As a young So Cal band No Doubt only dreamed of getting their songs played on the world famous KROQ in Los Angeles. It’s been said that the program director at KROQ in 1992 boldly voiced; “it would take an act of God to get this band on the radio!” Well, God intervened and in 1996 Tragic Kingdom is released and debuts on Billboards top 200. This “little album that could” eventually reached number one with the single, Just a Girl . Tragic Kingdom would go on to become a multi-platinum selling album for No Doubt and Trauma Records selling over 17,000,0000 million copies worldwide. Let’s take a jump back in time to 1996 and join Dwight Arnold in the studio with Gwen Stefani.

Dwight Arnold: How are things for No Doubt right now how are you dealing with your success?

Gwen Stefani: “We’re extremely happy right now if you would have seen us this time last year we were about to fall apart we were literally hanging on by a thread. We were like this underground cult kind of band for like nine years. To have this level of success is really incredible.

Dwight: What was the meaning behind the title Tragic Kingdom?

Gwen: “Tragic Kingdom could have a lot of meanings it could mean the world, it could mean Orange County, the inside of my head [laughing], or our backyard you can actually see the Matterhorn (Disneyland) looming over our backyard.”

Dwight: Who would you say is your biggest musical influence?

Gwen: “Eric [Stefani] is like my biggest musical influence I think. He taught me like every thing I know about music. He actually forced me into the band in the first place. I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for him. Eric decided about a year ago he wanted to go into art. He’s like overflowing with talent.” (Eric departed from the band prior to the completion of Tragic Kingdom to peruse his art career working as an animator on the Simpson’s). “It opened up a lot of space creatively for the rest of us as songwriters because before, a lot of it was Eric.”

Dwight: Is there some truth in these songs? Do they reflect Real life situations?

Gwen: “Kind of. There was one relationship. I was going through that and I ended up writing about like 100 times. I think it’s stupid to make something up. I don’t know? I really can only write about things that have happened I’m not good at making things up”.

On January 1st 2002 the handsome Gavin Rossdale of the multi-platinum band Bush proposed to Gwen which she eagerly accepted. The couples exchanged “I do’s” in London on September 14th, 2002. Since this 1996 interview, No Doubt has gone on to win several
MTV Video Music Awards including Best Group Video and Best Pop Video plus a Grammy for Best Pop Performance and Gwen was named Cosmo Girl of the Year 2001. Their follow up album Rock Steady debuted in the top ten on the album charts. Gwen with her own clothing line, and new solo album L.A.M. B. (Love Angel Music Baby) already nominated for a Grammy, No Doubt nominated for Grammy for “It’s my life” It ’s No Doubt they have become a KROQ favorite. For more info on Gwen go to: www.gwenstefani.com