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No
doubt about it; the success of Anaheim, Calif.'s No Doubt is one of the
more unique success stories of the '90s. Ska music has long been a
mainstay of the fertile Orange County punk scene...and No Doubt has been
playing what they consider to be a pure form of the genre for nearly a
decade in the OC clubs.
The group released an eponymous Interscope debut LP in 1992, but it sold
little. Shortly thereafter, No Doubt's lead singer/lyricist Gwen
Stefani's older brother left the band to pursue a career in film and TV,
and the band carried on without him--laboring in the studio (at their
own expense) for the next several years, working on what would
eventually become Tragic Kingdom, released through the Interscope-distributed
Trauma Records label.
The irony is that
neither Trauma nor Interscope were especially keen on releasing Kingdom,
but now that it's gone platinum several times over, both labels are
currently involved in nasty litigation trying to claim No Doubt as their
own. "Just A Girl," the debut single, became an FM and MTV staple
immediately--and No Doubt were suddenly a bigger sensation than all the
early ska bands that influenced them (Madness, the Specials) put
together.
The ballad "Don't Speak," the third single from Tragic Kingdom, became
the group's biggest hit to date and strongly suggested that No Doubt and
Stefani had a future beyond their ska roots. That was confirmed with the
release of 2000's Return Of Saturn, which included the hyper
"Ex-Girlfriend" and the melodic "Simple Kind Of Life."
With Stefani's star rising, she soon turned into a much in-demand guest
star with turns on Eve's "Let Me Blow Your Mind" and Moby's "South
Side." The former won a Grammy Award in 2001 for best rap/sung
collaboration, and the videos for both tunes—again featuring Stefani--picked
up honors at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards.
Striking while Stefani was hot, No Doubt returned in late 2001 with Rock
Steady, its best and most diverse effort to date. Aided by a string of
top-notch producers (Nellee Hooper, Sly & Robbie, Ric Ocasek, Prince,
Steely & Clevie and Mark "Spike" Stent), the group made the ultimate
party album featuring reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, dance, and new wave
influences. Hit singles included the energetic dancehall-flavored "Hey
Baby," featuring Bounty Killer; the infectious reggae of "Underneath It
All," with a guest shot from Lady Saw; and the rocking-party stomper "Hella
Good."
Stefani's wedding
to Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale cemented her place as rock royalty.
After the honeymoon she began working on her much-anticipated solo
album. Meanwhile, No Doubt summed up its career to date with The Singles
1992-2003, which featured all the band's biggest hits and a new cover of
"It's My Life," originally a hit for the U.K. band Talk Talk in 1984.
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