A Boy Named Goo

Have I ever revealed that I'm a closet Goo Goo Dolls fan? Well, now it's out there.

I interviewed Goo Goo bassist Robby Takac in advance of their show in Park City...

Long before the name Goo Goo Dolls was permanently attached to the phrase "platinum-selling artists," the threesome was just another bar band in chilly Buffalo, New York. That all changed, however, thanks to a slew of massive hits in the mid-'90s and early 2000s, including "Name," "Slide," and "Here is Gone."
As the band nears it 25-year anniversary, bassist and founding member Robby Takac wonders where all the time has gone.

"It doesn't seem real," he says of the milestone, from a tour stop in Connecticut. "It's amazing how fast 25 years flies by." Though much of the past quarter-century has felt like a whirlwind, he still remembers the changes brought on by the band's breakthrough hit in 1995.

"After 10 years of driving around in a van, trying to convince every kid in town to come check out your band, [having "Name" on the radio] was huge." Unfortunately, the first thing he did with his newfound fame and fortune wasn't all that glamorous.

"I paid off my studio loans," he says with a laugh. "Those bill collectors were starting to get after me."
"Name" would be only the beginning of the band's reign of mainstream rock radio. Since that time, the Goo Goo Dolls have amassed 14 top-10 singles. Ruling the airwaves, however, does have some disadvantages.

He does have advice for young bands, however. "I hope the thing people take away from playing or touring with us is the idea that you've gotta work to make this happen. You can't stop doing the things that help make the connection with your fans -- reaching out, making people feel a part of what you're doing when you're on stage. Those fans are the ones that are going to make it possible for you to do this thing you love. You can't become so important that it's all about you. It's not about you. It's about everyone."

After 25 years, thousands of shows, and millions of records, there's no doubt the Goo Goo Dolls know a thing or two about keeping fans happy.