Goo Goo Dolls Dizzying Up The Road

by Linda Laban

Although the Goo Goo Dolls have reached platinum sales status with each of their last two albums (1995's A Boy Named Goo and their latest, Dizzy Up the Girl), they haven't lost their blue- collar work ethic. And that means that right now, they're sticking to business as usual -- touring, touring, and more touring.

"You've got to stay out on the road," says Goo Goo singer and guitarist John Rzeznik. "I don't think the hype machine works for us as it does, say, for someone like Marilyn Manson, which is media- friendly in a strange way because there's a lot of image there."

The Goos are wrapping up 1998 with a U.S. theater tour, and follow that with a few special TV appearances -- performing their hit "Slide" on the American Music Awards broadcast on Jan. 11, The Rosie O'Donnell Show Jan. 13, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien on Jan. 14. For all of these appearances, their touring band features an expanded lineup that adds a second guitarist and keyboard player to their 12- year- old format.

Besides Rzeznik, the core lineup consists of co-founder/ co-singer/ bassist Robby Takac and drummer Mike Malinin. "It sounds so good with the two other guys playing," says Rzeznik. But he is adamant that the expansion is just for live work. "When I'm in the studio the last thing I need is another opinion. Most of the time I have a pretty good idea of what I do. I like to complete my own sentences."

After their TV appearances, the Buffalo, N.Y. band takes off for Europe and then heads straight for shows in Japan and Australia. The band then returns to the U.S. in March to open five Rolling Stones dates (allstar, Nov. 16). "It's like, wow, I got to open for the Stones, how cool," Rzeznik gushes. "Biggest rock band in the world. It's something to tell your grandkids. It's a real honor that they would even ask you. I know that sounds cheesy, but it is."

As far as getting to the stage in their own career where the Goos are headlining arenas, Rzeznik is doubtful. "That would be great, but I don't think anything like that is in the cards. I don't think we could sell that many tickets."

Besides, after so long playing intimate venues, the enormo-dome scene seems a little daunting. "I find it very difficult to talk to people in circumstances that big, you know?" he says. "This may seem weird, but you can still have a conversation with 4,000 people; it's really difficult to have a conversation with 10,000."