NO DOUBT

No Doubt's Summer Tour Rehearsal

2009-04-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

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Interview with Tony Kanal of No Doubt

2009-04-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

No DoubtApril 29, 2009by Patrick Slevin
It was always a matter of time, but it became a matter of when. The long-awaited reunion of Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Adrian Young and Tom Dumont, who last toured in 2004 before an extended hiatus, has finally arrived, almost 15 years after No Doubt’s landmark release Tragic Kingdom and a bewildering 22 years into the band’s eternally youthful career.

Even now, with all of No Doubt sans Kanal married with children, the vivacious foursome embody a wide-eyed and innocent spirit that has perhaps more than anything endeared them to an incredibly wide range of followers. Well, that and one of the most beloved and enduring albums of the ‘90s. There’s always that.

And the approach is just as honest and heartfelt as it was when No Doubt was struggling in the late ‘80s with endless lineup changes. The reason for being in a band and creating art has always remained the same, and it’s taken them across genres and continents to please the fans that have grown up with them.

Bassist Kanal took some time to talk about the band’s reunion, their forthcoming album and their current frame of mind as they embark on this latest chapter in their history.

The question I have to start with is: Why now and what took so long?

When we went on a break, I don’t think we ever thought it was going to end up being five years—it’s actually a little more than that, but we did the Greatest Hits tour in 2004—I really don’t have an answer, it just kind of ended up being that long. Gwen did some projects and we all went off and did our own thing. We started writing last year and it felt like the right time, but it felt like we were just jumping into writing a little prematurely, and that’s when the whole idea of doing the tour came up, the whole idea of reconnecting with ourselves and reconnecting with everybody who supported us for all these years, so it was just like, ‘Let’s go play shows.’

Every time we’ve made a record in the past, we’ve always been playing shows at the same time. We started off as a live band, and we always had that live component going on and we haven’t had that for so many years now, it was time to do some shows and get on stage together because that’s how we started 22 years ago, and it’s just such a big part of our band. And it was missing.

The last album came out so quickly after Return Of Saturn; it was all done basically while you were touring that record (Saturn).

Making Rock Steady it was incredibly—I don’t want to say easy. It just kind of came naturally. Every day was like a new adventure. We take a long time to make records and Rock Steady we started in January 2001, and it came out in December 2001. That was kind of groundbreaking for us to be able to write a record and release it in that same year.

I’m curious as to why you chose the Bamboozle festival as the first show to announce your return, considering you’re a West Coast band.

You know, it just worked out that way. We looked at all the options, and that was one of the good ones, and we decided to do it. Playing in front of that many people is always an incredible thrill. I guess when we do stuff, we jump in big, and when we start talking about the tour, we’re talking about, ‘Yeah, let’s do a few dates,’ and here we are now with I think 55 shows announced and on sale. It’s kind of the nature of our band; when we do something, we go big with it. Might as well start off big, go big with this festival and make it the first big show.

Regarding progress—as you said you were doing some stuff I think sans Gwen last year when you were working on material for a new No Doubt record—have you scrapped that material or is it on the side?

No, it’s all there, and there’s a ton of ideas. We also started some new stuff with Gwen, and we also took some of that older stuff and worked on it with Gwen and added some of her stuff to it. It’s just kind of all there, and it was maybe two or three months ago during the writing process, we were like, ‘It’s time to play shows.’

To be honest with you, we’ve kind of tabled the writing, because getting ready for a tour of this size is an enormous amount of preparation. So all that stuff’s been put on hold, but I’m actually in the process of putting a small little studio together for my bus, because by default, since I’m the only one who doesn’t have kids in the band yet, I’m doing the studio in my bus so we can keep the writing process going on the off days and stuff like that.

I’m actually pretty excited about that, to kind of merge the two, to take the excitement and that high that you get when you get when you’re playing a show and be able to convert that into writing music instantly or within the next couple of days. So I’m really excited about having the studio in my bus and keeping the creative writing process going.

There’s no fear of burning the candle at both ends?

If it feels like we’re getting burnt out, the first thing everyone’s going to do is sleep. It’s going to be interesting to see what the dynamic is going to be on this tour, ‘cause it’s the first time we’re touring with a lot of kids, you know.
It’s the family tour.

It is the family tour (laughs). There’s something kind of beautiful about it. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially when you’re doing interviews and you’re reminiscing about all the things we’ve experienced as a band. We started in high school, we went through everything between playing in the garage together and struggling for many, many years before Tragic Kingdom had some success, we’ve got to see and experience so many things together that only the four of us could ever relate to.

We have all our families now and this No Doubt family keeps growing and it’s a blessing to think that we got to experience so many different facets of being in a band over all these years. I think this is another cool experience we’re going to have, having the kids out there is going to be a different dynamic. What was the backstage party room with the bartender and the DJ is now going to be a romper room with a lot of bouncy toys for the kids. It’ll be interesting to see how that all plays out this summer.

Have to watch your language.

Yeah, exactly (laughs). I guess we do, huh? I didn’t even think about that. I guess Kingston [Rossdale] and Ace [Dumont], they’re both around 3-years-old. I guess they would know. I didn’t even think about that.

From what I can ascertain, the band’s personal experiences have largely dictated the sound and feel and lyrical direction of the records. Is that family aspect what’s moving the band lately?

It always has been the case. We’re in such the early stages of actually putting this record together that I don’t know if that’s going to be the thing that dictates this record. Usually, we find some sort of muse to kind of take the reins and take the direction of the album in a certain way.

Rock Steady was obviously our reconnecting with Jamaican music and especially at that time dancehall music. And it was this weird blueprint that was unfolding in front of us every day when we were making Rock Steady, going back to what we were talking about earlier about how quickly that record unfolded.

I don’t think we’ve found that yet for this record. I don’t know what the running theme is going to be. The one thing we’ve realized is we don’t force things, we don’t push things. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I think we’ve done this long enough to know that for all of us to be on the same page, if that’s not there, it’s not ready yet, and I think that’s why all four of us were like ‘we need to get out there and play shows again.’ I think we’re still finding ourselves on this record and that’s why I think this summer is going to be hugely important for us.

Still finding yourselves 22 years on.

Yeah, exactly. But I think you have to do that for each record. I think there has to be that moving thing that really inspires you and makes you want to make the best record you can and go into it thinking this might be the last record we ever make. We’ve always been that way, and I think that’s always kind of pushed us into trying different things and also pushing ourselves into making the best records we can make.

Well if you don’t, why bother?

Exactly.

Exactly. Have you been rehearsing?

We have been. We’ve been rehearsing a lot (laughs). It’s been pretty intense. Our schedule is usually 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. every day. That may not sound like a lot, but it is, because we’re working out every morning, getting into shape, interviews, those guys have their kids… We’re delving into some of the songs that we haven’t played in a long time. Putting the set list together is always exciting. We’re about to switch from musical rehearsals into production rehearsals in a couple of weeks.

