No Doubt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
No Doubt
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No Doubt and its session/touring musicians on Today in 2009. From left to right: Tom Dumont, Stephen Bradley, Adrian Young, Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and Gabrial McNair.
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| Origin | Anaheim, California, U.S. |
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No Doubt is an American rock band that started in Anaheim, California, in 1986. For most of their time together, the band has included Gwen Stefani (singer), Tom Dumont (guitar), Tony Kanal (bass), and Adrian Young (drums). Gwen's brother, Eric Stefani, also played keyboards when they first started releasing albums. Later, Gabrial McNair (trombone) and Stephen Bradley (trumpet) often played with them on tour and in the studio.
Their first album in 1992 didn't become popular. But their next album, The Beacon Street Collection, sold over 100,000 copies in 1995. This album was inspired by ska punk music.
No Doubt's album Tragic Kingdom (1995) was super popular, selling millions of copies. Its song "Don't Speak" was a huge hit, staying at number one on the radio charts for 16 weeks! Another popular song was "Just a Girl".
The band's next album, Return of Saturn (2000), wasn't as big a hit as Tragic Kingdom. However, critics really liked it, and it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. In 2001, they released Rock Steady, which mixed in reggae and dancehall music. This album was recorded in Jamaica and featured famous Jamaican artists. Rock Steady had two songs that won Grammy Awards: "Hey Baby" and "Underneath It All".
After a tour in 2004, the band members worked on their own music projects. Gwen Stefani released two successful solo albums, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004) and The Sweet Escape (2006). In 2008, No Doubt started working on their sixth album, Push and Shove, which came out in 2012. The first song from it was "Settle Down". No Doubt has sold over 33 million records around the world!
Contents
The Story of No Doubt
How No Doubt Started (1986-1989)
In 1986, Eric Stefani and John Spence met at a Dairy Queen and decided to form a music group. Eric played keyboards and brought in other musicians, including his sister Gwen Stefani for backing vocals. John Spence was the lead singer. They practiced in Eric's parents' garage.
Tony Kanal joined the band as the bassist after seeing them play. Later, Tom Dumont joined as the guitarist, replacing Jerry McMahon. In 1989, Adrian Young became their drummer. During these early years, No Doubt played many shows at local colleges and famous clubs in California.
Sadly, John Spence passed away in December 1987. The band almost broke up but decided to continue with Alan Meade as the new singer. When Alan left, Gwen Stefani became the lead singer.
First Album and Big Changes (1990-1997)
In 1990, Interscope Records signed No Doubt because they were impressed by their live shows and Gwen's energy. The band's first album, No Doubt, came out in 1992. However, it didn't have any radio hits and only sold about 30,000 copies. The record label didn't support their tour, and the album wasn't available in many cities where they played.
The band started working on their next album, but Interscope didn't like much of their new music. Eric Stefani, who liked to have creative control, decided to leave the band in 1994 to work on the cartoon TV series The Simpsons. Around this time, Tony Kanal and Gwen Stefani also ended their seven-year relationship.
In 1995, No Doubt released The Beacon Street Collection on their own label. This album had a more raw, punk rock sound and sold much better than their first one. Later that year, Trauma Records released Tragic Kingdom. Many of the songs on this album were about Gwen and Tony's breakup.
Tragic Kingdom and the song "Just a Girl" made No Doubt famous. They went on a long 27-month world tour. In 1996, "Spiderwebs" was another hit. Then, "Don't Speak", a song Gwen and Eric wrote about Gwen and Tony's breakup, became a massive success. It stayed at the top of the radio charts for 16 weeks!
No Doubt was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1997 for Best New Artist and Best Rock Album. By the end of the year, many songs from Tragic Kingdom were released as singles, and the album sold millions of copies. It eventually sold 16 million copies worldwide.
Touring and New Sounds (1998-2003)
After their long tour ended in 1997, the band took some time to write new music. They released a live concert video called Live in the Tragic Kingdom. Gwen Stefani also sang on songs for other artists like Prince and Eve.
In 1999, No Doubt released a new song called "New" for the movie Go. This song was inspired by Gwen's new relationship with Gavin Rossdale.
In 2000, the band released Return of Saturn. This album had a more serious feel, and the songs were mostly about Gwen's relationship with Gavin. Critics liked the album, but it didn't sell as well as Tragic Kingdom. The main song, "Ex-Girlfriend", didn't become a big hit in the U.S.
After Return of Saturn, the band started recording again in 2001. They were very inspired by Jamaican dancehall music. Their 2001 album, Rock Steady, was mostly recorded in Jamaica. It had two hit songs that won Grammys: "Hey Baby" and "Underneath It All". Both songs reached the top five on the U.S. charts. The album also included the popular song "Hella Good".
In November 2002, No Doubt received the Key to the City of Anaheim from the mayor. In January 2003, they performed at the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show.
