Interview with: The Goo Goo Dolls
April 29th, 2006 - Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY
By: Kristie Taft



The new album dropped on Tuesday. How was it to finally see the day arrive and what did you do to celebrate the release?

John Rzeznik: Well, it was a big relief to actually see the album out in stores and we didn't really celebrate it that much, I mean we worked all day...

Robby Takac: We seem to find ourselves doing the same thing whenever we release a new record. We're always in New York [City] and we all go to Virgin Records in Times Square and buy the record. It was actually released on my wife's birthday this year, so I went and bought a copy for her.

John: Yeah, here hun. Here's my record. [Laughter]

Robby: Yeah, she was like "I've never seen this before, thanks a lot."

John, it's pretty obvious there was a huge emotional growth lyric wise on this record. What factors contributed into you pouring your heart out more than you ever had before on the band's previous records?

John: I decided that it took a lot more balls to feel things in life rather than to feel numb. I find that the older I get, the easier it is to be miserable, you know? You have to make a conscience choice to actually lead an emotinally legitamate life.

What was the biggest obstacle the band experienced while recording?

John: Oh, probably the catering bill! That is definitely one of them. [Laughter]

Robby: Probably the commitment to what's actually going to be on the record. There's a lot of ideas that fly around, but finally commiting to those last things that's actually going to represent what the next record is.

John: That's always the toughest thing. Like, just letting go. I mean, you write, you know. How many times do you dwell over the same story, over and over again until you finally say, I'm going to go crazy? Initially the hardest thing is commiting, but having deadlines certainly helps.

On one of the band's fansites, one of your fans posted a thread that read, "I finally got to really listen to the new CD. I love all of it! I was especially touched by "Feel The Silence" and "Become." Damn that John knows how to express life into words." When you guys hear feedback such as this, how does something like that make you feel?

John: Wow. I'm just glad that people can relate to it on that level. Actually, it feels really good to have something in your mind and mean one thing and have it come to fruition and have someone understand it, it's a big reward. It's always nice to hear that kind of feedback and it's not like we can complain when we hear something like that. It's always rewarding.

You guys have been receiving an enormous amount of press over the last month or so, including appearances on VH1, The Conan O'Brien Show, Live with Regis and Kelly and you're currently runnthing this promotional tour...

Robby: Hey! Tony Danza! [Laughter]

Right, I knew about that, too. I just left it out because you guys haven't actually appeared on it yet, I thought?

John: We taped it, it just hasn't aired yet. -- I mean, wait. No we didn't. [Laughter]

Well, okay then. Tony Danza too! [Laughter] What is your reaction to all the attention?

John: It's certainly a lot to digest all at once, it's like it sort of almost comes to a blur.

Robby: It's exactly what he said. It's too much to digest all at once because you are being shuffled from place to place without having time to even think about it.

Mike Malinin: It kind of gets to the point where you're like, "I don't even think we know what city we're going to be in twenty four hours from now." It all just gets so hectic.

The band is set to do some dates overseas in a few weeks and then you are heading out this summer with Counting Crows. Which are you more excited about doing?

John: We've never been to Ireland, so I'm really looking forward to going there. Not that I'm Irish... [Laughter]

Robby: Yeah, let's get one thing perfectly clear. [Laughter]

John: I'm not Irish, no. I'm really excited to go there because I heard it's really beautiful and that's one of the places that we have yet to go too.

Robby: It also seems that this European tour is being pretty well receieved. It's been a long hard road for us there. I think maybe our absence has really helped with that because the shows seem to keep selling out over there.

John: You know this made me think of Itunes. A phenomenom like Itunes, it's amazing how much that can give you a foreign market, even when you're a relatively unknown artist.

Robby: Wow, that is true. I didn't think of that.

This actually takes me to a fan submission. Are you shocked by the number of international fans you have and by the number of international fansites?

John: I really don't look at a lot of the fansites or the blogs that fans have because it kind of freaks me out, it kind of scares me a little bit because sometimes I don't want to know what other people are thinking in a way. [Laughter] It sort of like, being ignorant to the whole thing is better for me, but Robby is really into that.

Robby: Oh yeah, I live in that man. it freaks me out too, but at the same time I'm intirgued by things that are going to freak me out.

After the Counting Crows tour, will there be an actual headlining tour of your own?

John: Yes, there are plans to do that but as of right now, we're kind of dealing with putting together this whole Counting Crows tour. It's going to be kind of behemoth.

Robby: Yeah, exactly. We plan on touring Asia...

John: We're going to do a full tour of Canada at the end of the summer.

Another fan submission. In the Live in Buffalo DVD you [John] took a sign out of the audience that read, "Polish Guys Kick Ass." You had mentioned you wanting to keep it. Did you get to keep it or did it get washed away?

John: Actually, yeah!

Robby: We totally have it. It's in our rehearsal space! Honest to goodness, it's in our space!

Yeah, the girl who sent the submission was the one who actually, made the sign. So, she'll be happy to hear that!

Robby: Oh, that's awesome! We definitely have it!