I’m wondering what your perspective is of how Tragic Kingdom has aged. I’m thinking many of the kids on this upcoming festival and forthcoming tour were the age of these children you’ll be touring with when that record came out. How does that feel when you’re thinking about these songs?

It’s a weird thing. It’s almost impossible for us to really put our finger on it because we’re so close to it. You kind of gauge people’s excitement or their relation to it by reading stuff and what people tell you. I’ve been doing a ton of writing sessions for the past couple years, and without fail, every one of the younger artists that I’m working with, they always cite Tragic Kingdom as the first record or one of the first records they bought.

There’s all these great reference points which to me, not only makes me really happy, but it’s exciting that there’s a whole new group of people that can relate to that record. You’ve also got the people who are our age who came to the Tragic Kingdom tour who could be bringing their kids for the first time. I know Gwen was experiencing that on her solo records, where people are bringing their kids, and you’ve kind of got everything in between, which is good.

Am I wrong in saying that you guys did a survey of what people wanted to hear on the tour?

We did. We did.

How did that turn out? Was it surprising?

It was good. The one thing that kind of surprised me was that ‘Sunday Morning’ was the song that was most requested. I guess it was kind of interesting to us, I don’t know if it would be interesting for anyone else, the order of which the songs kind of played out. For the most part it was what you would expect, most of the singles kind of at the top, and then got into the deeper cuts. It’s probably just exciting for me, maybe nobody else (laughs).

It’s interesting to know what sample that is too; that’s generally gonna be your more dedicated fans.

Yeah, absolutely. People who are going to take the time to complete a survey.

You’ve been doing other production and writing work. Have those experiences of working with other artists fed into how you approach material?

Absolutely. I realized for myself that if I’m not working, if I’m not being creative, it just doesn’t work for me and I don’t feel like I’m doing anything. So I force myself into some somewhat uncomfortable situations that I didn’t have to be in, because when you’re a comfort zone of writing with your bandmates for so many years and you step out of it and start writing with other people, there’s always going to be road bumps, there’s gonna be moments where you’re gonna be like ‘why am I doing this?’ But I kind of worked through that and I got to this place where I really like working with a lot of different types of artists.

I think that I’m able to bring a different perspective to stuff they’re working on, especially with people who aren’t used to working or collaborating with one or two other people. I feel like I can bring something, and I feel like I take something away from all those sessions too.

Everybody writes differently, everybody gets motivated in different ways, but the one thing I found that runs though all the writing sessions is that for a song to really be real there has to be an emotional connection to what’s going on musically and lyrically. I think I’ve gotten to a good place of being able to find that we’re writing a song. I would say I probably learned that mostly from Gwen because she’s so good about being very sincere and kind of wearing her heart on her sleeve when she does lyrics. I feel like I’ve been able to take that to other artists, and also feel like I’ve learned so much from other artists and been able to bring that back.

As well as trying to maintain that golden ear where you know what works.

Yeah I think so. I think it’s all about just trying to be as honest as possible as uncomfortable as that may be sometimes.

Totally. It’s sometimes no fun telling somebody exactly what you think about what they just poured their heart and soul into months.

Right. And the one thing you also realize is that it’s all subjective. What I think is the greatest thing in the world some people may go that’s the worst pile of shit I’ve ever heard. It’s all about what moves you and that’s kind of the thing you have to answer to; otherwise you’re just kind of losing yourself.

The live show. I read something about the look for it being inspired by A Clockwork Orange. Is that the idea?

I would say that’s probably one of the inspirations. Usually when you go out and you do a tour of this size, there’s an album theme that you’re working off of that you kind of incorporate in the set design and the way the set unfolds and the way the set list unfolds. Because we don’t have that this time, I think it’s more about minimalism and simplicity and just really stripping it down and letting the songs speak for themselves. Without giving away too much, that’s really what it comes down to. A Clockwork Orange is one of the half dozen things we’re kind of looking to for inspiration, putting the set together, the lighting system, every part of it.

So no ultraviolence or milk plus?

No (laughs). Don’t forget the kids are coming out too.

After you go through your summer tour, you’re winding up in California for a few dates, and then what’s the plan?

Straight into the record. Actually, we had this enormous meeting yesterday, five and a half hour band meeting before a three-hour rehearsal. And we’re trying to figure out where we’re ending. At a certain point, we just have to dive in. That was the balance we’re trying to find now, because once you’re up and running, it’s so easy to keep adding shows, especially when they’re being offered. I think that as soon as this North American tour is over we’ll be full blown into making this record.

For more on the show, visit thebamboozle.com or nodoubt.com.

source

No Doubt 'Giddy' About Summer Tour, New Record

2009-04-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

'It was like four adults became four little kids again,' bassist Tony Kanal says.
By James Montgomery

No Doubt have been off the road for nearly five years now. That's all about to change.

On Saturday, Gwen and the guys will take the stage at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, then on Sunday, they'll close out the Bamboozle Festival at the Meadowlands. Both dates will serve as tune-ups for a massive summer tour with Paramore, their first full-scale jaunt since 2004.

So, yes — this is a fairly huge deal. But unlike any of the innumerable reunited bands gearing up to hit the road, No Doubt aren't looking at their tour as a way to make tons of cash. Rather, they're using it to kick-start the creative process for a brand-new album, reportedly due in 2010.

"We're calling it 'the procrastination tour' ... well, I am, at least. I'm the biggest procrastinator," Gwen Stefani laughed. "It's not their fault, it's my fault, because I had this whole game plan: 'OK, I'm gonna go on tour with my last record, I'm gonna come home, I'm gonna get pregnant, I'm gonna have a baby, but while I'm pregnant, I'm gonna make the No Doubt record.' That was, like, the plan, but it all didn't work.

"Like, we got a lot of hang-out time and we talked and had so much fun together, but we didn't actually make too much music," she continued. "Maybe around 4:45 to 5 o'clock we'd actually play the instruments and then we'd all have dinner. There was a lot of eating going on."

So, in order to break the deadlock, they all decided to hit the road. And from the minute they began lining up summer tour dates, the floodgates opened.

"You know, it all made sense. We were in the studio, trying to write [songs for the new No Doubt record]. Things weren't coming. Gwen was feeling like she couldn't find the place where she wanted to start the writing process. I think she always goes through this and I think we, uh, we just need to find ourselves. We just need to get out on the road," bassist Tony Kanal said. "And the four of us looked at each other and said, 'It's time to play,' and as soon as we said that, the pressure was lifted ... we got really excited. It was like four adults became four little kids again. We're giddy about it."

