The Goo Goo Dolls
 

The most underratted and underappreciated band of our time?

I've only recently "found" this band, thanks in great deal to them getting **** all recognition or exposure in my part of the world, but what an incredible band they are.

I've started collecting the albums and so far I'd rank them as such.

Favourite: Let Love In - Gutterflower - Dizzy Up The Girl - A Boy Named Goo

I've got the others on order but what I find interesting is that with each successive record they seem to get better and better.

I love Johnny voice and his songwritting is incredible, and I've gotta assume a few people out here in Bon Jovi land like them too because there is a real musical (not to mention physical, in the case of the two lead singers) resemblence between the two bands.

My favourite song of their at the moment is probably Big Machine. Check it out if you haven't heard it:

I don't have any of their studio albums, all I have is their live album release from a few years ago, and a few studio songs I've downloaded

I'd say they're a pretty good band ... as you say they have musical similarities to Bon Jovi, but mainly that similarity is to post-2000 BJ, who I also think are a good band but lack something truly special.

Overall I'd say I prefer post-2000 BJ to GGD, but I also think that Iris probably kicks the ass of any post-2000 BJ song

I was a big fan until 2003 when they opened for Bon Jovi and I saw them live. They were one of the most dissapointing live acts I have ever wanted to see :( There are a pile of threads about them in this forum - here is one of them so you can see what others said.

http://drycounty.com/jovitalk/showth...ighlight=Dolls

My favorite album of theirs is A boy named goo.

My girlfriend got me into them a few years back, Dizzy up the girl is a fantastic album.

Goo Goo Dolls
 

Have to agree, been a casual fan since my best mate kept going on about Dizzy Up The Girl. Probably the best flowing album I've ever listened to from start to finish.

Also, saw them play Oxegen in July and I reckon they would suit a more intimate venue. Nonetheless, Iris was amazing and would have been even better if my girlfriend wasn't after leaving to go to the bar, way to kill the romance!!

...I saw them open for BJ too....and I liked them...we'd had the pleasure of less than jake before ..so it was def an improvement!....Iris is the only song that seems to get airplay here in blighty.

Dizzy Up The Girl is a tremendous album.
I actually happen to think they're a pretty good band.

This isn't to insult anyone, as I myself only got really into them in about 1998. However, if you wanna hear their masterpiece, buy Superstar Carwash. That album, pardon my french, ****ing rocks!!!!! I think it's one of the most underappreciated, pop-rock perfection records ever.

I've seen the Goos probably 20-20 times. I've never been disappointed with them.

You've all heard their hits, so I'll give you a list of songs that are brilliant that you may not have ever heard:

Fallin' Down
Cuz You're Gone
So Far Away
There You Are
Girl Right Next To Me
Just The Way You Are
Don't Change (Inxs cover)
On The Lie
Hate This Place
Truth Is A Whisper
What A Scene
Million Miles Away
2 Days in February
All Eyes On Me
Another Second Time Around
We Are The Normal
Stop The World

What she said. I actually liked them a lot until I saw them open for Jovi. They were one of the worst live acts I've ever endured and that was only made worse by how I went in with high expectations.

I like them a lot. As far as their records, I like Dizzy and Gutterflower the best. Didn't much care for their latest effort Let Love In. Live they can be hit or miss. When Johnny doesn't feel like performing he lets you know it. That said, I have a soft spot for them and Johnny has he bought me and my friends drinks one night and invited us to just sit and shoot the shit with him. Definitely a lot brighter guy then I had orginally thought.

deb

Been a big fan for a few years now.

i think it's luck those who have seen them and they have not been good live, perhaps they were having a h*ll ;)
when i have seen them they have blown my socks off. Or maybe it's the other way round and i have been lucky and they usually are rubbish! lol

the gigs in the uk always sell out. they may not be publicised or well known in the UK. but they really do have a significant fan base here.

also met the guys after a gig in nottingham and they were really great guys. johnny even warmed my hands up for me.....;)
________
Laguna Bay Condo

I bought Let Love In (CD&DVD) and worked my way back since. IMO they have some truely great songs, and yet alot of quite dull ones but maybe they just aren't quite my sort of band. I love alot of the tracks from Superstar Carwash and Dizzy Up The Girl and as an album, I thought Let love In was good. Took a few listens and probably not the best choice of GGD album to start off with, but some great songs on there.

I think Iris is the only song that gets any airplay on radio and music channels here. I have to resort to Youtube for other videos. Here Is Gone is one of my favourite songs of all time aswell. I remember the video was playing in Hard Rock Cafe a few years back and my mate asked me, "Is that Bon Jovi?".:mrgreen:

Johnny Rzeznik is a spitting image on Jon mind. (Sometimes anyway)

Anyway, yes VERY underrated band, even if I'm not as big a fan as many people here. I was amazed how long they've been going. Formed in 1986, debut album in '87.

