Lead singer of Buffalo’s own Goo Goo Dolls, Johnny Rzeznik, is not only gearing up for another record release, (Something for the Rest of Us drops August 31) but is looking forward to another stop home to where it all began—Buffalo, NY. “There are no illusions there. I know where I stand with Buffalo.” I sat down with Mr. Rzeznik to talk up the new album and how he thinks Buffalo is getting its cool back.
Your upcoming new album called Something for the Rest of Us is your new material since 2006’s Let Love In. What took so long with the new album?
“Well, we finished it. Then we sat and mixed it. Then we sat down to listen to it and it just felt like we could do a lot better. We went back in and tore it down and worked with a couple of other producers and kind of redid it.”
Did you start from scratch again?
“We didn’t start from scratch, but we re-recorded a lot of guitars and rewrote a lot of different lyrics and added a couple of new songs.”
Do you think the music scene has changed since your last album?
“Well yes, it’s constantly changing. I think it changed especially through these hard economic times. It’s still the cheapest form of entertainment out there.”
Do you listen to anything right now? Has anything inspired the new album?
“I love the Hold Steady. I love that band. The National and Phoenix. I tried wrapping my head around the new MGMT record—but it’s a little too freaky for me. I love the New Flaming Lips remake of “The Other Side of the Moon”. A lot of people hate it, but I like it."
“I tune out current music when writing and recording new material. I kind of listen to all our old records to see what direction the new material will take.”
The theme from Let Love In was about love and hope and this new one deals with the current state of the economy.
“Yes, but it’s more about that, but on a personal level. I’m not one to make a political statement.”
“I thought I’d go with more personal stories with personal angles about wars that are never going to end. Those are the issues that I’m most personally touched by. I know people who lost people in the war. I know people who have lost their jobs and their homes and that there just trying to find themselves again and find out what really matters and maintaining dignity during stressful times. It’s this underlying ambient fear, or background noise, of constant anxiety that is going on.”
How are the audiences reacting to the new music?
“The audiences has been really amazing and our new music has been really well received. It does take people aback a little bit because they don’t know how to react just yet. This last run has been really good though. We’re really looking forward to this summer tour.”
Do you think Buffalo changes every time you come back?
“I think a lot has changed because there is a lot of entrepreneurship going on there. Small businesses are taking over. Café Europa, Nektar’s, and Tempo are some of my faves. Buffalo is starting to get a cool, hip vibe for sure.”
For more info. on the Goos check out http://googoodolls.com/
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