No Doubt :: 'Push and Shove'

September 25th 2012

 

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Confirmed Song Titles

'Dreaming The Same Dream'

'Easy'

'Gravity'

'Heaven'

'Looking Hot'

'One More Summer'

'Psycho'

'Push and Shove (feat. Busy Signal) [Produced by Major Lazer]

'Settle Down' [Produced by Major Lazer]

'Sparkle'

'Undercover'

'Undone'

 

Well this gets my nomination for post of the month. Incredibly informative. Merci beaucoup.

 

I think they could fit in just fine to be honest. Gwen is regarded as a superstar and always seems more youthful than her years so I'm sure teenage girls worldwide will be lapping up whatever they put out, plus No Doubt have always been at least a little bit more credible than your average pop act. It all depends on the sound though.

 

Stand And Deliver really was terrible. I'd like either an album of soothing electro picking up where It's My Life left off or something really brash with lots of ska influences.

I feel like I have been waiting on this record since birth. I really hope it will live up to my expectations of it being FLAWLESS, so I don't mind that they are spending extra time on it. I would also really like for Gwen to do just one more solo album.

 

YES PLZ.

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They've just finished track 10. Woo.

As in ten tracks that will for sure be on the album?

Doubtful - just ten tracks that have been completed. They seem to be recording a batch right now.

I'll probably be in a nursing home before this album gets released.

They're currently putting the finishing touches to "Dreaming The Same Dream". Eee. So excited.

 

Hard not to watch that over and over.

Edited October 24, 201014 yr by ▲▲▲

They just finished another song. EEE.

BUMP.

Back in the 90's it took about a year to make a new album and they've only been back together since '08 - and for the last part of 2008 they went touring for inspiration, so one whole year is perfectly normal.

IT'S COMING. HAPPYFACE.

 

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When Gwen Stefani first joined No Doubt, she was 17, thrashing around onstage to ska as reinterperted by a clutch of kids from Orange County, California, singing lyrics her brother Eric wrote, and serving as a bit of eye candy in a male-dominated subculture. It wasn’t until Eric left the band — and after her well documented breakup with bassist Tony Kanal — that she figured out she had a few things to say herself. All doe eyes and razzing charm, Stefani cracked wise about gender liberartion (“Just A Girl”) and railed against bad boyfriends (“Sunday Morning,” “Ex-Girlfriend”) without sucking all the fun out of the room. On her solo records, 2004′s Love.Angel.Music.Baby. and 2006′s The Sweet Escape, she riffed on career advancement, female back-biting, and a ticking biological clock, while whipping up the dance floor to a euphoric frenzy. In her we had a punkette superheroine cribbing pages from her diary for potent pop-rock confessionals that arrive like urgent telegrams. Over her career, Stefani has sold some 50 million records and produced a genre-scrambling catalog, speaking to and for women about what’s really on our minds — bad breakups, marriage, babies, sexism — without sacrificing the rampant infectiousness that barrells through the music.

 

Rather than hanging it all up after a quarter-century to focus on her profitable side projects — her fashion labels L.A.M.B. and the lower priced Harajuku Lovers, not to mention her recent anointment as the face as L’Oreal Paris — or simply laze about with her two eminently photogenic boys, four-year-old Kingston and two-year-old Zuma, and her husband of eight years, Gavin Rossdale, she’s back in the studio with No Doubt, hell-bent on making a record. When the band reunited briefly in 2009, Stefani suffered a serious case of writer’s block and failed to produce and new material before going out on tour. But that’s all behind her — or at least ripe enough for mining.

