The backdrop of No Doubt’s third album Tragic Kingdom reads somewhat like a soap opera– keyboardist and principal songwriter Eric Stefani left the band in the middle of the sessions after struggling with the fact he was being asked to include other band members in the songwriting process, and shortly after that bassist Tony Kanal abruptly ended his seven-year relationship with lead singer Gwen Stefani. In a word, things were kind of a mess (or a tragic kingdom, one could say).
But as things tend to go in the creative world, that tension helped fuel a level of creativity that would lead them to commercial success and set Gwen Stefani on a path to becoming a globally recognized star. Tragic Kingdom‘s blend of new wave, ska, and punk rock came at a time when that genre of music was having a massive resurgence, and off the heels of riot girl anthem “Just A Girl” and the heart-moving punk rock ballad “Don’t Speak”, Tragic Kingdom went on to sell over 16 million copies worldwide.
Standout Songs: “Don’t Speak”, “Just A Girl”, “Spiderwebs”