The No Doubt/ Paramore tour kicks off May 19 in Fresno, California. But you don't have to wait that long for your ND fix. We'll be bringing you more of our chat with the band over the coming days, right here on MTVNews.com.

check ou the video here

First Look: No Doubt on "Gossip Girl"

2009-04-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

May 11 is bound to be a really big day for our beloved Upper East Siders -- not only are they getting a potential spin-off starring Brittany Snow and Krysten Ritter, but No Doubt is gracing the show with their SoCal presence. Well, sort of.

Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Adrian Young and Tom Dumont will play a fictional 1980s band called Snowed Out in the flashback-heavy hour. We come across the faux-strummers when a young Lily checks out her very first rock show with sister Carol.

If all goes according to plan, the "Gossip Girl" spin-off and characters will be appearing on your TV weekly, this fall but PopWrap has your first look at the sunny LA set show right now!
www.buzzsugar.com

Gwen Stefani & Her Departing Dudes

2009-04-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Gwen Stefani was spotted with her two sons Kingston, who turns 3 next month, and Zuma, 8 months, along with No Doubt bandmates about to depart Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday.

Gwen's ska-pop band is kicking off their summer tour on May 2nd in Borgata Atlantic City, NJ.

SOURCE celebritybabyscoop.com

Not Just A Solo Girl: Gwen Stefani and No Doubt Stage Alt-Rock Reunion

2009-04-27T02:35:00.000-07:00

Source: By Joshua Ostroff, AOL.ca
Posted: 04/27/09 4:38PM

Nearly two decades after Lollapalooza lit the fuse of the alt-rock revolution, 90s-era bands have returned to the road en masse. Some, like Nine Inch Nails, never left, while others, like Lolla’s once-and-future headliners Jane’s Addiction, just got back together last month.

But there’s one 90s throwback band that splits the difference: No Doubt. The alt-pop superstars haven’t played together in years, though their frontwoman, Gwen Stefani, became even more popular in the interim as a solo superstar.

No Doubt formed in 1986, are the proud owners of a pair of Grammy awards and have sold over 27 million records to date.

“There was a gameplan,” explains Stefani. “I was gonna go on [a solo] tour, come home and get pregnant. Then I was going to write an album with No Doubt. But it wasn’t working while I was pregnant. All I was doing was eating. So I continued to eat and once I had a baby, it still wasn’t coming. I felt very homebound and I just couldn’t picture myself for the next year in a room trying to write music. I felt like I had to get out there and feel inspired.

“You can’t just push a button and write a song,” she says. “So we just decided to go on a tour.” Of course, touring with families in tow but without new material invites accusations of nostalgia-mining. After all, No Doubt formed way back in 1986, though the Anaheim-born band didn't blow up until 1995’s 16 million-selling Tragic Kingdom rode alternative’s second wave into the record books after “Don't Speak” clocked four months at number one. They landed another smash by switching their Jamaican influence from ska to dancehall on 2001’s Rock Steady. But aside from a 2003 cover of “It's My Life,” the band has been a musical memory while Stefani won over a new generation of fans with her electro and hip-hop influenced solo works.
“For us, it’s really as simple as being excited to play music and revisit what we’ve always been about as a band, which is playing live and enjoying that incredible gratification of rocking together onstage,” says guitarist Tom Dumont. “All that stuff about nostalgia, that’s just over-thinking.”
Perhaps, but drummer Adrian Young recognizes that Stefani’s solo career is what is keeping them relevant to the kids. “I think it makes a huge difference because there’s going to be so many young people who went to see Gwen’s shows who have never seen No Doubt, it’s going to make the concert feel different.”

No Doubt made it big with their diamond-certified album Tragic Kingdom way back in 1995. They released two subsequent albums before singer Gwen Stefani put things on hold to have a couple of kids, sell a few million albums as a solo artist and start a clothing line. The band announced last year that they were working on new material, due out in 2010, and are set to go on tour this summer.

Not taking any chances, the band is also making a cross-generational appeal by appearing on an episode of hot teen soap Gossip Girl next month, performing a cover of Adam Ant’s “Stand and Deliver” in a flashback that acts as a launching pad for the show’s new 80s-set spinoff.

“It was a really good exercise for us to go in the studio and record it,” Stefani says. “Sometimes when you're songwriting you can get a bit stuck. So to try on someone else’s song and go through the whole process of recording it can be a bit challenging because you’re competing with the perfection of the original.”

But she adds touring should provide an even better writing boost. Or at least recharge tanks which had run rather dry during their years apart and her maternity leave by helping them reconnect with each other and their fans.

“I just needed to change the atmosphere, get out of my house and not be in mom mode. To be onstage and see people singing those songs that we wrote, there's nothing more inspiring than that,” Stefani says. “The bigger hits are obviously exciting when you’re playing live because of the response of the audience. It’s not even about the songs anymore, but the mode the audience goes into. There’s nothing like that feeling of playing songs that people love.”

“I don't expect I'll write any songs on this tour,” she admits, “but on the other side of this tour I will be a different person. What we’re searching for is a new direction, new inspiration and new music.”

http://music.aol.ca/article/not-just-a-solo-girl-gwen-stefani-and-no-doubt-stage-alt-rock-reunion/609318/

No Doubt at SIR Studios April 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California

2009-04-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

Adrian Young

Tony Kanal

Gwen Stefani

No Doubt at SIR Studios April 23, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

2009-04-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

(L-R) Musicians Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, Gwen Stefani and Adrian Young of No Doubt at SIR Studios April 23, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

Gwen Stefani and Zuma: Studio Partners

2009-04-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Preparing for her upcoming No Doubt tour, Gwen Stefani was spotted out this week paying a visit to the studio in Los Angeles, California.

With baby Zuma in her arms, the “Hollaback Girl” singer strolled past awaiting paparazzi and inside for the day’s recording duties.

http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/

Just Added: No Doubt at The Santa Barbara Bowl August 5

2009-04-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

Just Added: No Doubt at The Santa Barbara Bowl August 5
Posted 4/21/2009 by NDadmin
Just added to No Doubt's 2009 Tour schedule: August 5 at The Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA.Tickets go on sale to the general public Saturday, April 25 at 12:00 Noon (Pacific) via ticketmaster.com. The Sounds will open the show.There will be a No Doubt Tour Club pre-sale on Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00 PM (Pacific), open for 48 hours. There is a four (4) ticket limit. The No Doubt Tour Club was created to guarantee fans get the best seats in the house, visit nodoubttourclub.musictoday.com for full details. Note: limited number of memberships.

NO DOUBT NEEDS YOUR HELP-No Doubt "Just A Girl" Video Contest

2009-04-21T00:19:00.000-07:00

NO DOUBT NEEDS YOUR HELP
Posted 4/21/2009 by IGA

Hello Everyone.

The tour launches in a few weeks and we need your help. We're creating the video elements for the upcoming tour and want to include YOU!

