"Back when the Goo Goo Dolls were a raucous local punk band with ridiculous hair and song titles like " Don't Beat My Ass (With a Baseball Bat)," they snuck something truly subversive at the end of their second album, 1989's Jed. After half an hour of tinny, fast-paced thrashing, the Goo Goo Dolls treated listeners to just Johnny Rzeznik, their occasional vocalist, alone with an acoustic guitar and a tender confession:"
"And also like everything they did, it was kind of a joke-both because it ends with a punchline ("Then you go and tell me that you found out James Dean was gay... I don't wanna be James Dean anymore") but also for a broader reason: Who could imagine anyone from this scuzzy, drunken Hüsker Dü worship act ever becoming a celebrity?"
The Goo Goo Dolls began as a raucous Buffalo punk trio with outrageous song titles and a rough, thrashing sound. They unexpectedly included tender, acoustic moments led by Johnny Rzeznik, whose fragile vocals hinted at a more melodic direction. Rzeznik developed into a standout songwriter, combining a downtuned acoustic approach with a knack for soaring, sentimental pop melodies. Over a decade the band navigated setbacks and improbably large commercial success, shifting from local punk worship to mainstream recognition. The contrast between their scuzzy origins and polished power balladry became a defining tension in their rise.
Read at Pitchfork
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