You guys did a signing at New World [Records] today. How did that turn out?

John: It actually was pretty cool. There were about 500 people there. We went through it in about an hour and a half, it was a lot of fun. It was nice to see everybody that bought the record and get a chance to say thank you to them.

I didn't think they gave that many wristbands out, last I knew it was only around 200 they were distributing, so that's awesome.

Robby: Totally. They distributed about 350 at first and seeing they went so fast, they added more and it was about 500 people that came out and to see the line outside of the place was really cool. It went like, down the sidewalks and around the block. It was amazing.

How were the fan's reactions, anybody get out of hand? I'm always hearing stories about the nutty ones at meet and greets.

John: It was pretty mellow, but there was one woman who did something kind of strange.

Mike: Yeah, there definitely was one lady who was indeed strange.

John: She came up to me, and was like, "John. Do you remember me?

Mike: No, she said, "Do you know who I am?"

John: Oh, yeah. That's right, she said "Do you know who I am." and I was like, "No..." then she looks at me and says, "You don't know who I am?" and I was like, "No, I'm sorry. I don't." and her head went down and she walked away. She looked so sad. I felt so horrible, but I didn't know who the hell she was!

Robby: People change, man! [Laughter]

Mike: Yeah, she could have given you a clue or something.

John: Yeah, how bout a hint?

Robby: Yeah, but if she happens to be reading this maybe she can write in and let you know and in return we can figure it out. [Laughter]

Mike: Maybe she was your kindergarden teacher or something, I don't know.

John: I was thinking maybe it could be something like that.

Yeah, that seems like the only thing that comes to mind.

Robby: But she didn't have to walk away like she did. She could have said something.

John: Yeah, she had that look in her eyes like, "I'm going to knife you." It was kind of disturbing.

A major part of a live performance is connecting with the crowd. How would you define performing and the importance of live music?

John: Wow. Well, I think it's a way for people to really, really connect to an artist that they really enjoy. To really enjoy the music and to experience them in a more visceral kind of way. You can touch them, sing a long and become a part of the whole thing and for that hour or hour and a half it's like you become this family and that's a great thing. To get caught up in the whole thing and act like an idiot if you feel like it and it's all good. I think that's the most crucial part about performing live, is actually strengthening that connection with you and the people that like your music.

Robby: I just think that, that is the one thing that is still out there that is the most exciting and for the most part, fairly pure thing that you can go and see. It's a different representation of this thing that you're really familiar with and in a lot of respects, it made part of your life. When you actually get to share that with people that helped create it, I think that's a beautiful thing.

John: Also, with the way albums are made now, you can pretty much fake anything. To actually see five or six musicians working together, it's sort of interesting because there becomes this sorta X factor involved in it. There is a chemistry that's sort of unpredictable. That's an exciting thing for me, if I'm going to see a band.

When you guys come around for your hometown shows, are there any places in particular [rather than family, friends, etc.] that you try to visit before you head out again?

John: I always go to the Centrury Grille and hang out there, you know. I just basically eat crap the entire time I'm here, because we seriously have the best food. [Laughter]

Robby: Probably the place that I end up the most, is Walgreens. For some reason, I am there about seven or eight times a day.

Mike: Yeah, in fact, I think we're going to Walgreens as soon as we get out of here.

Robby: Don't even joke about that. [Laughter] If you want to find me, that's where I hang.

It's the new it thing, right? What are your feelings on tonight's show? Any expectations?

John: I just want to have a good time. It's fun and it's a short set. It'll be in and out and it'll defintely be fun. We're going to try and bat out as many tunes as we can.

Robby: Whatever we don't get too today, we'll be back in July and we'll do the whole thing. We are just going to have some fun tonight, it's home. I'm going to be cliche and say that hometown shows usually are, always the best ones.

Robby, you run the Music Is Art festival every year. Would you like to elaborate a little bit on what's in store for this year?

Robby: Oh sure. It's June 10th and 11th and there will be 100 bands this year, mostly all locals and we have Lisa Loeb playing. We'll have the Kids Village and Beer Garden at some satellite displays at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Last year's went really well so we hope this year the turnout will be amazing as well. It'll be a good time and it's for a good cause, so we hope everyone comes out.

If you had to create an infomerical about buying your record, what would you tell your listeners?

John: [In the classic infomercial tone] Is your life boring and meanlingless? Are you feeling slighty... [Laughter]

Robby: Do you have acne? Digestive trouble? [Laughter]

John: You know what? If we were to do an infomercial, it would seriously be like, "GOO GOO DOLLS, LET LOVE IN. IN STORES NOW. GOO GOO DOLLS, LET LOVE IN. IN STORES NOW." It would just say that over and over again.

Robby: I think the one thing I would tell people is, it's a record full of great songs and please listen to it and if they listen to it, they'll most likely want to listen to it again.



A HUGE thank you goes out to Angela and Warner Brothers for hooking us up and to John, Robby and Mike for their time and kind compliments.
For more information on The Goo Goo Dolls, head over to www.thegoogoodolls.com.