We need you, your friends, family, loved ones, pets and anyone else you'd like to include to dress up like Gwen and show us your best interpretation of "Just A Girl." So get dolled up like Gwen, get your video cameras out and dance, sing, jump, crunk or do whatever it is you do and send it over to us. We're hoping to get loads of great footage to air during our performance of "Just A Girl" on the 2009 Summer Tour.

We don't have much time so get to filming. Deadline for entries is May 1st.

Get out the red lipstick, the blond wigs and whatever else you can find and show us your best impression of "Just A Girl." We'll post your video submissions here on the site for everyone to check out. We can't wait to see what you come up with and hope to show the world on tour!

Go to www.nodoubt.com/justagirl to submit your videos.

Kingston Rossdale Enjoys The Park

2009-04-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Celebutot Kingston Rossdale enjoyed his time at a local Beverly Hills park as he swung on the swings yesterday.

He’s so freakin’ cute, I just wanna pinch his cheeks.

What a great way to spend a 77 degree day.
source

Gwen Stefani, Erin Lokitz Party for Kate Hudson's 30th!

2009-04-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night, Gwen Stefani was seen leaving Kate Hudson's 30th birthday party in the swanky Palisades Riviera area looking punk princess chic carrying the Bala clutch from her Summer L.A.M.B handbag collection.

Stefani, who is always the epitome of style, complemented her look with a chic clutch from the L.A.M.B Andhra Bala Collection.
You can get Gwen’s style too!

Homecoming- Interview with Tom Dumont from No Doubt

2009-04-16T23:40:00.000-07:00

By Jeff Donaldson April 16th, 2009 @ 8:00 AM Best of, Entertainment, Music

Before the year 2000, Verizon Wireless Ampitheater was known as Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. In the 1980’s the amphitheater employed a teenaged Tom Dumont as a burger cook. While it is every budding musicians dream to make it big, Tom has fulfilled that dream. A few years later he became the guitarist for No Doubt, arguably the biggest music act to come out of Orange County. With a career spanning over twenty years, their music has evolved from their Ska roots to the a Grammy Award winning Pop powerhouse. Not only have they grown musically, but the No Doubt family has grown in size and geographically. Despite that growth, the band still has deep roots in Orange County. Now a resident of Long Beach, Tom grew up in Irvine, and has lived in Orange and Anaheim along the way. Recently I had the pleasure to sit down with guitarist Tom and ask him some questions relating to his experiences with the band and his ties with Orange County.

Jeff Donaldson: Growing up in Orange County, I know you ventured to Irvine Meadows / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at least once as a teen/ young adult. My first concert there was Berlin and Talk Talk. Do you remember the first concert you went to go see there? Who did you go to see?

Tom Dumont: Actually my first memories of Irvine Meadows was as an employee. I grew up in Irvine, and when I turned 16 I got a job there, literally flipping hamburgers in the concession stands…I worked there every summer for at least 4 or 5 years. I just loved music and I usually got off the grill early enough to catch most of the headliners set. If there was a band playing that I really liked, I’d sneak in using my employee badge and shirt. So basically in the 80’s I saw almost everyone who played there. I loved it. And quickly moved up from burgers to beer sales to managing stands. I was ambitious :)

J: What was your favorite or most memorable concert at Irvine Meadows / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater? It could be as a performer or spectator. Why?

TD:Most memorable would be when No Doubt opened for Ziggy Marley there in 1990. I think we were the first of 5 bands that day. We were still a local band with no record deal. Although we had great shows headlining clubs in those days, playing at Irvine was a very big deal obviously and for my own reasons as well (see answer above.) I think our upcoming 4 night stand there will even top that though!

J: There was a rumor that some of the animals were still on the property after they closed Lion Country Safari and opened up the amphitheater. One of the ways to sneak into the venue was through the old rhino pits. Did you ever try and sneak into a concert there?

TD: Never did the Lion Country sneak. See question 1 above. :)

J: In high school, a local ticket agent used to pay a bunch of us teens to camp out at Ticketmaster venues to get tickets for them to sell. Nowadays, the Internet makes it easy for scalpers to purchase a lot of the tickets online. Some ticket agents and scalpers now have season tickets to a lot of the big venues, making it hard for the fans to get the good seats at decent prices. The No Doubt Tour Club was created to help combat this and allow members to get those good tickets into the fans hands at a reasonable price. Does it seem to be working? Do you think having the tickets non-transferable is only workable solution to fighting this problem?

TD: I think our Tour Club is a step in the right direction. It does reduce scalping and also helps our fans get into better seats at face value. But it is not a final solution. The scalping problem is a real dilemma. People hate it, but it’s really just free market capitalism and the economic principle of “supply and demand” which are the true “causes”. Some people will always be willing to pay more for the best seats. There’s not much anyone can do to stop that. A communist dictatorship perhaps?

J: I first met you guys around the time I was a roadie for Quinn when he played for Medicine Rattle and both bands were practicing at either the Stomp Box or Bands West. There was a pretty tight knit music scene back then. Who were some of your favorite bands to play with? Who were some of your favorite bands to go see? Favorite Venues to play?

TD: Those were fun days, back in the late 80’s when I joined No Doubt. I loved going to local shows… Cadillac Tramps, the Vandals, Suburban Rhythm and of course Sublime…

J: Back when you were starting out, going to see other bands was part of the promotion process. Do you think that the Internet and technology have hurt the local live music scene?

TD: I don’t know. We used to it all by ourselves with a huge mailing list back in those pre-internet days. We’d make the flyers and print them and stamp them, it was a big production for us. And it really worked. I think if a band is good the internet would be a big help, and if you’re not so good, it’s no help at all.

J: With the ease of getting music recorded and out to the masses electronically, what advice would you give to up and coming bands in Orange County?

TD: A band should rehearse, write music, record it for people to hear, and play shows. If a band is good and is doing those things, the audience will find you. There’s no magic involved, in my opinion. There are no shortcuts. Word of mouth is the best way. I used to know someone who always talking about wanting to be an artist. “Oh let me see your work” I’d say, but they weren’t even making art! If you want to do something, you have to do it!

J: The first time you were on stage at Irvine Meadows / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, was it the first time you played a large venue? Do you remember the first time you realized “you made it” or “Hey, I think I can actually make a living playing music?”

TD: I think it was the biggest venue at that point. There were several big moments early on where I felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
Getting the record deal. Going on a real tour across America. Getting on the radio. Selling out the Palladium in LA. I feel really fortunate.

J: I know the band had a favorite Mexican restaurant in Anaheim where they would always go to eat? Care to share that with the readers? Are there any others in Orange County that you frequented? Do you still visit them when you’re in town?

TD: There were 2 fav mexican places in Anaheim. Both cheap and tasty. The sit-down place was called Mexi-casa on Lincoln Blvd. That was fancy for us:) The fast food place was El Taco, I think on Euclid. Mexican food is a deep love of ours, for sure.

