snapshot of the last four years,” Takac said. “When I go back and listen to our older songs, it makes my heart feel so warm because I remember what each of them signify, even the goofy punk rock songs . . . They’re all special.”

Their latest album, “Something For the Rest of Us,” was released Aug. 31.

“There’s optimistic undertones, like on all our records, on this album. If you take a look at things, it hasn’t been bright and sunny. The world is insane, but at the same time, there’s room for improvement,” he said.

“People are growing up not knowing if they’ll have the life that’s as affluent as their parents’; it’s a heavy thing to put on a generation. ‘Something For the Rest of Us’ is about the past few years and how the economy has been affected by events that have occurred, and how things such as the war in Iraq has affected people,” he elaborated.

In comparing the music on this album to that of their first album released in 1987 simply titled “Goo Goo Dolls,” Takac thinks there’s been some obvious growth.

“As we’ve put out records, reviews have accused us in the past of re-releasing previous records, but if you look back to when we first started, I think we’ve learned as a band,” he said. “If fans still dig it, that’s good. We’ve succeeded and the record is going places.”

The band will be performing Oct. 2 at Miami University as a part of the Family Weekend events, and Takac thinks it’s a great idea.

“Kids and parents know who we are, so it makes sense to do that (Family Weekend) with a band like us... We can go out there and rock around,” he said. “You have to see us to really understand.”

Takac didn’t reveal which of their hit songs he, John Rzeznik and drummer Mike Malinin will be “throwing down” at this much anticipated show.

“We live in a computer-operated world. Our songs are sketched out by our light show. We sometimes change them up, but essentially it’s like a watch... We just go out and whoop some,” he said, laughing.

Miami University junior Colleen Leimkuehler is one of many who will be attending the concert. In fact, she is one of the students who are in charge of helping throw it.

“I’m super pumped. Trying to find an artist (for Family Weekend) that parents and students would both like was simple with the Goo Goo Dolls. They’re the perfect medium,” she said. “It’s extremely exciting because we’ve never had a band this large play at Miami before.”

After the Family Weekend concert, the Goo Goo Dolls will continue touring and promoting the new album for the remainder of the year, but after that, it’s not exactly set in stone what they’ll be doing next.

“Interesting stuff happens to us,” Takac said. “We just played on America’s Got Talent with 15 million viewers, which just came up. There’s a lot of interesting stuff that comes up that comes with a new record. Let’s just say we are and will continue to be really, really busy.”

Not surprising, since “Something For the Rest of Us” debuted at No. 7 of the Billboard Top 200.

Takac said you just have to listen to the first song called “Sweetest Lie,” and just keep listening.

“They’re all beautiful songs; like scurrying little children,” he mused.

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