As the Goo Goo Dolls prepare to hit the road this year in support of their 2022 record Chaos In Bloom, singer and songwriter John Rzeznik looks at how the band builds their setlist, as well as the "exhilarating and gratifying" feeling of getting to perform for their legion of fans who all gather together for just one simple reason.
LISTEN NOW: Behind The Setlist: John Rzeznik (of Goo Goo Dolls)
Goo Goo Dolls frontman and co-founder John Rzeznik is best known as the voice behind a number of massive hits from the '90s, particularly the fan favorite 1995 A Boy Named Goo single, "Name" and 1998's Dizzy Up The Girl tearjerker "Iris."
As the primary songwriter and singer, it should also come as no surprise that Rzeznik produced much of the band's fourteenth studio release, 2022's Chaos in Bloom, which will take the group on the road in 2023 with dates in Ireland and the U.K., followed by their Big Night Out Tour kicking off in July with O.A.R. and Fitz & the Tantrums.
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"Everybody's got one thing in common in that room," Rzeznik says, reflecting on performing for thousands of fans at their live shows. "They dig the music that we're doing. When all kinds of people get together and can unify on something as silly and insignificant as a song, that's an amazing thing."
Active since the late-eighties and with a whopping 14 albums under their collective belts, the Goo Goo Dolls have plenty to pick from when creating their set lists. "You know, we'll play all the hits and rock out --- do a little jammin'," John admits, without giving away too much of the ghost. "For me, it's more about flow," he adds. "You rise in energy and then you kind of come down, take a little break. Ride out a little mid-tempo thing... but sometimes, because of that, sometimes a few songs will get lumped together. There's a section in the set that starts out being an acoustic set, where I'll play 'Sympathy,' and maybe 'Acoustic #3,' and then go into 'Name.' I'll do that solo acoustic for the first part, and then the band will kick in. The crowd kind of likes that!"
Check out the Goo Goo Dolls' list of 2023 tour dates right HERE.
Listen to the full Behind the Setlist episode with John Rzeznik -- now playing on Audacy -- and follow along as hosts Glenn Peoples (Billboard) and Jay Gilbert (Label Logic) talk to artists to get the stories about the songs they play live. Most artists are known best for their recordings, but they love to be on stage. That's where the music feels at home. That's where they connect with the audience. How do they pick the songs to take the audience on a journey? Why do they cover other artists' songs? How many new songs can an artist fit into a 16-song set when people want to hear the classics? We find out.
Listen to more of your favorite music on Audacy's Rockternative, Drivin' Alt, New Wave Mix Tape, 90s and Chill, Alterna 00s, and ALT Roots stations -- plus check out our talent-hosted Kevan Kenney's Music Discovery, Megan Holiday's My So Called '90s Playlist, and Scott Lowe on the Go's Post Modern Music Box!
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