J: I know that during the Rock Steady tour Adrian had his own bus for his family. On this tour is the No Doubt tour going to look like a convoy? Possibly a daycare bus? How is touring different with family?

TD: Yep, we’re bringing our families on this one. I’ve very very excited to have my wife and kids along. It’s going to be a giant rock and roll summer camp caravan. I’m hoping to get a slip and slide up on the lawns of the Amphitheaters for soundchecks!

J: One of the things about success is that you don’t have to go back to the part of their career when the whole band was living out of a van, but do you miss playing small clubs? Would you play them as a band again if you could, just for the connection with the audience?

TD: I loved those days, and never thought of them as a struggle. It was always a blast and an adventure to squeeze into a van and drive around the country, playing clubs. About 3 years ago while on our break from ND, Matt Costa and I did a mini-tour up to Vancouver and back. We played every city in-between, and I did all the driving in my old Ford Expedition. I love playing clubs and “humping gear”. I like every aspect of being in a band, all of it.

J: With family life, do you still get a chance to go out and see new bands? Who are some of your favorite acts out now?

TD: I listen to new music recorded rather than live mostly, I don’t go out to shows much anymore. I prefer being home at night with my kids now. That’s why they’ll be on the road with me. As for new music, I like a singer called “White Buffalo” he has a new cd out. and I like the Decemberists and the Fleet Foxes, the whole Northwest beard-rock scene…Also I dig Vampire Weekend.

J: Comedian Greg Behrendt, who, by his own admission, is a superfan of yours, mentions the band in part of the his routine named “Adult Rock Show.” He mentions selling of tour merchandise targeting older fans. Have you altered your merchandise to target older fans, and now that the ND family has grown, kids? Have you guys ever considered marketing a No Doubt Toaster Cozy or a No Doubt Day Planner?

TD: It’s a funny idea, but really those things wouldn’t sell much. I think Sammy has done well with Cabo Wabo, and Dexter the same with his hot sauce. We’re going to stick with TShirts and stickers. Or, perhaps we should look into No Doubt private estate grown expresso beans, I could get into that :)

J: You no longer live in Orange County, but you still have ties here. Would you still consider OC your hometown/county?

TD: I grew up in OC, it’ll always be home. And Long Beach isn’t far geographically speaking. I’m still so close but also a world away.

J: Anything else you would like to say to our readers?

TD: Many thanks to those who’ve supported us for the last 20-odd years. It’s been a great ride and I’m stoked that we still genuinely enjoy making music together. See you around town.

Find out more about Tom at his website and the rest of No Doubt at nodoubt.com

No Doubt’s Orange County Homecoming is July 31st, August 1st, 2nd, and 4th. The first three dates have sold out, and at this rate, the fourth is destined to also. Tickets available at livenation.com

GWEN POST-Stand and Deliver at the Bamboozle Festival

2009-04-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

Posted 4/16/2009 by GwenStefani

Hiya,
It's been crazy busy at rehearsals. So much to get it all going. this tour is gonna be amazing. It's hilarious being all back together. Lots of creative energy and inspiration.

As some of you may know, we decided on the fly to appear on the show Gossip Girl as the 80's band Snowed Out. We're doing a cover of "Stand and Deliver" by Adam and the Ants for that show and have been messing around with it here at rehearsals. We hadn't planned on playing the song live but we've been having so much fun we decided to play it on stage for the first time at Bamboozle on May 3rd. If you guys like it, maybe we'll add it into our set.

I heard there's some confusion about the song and it being our new single. It's not our new single, just a fun thing we did for the show. We included it in our catalogue download because... Well, I don't know. I guess because we wanted to give you something extra. As you know, this whole tour is to get us inspired to write our new record.

Well, gotta run. We're shooting tour video stuff with Sophie Muller today and they're ready to start. See you soon!

