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No Doubt — 2010 New Album Preview

Shortly after the release of their hit 2001 album ‘Rock Steady,’ members of No Doubt found themselves sidetracked by personal priorities and solo projects, and consequently decided to go on a prolonged hiatus. After their triumphant reunion tour last summer, though, the ska-pop quartet has finally decided to concentrate their artistic efforts once again, and have begun devoting themselves more wholly to their new 2010 album.

Although the group has redoubled their studio work in recent months, their new 2010 album has actually been in the works for a few years now. In 2006, the group told MTV that they were already starting on work on the album, even without lead singer Gwen Stefani, who was expecting a child at the time. Once Stefani returned, they were originally hoping to release an album in 2008, but eventually were forced to delay production once again as they decided to focus more on their 2009 comeback tour.

Now, however, it appears that the stars have aligned, and that everyone in the group is once again on the same page. There’s still no release date for the still-untitled album, nor has No Doubt released an official tracklist. In 2008, though, drummer Adrian Young spoke with MTV about the early sounds that were coming out of the studio thus far. “It seems like we’ve always come from an eclectic background musically,” he said. “But we seem to always gravitate towards reggae. I can’t say that’s what our record is going to be like, ’cause it’s too early to tell, but what makes us feel really good is reggae music. I can play reggae music to my grave.”

Fully aware that their devoted fans will seize any bit of information they can find, the group has also taken to Twitter, where they’ve been regularly updating the world on the record’s progress, as well as giving insight into the atmosphere of their studio. “Tony and Gwen are rocking the synth. Our little studio is warm and candlelit, above the glowing city. Tom,” is what guitarist Tom Dumont tweeted in January. Fans can thus take solace in the fact that not only is No Doubt definitely back in the studio and working diligently toward a new 2010 album, but that we’ll all be able to follow their every move along the way.

From AOL

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Articles, News, No Doubt

Gwen Stefani Talks No Doubt’s Studio Progress

Gwen Stefani took some time out from No Doubt’s studio sessions in California to visit New York City for Fashion Week last week. Rolling Stone reports that Stefani previewed her “military and punk-inspired” fall line of her L.A.M.B. clothing collection on Thursday, and then spoke at the event about No Doubt’s studio progress.

Speaking on No Doubt’s current status, Stefani noted that while her bandmates had worked on some material while she was on her solo tours, now “things are kind of starting over, you know what I mean? We might revisit some of that stuff, but it’s the same old chase. It doesn’t matter how we get there — we want to get there, we will, and we’re having fun doing it.”

Stefani also said that the band has been inspired lately by the music of the ’80s. Stefani said, “The last few weeks, we’ve been listening to the worst of the ’80s, in the sense of bad but good. Pop songs, one-hit wonders, nifty songs, things like that. You just go back and find things that you love, and try to figure out how they made them. We just listen to good songs, and then writing our own stuff, we try to pull it out wherever we can.”

When asked, “What was the last thing I was listening to?,” she replied, “Lionel Richie. I love him.”

From FMQB

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Articles, News, No Doubt

Gwen Stefani Fears the Runway

Gwen Stefani admits she was a bag of nerves when she had to hit the runway in front of an audience during one of her L.A.M.B. fashion shows at New York Fashion Week.

The No Doubt star says she’s no catwalk queen.

“I do get nervous right before the girls go out, and I don’t like going out there myself,” she said.

“The catwalk is just a different place to the stage. I find it so much more scary. Everyone is there and can be critical about your work. I’m proud of my work but it’s a daunting place to be.”

Stefani recently admitted the success of her fashion line has taken her by surprise.

“I’m still so blown away that we’ve got this far,” she said in September last year.

“When I first started, I really didn’t know what I was doing at all.

“I mean, I’ve made clothes my whole life, but I was just naïve about the fashion world. “But I think it’s [successful] because I’ve been really involved, you know?

“Picking the samples, inspirations, color palette. I have a great team of people helping me.”

From Showbiz Spy

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Gwen Stefani: Touring with No Doubt is now a family affair

GWEN STEFANI insists No Doubt is a family affair second time around with the dressing room doubling as a crèche.

Gwen – back with the band she found fame with prior to a massively successful solo career – has become mum to two kids, Kingston, three, and Zuma, one, with Scots husband Gavin Rossdale since taking time out.

And, having arrived in Singapore with Zuma for the band’s F1 Rocks concert tonight, Gwen admitted parenthood played a large part in it taking her so long to get the band back together.

“I had two babies,” she explained. “There’s nothing you can do to rush that. It just takes as long as it is going to take.

“During that time off I did my own records and toured a little bit but we got No Doubt back together as fast as we could.

“When I got pregnant with Zuma, we started writing again and went into the studio for six months.

“We tried to write a record and it wasn’t really coming out, so, after I had the baby, I suggested going out on tour.”

