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Heckler

Without a doubt, the first thing you notice about No Doubt is vocalist Gwen Stefani's amazing voice. It's the kind of voice that is screaming fame regardless of what kind of music she could be singing to. It's the kind of voice that would cause your parents or grandparents to say something like, "Gwen Stefani, now that girls' got a voice". It's a careening, confident thing and a brilliant vehicle for Stefani's startling proficiency as a front-person. But that's only half the story when talking about Stefani. Simply put, she's a star. And I'm not talking about her attitude. I'm talking about the way she, too, is a careening, confident thing. Live, she doesn't beg for your attention, she demands it. And youwill give it to her. The cool thing, though, is that Gwen is a very nice person who appreciates the fact that you enjoy her band as much as she does. Which may be the reason that while the guys in the audience stand with their jaws on the ground, the girls egg her on. They adore her. Definitely star-quality, that Gwen.

Of course, that could very easily be said about the rest of No Doubt. Having seen them more than a few times over the last couple of years, I still scratch my head in amazement that this Orange County outfit are still pretty much unknown beyond the West coast. Maybe it's because Ska bands are still very much an underground phenomenom. And while No Doubt are primarily a ska band, it wouldn't be fair to pigeonhole them so easily. Which is not to say they don't cover a lot of musical territory, they do, they just do it in a very cohesive way.

They've been together since 1987, they didn't see their self-titled debut released until 1992. Unfortunately, the rest of the world still hasn't seen it, or the self released compilation The Beacon Street Collection No Doubt released earlier this year. While it can be speculated that the former release's poor promotion, or lack thereof, could find fault lying with the record label, Interscope, The Beacon Street Collection was never intended for mass distribution. It was recorded in three different sessions over the course of a year and intended for sale at their shows only. With their third effort due out this Fall, Interscope has the chance to take advantage of a band waiting to happen. And with Rancid's Time Bomb clearing the way, the time could definitely be now for America's first huge ska band. Unless you're completely blind, it's hard to ignore stars this bright.

written by: Sean Schroeder
photo by: Jill Stefani

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