Gx

PLAY VIDEO

No Doubt -Spin

2009-04-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

Stefani wraps her long, thin fingers with shiny French-manicured nails around a mug of PG Tips tea. Her calf-length boots, loose slacks, and turtleneck are all black. “You get desperate trying to write songs,” she says. “Then the opportunity to sing this one came up, and now we’re going on tour - it’s like I got out of doing my homework!”
Five years since their last tour, eight years since their last studio album - the triple-platinum pop-dancehall Rock Steady - and a seeming life time since Stefani became a solo megastar and fashion mogul, she and the boys are re-upping for a 52-date North American safari. If the jaunt goes as well as the band hopes, it should yield a new album. But if the limp economy (though early indicators suggest strong ticket sales) and time apart from fans prove an insurmountable buzzkill? “We can’t think about that shit,” says Kanal. “We have to focus on what we’re doing.”
Right now, that means Antmusic. A few hours after Stefani’s rainy-day ruminating, the four old friends and producer Mark “Spike” Stent are assembled in the Hollywood studio, assuming playback position - eyes on the ground, heads bobbing in time to the music. The quartet will mime “Stand and Deliver” for an upcoming appearance on Gossip Girl, whose 18 to 34, predominantly female demo just so happens to be the same consumer group whose pop-culture radar very likely has a Gwen-shaped blip where No Doubt used to be.
For her part, Stefani is no great fan of the show. “[Gossip Girl is] totally the kind of thing I would watch,” she says apologetically, “but if the choice is between sleeping and watching TV, then I’m going to sleep.”
The track is far from finished. Horns to be rearranged. Backing vocals will be tinkered with. The mix will be tweaked. But even in rough shape, No Doubt seem pretty much the same as you remember. At 39, Stefani’s vocal style remains girlishly brash. Dumont, 41 is still a guitarist adept at layering pop sheen and metal crunch. Drummer Young, 39, and bassist Kanal, 38, have retained their gift for shining skank onto even the straightest rock beats, as well as for razzing one another.
“Hey, Adrian, how much did you pay Spike to make your drums so loud?” asks Kanal. looking up from the sofa in the dimly lit studio.
“I didn’t pay him anything,” says Young, his head clean shaven except for a long mohawk that’s slicked straight back and dyed bright red. “I just gave him a pee-pee rub.”
“That reminds me,” says the tall faux-hawked Dumont, “I gotta stop at an ATM later.”
The conversation devolves into Kanal threatening to roofie his drummer before Stefani speaks up. “This is so weird,” she says, beaming. “I can’t believe we’re all here doing this again.”
But what exactly are No Doubt doing? The band never broken up, which means this isn’t quite a reunion. And they don’t have any new music to sell, so the trek - kicking off May 2 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a stop the next day headlining the Bamboozle festival - isn’t part of the usual album-tour cycle. Instead No Doubt’s resurfacing is best understood as a kind of referendum on the band’s musical and cultural relevance - a road test, if you will.
“I have no idea what we mean to people anymore,” says Stefani, her legs pulled up beside her on a large L-shaped couch in the studio’s lounge. “I was on tour by myself not that long ago and selling out all over the world. But now,” she shrugs, “do people even go out anymore? The world’s gone crazy.”
The fast-approaching tour has Stefani feeling certain about two things: “We’ll have a blast and get some great ideas for an album.” Well, maybe not certain. “Writing songs is a torturous process. I never know how to do it. The fear is always there that I won’t be able to do it again. So, yeah, if the tour doesn’t sell and we don’t come up with anything, maybe this will be the end of No Doubt. But I highly doubt it.”
To encourage writing, Kanal’s tour bus will be equipped with a mobile recording studio. “We’ve never written on tour before,” says Stefani. “I just need to figure out at what point I’ll be able to get some sleep.”
In person, it takes a moment to adjust to the glamorous luster of Stefani’s candy-apple-red lips and near-geisha complexion. Her famously flat belly is hidden under her shirt. “I’m nowhere near in shape for the tour yet,” she frets, then laughs her short, sharp laugh. “I’m only just now starting to fit into my old clothes!”
Her constantly smiling and wide-eyed son Zuma was born last August. He’s with his nanny down the hall. His older brother, Kingston, 3, is at home with Dad, British rocker Gavin Rossdale. Mom has released two platinum selling albums, 2004’s Love. Angel Music. Baby and 2006’s The Sweet Escape, since No Doubt were last a functioning unit. “Before, when I was with the guys, I didn’t have any kids,” says Stefani, an almond-size diamond sparkling on her wedding ring. “That’s like, whoa - a huge deal. The dynamic of the band is different. It has to be.” She notes, ruefully, that for the first time since they formed 23 years ago, the foursome will be traveling in separate buses.
“When you’ve got the endorphins going from the show, it’s so much fun to be all on the same bus, hanging out and drinking champagne. There’s no way that can happen anymore. I’ve got two babies and their nanny, and an assistant, and my security, and a hairdresser. It’s not much of a party, but that’s what I need in order to perform every night.”
In a sense, the band is back where it started. Formed in Anaheim, California in 1986 - largely an outlet for Gwen’s older brother Eric’s quirky ska-pop - the band’s earliest success was found on the road. A sweaty, energetic live show win them plenty of SoCal fans (and built some strong internal bonds: Kanal and Stefani were in a long-term relationship), but the sound didn’t travel. Their first nine years were spent in limbo between local heroes and national nobodies. “It was so exciting to have a following and know we could go play as far away as San Diego and people would show up,” recalls Dumont from behind the wheel of his black Yukon. He’s dressed in a gray hoodie, black jeans and green Chuck Taylors. The Pacific glistens outside the driver’s side window. “It was hard to understand when our record company called us a failure because we only sold 25,000 copies of our first album.”
They sold some ten million more of their third, 1995’s Tragic Kingdom. (Eric left shortly after the album’s release to pursue a career in animation.) Unabashedly perky and deceptively deep, Kingdom’s deep, “Just a Girl,” “Sunday Morning,” and “Don’t Speak” (about Kanal and Stefani’s breakup) drove a gilded scrunchie deep into grunge’s heart.
But 2000’s Return of Saturn, writer immediately after a marathon two-year tour, traded Kingdom’s primary pop colors for standard postadolescent revelations in songs such as “Marry Me,” and “Six Feet Under.” The album sold a tenth as many copies as its predecessor. It also planted a seed.
“When we were touring Saturn, the shows weren’t packed to the rafters, but we had a fucking good time,” says Dumont. He’s on the way from his home in Long Beach to pick up a custom-made speaker cabinet in nearby Newport Beach that he plans to use while recording the new album, wherever and whenever that may be.
“That tour was when Tony discovered Jamaican dancehall music. We’d play it backstage for hours after shows - it was all about not worrying and having fun. We ended up going right from that tour into Rock Steady. That was kind of the idea behind what we’re doing now - just getting back into the vibe of being in No Doubt and remembering how awesome that is. Whether we get inspired the same way, we’ll have to see.”
During his time off from the band, Dumont and his wife, Meike, had two sons, Ace, 3, and Rio, 1. He also branched out in to production work, helming two albums by skateboarder turned singer-songwriter Matt Costa.
Taking a hand from the steering wheel to scratch his grey-flecked goatee, Dumont explains how the No Doubt machine creaked back in to action. “I called Tony and Adrian up in 2007 to get together and write. The plan was to have new music ready for Gwen to write lyrics to as soon as she finished touring The Sweet Escape.”
The Gwenless approach worked for the band before, notably on 2002’s “Hey Baby.” It didn’t work this time.
“We hit on a handful of ideas that we might come back to,” says Dumont. “But without Gwen writing lyrics or melodies, there’s only so much we could do.”
It was during a second writing session last winter at a then-pregnant Stefani’s Hollywood home that the band realized what it had to do to feel like a family again. “We needed to have group therapy,” says Stefani, back at the studio. “We would talk about crazy stuff, like how the process that we used before is not gonna work anymore. To be a mom and the lead singer and songwriter and the best friend of these guys,” she pauses, “there was a lot leaning on my shoulders. I couldn’t have a baby, then sit in a studio for a year making an album.”
Kanal also feels the talks were a turning point. “There were some very emotional discussions,” he says. “We’re still under contract for a record, but Interscope appreciates that we have to put out the right record. We have to ease back into this. I understand te skepticism people might have about a band going on tour without any new songs, but this is not us being a nostalgia act. This is not a cash grab. This is a necessary step in No Doubt making another record.”
