Will UK go Goo Goo for Dolls?

NewsNovember 3, 2010Shields Gazette

By Gary Welford

ABAND who are one of the biggest rock groups in America are hoping to break the UK at last on their latest tour.
Goo Goo Dolls, whose latest album debuted at No7 in the Billboard chart in their native US, have found success harder to come by on these shores.

The dates are their first since their sold-out tour in July 2008, and include one at the O2 Academy in Newcastle on Monday.

The band's ninth studio album, Something For The Weekend, came out at the end of August, but only made No36 in the UK.

The band was formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1986, but it took them until 1995 to enjoy commercial success, when their fifth album, A Boy Named Goo, broke into the US Top 30.

Ironically, it also sparked a bitter legal battle with their then-record company, as the band claimed they received no royalties from the release.

With their early pop-heavy metal-punk hybrid giving way to a more polished sound, their commercial highpoint came in 1998, when the follow-up, Dizzy Up The Girl, achieved double-platinum sales.

It gave them five hit singles in their homeland, including probably their best-known songs, Iris and Slide.

Iris, originally written for the soundtrack of the movie City Of Angels, was nominated for three Grammy awards, and spent a record-breaking 18 weeks in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100.

Goo Goo Dolls still feature founding members John Rzeznik on guitar and Robby Takac on bass, with 'new boy' Mike Malinin on drums since 1995.

Their sound has certainly mellowed over the years, and is now best described as melodious rock, full of edgy guitar and big, heartfelt choruses.

Tickets for their Newcastle show, priced £23.50, are still available from (08444) 772000.

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