 Goo Goo Dolls - This resilient Buffalo garage band formed in 1986 and got its start
playing on the local club scene there. Johnny Rzeznik (vocals, guitar), Robbie Takac (vocals, bass)
and George (drums) released their first independent album, Goo Goo Dolls, in 1987 and began building a
local fan base. In 1988, they released Jed, on the L.A. indie label Metal Blade, creating a critical buzz
that included raves from the Los Angeles Times ("a blast of school's-out exuberance") and Rolling Stone
("thrash-packed pop and well-articulated rage").
It was only a matter of time before the Goo Goo Dolls began attracting major label
attention, and in 1991 they released Hold Me Up under Metal Blade's distribution deal with Warner Bros.
Virtual non-stop touring and a track ("I'm Awake Now") on the Nightmare on Elm Street 6 soundtrack
further bolstered their national following. Another strong showing, Superstar Car Wash, came out on
Warner Bros. in 1993. Musician magazine said the album marked "a quantum leap over their thrash beginnings,
a move akin to the Replacements breakthrough records Let It Be." Despite the critical kudos, however,
the Goo Goo Dolls remained on the fringes of the mainstream.
Their breakthrough came in 1995 with their third Warner release, A Boy Named Goo. The
album, produced by Lou Giordano (Pere Ubu, Husker Du, Smithereens), contained the hit ballad "Name," their
first foray into American Top 40 radio. During this time, the Goo Goo Dolls contributed tracks to
numerous soundtracks, including Ace Ventura 2 (1995), Tommy Boy (1995), Twister (1996), Son in Law (1996)
and Batman and Robin (1996).
But by far, their biggest soundtrack payoff came in 1998 with the multi-platinum
ballad "Iris," which appeared in the film City of Angels. The single shot to No. 1 on the Billboard charts
and its accompanying video became an MTV mainstay. In the fall of 1998, the Goo Goo Dolls released their
sixth studio album, Dizzy Up the Girl, a collection of power ballads, including their mega-hit "Iris." The
band's latest, What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art and Commerce (2001), is a compilation including
songs from all phases of the band's career.
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