Gwen Stefani: I felt ‘completely exhausted’ making the last No Doubt album

Gwen Stephani famously sang about feeling “hella good” during her time with No Doubt – but the group wasn’t immune to the pressure to make a hit album.

The 53-year-old ‘Hollaback Girl’ singer really opened up about the hardships she faced while recording No Doubt’s latest record in 2012.

“Push and slidethe title, actually makes so much sense for the songs,” Stefani shared Debt magazine in an article published on Thursday, June 22. “That whole period was just a really tough time. Everything was like we were in molasses, and nothing came easy.”

The Grammy winner founded No Doubt in 1986 with her brother Eric Stefaniwho left the band in 1995, and John Spence, who committed suicide in 1987. Bassist Tony Channelguitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young joined the group before releasing their debut album, Doubtlessin 1992. Trombonist and keyboardist Gabriel McNair and trumpeter and keyboardist Stephen Bradley toured with the ska band from the mid-1990s.

The Orange County-based group released five records between 1992 and 2001 with hits such as “Just a Girl,” “Hella Good,” and “Hey Baby.” The 1995 chart-topper “Don’t Speak,” which Gwen wrote, was inspired by her breakup with Kanal, whom she dated from 1987 to 1994. Amid their success, the group took a hiatus in 2003 to pursue solo projects. works, including Gwen’s 2004 album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

When No Doubt got back together in 2008 and then released their last record, Push and slidefour years later, the dynamics had shifted.

“I feel like that record was where No Doubt was most confused. We had just gotten back together and we wanted to do it so badly,” Gwen explained to the magazine on Thursday. “But for me, I was completely exhausted from my world tour and giving birth. So many things had happened and then we tried to write that record.

The California native – who shares sons Kingston, 17, Zuma, 14, and Apollo, 9, with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale – confessed that it was not always easy to manage her and her bandmates.

“When you’re working with No Doubt, it’s almost like you have to have someone just there to make everyone happy, so everyone can have their piece,” she recalls. “It was a lot, that was a battle, that record.”

While it wasn’t the best recording experience, Gwen told the outlet it “makes.” [her] glad” that people listened to the album. No Doubt announced their hiatus in 2013, but reunited sporadically for live performances in 2014 and 2015.

Another No Doubt reunion isn’t quite off the table, though, according to The voice coach.

“What is the probability of something happening? I was just on The Drew Barrymore Show. She was one of my favorite celebrities when I was a little girl, and now I was just on the show with her. Anything can happen,” Gwen said during a December 2022 interview with WSJ. magazine. “We haven’t really talked about doing anything, but it feels like everyone is, right? All the ’90s People – Blink-182 did an eight month tour that sold out in five minutes.

For now, Gwen is focusing on her solo ventures and recent collaborations with husband Blake Sheltonwhom she married in 2021.

Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss the latest news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!

“That’s the best thing I think about a long career, to be able to get on stage and not actually be able to play your entire back catalog because there’s just too many hits,” the musician said. Debt ahead of her trip to the UK to headline a concert at Warwick Castle on Friday 23 June. “And how that happened, I don’t know. I look up but to still be able to do it and have the opportunity to get there and be on such a huge stage with Pinkit’s just going to be one of those… I don’t remember much, but this one I’m going to remember.