Best Hits and Taking a Break (2003-2008)
In 2003, No Doubt released The Singles 1992–2003, which was a collection of their hit songs. It also included their cover of "It's My Life", which earned them another Grammy nomination. They also released a special box set called Boom Box with more music and videos.
The band toured with Blink-182 in 2004, and then decided to take a break. Gwen Stefani started her solo career, releasing her first album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. This album was very successful, selling millions of copies. She released her second solo album, The Sweet Escape, in 2006.
Other band members also worked on their own projects. Tom Dumont started his solo music project, Invincible Overlord. Adrian Young played drums for other bands and artists. Tony Kanal worked with the pop star Pink on her album Funhouse.
Coming Back Together (2008-2013)
While Gwen Stefani was busy with her solo music, No Doubt started working on a new album without her. They planned to finish it after her tour. However, writing new songs took a long time, especially because Gwen was pregnant with her second child.
In 2009, No Doubt announced they would go on a summer tour while still working on their new album. They even gave away their entire music collection as a free download for people who bought top-tier tickets for the tour.
On June 11, 2012, the band announced that their new album, Push and Shove, would be released on September 25. The first song from the album was "Settle Down". The music video for "Settle Down" was directed by Sophie Muller, who had worked with No Doubt many times before.
Another Break and Future Plans (2013-Present)
In October 2013, Tom Dumont shared that the band was taking another break, but hinted they would get back together in 2014. No Doubt did play some live shows in 2014 and 2015, but they didn't announce any new tours or release new music.
Gwen Stefani later said she wasn't sure what would happen with No Doubt. She felt that she and Tony Kanal had grown apart in terms of the music they wanted to make. She also mentioned feeling tired when they recorded Push and Shove.
In 2022, Gwen Stefani was asked about a reunion and said "Anything can happen." However, Adrian Young said in May 2023 that he didn't think there would be any more new music or tours from No Doubt.
But then, on January 16, 2024, the band hinted at a reunion show! Later that day, it was announced that No Doubt would perform at the Coachella music festival in April 2024. A source close to the band also said they might have ideas for new music and could tour after their Coachella show.
No Doubt's Music Style
No Doubt's music has been described in many ways, including ska punk, ska, pop rock, new wave, alternative rock, pop-punk, and reggae. They have also used sounds from synth-pop, electropop, dancehall, and funk.
Their first album mixed ska punk, alternative rock, and new wave. Their next albums, The Beacon Street Collection and Tragic Kingdom, had a more punk rock sound. But Tragic Kingdom also added pop-punk and alternative rock.
For Return of Saturn, they moved away from their punk rock roots and used more new wave and pop rock sounds. Their album Rock Steady changed their sound a lot, bringing in influences from Jamaican music like reggae fusion and dance-rock. Their comeback album, Push and Shove, blended pop rock, new wave, and dancehall.
Other Appearances
In 2009, No Doubt appeared on the TV show Gossip Girl. They played a made-up band called "Snowed Out" and performed a cover of the song "Stand and Deliver".
No Doubt also played at the Bridge School Benefit concerts in 2009, which are organized by Neil Young.
On December 5, 2010, No Doubt honored Paul McCartney at The Kennedy Center Honors. They played a mix of The Beatles' songs like "Hello, Goodbye" and "Penny Lane" for President Barack Obama and Paul McCartney himself.
The band has also appeared in animated shows like King of the Hill and The Simpsons. In a Simpsons episode, Eric Stefani, who was an animator for the show, drew his sister and her bandmates behind Homer.
Band Hero Lawsuit
In 2009, No Doubt filed a lawsuit about how they were shown in the music video game Band Hero. The band said the game turned them into a "virtual karaoke circus act." They were upset that the game allowed players to make their band members sing songs the group didn't write or approve.
The lawsuit claimed that the game went beyond what was agreed in their contract. For example, players could make Gwen Stefani's character sing in a male voice, and the male band members could sing in female voices. Also, individual band members could perform solo without the rest of the band.
In 2011, a court ruled that No Doubt had a good chance of winning their case. The court agreed that the band's rights might have been violated. In 2012, the issue was settled outside of court before a trial could begin.
Band Members
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Current members
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Former members
Former session/touring musicians
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Timeline of Band Members
No Doubt's Albums
- Studio albums
- No Doubt (1992)
- The Beacon Street Collection (1995)
- Tragic Kingdom (1995)
- Return of Saturn (2000)
- Rock Steady (2001)
- Push and Shove (2012)
Tours and Concerts
- Trapped In a Box Tour (1992)
- Tragic Kingdom World Tour (1997)
- Return Of Saturn Tour (2000)
- Rock Steady Tour (2002)
- Blink-182 / No Doubt Summer Tour 2004 (2004)
- Summer Tour 2009 (2009)
- Seven Night Stand (2012)
See also
In Spanish: No Doubt para niños