Dumont remembers that around the same time his band was sorting itself out, he found himself continually clearing up a common misconception. “Everyone thought the band had broken up because Gwen was doing her own thing,” he says. “I’d tell family members that we were working on new music, and they’d go, ‘Really? Who’s singing?’ ”
Adrain Young pulls his metallic green 1962 Park Avenue Cadillac into the parking lot of the Virginia Country Club in Long Beach. He steps out of the car, resplendent in green and blue plaid slacks, a white long-sleeved T-shirt, and a black cardigan - a far cry from the thongs he used to favor onstage. “I’ve been a member for a year,” says the drummer. “My mentor moved here from another golf club. That’s the main reason I joined.”
Young, whose fit build, strong jaw, ramrod posture, and Technicolor clothing make him resemble a psychedelic Marine, plays to a plus-one handicap. His personal best is around 66. For those unfamiliar with golf parlance, that means he’s really fucking good.
“I’m not worried that going on tour will hurt my progress,” says Young, who invested in gonzo golf mag Schwing! in the late ’90s. “I’ll practice in the mornings and play on days off.” He tried to get his son, mason, 7, into the game. “I kind of burned him out already,” he says, frowning. “You can’t force it.”
The plan for this afternoon is to eat and the work with his 9-iron. Young enters the club’s dark wood and oxblood leather dining room and takes a seat at a table near a TV tuned to ESPN. He’s in a feisty mood, and not just because his long game has been giving him problems.
“No Doubt is absolutely still relevant,” says Young. “I don’t know if you know this, but during Gwen’s how in Irvine last June, we did a surprise encore as No Doubt,” he pokes the air with his fork for emphasis, “and that crowd was piercingly loud. Louder than any crowd I remember. That night put to rest any doubt I had about our relevance or legacy.”
Paramore’s Hayley Williams, whose four-men-and-a-lady band is opening for No Doubt this summer, needed no convincing. “I respect them all so much,” she says. “They toured around in a van for years before they blew up. They slept on floors. They’re not a marketing gimmick or a bunch of studio friends. They’re a real band and they’ve had this amazing success. That’s what we all aspire to. All my friends are stoked they’re back.”
The 20-year-old singer has a special love for Stefani. “Gwen is a big deal to me,” Williams says. “She was one of the first people I heard who wrote from a girl’s point of view. I always related to what she was singing about, whether it was ‘Just a Girl’ and being disrespected, or ‘Simple Kind of Life’ and wanting to have a family. I don’t know a girl who doesn’t think of her as a role model.”
Stefani is happy to play the part. “Heaven for me is looking out at the audience and seeing so many young girls,” she says. “On one level, it’s so strange to me that anyone knows who I am, but feeling like I am reaching people and still being respected as a woman is the most rewarding thing.”
But the Stefani that Williams first fell for is not the Stefani of Tragic Kingdom, or even Rock Steady. She married a rock star. Her L.A.M.B fashion label, started in 2003, has been sported on Eva Longoria Parker and Paris Hilton, among others. She set up a companion accessories line, Harajuku Lovers in 2005. Her dance-oriented solo albums, featuring collaborators like Andre 3000, the Neptunes, and Akon, competed and won the world of Xtina and Britnet. For a time, she made public appearances accompanied by a quartet of Japanese lovelies dubbed the Harajuku Girls (Think of them as Sanrio bric-a-brac - made of people). To some, the fact that Stefani’s decade has been more ooh la la than oi! oi! oi! might seem like a regression.
Stefani doesn’t buy it. “I’m not doing anything now that I haven’t always wanted to do,” she argues, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. “I’ve always been interested in fashion. I’ve always liked dumb dance music, like Debbie Deb and Club Nouveau. I know it was weird to be on the same circuit with Madonna and Mariah, but I did it my own way. It was campy, it was funny. If people didn’t get it, that’s their problem. People gave me shit about the Harajuku Girls. Seriously? How do you see that that wasn’t meant to be ridiculous?”
She says she’s used to criticism. “When you’re a creative person - and that’s how I define myself - then you’re always going to make somebody mad. Fifteen years ago, when No Doubt started making poppier songs, there were hardcore ska fans who said, ‘Fuck you’.”
So it’s fair to say that No Doubt won’t be playing “Hollaback Girl”? “I’m so over dance music now,” she says. “I had a really specific sound and concept in my head, and I’ve squeezed it out. It’s done. Everyone wants to make it like I ‘left’ the band, but I never planned for my thing to be so big. I always felt like I was cheating on them when I was working with other musicians. In my mind, there was never any question that I was going to come back to No Doubt. Those guys are my best friends forever.”
An older country club member, wearing trousers pulled up to just below his neck, approaches Young, who is finishing up his ahi and brown rice. “That’s some haircut,” he says, motioning to the drummer’s crimson mohawk. The old man’s head is dotted with liver spots.
“Yeah, it is,” says a smiling Young. “You like it?”
“No, I don’t,” the man responds.
Later, Young wallops a long drive into the path of the distinguished gentleman at the opposite end of the driving range. He says it was an accident. Then he does it again.
“If you asked me what I’d like to do every day,” says Tony Kanal at home in the Hollywood Hills, “the answer is playing shows with No Doubt. That’s been my life since I was 16 years old.” On this day, the band’s only childless member is wearing a blue plaid Western-style shirt and skinny black jeans. His black hair is dyed its usual blond. “I’ve always been obsessed with my band. That’s just how I am. But I understand it’s not realistic for everybody else. I’m sure I’d feel different if I had kids.”
Kanal and his live-in girlfriend, Erin, an actress, have been talking about starting a family. He has the band’s blessing. (”I have two boys. Tom has two boys. Adrian has a boy,” says Stefani. “Tony needs to have a girl so the kids can start their own No Doubt.”)
Kanal’s house is a 1925 Spanish Colonial villa that was designed by Stiles O. Clements, the architect responsible for L.A.’s famed Wiltern and Mayan theaters. In a nod to Kanal’s heritage - his parent’s were born in India - a large statue of the Hindu god Ganesha takes pride of place in the foyer. Four cats scamper across the intricately patterned carpets. The modest recording studio on the third floor has an immodest view: On clear days, Catalina Island is visible 20 miles away. Looking northeast, the white dome of the Griffith Observatory rises above the tall palm trees.
The studio is where Kanal, who has the slim build and springy step of a welterweight, retreats to write and record. In the last two years, he produced an album for the reggae singer Elan and did writing an production on Stefani’s solo albums. Along with Dumont and Young, he cowrote” Paralysis,” a track on Scott Weiland’s recent “Happy” in Goloshes. Lately, though, past triumphs are far from his mind.
“It dawned on me that the kids who bought Rock Steady might have outgrown us,” he says. “There are people who didn’t know Gwen was in a band. There are people who will see No Doubt for the first time. It’s a weird thing. You know, going back to when we were playing Fender’s Ballroom in Long Beach in 1987, I had a good sense about who was coming to the shows. Now I don’t really know. It could be anyone.”
The results of a survey posted on No Doubt’s website in late 2008 gave some clues. “The audience is a split you don’t usually see,” explains the band’s manager, Jim Guernot. “Gwen is an influence on very young people and brings them along with her, but there’s also the traditional audience of people in their 30s who have been following the band for 20 years. Concerts usually get one audience or the other, not both. Presales for the tour were tracking at 124 percent higher than they were for Gwen’s tour last year,” he says. “I would’ve been happy if we’d been equal.”
From his lofty perch, Kanal professes allegiance to a power greater than market research. “I’ve had moments of doubt in my life,” he says, “and they’ve been resolved through music. It sounds weird to say, but it’s true.” He continues: “We can push ourselves in a new way. If I didn’t think that we could do that, I would want to call it for what it is. I’d say, ‘Let’s call this a farewell tour’.”
Back in the studio, the final notes of “Stand and Deliver” have long faded away. The band will be back later in the week to listen to a final mix. As Stent gets back to work, Kanal tells Stefani about the radio interviews he was doing earlier that day. “They’re still talking the same shit,” he says to Stefani. Kanal cops the smooth tones of a drive-time DJ, ” ‘I hate to touch a nerve here, Tony, but didn’t you and Gwen used to date?’ ”
Stefani rolls her eyes. “That’s so lame,” she says.
“Try answering questions about thongs,” Young chimes in.
Stefani’s assistant, carrying Zuma, pops in to remind the band that they’re due at the singer’s house to discuss stage designs. Outside, the rain has stopped. The four bandmates get up to leave. Stefani, now holding her son, says anxiously and wistfully, “I want to be out there already.”
Then she speaks again, to everyone and no one, “We still have so far to go.”