 

Chrissie Hynde once said, “If you’re an ugly duckling — and most of us are, in rock bands — you’re not trying to look good. You’re trying to look cool so people won’t notice you’re ugly.” When I meet Stefani in the Taipan suite at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City, it’s clear that the exception to Hynde’s rule is standing in front of me, offering her hand. She is tall and taut, with hollowed-out cheekbones and manicured eyebrows that instantly remind you how long it’s been since you’ve been to an aesthetician. Her makeup is a visual meditation on meticulousness — thick, glossy eyeliner, scarlet tinted lips, and lashes that could make Liza envious. All this distilled femninity works for Stefani because really like most female singers who front all-male bands — Hynde, Debby Harry, Shirley Manson — she’s a tomboy at her core whole lax SoCal accent still bubbles up when she speaks. “Isn’t her style rad?” she asks rhetorically, referring to Lizzie, her hip assistant.

 

ELLE: You haven’t released a new record with No Doubt since 2001′s Rock Steady. Is there a lot of pressure to get this album out?

GWEN STEFANI: Everyone’s like, “When’s the record coming out?” I think after doing the solo records, I just felt out of ideas. We tried writing, and I tried writing, and I couldn’t write. So we were like, “You know what? Let’s just go out on tour, and that will inspire us.”

 

ELLE: No Doubt’s music has always been connected to California and Orange County in particular, where ska was prevalent. Are you recording in Los Angeles?

GS: All of it, yeah. Because Tony [Kanal] has a studio in his house. It’s amazing. He has this old house overlooking Hollywood — it’s all windows. I made him put up a curtain because I’m like, “I don’t know if I can write with all the windows. It needs to be dark in here.” We’ve already finished 10 songs.

 

ELLE: After 25 years, what still motivates you?

GS: Music has this emotional thing to it, and it touches people in crazy ways. The power of having that power is something that, once you have it, you don’t want it to ever end.

 

ELLE: But your passion for it must have waned at some point?

GS: I don’t know. Right now, I can’t picture touring. i just think about it and I’m like… [she sighs and goes limp in her chair]. It’s so physical, and I’d have to prepare for that mentally. I just don’t know how we’re going to do it, because now Kingston is going to be in kindegarten. Now we all have kids. But it’s so different for me. Those guys have wives, so they can be like, “Oh, we’ll meet you out on the tour at the end of the semester.” But I’m so lucky — I mean, who gets to do all this stuff?

 

ELLE: I’ve read two different stories about how you came to be No Doubt’s lead singer — that your brother pushed you to join the band, and that you were begging your brother to be in the band.

GS: Well, both are true, sort of. When we started the band, there was a talent show at school. It was sort of like, “We’re going to do it, and you’re going to sing.” I don’t remember thinking about it or wondering if I should do it or being asked, but it was just happening. I was telling my girlfriend Sophie Muller [the British music-video director who has worked with Eurythmics, Blur, and Garabage and directs many of No Doubt's and Stefani's videos] last night, “Sophie, I’ve always had success. Everyone thinks it happened in like 1995, ’96, when I was 25, 26. But no — when I was 17, 18, when No Doubt started, the first show we played, people started coming to see us.” I would get recognized. When I went to Tower Records, that was it. People knew who I was.

 

ELLE: Did you have an inkling you might become a huge pop star?

GS: Doing the music we did wasn’t about making it. That wasn’t commercial music. I didn’t even know what “signed” was. It was so innocent, the whole thing I would go, “Dad, can I please have five dollars? I got to rent the microphone.” Then we would go to this place called Stomp Box and rehearse Thursday and Sunday. We did have a mailing list and someone who sold shirts. We had a P.O. box — we’d pick the mail up, we’d read it, we’d write our fans back. We were all going to Cal State-Fullerton. We knew we needed to have a backup plan. And then we did a shocase, and Jimmy Iovine [chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M] said to me that day, which I didn’t know who he was; I didn’t really care — “You’re going to be a star in five years.” And I was thinking to myself, like, “In five years, I’m going to have kids, and I’m not going to be doing this,” because five years at that age seems like forever. And then, five years on the dot, we had a number one around the world, “Don’t Speak” — it was the weirdest thing.

 

ELLE: Writer’s block is a major theme in your songwriting. You seem paralyzed by it at times.

GS: It’s true. And every time it’s the same, and I get to down about it. It’s so frustrating. But when it happens, it’s so exciting. I think that’s the addiction.

