Formed in 1986 as a ska band inspired by Madness, the lineup of No Doubt initially comprised John Spence, Gwen Stefani, and her brother, Eric. While playing the party-band circuit around Anaheim, the trio picked up bassist Tony Kanal, born in India but raised in Great Britain and the U.S. Hardened by the suicide of Spence in December 1987, No Doubt nevertheless continued; Gwen became the lone vocalist and the group added guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young.
No Doubt’s live act began to attract regional interest, and Interscope Records signed them in 1991. The band's self-titled debut a year later, an odd fusion of ’80s pop and ska, sank without a trace in the wake of the grunge movement. As a result, Interscope refused to support No Doubt’s tour or further recordings. The band responded by recording on their own during 1993 and 1994; the result was the self-released Beacon Street Collection, much rawer and more punk-inspired than the debut. Eric Stefani left just after its release, later working as an animator for The Simpsons.
By late 1994, Interscope allowed recordings to resume, and Tragic Kingdom was released in October 1995. The album served as a document of the breakup of Gwen Stefani and Kanal, whose relationship had lasted seven years. Thanks to constant touring and the appearance of “Just a Girl” and “Spiderwebs” on MTV’s Buzz Bin, the album hit the Top Ten in 1996. Stefani, who has made no secret of her pop ambitions, became a centerpiece of attention as an alternative to the crop of tough girls prevalent on the charts. By the end of the year, Tragic Kingdom hit number one on the album charts, almost a year after its first release; the record’s third single, the ballad “Don’t Speak,” was the band’s biggest hit to date.
Below are some cool photos of No Doubt in the 1990s:
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