for more check out No Doubt Scrapbook

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale: Easter Family Time

2009-04-12T09:39:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some togetherness on Easter, Gwen Stefani was spotted out with her husband Gavin Rossdale and their two sons Zuma and Kingston yesterday (April 12).

The “Hella Good” songstress and her funky family hit up their local Whole Foods Market to pick up some groceries, with Gwen doing a little self-promotion by wearing a No Doubt t-shirt in honor of the upcoming tour.

Gwen and Gavin also paid a visit to Gwen’s parents’ house in Beverly Hills for a little extended family time, with the boys playing all afternoon.

As they prepared to leave, Gwen’s brother Eric showed his appreciation for the paparazzi by sarcastically smiling and waving to the shutterbugs from the front door.

CHECK OUT celebrity-gossip.net

Gwen Stefani enjoys a family day at the beach with sons Zuma and Kingston as she prepares for No Doubt reunion

2009-04-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

By Daily Mail Reporter

With only a few weeks to go before Gwen Stefani reunites with her No Doubt bandmates, the pop star is enjoying as much quality time with her family as possible.
After spending all of Friday posing for a photo covershoot for Elle magazine, Gwen was thrilled to be back with her two sons over the weekend.

The singer, 39, enjoyed a day at Long Beach in Los Angeles with husband Gavin Rossdale and sons Kingston, who turns three next month, and eight-month-old Zuma

In contrast to the designer fashion she was wearing at Friday's shoot, Gwen looked like a normal mother in casual jeans, vest and Jamaican-flag print Adidas jacket.
Gwen kept a close eye on Zuma, who was dressed in a bib reading 'Mr Amazing' and had a patch across his jeans with 'BYOB - Bring your own bottle' across his backside.
Proud dad Gavin, who hails from north London, kept Kingston occupied.
Gwen is currently preparing to take to the stage again after a long absence.
She will reunite with her No Doubt bandmates to perform at the Bamboozle music festival in New Jersey on May before kicking off a U.S. tour in the summer.

They are also going back to the studio to record the long-awaited follow-up to their 2001 hit album Rock Steady, which is expected to be released next year.

On Friday, the mother-of-two was sporting a number of different costumes and hairstyles to a photo shoot in Los Angeles.

It was only eight months ago that Stefani gave birth to her second son Zuma, but yesterday she displayed none of the tell-tale signs of fatigue that come with being a new mother.

Instead the super-fit star looked in better shape than ever as she donned various guises including a short, shoulderless blue satin dress - complete with knee-high killer-heel boots - and her more familiar punk rock look.

Gwen has always taken a keen interest in fashion - from creating her own outfits as a teenager to her current clothing lines, L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers which is worn by fellow celebrities like Halle Berry and Paris Hilton.

'I love to mix the 'homegirl' look with Hollywood glamour,' the Californian-born singer said.

Gwen is preparing to celebrate her 40th birthday in October.

Mummy's boys: Gwen Stefani tickles her eight-month-old son Zuma as his big brother Kingston plays in the sand at Los Angeles' Long Beach

Oh baby: Gwen keeps Zuma's skin protected from the sun as he plays on the beach

Handsome dad: Gavin Rossdale cuddles his son Kingston

She's Just A Girl: Gwen Stefani goes back to her punk roots (left) and then a more fashion-forward look at a photo shoot in Los Angeles

Gwen adopts the glamorous Hollywood look with his stunning shoulderless blue satin dress, complete with killer knee-high boots

The platinum-blonde singer has always loved fashion, but admits she hopes motherhood will 'save me from my vanity'

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looks brilliant
- Kerry, Edinburgh, 6/4/2009 7:57

I have noticed that after both her pregnancies, Gwen covers up somewhat and then goes onto these type of shoots, which is so refreshing..it shows that she loses her baby weight slowly and healthily, if only more celebs did the same instead of stepping two weeks after birth!!!
- Samantha, North England, 6/4/2009 7:54

she amazes me i never knew how old she was an i thought she was like 26!!!!!! amazinggggg
- Lacey, liverpool, 6/4/2009 7:45

She looks fantastic for 39.
- R Green, Berkshire, UK, 5/4/2009 20:28

I really like Gwen Stefani, as much as she is rich and famous and can afford to look amazing after 2 kids, she doesn't flaunt it or have nannies following her around....you always see HER or HER HUBBY caring for the kids....that says a lot in showbiz these days. She seems very down to earth and caring about her loved ones. She has a goal in life, she set out to do it and she did - good for her! Keep it up Gwen!!!
- Stephanie, Chicago, IL USA, 5/4/2009 19:11

She looks about 15 years younger! Love her daring style.
- kay, North West, 5/4/2009 20:41

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1167712/Gwen-Stefani-enjoys-family-day-beach-sons-Zuma-Kingston-prepares-No-Doubt-reunion.html#ixzz0YnAsEOAA

Gwen Stefani: Enjoying Family Time Ahead of Tour

2009-04-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

Keeping her focus on family, Gwen Stefani paid a visit to her parents’ house in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon (April 10).

The 39-year-old Grammy-winning singer toted baby Zuma inside as her elder son, Kingston, was carried along by Gwen’s helping hand.

After visiting with her folks, Miss Stefani led the way back to the family car as her dad carried his baby grandson in his arms.
The family time comes just ahead of Gwen’s return to the stage with No Doubt next month - as the group will perform on the Today show on May 1.
With the schedule then leading to The Bamboozle 2009 festival in New Jersey on May 3, Gwen and her bandmates will then embark on a US tour.
Gossip Girls

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Dine In Style At Mozza

2009-04-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

Life’s a Beach for Zuma Rossdale!

2009-04-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

Something’s funny! Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale goes for a full-body laugh — foot-stomping included! — while enjoying a morning at Long Beach with parents Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale and big brother Kingston.

Zuma, 7 ½ months, and Kingston, 2 ½, are getting ready for life on the road! While Zuma will tour with his mom — “he needs the milk, you know?” Gavin joked recently — Kingston will be keeping dad company at his shows.

A photo of Gavin and Kingston is below!

SOURCE celebrity-babies.com

Tony Kanal of the band No Doubt and Erin Lokitz attend the I "Heart" Ronson launch party presented by Charlotte Ronson and JCPenney

2009-04-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

held at Bar Marmont in Los Angeles, California.