 

ELLE: Does the song have to be a hit to get that high?

GS: Once you have a hit, there’s not much point in ever writing a song that doesn’t have the intention of being a hit. I’m always a hits girl. A lot of people, like my bass player, Tony, will be really into playing a small club. For me, if I’m going to put that much effort into it, I might as well play for 300,000 people right now. I like the bigger-scale stuff. It’s the same with the fashion show — they’ll be like “Oh my God, you’re in the big tent,” and I’m like, “It was, like, 500 people. What’s the big deal? This is nothing.”

 

ELLE: You want the L.A.M.B. show at Madison Square Garden.

GS: I do! Why wouldn’t you want that many people listening to the songs you wrote? There’s not way to go back after you have had it. So the intentions of even the solo records were always trying to write those guilty-pleasure albums that just get in your head and you can’t get out. I’m not cool, I’m no into the B-sides. Prince, who is one of my idols, gave me some advice when I worked with him: “Have you ever just tried writing a hit? Like, don’t just try writing a song, try and write a hit song.” I remember him saying that and me thinking, Yeah, you’re right. Why would you write anything else?

 

ELLE: Do you know when it happens?

GS: I remember writing “Hollaback Girl” with Pharrell, and we had written all these other songs, and we just knew, we just knew. We were jumping all over the couch, we were doing the Tom Cruise, we were like “Ahhhh!” We got the champagne, brought in Jimmy; we were like, “We got the song!” There’s a song on the new record called “One More Summer,” I’ll tell you right now, that song is going to be a huge song.

 

ELLE: You feel it?

GS: There’s no way it’s not. Normally, every time we work I get a CD and I drive with it. Back and forth to the studio is when I do it, and I’m obsessed. It’s embarassing — it’s like when I got my iPhone, how many pictures I took of myself. It is obsessive. I cannot stop listening to it. I had to break the CD before I came here because if those got out and it’s the wrong version, it would be heartbreaking. You don’t want someone to see you before your makeup is done. You know what I mean?

 

ELLE: You mean becuase it could be leaked online?

GS: Yes. It’s different, it’s sad. Normally, I would have the music with me the whole time. Every record that I’ve ever made, I listen to it so much before it comes out. As soon as it comes out, I never listen to it again, It’s like, over.

 

ELLE: So you never pop in Tragic Kingdom or Rock Steady?

GS: Never. I mean, sometimes we listen back, when we’re writing, because it’s inspiring — especially when we are trying to write and we couldn’t. We were like, “Oh my God, these songs are great! We wrote these!” God. And they bring you back to that moment in time. Because it’s really weird to sing a song to 25,000 people and have your kids on the side of the stage, and you’re singing “Simple Kind of Life.” Whatever the lyrics mean to anyone else is one thing, but no one will ever know what they really mean to me, you know? It’s pretty intense.

 

ELLE: You’ve always been a confessional songwriter. Do you ever regret writing about your life and relationships so openly?

GS: I wish I could write more make-believe. It’s a lot easier to write about hard times and when things are going wrong. But I’ve never been a private person. I have to tell everyone everything that’s going on. It is different once you’re married, because that’s sacred.

 

ELLE: Does your husband every worry about that?

GS: We write about each other, and we’ve always been really supportive of each other. He’s a really good songwriter — it’s really annoying how good he is. He’s so much faster than me — probably when I get home, he’ll have 10 songs done, and I’ll be like, “Really? It took me four years to write 10 songs, but — awesome.” He’ll give advice like, “Oh, you should just go straight to the chorus, you don’t need all of that. You can edit that part out.” Or he’ll be like, “Okay, that’s a huge hit.”

 

ELLE: You met your husband while No Doubt was opening for Bush on tour. Do you remember those early days of your romance?

GS: Yeah, I totally remember it. The first time we ever kissed was right around Valentine’s Day — we were in New Orleans on tour. So yeah, I always think about that because it’s unbelievable that we’ve been able to stay together. I feel so proud of us — it’s one of my biggest achievements.