Founded in 1986, No Doubt became known for hits such as Don’t Speak and Just A Girl before Gwen went solo in 2004.

Her own albums, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and The Sweet Escape, delivered up mammoth hits such as What You Waiting For?, Hollaback Girl and Wind It Up.

This time around the No Doubt dressing room is dramatically different since three of the band members have children – the exception being bassist Tony Kanal. So they certainly aren’t the hellraisers they used to be.

Guitarist Tom Dumont said: “It is a little mellower, it’s a different kind of wild. It’s three-year-olds running around and screaming and fighting.

“Our kids are an extension of us.

“It’s weird to see them playing together as friends. It’s fun actually.

“Like Gwen I have two boys – a one-year-old and a three-year-old.”

Tony added: “We just finished a tour of the States. Normally we have a backstage room for after-show parties. Now that’s a room for the kids to hang out with the nannies.”

I caught up with No Doubt in the Presidential Suite of the Swisshotel in the centre of Singapore, where Sunday’s Formula One race is the centre of attention.

Everywhere you look F1 Rocks, which is sponsored by LG, is in action. The F1 Rocks team have pitted racing drivers such as Jensen Button, Lewis Hamilton and Australian driver MarkWebber, against rock, pop and film stars to add some spice to the run-up to the Grand Prix.

Mark spent Wednesday afternoon learning how to kickbox with Ninja Assassin actor Rain, who has become Hollywood’s hottest martial arts star since Jackie Chan.

Jack Osbourne is here too and has been seen whizzing around in an F1 car as part of a challenge set down by Button. And free runners have been scaling Singapore landmarks, dressed in F1 race gear.

Singapore has also been invaded by rock and pop stars for three F1 Rocks shows that lead up to the race. Last night, the big names of Asian pop music played in Singapore’s Fort Canning Park to 10,000 people.

Tonight, it’s No Doubt’s turn to play, sharing the billing with Simple Minds and ZZ Top before Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas share the stage tomorrow. Scot Paul Morrison, who dreamed up F1 Rocks and founded T in the Park 16 years ago, has sold the TV rights to F1 Rocks to 147 countries, with Channel 4 broadcasting the shows at midnight on Sunday.

Paul, who has been working round the clock for the first of what is planned as a series of shows at Formula One destinations, said: “I thought we would get 40 countries, but it is going out to more places than the MTV awards and The Grammys.

“The TV deals are on a par with the World Cup and Olympics. I can’t believe it is this massive.”

Meanwhile Gwen, 39, admits the long flight back to the States with a teething baby could prove gruelling.

She said: “It was a 17-hour plane ride here. Zuma was amazing on the way over, but I think the flight back is going to be torture.

“Kingston has started school so I couldn’t bring him, but he is having special daddy time. It works out well to have just Zuma with me because now it is one-on-one for him, which is really special.

“He has really blossomed in the last few days. It has been perfect. I knew I couldn’t be without him.”

She added: “He loves music and I sing to him, lullabies and that kind of thing. The band’s kids would watch our shows on the US tour every night and they enjoyed it.”

Asked what tips she can give to working mothers, Gwen said: “I’m not good at advice or tips but somehow it just works out. Some days I am spread so thin that I think, how am I going to do all this? But it works out somehow.”

(more…)

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No Doubt about their show

The last time we saw No Doubt perform here in 1997, we were left breathless by their energetic show. This time round, although the band said they have mellowed somewhat, they’ll still bring it on when they take to the stage tonight at Fort Canning Park.

The foursome say they are excited about their first big gig outside of the United States in 10 years. The band completed a 58-show nationwide tour that ended in August, and say they can’t wait to rock out.

“We’re probably not going to play as many songs,” said singer Gwen Stefani at a press event on Thursday. “Because the set is much shorter. And we’re not going to have as many costume changes, because I didn’t want to waste time changing clothes. That’s about the only difference between this show and the (ones in the US).”

“But we’ll be fresh, because we just did 58 shows and by the last eight shows, we were pretty burned out,” said bassist Tony Kanal. “But after having a month off now – we rehearsed last night and the rehearsals were really, really good. Surprisingly great. It’s like we should come here to rehearse all the time. It was like, ‘Wow, the band is really good!’”

After this show, the band say they want to work on a new record. “That’s the goal right now – to write some new music,” said Kanal. “But the tour was so much fun, we just want to keep playing. But we have to find that balance between playing live and recording.”

Just what kind of new music, Stefani said they had no idea. “It’s all a bit mystery.

It’s been this crazy thing trying to write the record, because I had a baby and it wasn’t working,” she said. “That’s why we went on the tour, to try to get inspired.”

And what can fans expect from their show on Friday? “Awesome-ness!” exclaimed drummer Adrian Young.

We’re definitely going to be there then.

From Channel News Asia

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