EDIT (19/09/2007): Been listening to Before It's Too Late alot, from the Transformers soundtrack. Typical Goo's, but still, a good song.

Goos are releasing a Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 in december (I think) for anyone who wants a collection of all their top 10 hits, then a follow-up vol.2 early 2008 with some rarities, remixes and a few new tracks! I can't wait for that!!!

This is the tracklist according to wikipedia (take it for what its worth)

1. Name
2. Iris
3. Slide
4. Broadway
5. Black Balloon
6. Dizzy
7. Here Is Gone
8. Big Machine
9. Sympathy
10. Better Days
11. Stay With You
11. Let Love In
12. Before It's Too Late
13. Feel the Silence (Remix)

Thy never tickled my ticklish bits really.

Funny that wikipedia has 'Name' listed as the opening track on a 'Best of' compilation when the song only featured as a bonus track on 'Dizzy up the Girl'???

Name is on their cd "A Boy Named Goo". That song was their break out hit in the US, at least.

deb

I like'em.

Name is on "A Boy Named Goo"

Are we talking about the same track? I defo have a track 14. 'Name' on my copy of 'Dizzy'. I don't own 'A Boy named Goo' so I can't compare em. Strange!

Like i say, take wikipedia for what it is.;)

Yeah Name is from Boy Named Goo. It was added to some versions of Dizzy Up the Girl because the song became more popular after Iris, Slide, Black Balloon, etc. became REALLY popular.


By the way, I strongly recommend getting Boy Named Goo if you don't have it. It and Superstar Car Wash (even moreso) are better than their newer albums if you ask me.

Yea, it's like some versions of Let Love In included Iris as track 12.

I like the band a lot. They were one of the best opening bands I've ever seen and when they headlined, they were excellent as well. The GGD/BJ show that I saw was good, mainly because GGD saved the show. BJ played too many Bounce songs and I am not too fond of that crappy album. Plus they also didn't play ITA. But that's another story.

I used to love this band, the early 'Replacements' style stuff was excellent. The later albums, the less punky 'Dizzy Up The Girl' and 'Gutterflower' were ok i guess, but wtf happened with 'Let Love In'?? Dreadful!!
And why does the bassist have to sing!? He's rubbish!

Wasn't the bassist the lead singer of the band up untill Superstar Carwash? If you think he's rubbish (which he is, btw), why would you love their early stuff? ;)

Here's the artwork for their new greatest hits album...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...he_Singles.jpg

...and this is the tracklist.

1. Let Love In
2. Dizzy
3. Here Is Gone
4. Slide
5. Name (New Version)
6. Stay With You
7. Before It's Too Late
8. Broadway
9. Feel the Silence (Remixed)
10. Better Days
11. Big Machine
12. Black Balloon
13. Sympathy
14. Iris

I love Goo Goo Dolls, they are my favourite band... i love Dizzy, Superstar Carwash, Gutterflower and Let Love In. They have an amazing stuff... but still my favourite album is These Days closely followed by Destination Anywhere.

Dizzy is cool.

Not especailly amazed by much else. Although I'll be gettin' this - my fiance's as mad about them as I am the Jovi :)

Word for word...that's what I was going to say!

I went to Buffalo that year to see Jovi and expected the Goos to really bring it down...that's their hometown. As mediocre as every other opening set I witnessed on that tour!

Having not seen much live Goo Goo Dolls footage, I've seen some, mostly from youtube and I have the Live & Intimate DVD that came with Let Love In, and I've not been impressed. As much as I like them, I doubt I'll ever be pushed to go and see them, even just to say that I have. Johnny looks and sounds as though he can't be bothered. He doesn't even make an attempt to hit the higher, demanding notes.

You should watch Live In Buffalo. It's a great performance and it is directed and produced by jon's brother Anthony Bongiovi :)

I've been thinking of checking that DVD out, but what I said in my previous post kinda still holds me back a little. I probably will though still. Cheers.

I'll second that recommendation. I'll also say it again, the Goos are great if you're there in a small intimate venue. If you get the opportunity to see them, I'd say you should go for it.

Go buy 'Let It Be' by The Replacements, the band Goo Goo Dolls wish they were.

I've always liked them somewhat but decided to give them a proper go yesterday :D and they're kicking the butt of my sound system right now. I love their punkier sound, but hell, they can write the anthemic power ballad type of song like very few else can!