 

ELLE: You were pregnant on the Harajuku Lovers tour in 2005. Was that mentally and physically difficult?

 

GS: Yeah. I got pregnant during rehearsals. I didn’t even try. I wanted to get pregnant — we were talking about it, but all of a sudden it just happened, and I remember being in the rehearsals and feeling grumpy and tried and waiting for my period to come — like, “What is going on?” And then it was, “Oh my God! What am I going to do? I’m going on tour!” You can’t cancel it.

 

ELLE: You can’t?

GS: It was horrible. Certain songs would make me want to puke. On that song “Serious” — I think it had to something to do with whatever I was wearing, too, because I was feeling so insecure. I was getting bigger, and I jad to keep getting my costumes taken out. You feel pretty gross when you are first pregnant. You don’t feel cute, you feel disgusting. You’re getting fat. It was hard.

 

ELLE: Is there one live performance that stands out in your head more than others?

GS: The Bush tour was amazing for us because we’d never played such big shows, and being an opening act is really fun. Basically, no one really is there to see you. We, at that time, had so much confidence because we had been together so long, and we knew that live we were good. We just did. So we would go out there, and we only had a 30-minute set. It would just be like [stefani clasps her hands together in a pistol shape and takes aim around the room, closing one eye as she focuses on a pretend target], “Pow.” The place wouldn’t even be half full, but by the end it would be filling up. As soon as we played “Just A Girl”… pow.

 

ELLE: You’re the new spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris, and you’re an artist who’s particularly assosicated with makeup, even writing a song about it — “Magic’s In The Makeup”. How old were you when you started wearing it?

GS: I started in seventh grade. I’m an art major too, so I can draw and paint. That’s my background. We had home econmics, and they’d bring someone in to show you how to put makeup on. Did you have that at your school?

 

ELLE: No — that sounds amazing, though. Do you do your own makeup now?

GS: For stage, I do all my own makeup, and for the last couple tours, I’ve had hair people, which is the luxury for life. I’m like, “Why did I do it myself this whole time?” I learn from makeup people now, but in the past I had a real problem with makeup artists. I remember my first experience with a makeup artist was doing the first No Doubt album, the one that was shelved. Go back and look at how ugly I look. It is the worst makeup. I remember thinking, “This looks really ugly, but maybe in the pictures because of the lighting it will look good.” Nope. For that time on, I’m thinking, I’m not going to let someone do my makeup, becuase they don’t know how to do it.

 

ELLE: I read that when you played Jean Harlow in The Aviator, you disagreed with the way the makeup artist did your lips.

GS: When I look back on that now, I think it looked good. I have a hard time letting go. But it’s frustrating. people are always trying to change what you are. People want to be the first ones to do something different.

 

ELLE: You went sans makeup in the video for “Underneath It All.”

GS: In that one scene, yeah. The only reason I dared to do that was because Sophie was doing the video, and I knew that she would make me look good no matter what. And it was all backlit.

 

ELLE: What are you most vain about?

GS: Everything. I mean, I’m very vain. That would be my middle name. Of course I am, you know what I mean? I love the visual.

 

ELLE: I see Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Katy Perry and can’t help but think they’ve taken a page right out of the Gwen Stefani playbook.

GS: Really? I don’t see myself in those girls. I usually put pants on. I see those girls as more going for the sex-symbol thing. I was more, in the band, like a tomboy. Of course, I think every girl is sexy, so there’s going to be a little of that. But I see a lot of younger artists going more toward the sexy thing.

 

ELLE: What do you think about that?

GS: I feel like there’s room for everyone. I took my own road. You know, I probably didn’t wear heels until I was in my late twenties. But it’s interesting to watch where music is going next. Isn’t it always rotating? It is so weird how disposable pop music is, even mine. It just goes by so fast.

 

ELLE: Because there’s so much of it?

GS: Yeah, when we were growing up, some of the hits were legendary ones that you hear your whole life. But certain songs, I don’t know if you’ll ever hear them again. Because that’s what that music is, like a guilty pleasure, it’s right at the moment. It’s like fashion — it’s now, then it’s gone.

 

CONFIRMED SONG TITLES:

One More Summer

Gravity

Dreaming the Same Dream

Easy

 

We still don't know much about their direction other than inspired by eighties one-hit wonders, Jamaican vibes and some new-wave influences. I wasn't sure if they were going to go down a more Ska/less mainstream route but the description of 'One More Summer' definitely suggests otherwise. 2011 seems to be the comeback year of faded stars, looks like we might be able to add No Doubt to that list. 'Rock Steady' still sounds incredibly fresh (hard to believe it's been a decade), I'd love another fun, summer-tinged album like that. Also, Mike Heatlie (personal trainer) mentioned on Twitter that he was working with the band over the summer in preparation for a tour (probably promo tour) in September. I AM TOO EXCITE.

 

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Edited April 7, 201114 yr by ▲▲▲

Still only 10 songs done? But if it means quality then I'll wait. It has after all been ten years (!) already, another few months won't kill anybody. I agree about the Rock Steady record, the production was way ahead of its time and the songs all have a timeless element, even the most fun and frivolous like Making Out or Platinum Blonde Life. None were throwaway.

 

 

We were jumping all over the couch, we were doing the Tom Cruise.

Amazing.

 

I AM SO EXCITED. Cannot believe 'Rock Steady' was ten years ago.

 

Hoping this will be massive, I need some new Gwen/No Doubt in my life.

 

The photos are STUNNING. She's so beautiful.

Oh I don't really think those photos do her justice. Other than the bottom right there's something quite unnatural about her expression on them. Bad airbrush job maybe. And awful hair.

Still only 10 songs done? But if it means quality then I'll wait. It has after all been ten years (!) already, another few months won't kill anybody. I agree about the Rock Steady record, the production was way ahead of its time and the songs all have a timeless element, even the most fun and frivolous like Making Out or Platinum Blonde Life. None were throwaway.

Amazing.

 

 

I'm not too worried about the number of tracks finished, they've never really been a band that had lots of b-sides (despite the Everything In Time album). However, it absolutely kills me to know there is an albums worth of Gwen Stefani songs that she dumped for the more ghetto-Pharrell choices on The Sweet Escape. She has been doing the most promo now than she has in years so surely it must be on the way, first single in September perhaps? SO CLOSE. I CAN TASTE IT.

Oh I don't really think those photos do her justice. Other than the bottom right there's something quite unnatural about her expression on them. Bad airbrush job maybe. And awful hair.

 

I prefer the Elle UK photos, although it's hard for her to look terrible. I actually prefer/love all the photos she Tweets of herself, she's so effortlessly gorgeous. Gah! She's the current face of L'Oreal too, I love watching her lurk back into the public eye.

 

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THIS IS FROM OUR f*** YOU INDEPENDENT RELEASE, IT'S CALLED f*** OFF. I love nineties Gwen.

Edited April 7, 201114 yr by ▲▲▲

I LOVE THIS WOMAN. I may die of anticipation.

 

I THINK I'M ABOUT TO WET MYSELF. THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR. FINALLY.

 

- She says that the record has been “super challenging, but really fun” for the band.

- Gwen is heading over to see manager Jimmy Iovine this afternoon to play him some new tracks.

- They have 10 songs done, but they are wanting a few more.

- Gwen says it’s a “really good record,” and she loves it.

- She says the band are using the same inspirations that they love and have used in the past: Depeche Mode, The Cure and of course ska and reggae music.

- The band’s goal was just to write “really catchy songs”.

- Gwen describes how one of the songs was reggae, but has turned into an “anthem” song, completely different.

- The new album has a lot of “up-beat” songs, a really happy record.

- She says that the band is probably in the best place they have ever been, looking forward to touring.

- Tony is helping with lyrics for the first time on this record, producing a lot more.